Warning, I understand if any of you find this chapter boring, this is a chapter where we learn more about Max's past. It was teased during "Neutrality" but this is where we learn his backstory. So yeah, OC lore can be kinda boring, I get that, but I feel it's a good way for Max to show his trust in others, and to pave the way for possible future interactions.
Boss Teal: I admit Max was pretty oblivious but to be fair…I'm that oblivious. I honestly have no idea what the rules are about virginity concerning condoms. Some say it counts, some say it doesn't. Some say a blowjob counts, more say it doesn't. The heck of I know, I could honestly care less. I'm personally curious about the rumor that if you live to 80 years old and you're still a virgin, do you become a wizard? I'd personally choose having magic powers over sex, but that's just me.
Darkdragon472: Glad you're enjoying the story! That idea with Charlie is pretty funny. She just stops what she's doing, Vaggie looks at her with concern. "What's wrong?" And Charlie just goes. "I don't know, I just feel…a disturbance."
Now, let the chapter begin!
"So, that's my story." A demon ends with a sigh. She had white hair, horns, violet skin, red eyes with yellow pupils, and wore a black headband and pink glasses. This was Mrs. Mayberry, once a schoolteacher and loving wife, now dead and in hell due to a burst of rage from finding out her husband cheated on her. In her haste however, she realized she killed her husband and maimed his mistress in full view of her students who watched via a video call on her computer, the realization pushing her into committing suicide.
"I see." Max mumbles as he looks over the notes he took from chatting with the sinner. The woman recently checked into the hotel, hoping to find some semblance of redemption once her anger cleared. Normally it was Charlie who would take the time to help the new residents with redemption, but she encouraged Max to give it a try, believing his good heart and similar experiences with rage would make him a better fit.
"To think, I even went and paid all that money to those imps to kill that BITCH!" She growls out. "And I completely forgot that now she's dead, she's down here in hell too." Apparently the woman named Martha who slept with her husband Jarold lived, and was celebrated as a hero, gaining millions of dollars, recognition, and a loving family. Mrs. Mayberry found it absolutely unfair that the whore got to live happily while she was down here in hell, so she went and hired I.M.P to assassinate her some time ago with success.
"Anger has a habit of blinding us, I know that all too well." Max sympathized before a question came to mind. "She hasn't attempted to attack you has she?"
"No, I doubt she even recognizes me. Then again, there are many times where I barely recognize myself." She sighs, looking at her lavender hooves and tail.
"Big change like this can't be easy, it's an unfortunate side effect of going to hell. On the plus side it means you won't be recognized by any bad people in your past like your husband. Which reminds me, have you considered changing your name?"
"I can't go by Miss, we were technically still married when we both died."
"No not like that, I just mean going by a different name or a nickname, that way if anyone on Earth who knew you dies and for some reason goes looking for you, they won't be able to find you by name. I mean, Mayberry is a very pretty name, but it's also very recognizable."
"I guess…got any suggestions?" She asks, not caring much about the idea but willing to try.
"Hmm, I'll list some and you tell me what you think. May or Berri are some easy ones. I was gonna suggest Cherri but that's already taken. Wait, I think I got something!" He quickly pulls out his phone and looks up some translations. "You were a teacher, and I think that was something to be proud of."
"I likely traumatized my entire class." She reminded him.
"Yes, that was a mistake, but can you really forget the joy you felt when you were teaching them? The way you spoke about those kids and reminisced about the way they sang with you and looked at you with adoration, you're a one of a kind person, and I certainly would have loved having you as a teacher." Max praised, causing the sinner to blush lightly. "Then again I probably would have liked you too much and would have gone with you on your quest of revenge." Max half jokes.
"Oh no, I wouldn't bring one of my precious students along in such a bloody crusade of mine."
"Even if I volunteered?" Max asks before chuckling. "I'm just imagining a tiny young version of me in your class, just armed to the teeth ready to fight for you, like I just can't fathom the idea of someone hurting my precious teacher." He laughs softly, earning a giggle from the teacher.
"You're being silly…do you really still think I'd be a good teacher?" She asks shyly.
"You wouldn't be just a good teacher, but one out the best. That's why I looked up the Latin word for teacher, Magister! Maybe we can use that for a new name for you. That way whenever anyone says this name for you, it'll remind you of the great instructor you are deep down under all that sin." The human explains, the teacher looking at him with wide eyes before thinking to herself.
"…Magis. You can call me Magis." She decides with a smile.
"Then it's a pleasure to meet you Magis, I hope to one day see you ascend to heaven one day." Max smiles back at her before looking around before whispering to her. "By the way, if the blond bitch or your ex husband ever crosses my path, you won't tell Charlie or Vaggie if I drop kick them will you?"
