DISCLAIMER
The Following is a fan-based
FICTION
Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss are all owned by Vivienne Medrano + numerous amazing independent animators, music-makers, and voice actors.
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What if: The Radio Brothers Pt.1
P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c
Also Pxtreon: P a treon . com (slash) socialistbukharin
A single mistake can change many things.
At times, it worsens a potential future... but in this case, a single and seemingly insignificant injury characterized a very different take within time itself. Especially when said injury led to two brothers to end up working together through a rather unusual new business path that neither had ever invested much time in.
"I don't think it will work," Nestor mumbled, scratching the bandages over his leg's injury. The itching really didn't help with his nervousness. "Like, I ain't a chatty guy like you are, Al."
"But that's what makes you ideal, Nestor. You are you and I am me- if we combine our strengths no one will stop us about this!" A very happy Alastor replied as he stood up and reminded his brother of where they were. A small place in a building by the town's central district which had been fitted with all sorts of radio equipment that were all bought with... loans. And Nestor knew this was a bad idea but... Al was convinced, and he didn't want to break his brother's heart. "Plus, we have gone through the script many times. You know it will work."
"I think it will work. I don't know for sure-"
"Are you becoming a quitter, brother?" Alastor poked back with a teasing tone, eyes winking with clear amusement and cheekiness. "May it be that you are still grumpy because the army recruiter offered you a desk seat?"
That was quite low.
"I don't know, how is your garden?"
"Dying, as usual," Alastor bitterly admitted, bowing his head at the good counter to that matter.
Did Nestor regret not joining the army? A bit. He knew the war was ugly, but it was for Freedom's sake. And he wanted to do his job in the frontline rather than being some sort of army clerk. Nothing wrong in doing that too, but it wasn't his specialization and he knew he would have messed up badly at it.
The thing that really got him incensed and Alastor knew much about was the fact he couldn't leave. The hunting accident which saw him lose most of his sensitivity around his left leg pretty much crushed these options of getting out of that place and finding happiness somewhere else. Upsetting but... he had Al and his brother was the only one that he could rely on in the blasted town.
"So, how about we just start?" Nestor offered, feeling the need to pull the burden off his back.
"Five more minutes. We have a schedule to follow~."
Alastor's eagerness was something he couldn't truly get to grasp at its fullest just yet. Not because it was the first time he saw him this happy, but because it felt so odd after it's been years since he had seen him behave like that. So, he hoped this went through nicely rather than crash and burn as some had talked about.
The logic behind the radio broadcast was simple: Alastor was the big-shot with the unique opinions while Nestor was the guy that offered the more 'common view' on some topics. And their first broadcast was as awkward as it could get but... it flowed nice. It felt like it was going well in Nestor's mind. While there were some clumsy pauses at times, it felt like they were doing something great and that it felt quite better than the spiel shouted by that dumb priest Coughlin.
It was all set to be received by the local area of the town, to not stray any further but-
"There has been a slight mistake and it may have reached more people," Alastor explained the next day when Nestor approached him with a few letters offering endorsements and donations that went beyond their current pay. "It's... I think we may have found oil."
That was one way to put it, Nestor could only stare in confusion as they did experience a massive growth in listeners. By the end of the month, they had a million listeners within the state and a couple more hundreds coming from beyond the border. It was... Surprising, but not necessarily shocking due to how simple the topics were.
It wasn't a matter of politics, but it was a matter of hunting and agriculture. Al vouched actively for a more active intervention to support farmers and implement new methods to yield more wheat and other products at the expense of lessening the burden on the meat products. Likewise, Nestor was the 'but hunting is necessary' as it was indeed needed. Hunting provided jobs not just for butcherers, but also expanded the market with more products and created some 'competition'.
Never once Nestor thought he would need to willingly check the library and browse books on economics. It wasn't like he was becoming one of those Harvard-born specialists on the market, but he had the basis down after a month of mixing job and self-studies. And the result was... he found a pleasant substitute to his craving to fight for his country.
Yes, it felt like he was sitting at a desk job, but he was willingly mustering donations to send to the army and the government. If things were to continue to go like this for a few more months, then there was no reason to doubt that they would be recognized and given a medal or two for their good service to the nation.
At the end of the day, it was still a 'family business'. He met his girlfriend a few weeks ago, but she seemed to appreciate him without having ever heard about the whole radio business. Alastor liked her too as they both shared a love towards animals that was kind of adorable at times. Alastor himself was... uncaring of the fact he was without a partner of life. These conversation would usually go the same way as always:
"Don't be like a mother. I will find someone, but not just yet. I have a show to lead."
And a show he was leading. Proudly so. It was all good and great but... Nestor could tell something didn't feel right. Something was not right at all. He couldn't put a finger on it just yet, but he felt like someone had been starting to get too interested in them as radio hosts. There were a couple of familiar names in the donation letters, but some of those were... jarring. One in particular was someone that spoke in a somewhat regal attitude through the letters and provided them with gems and rocks of odd material.
Alastor was hooked on some, but Nestor refused it entirely. Something about this mysterious and somewhat esoteric affairs just didn't sit well with him. And then, that mysterious donation-giver decided to visit.
A fancy man of an advanced age that liked to wear fancy clothes, had a monocle and looked way too happy for Nestor's liking. The worst part as he visited was that his face reminded him of someone he was quite familiar with.
"I suppose you two are the 'Radio Brothers' I love to listen to from time to time. Nice to meet you, I am Rufus Furlinger."
The handshake was offered... and Nestor didn't go for it.
The smile faltered a bit, but it persisted. It felt menacing for a while but the visit didn't last too long.
"You think he was trying to scam us?"
Nestor snorted at Alastor's guess, the younger brother clearly sure that something wrong was indeed there with this individual.
"I think there was something worse in that, Al. So... don't let the guy get any close to you."
An agreeing nod came... but it didn't prevent the next few months from being quite tedious for many reasons.
AN
Another what if, this time if Nestor couldn't leave and