"As long as you don't tell them when I join you." She giggles darkly.
"Hehehe, I mean, no one said we had to get you redeemed immediately, won't hurt getting a little bit of leftover wrath out."
"It's a deal then." She grins as she puts her hand out, Max smiling as he takes her hand and shakes it.
"She looks a lot happier now!" Charlie notices as Max leaves the private room used for speaking to residents called the Counseling Room.
"Yeah, she's not a bad person, I think she just needed some kind hands to help her up off the ground, so to speak." Max explains with a smile. "Who knows, maybe if redeemed she'll get a job in heaven as a teacher."
"That's a nice thought, but what would they even teach up there, or even who?" Vaggie asks.
"Well if what I heard is true, there are those Cherubs in heaven right? I mean, maybe it wouldn't hurt having a teacher teach them how to interact with humans or demons, and not risk falling like those three I.M.P met."
"Those poor things." Charlie pitied.
"I swear those imps cause more chaos than any Overlord." Said Vaggie.
"Yeah…speaking of Overlords." Max thought of Valentino and sighed, his hands clenched into a fist.
Charlie noticed his charge in demeanor and out a hand on his shoulder. "Hey it's gonna be okay, we made a plan, remember?"
"Still crazy to think that book had a spell like that." Vaggie stated.
"I just hope it's enough. Kushiel was one thing, but I had the entirety of hell backing me up. This fight is one on one."
"You know, you don't have to do this if you're scared Max, no one would blame you." Charlie informed him, a big part of her was scared of him getting seriously hurt or even dying.
"No, if I don't, then one day someone else will. For all I know, it could be someone possibly worse than Valentino. If fighting and becoming an Overlord is what's needed to take power away from the corrupt, then I'll fight with everything I got." Max states determined.
"And we're proud of you for going this far, not many would put their lives on the line to help out the denizens of hell." Vaggie gently put a hand on his shoulder, the moth demon nervous but encouraging.
"…I think there is something I need to tell you two. In fact, it's probably best we get the others too. Could you two please gather Angel, Alastor, Niffty, and Husk to the Counseling Room?
Charlie and Vaggie look at each other, confused at Max's sudden request.
Soon enough the seven of them were gathered in the room, Max with a nervous look on his face, worried about what he was gonna say but knew he couldn't back out now.
"So! I've been told you have something to tell us? Perhaps a new story to share? The last one you shared was quite entertaining itself." Alastor said with an eager grin.
"You're not wrong, I do have a story to share, but I'll get to that later. First of all I need to confirm something. Charlie, this room is soundproof right?"
"Huh? O-oh, yes. Completely soundproof, that way any residents who wish to speak to me can feel safe knowing the information they share with me is completely confidential." Charlie explains, Max giving a satisfied nod. "Max, what is this about?"
"…against my better judgement, I've decided that every one of you deserves to know what's gonna happen soon. While I won't point fingers and say who I think can be untrustworthy," Many of them glance at Alastor who just smiles unperturbed. "I have yet to have my trust broken by any of you because none of you have told anyone that I am a human. With that trust kept intact, I believe all of you deserve to know what's to come, especially since you've all been a big part of my life here in hell. In the coming days, I'm going to face Valentino in a demonic duel, and take his place as an Overlord."
And with that bomb drop came many reactions. Charlie and Vaggie already knew, but were surprised to see Maxwell be so trusting with this information. Angel knew too, but that didn't stop the fear he felt and thoughts of Max possibly dying when confronting Valentino or worse. Husk was in the middle of taking a drink only to spit out the alcoholic drink in surprise. Niffty was too shocked to even clean up the spill Husk caused…for about five seconds and then she swiftly removed any signs of the spit take. Last but not least was Alastor who's grin seemed even wider, the ear to ear smile unnerving anyone who looked at it.
"That's not all, this duel has been sanctioned by Lucifer himself. In fact, he was the one who asked me to take on this task. He said it was time for some change considering the current Overlords did little to assist him when he was kidnapped, leading him to believe that the current Overlords, aside from Alastor, are feeling too cushy in their positions. Do I think Lucifer is lying to me? Absolutely, but I've yet to piece together what his real goal is. However I do agree with him that it's time for Valentino to go. I talked with Lucifer over the phone, and we worked out the details. The duel will take place at the outskirts of Pentagram City to keep any collateral damage to a minimum.
"…my boy, you've just made my day." Alastor says amongst the quiet and shocked members of the hotel. "A bloody battle between a human and an Overlord, all sanctioned by the ruler of Hell himself? Now this is gonna be quite a show!"
"Don't you get it!?" Angel snaps at Alastor, for once not a hint of sarcasm or playful teasing on his face. "Max is gonna face that bastard and probably die!"
"Probably? I'd say most likely!" Alastor retorts with a cackle. "Sure our little human has surprised us, what with his wrathful state, managing to survive this long, and even killing an Archangel! However, if his luck were to run out at any time, well I'm no gambling man, but even I can tell the odds are not in his favor. What do you say Husker my boy, where would you place your bets?" The radio demon asks, looking at his fellow sinner.
"…to be honest? I'd be putting my money on Max." Now it's the second time Alastor was surprised. "I'll be honest, I can have shit luck when it comes to gambling, but something in my gut tells me to go all in on the kid."
"Husk is right!" Niffty jumps in. "I don't know a lot about what Valentino is capable of, but I doubt it's enough to stop Maxxie! He's been there for us all this time and put his life on the line for the entirety of hell. I believed in him then, I'll believe in him now!"
"Oh you guys." Max smiles at the two of them, touched by the words, giving Niffty a pat on the head.
"Don't think you can go petting me." Husk warns, but Max just puts out a fist which Husk looks at hesitantly before bumping it with his own fist, a slight smile on his face.
"You know where we stand." Vaggie says with a nod of her head and a smile.
"I'm so proud of you for putting your trust in them Max!" Charlie cheers.
"Thank you, but I have more to say." Max informs as he returns to his spot to speak. "While I'm glad to have most of your support," Alastor just scoffs, while Angel still looked apprehensive about the thought of leaving Max alone with that demon. "I didn't call you all here just to inform you of my upcoming battle. I believe it's time I tell you my story. I've been keeping it vague but, I've taken more lives than I've let on."
"Max?" Charlie asks, confused.
"The guy who killed my best friend, he wasn't my first kill. I've actually killed at a much younger age, and the person I sent to hell was none other than my father." Pausing to look at their various reactions, from Alastor's intrigue to Charlie's horror, Max began to tell his story.
"I'd say we would start at the beginning, but in reality we have to start further back. Before I was born, there was a man who many would have dubbed a serial killer. They weren't necessarily wrong, but they weren't right either. This man killed others, yes, but not for the sake of killing, but because he loved to fight. Love probably isn't the right word, he was obsessed with fighting, he loved the feeling of the vibration of his arms and legs making contact, the taste of blood in his mouth, the sound of his heart beating in his ears, he loved every last bit of it."
"Unfortunately with every fight, he grew stronger and more skilled, to the point where any random street fight wasn't enough. It was only when he hunted down the best fighters and fought them to the death that he felt his best. He believed that there was nothing more intimate than two humans fighting with everything they have, trying to survive even when it means killing the other human in front of you. This would go on for years until one day he realized, no one could give him the heart thumping fight he needed anymore, at least not until this man fell in love."
"One day after getting sloppy and letting a knife stab him, albeit it didn't save the fighter in the end, the man went to a hospital to get it properly looked at. There he met a nurse who seemed sweeter than sugar. However over the years, he grew to have a keen eye for good fighters. Despite the knife wound in his gut, he held no hesitation for attacking the woman in front of him, however the nurse was quick, able to block all of his attacks and even pin him down. Apparently she learned several martial arts so that she can defend herself in case of violent patients. That's when he fell in love. You'd think she'd not want anything to do with him, but the man knew how to catch her interest, offering to teach her some of the fighting skills he picked up himself."
"For many days they would spar together, each of them learning each other's skills and fighting styles, only to then improve upon their own styles, and grow closer with every fight. For once in the man's life, he found joy in a fight that didn't have to end in one of them dying. Over a year or two later, they would be married, and the two would have a child. That child was me."
"WHAT?!" Most of them cried out as they looked at Max.
"Wait a minute, you mean to tell me, your dad is a serial killer?" Vaggie asks, completely astonished. Max nods his head, only for Vaggie to continue. "When did you find out?"
"…when I was 10."
"Are you serious?" Vaggie is pulling at her hair now before Charlie gently grabs her hands to help her calm down.
"My dad said he wanted to be completely honest with me…but it turns out he never told this to my mom."
"Wait, so she married him, not knowing anything about his kill count?" Angel asks, just for Max to nod again.
"While the sparring together part sounded so romantic, the rest was so surreal." Niffty adds. Alastor meanwhile just quietly listened, curious as to how this story would go.
"Wait, so you killed him when you were 10?" Husk asks, everyone remembering that Max said he killed his father.
"Nope…at the time I idolized my father. I was so stupid, I believed it was our 'little secret' and was happy to keep it for many years. Let me explain." Max says as he continues his story.
"When I was born, my mother and father were quick to shower me with love and teach me as much as they could. Of course being a baby, a lot of it didn't stick, but that didn't mean they were deterred. My mom took it upon herself to teach me about things like morality and how to treat others with kindness and respect. She was especially eager to help me with whatever I learned in school."
"My dad began teaching me about the beauty of fighting as soon as possible. At an early age I would try to mimic his movements as he demonstrated how to fight. He was a patient teacher, showing me the proper way to maximize the effectiveness of every punch and kick, and how to put every bit of my body into a strike."
"Once I was old enough, he took me knife hunting. Some people would knife hunt by throwing the knives, but he had me literally fight the animals with just my bare hands and the lone knife up close and personal. I was hesitant at first when it came to killing, but with the support my dad showed me, I ended up finding it so much easier than I thought. First it was rabbits, then it was deer, he even had me kill a black bear, with his help of course. I grew to take great pleasure in fighting and killing these animals, I was becoming more and more like my father with every successful hunt. However, things changed."
"I was 14 the day I began to see things differently. I had the day off from school and my mom was giving me another lesson on cooking pasta, my favorite food. She sent me out to get some pasta while she got the water boiling, however when I stepped outside I heard what sounded like birds chirping, but it was far too close. I looked around and found baby birds on the ground. Looking up I saw a nest on a nearby tree and assumed these birds belonged there. Seeing the birds down and so helpless, they reminded me so much of the animals I hunted and figured, what's the harm in killing some already helpless chicks. I mean, if I didn't kill them, then something else will. Just as I raised my foot to stomp on them to kill them swiftly, my mother screamed at me to stop."
"It was the first time I ever heard her yell like that, so I immediately stepped away from the baby birds. My mother asked me what I was doing and I explained that I was putting them out of their misery. I'll never forget the look on her face, but I'll also remember the patience she showed as she sat me down to talk. She began to explain how despite how much bigger and stronger I am than these birds, that doesn't mean I had the right to kill them. I was certainly confused, so I asked her why hunting was okay. She explains that there is a difference between killing for the good of others, and killing for yourself."
"She took her time answering my questions, guiding me on helping the birds back into their nest. She told me that while life was full of cruelty, such as baby birds being pushed or falling out of their nest, that doesn't mean I have to be cruel too. What makes humanity great is that we have the choice to change the world for the better, we have a great influence on the planet, which means we have a responsibility to the life that lives on it. She opened my eyes to a new way of thinking, and with such knowledge came many more questions, but I decided to save them for another day."
"Years would pass, I would talk to my mother more about other questions I had concerning what was right and wrong, carefully searched the internet for other answers, and even more carefully asked my dad the same questions to see how he would answer. It was so weird for me to see just how different my parents were in terms of viewing the value of lives or what it means to live."
"A far greater change in my life occurred when I was 16. After finishing another year in high school my dad said he wanted to take me out for a special hunt. However, instead of the usual hunting grounds, he took me to a deserted location. He told me that he's been hoping to see this day ever since I was born. We came across a tree where a human body was tied to the base of it, a sack over his head. I didn't know what was going through my mind at the sight of it, likely because I was too focused on my father who immediately walked up to the body and removed the bag, revealing the human to still be alive but gagged and beaten."
"My father smiled at me before telling me that while he'd prefer I hunt and kill a man on my own, he figured it was best to help me get past the biggest hurdle, and that was taking a human life." Max's fists clenched as he remembers the pure joy on his father's face and the fear on the tied up man's.
"What the fuck…" Was all Angel could say as he listened to the story, the other's not doing much better except for one.
"Well he's not wrong." Alastor comments with a shrug. "The first one is always the hardest, though something about your first being someone presented to you like a gift feels too…unearned, for lack of a better term. I personally believe your first kill should be someone who had a big impact on your life." Alastor added as he personally reminisced while Max continued, choosing to ignore the radio demon.
"My father handed me a knife and encouraged me to take the big step needed to become a real fighter and killer like him…but I was hesitant, far more hesitant than he expected. It was then I confessed, I told him how confused I was, about how different he and my mom were, how so many people in the world viewed life and death so differently, and that despite the many answers, I couldn't bring myself to fully understand which one I believed in. All I knew was that I couldn't just kill someone in front of me, especially not some person I knew nothing about."
"I expected my father to be mad or disappointed, but instead all I saw was him in deep thought, as if pondering my words with all the delicate care he could muster, before finally coming to a conclusion. With a practiced motion, he swiftly took out a knife and ended the man's life. Despite the blood splattered on him, he still looked at me with so much parental love and told me he understood that I wasn't ready, that it was cruel of him to ask his son to kill someone so inconsequential. So he instead took me home after making sure to bury the body."
"Some time passed, we agreed to say nothing to my mom, I was terrified of the thought of them separating, or getting into a fight over their conflicting views. It felt like the storm had finally passed, everything seemed normal between us all, that was until the day came. Days after my 17th birthday came Father's Day, and my father asked me to go and pick up a package he ordered from the post office. It wasn't a long walk to it, but when I began walking back home, I noticed smoke in the sky, something was burning. Feeling uneasy, I dashed toward my home, praying that I was wrong, but my prayers were of course unanswered, as I took in the sight of my home in flames."
"Despite the bright roaring flames, they weren't my focus. No, what grabbed my focus was the sight of my mother on the ground on her back in front of the house, a stab wound in her abdomen and my father standing above her with a bloody knife and a wide deranged smile on his face yet tears in his eyes." Max was clenching his fists tighter now, some of the demons noticing blood dripping down his hands, yet Max didn't stop. "To this day I don't know of the tears we're from hurting his wife and burning his home, or from pure unadulterated joy."
"My father…t-that awful bastard…he began speaking about how he finally understood. Despite being his son, I was also the offspring of his beloved wife, of course I would be born with values similar to hers. Without a proper enemy to kill, I would continue living life without a drop of blood on my hands. So he decided that the only way to bring out the killer on me, was to become that enemy, he would become the villain of my story that I would have to strike down if I wish to save my mother. I was too choked up to speak, tears in my eyes not just from the heat of the fire and the ash in the air, but from the realization that my father was absolutely insane."
"He threw the knife down in front of, and stood with his arms out wide and a foot on my nearly dying mother's body, continuing his horrific spiel of how he would gladly give his life if it meant making sure his son would become the warrior that would succeed him. He yelled at me with pure joy in his voice as tears rolled down his cheeks, yelled at me to grab the knife and reveal what I really am inside."
"Maybe if I could think straight, I would have tried something different, anything other than giving him the damn satisfaction. But I couldn't think, I could barely breathe, my body was on autopilot as I reached down and grabbed the knife. It was then I understood what made me so different from my dad. While he would fight and kill with unbridled joy, I would fight with unrelenting wrath." A memory flashed in Max's head, a memory of hot tears in his eyes as he rushed at his own father, screaming in absolute anger as he thrusted the knife into his father's chest, only to pull the blade out and run it through him again, and again, and again.
"I wish I could say the worst part was knowing that I not only committed my first ever kill, not that I just ended the life of the one who raised me from birth. The worst part was that as I killed him, he would look at me with pride in his eyes and an ecstatic smile on his face. I killed him, and will forever remember that he loved me so much for doing it."
The demons looked at human with various expressions, all with shock at Max's story despite him telling them beforehand that he killed his father, but none of them truly knew just why he did it.
Max sighs as he looks at his palms, the skin broken and bleeding from his nails digging into them. "I think now is a good time for a break."
Now having cleaned and bandaged his hands, Max returns to the Counseling Room, and the demons' chatter quiets down. "Okay, so now you know of my first kill."
"It's still so hard to believe." Charlie comments sadly.
"There's more though isn't there?" Vaggie asks, earning a nod for Max.
"Yes. With my father dead before me and my mother close to dying too, I felt like there was nothing I could do. Apparently someone called 911, because soon the fire department, paramedics, and police arrived. The fire was put out, my mother was moved to the hospital, and the police were easily able to detain me since I couldn't put up a fight in my emotionally exhausted state. I was put in a holding cell, too broken at the time to do anything but pathetically pray that my mother would survive. However my prayers weren't answered by an angel, but instead by someone I thought was the Devil."
"Wait you don't mean-" Max holds up a hand to stop Charlie.
"Don't worry, it wasn't Lucifer, but another human, however he was no human I ever met before. I don't know how he did it, whether it was through connections or lots of money, but he was not only able to get my mother some of the best medical care possible, but he was even able to stop all court proceedings and take me without any fight or fuss from any police or lawyers. And the strangest part, this guy was 17 like me."
"What? There's no way a kid has that kind of power!" Husk refutes.
"I agree, yet there was nobody stepping in to correct me otherwise. Some of the officers looked at the young man like he was the grim reaper, all of them making sure to stay out of his way. He escorted me into a limousine where we began to talk."
"The first thing I noticed was that this guy was quite pale, heck I thought if anyone could be a vampire, it would be this guy, but nope, completely human with these icy blue eyes, and combed back light brown hair. I admit he was quite handsome, but at the time I wasn't focused on attractiveness, I was focused on figuring out why he went out of his way to find me."
"He asked me some questions, my name, who my parents were, and what happened to my dad. I was hesitant to explain everything, but when he looked at me with those sharp yet nonjudgmental eyes, I ended up letting it all spill out, sharing every detail of what happened. Not once did he look at me with disgust or pity, in fact he showed no emotion whatsoever even once I finished telling him everything I knew."
"Once I was done, we sat there quietly, his eyes closed in what I assumed was deep thought, before he told me he had an offer for me. Originally he was looking for my father in hopes of using his skills to take out some people who have been causing him far too many problems. With the original gone, he believed that I, being his son, could possibly take his place."
"I was of course very reluctant to do this, but when I told him this, he simply informed me that I wouldn't be working for him for free. He assured me that if I did what he asked, he would not only pay me a significant amount of money, enough money to live a comfortable life on my own, but also pay to continually give my mother the best treatment possible so she could be healed to the point where she could continue to live her life with little to no physical issues whatsoever. As for mental issues though, he'd pay for the therapy, but that recovery is mostly up to her."
"It sounded too good to be true, a way to save my mom and make enough money to live on my own? He was sure to remind me though that my job wouldn't be easy. While he'd give me my target's name, place, and location of residence, it was up to me to kill them with my own hands. He'd provide employees with tech support who can make sure any evidence of my assassinations are removed, but in the end I'm the one getting my hands bloody. I would have to not only kill my target, but anyone standing in my way."
"My my." Alastor interrupts with a smug grin. "It seems by taking your father's life, you were given a grand opportunity."
"You're not wrong. It was a once in a lifetime offer. A deal that made me choose between my mother dying and me starving alone in the streets but sticking to my morals to not kill, or taking more lives in exchange for my mother and I having the money necessary to not only recover, but live new lives. It wasn't easy, I had two conditions before I could agree. One being that neither him nor anyone connected to him can tell my mother that I'm killing. And two, I wanted to know his name. He easily agreed to the first, but for the second, he insisted I never tell anyone his full name. So I won't, instead I'll refer to him by the nickname I gave him that he had no issue with, Xander. Apparently it was his first ever nickname."
"You really can't tell us his name?" Niffty asks curiously, Max shaking his head.
"Despite our strange meeting, and the fact that he pays me to kill for him, Xander is a person I trust with my life." Max reveals, much to the shock and confusion of the demons.
"Not once has he tried to cheat me or steer me wrong, he always paid me every last cent and every time I visited my mother in the hospital, I could see she was getting the best care. Miraculously, she didn't know I was the one to kill her husband, she assumed he died in the fire. Xander even had his own personnel retrieve my father's body and had his corpse burned to ashes."
"Every target Xander has me kill was in one way or another, a corrupt monster. More often than not they would use their money and power to bleed the poorest of the poor out of all their money, pay PR people and lawyers to lie and hide every dirty secret they have, and continuously abuse the people below them like they were nothing but toys. With this knowledge, I ended up having a lot less trouble killing these scum of the earth."
"But Max," Charlie jumps in, looking at him sadly. "You're still taking lives."
"I know…I know it's wrong to kill others, but can any of you look me in the eye and tell me that the world isn't better off without these bastards who go around destroying hospitals and homes to expand their businesses, who use their influence to get away scot free from any rape and murder they commit, who prey upon those weak, poor, and/or underage to fulfill their sick desires. Is the world not better off without them?" Max asks, none of them able to argue.
"I…but…" Charlie struggles to get her words out. "But why does it have to be you?" She finally asks the human, distressed knowing such a good friend of hers had to take such sinful actions into his own hands.
"The same reason why I'm going to fight Valentino, because I'm the only one who can and will get his hands bloody for the greater good." He answers. The same answer he gave when Xander asked him a similar question years ago.
"After several kills, I managed to make enough money to live comfortably. I took my GED, and even would send money to my mom to help her as she recovered, she even met someone in the hospital who she's recently begun dating. I would still take some jobs for Xander, most of them not even assassinations now but instead he just had me acting as a bodyguard, but not nearly as often as before. Soon enough I ended up meeting that friend I mentioned back during the interview with Vox and Velvet."
"Oh yeah!…oh." Charlie at first was happy remembering Max made such a good friend, only to remember said friend was cruelly killed.
"It's almost as if death follows you wherever you go." Alastor comments, getting a few angry glares but only getting a chuckle filled with melancholy from Max.
"Maybe I do, but I won't let it stop me from doing what I believe is right, even if this path has led me to Hell, I would choose this path every time, because it's the path that led me to meeting people important to me, both on Earth, and down here." Max states confidently.
"Mmm, a little cheesy for my liking, but then again it's always the most fun watching the most determined heroes fail. But maybe you'll end up surprising me young man, so feel free to put everything you got into this battle." Alastor says with his trademark smile.
"Hehe, don't worry, I'm more than ready." Max reassures. The group splits after that, all of them off to do their own thing with this new knowledge of Max in mind, that is except for a certain princess and moth demon.
Coming up next, a non canon omake, mostly because I don't believe in black cats causing bad luck, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with it in a fictional setting.
Omake
"Alrighty, what's for lunch today?" Max asks himself as he looks inside the refrigerator, looking over his options before his face wrinkles in disgust at a certain smell. "Ugh, is that some leftover fish? Hopefully nobody will mind if I throw it out, it's starting to smell."
The human takes the bad seafood outside to toss into the dumpster only to hear a soft mewl. Looking around the dumpster, his eyes widened at the sight of black cat curled up, looking at Max curiously.
"Whoa, hey there little guy." Max softly greeted as the cat let out a yawn, revealing its sharp teeth. "Sorry if I disturbed your nap…would you like some fish?" Max offers the smelly seafood to the black cat, the feline sniffing it before eagerly biting into it. Max took his time observing the cat as it enjoyed its meal before he slowly reached out with a hand, moving it closer and closer to the cat's head.
At first the cat eyed his hand suspiciously, but hadn't made a move to flee or attack. Deciding to take a gamble, the human moves to finally pet the cat's head. Thankfully it seems the cat doesn't mind the show of affection, and in fact starts purring. "I think you and I will be good friends." Max states happily.
"Come on Hex, I promise you're safe in here." Max coos as he tries to beckon the newly named cat into the hotel. The cat was cautious, but slowly walked inside only to start rubbing its body up against nearly every piece of furniture. "Silly cat, rubbing against stuff doesn't mean you own it." Max chuckles as he follows the curious cat as it explores its new home.
Charlie was walking through the hotel only to hear Max's giggles and laughs. "Hmm? Oh hey Max! What's got you in a jolly mood?"
"Oh nothing much, I just find it entertaining watching a cat sometimes." Max answers as he looks at Hex hopping from clocks to coffee tables with grace and ease, only to then tumble harmlessly off one of the couches and onto the floor.
"What do you mean? You're not watching a video on your phone, what are you looking-" Charlie cuts herself off as she looks at the black cat stage back up on its feet and begins licking its leg to groom itself. Charlie then lets out a horrified scream.
"Whoa whoa, Charlie what's wrong?" Max asks in concern as the princess puts an arm in front of the human.
"D-don't worry Max. I promise as long as I'm here you won't be hurt!" She declares bravely even as her legs tremble in fear.
"Charlie! I heard screaming, are you okay?" Vaggie yells out as she comes running out of the hallway, only to shriek at the sight of the black cat.
"What is all the racket- OH SHIT!" Angel Dust cries out as he quickly takes cover behind the nearest thing, which happened to be Husk.
"The fuck?! I'm no meat shield!" The demon growls out, only to then grab an unsuspecting Niffty and hold her up. The little maid's eye widening as she looks at the black cat and curls up into a ball.
"Not again! I still have nightmares about the last one!"
"Everybody calm down!" Max yells out, silencing everyone. "What is going on? You all act like you've never seen a cat before."
"That's not just any cat Max!" Vaggie yells as she tries to circle around the bathing feline and get to him and Charlie. "That's a black cat, a luck vampire!"
"…okay I've heard of superstitions of black cats being bad luck, but what do you mean by 'luck vampire'?" Max asks, confused.
"It's exactly what it sounds like. Black cats don't just create bad luck out of nowhere, what they do is they suck any good luck out of the area and people around them, giving them all the luck, and leaving nothing but misfortune around them." Charlie explains with fear in her eyes.
"Oh that's just ridiculous. I've crossed paths with plenty of black cats back on Earth and never had any misfortune. Heck, little Hex here has been nothing but a delight!"
"Wait, you brought it here!?" Vaggie yells out.
"You named it?!" Charlie adds incredulously.
"Yes! I did. The little guy was sleeping near the dumpster outside. I fed it some of our leftover fish and he took a liking to me. Here I'll show you." Max steps away from Charlie, the princess reaching out.
"Max! No!" She cries out as the human walks toward the black cat, the little animal looking up at Max with its big yellow eyes, only for Max to gently pet his head scratch under his chin.
"See? He's a little angel." Max says confidently.
"I still don't trust it!" Angel Dust yells out, all the commotion attracting a certain Overlord.
"Alright, what's all the hubbub?" The radio demon asks, only to get a clear look at Max playing with a black cat. Alastor makes a radio crackling noise before slowly backing away.
"Hahaha! Even Alastor is scared?" Max asks with laughter.
"Yes! Max, we're serious. Black cats are bad news!" Vaggie tries to explain but Max wasn't buying it.
"I think you're all being superstitious salads."
"Who are you calling a salad?!" Husk yells out offended.
"Look, I'll take Hex out for a walk, and I promise I'll be back completely unharmed." Max escorts the cat outside the hotel.
"Don't do it Max!" Charlie pleads as the human walks away with the black cat.
"…nothing bad has happened, maybe we were being silly?" Niffty comments only for a massive H to fall down in front of the hotel. The demons rush outside and see the H from Hazbin had fallen down.
Maxwell whistled happily as he and Hex went on a walk, the human oblivious to the strange happenings following the black cat as many demons they passed seemed to have bad luck fall upon them.
One unlucky demon that bumped into Max without apologizing had a flower pot fall on top of his head. Which on its own is painful but not too bad, except the flower pot was home to a carnivorous plant that was licking its lips at the sight of its new meal it landed on.
One demon saw Max and was about to try and mug him, only for a bigger demon to stab him from behind and steal his wallet, only for a far bigger demon to snap the previous one's neck and take both of their money, only for an even bigger demon to smash the previous one with a massive club. Just when he was about to take all of their money, a grand piano ended up falling on top of him.
A car full of demons were armed to the teeth with several guns, ready to spread chaos and spill some blood on anyone they drove by. Unfortunately just as one set their sights on Maxwell, the earth beneath them split open and swallowed the entire car whole, sending the demons further down the rings of hell.
"Hmm? Oh hey, twenty dollars!" Max says in surprise as he reaches down to pick up the money. "Today must be my lucky day. And people think black cats are bad luck." He pets Hex happily, the cat purring content as the human fails to notice the city burning and buildings collapsing right behind him…to be fair though, this could be just a regular day in hell.
"Okay, so we all agree the cat needs to go?" Charlie asks, getting several nods from the other hotel residents who were all clad in protective gear covered in different good luck charms for four leaf clovers, to horseshoes, to rabbit's feet which Alastor refused to explain why said feet were so big and still bloody.
"Yes, we all saw the chaos it caused on the news, it's only a matter of time before the hotel is destroyed as well." Vaggie says.
"Fuck the hotel! I'm more worried about myself getting disfigured by whatever bad luck that monster creates!" Husk argues as he nervously shakes his lucky nice in his hands to calm his nerves.
"Alright, just let me go first and try to break the news to Max gently." Charlie explains before taking a deep breath and walking into Max's room.
"Heeeey Maxxie!" She greets with a forced smile, only to change to concern as she sees Max is looking quite glum.
"Hey Charlie…" Max returns the greeting with a bit of sadness in his voice.
"You okay?" She asks before looking around, noticing a lack of black cats. "Where's Hex?"
"…Hex is gone." Max answers morosely.
"Oh, oh my goodness. It's gonna be okay Max, losing a pet is hard but we here at the hotel are here for you." She comforts him with a hug, Max leaning into her.
"Thank you Charlie. I guess I should have known it'd happen sooner or later. Hex is a free spirit, and can't be tied down to an owner."
"Yeah…wait what?" She asks confused.
"Still, he could have least said something before just leaving me to chase some cat in heat. I thought we had something special." The human grumbles.
"…oh! Oh I thought when you said gone you meant dead!" She said, somewhat relieved but also a tad worried knowing that the cat was still loose in hell.
"Oh! No no no. Ah jeez, that's my bad." Max says embarrassed. "No, he just went off chasing some tail."
"I see…well you know what they say, if you love something, set it free."
"Yeah, who knows, maybe he'll come back."
"I hope not." Charlie whispered, Maxwell thankfully not hearing her. "How about we get you some ice cream?"
"…cookies and cream?"
"Cookies and cream!" Charlie confirmed, happy to see Max smile a little as he gets up to join her. Charlie quickly steps out to tell the others the good news, many of them quick to cheer before Charlie shushes them do Max didn't hear.
Down in the kitchen Charlie goes to get the ice cream from the freezer only for Max to hear something scratching at the back door. Looking outside, he lets out a happy gasp.
"Everything okay Max?" Charlie asks as she has a scoop in hand only to drop it as she looks at what Max is holding.
"Look what I found outside!" Max says with glee as he holds up a hairless Sphynx cat, the cat letting out a soft meow before Charlie screams.
"What's going on? I heard screaming!" Vaggie yells out as she and the others come to the kitchen and also scream at the sight of the wrinkly gremlin looking feline.
"What's wrong? Oh don't go telling me you guys think this little bundle of joy is bad luck too?" Max asks with a pout as he cradles the cat in his arms.
"No of course not, don't be silly. It's just really ugly looking." Niffty explains matter of factly, all of them nodding their heads in agreement.
"Oh don't be like that, sure she kinda looks like a rat and a goblin mixed together, but I find it adorable!" The demons just look at Max in confusion.
"Who's my adorable little goblin?~" Max coos at the cat as it just blinks slowly at the human. "I'm gonna name you Pistachio because of your green eyes." Max declares as he happily puts his face up against the cat's, the hairless feline giving him a small lick. "Ah that tickles!" The human says with a laugh.
"…this isn't canon right?" Charlie asks hopefully.
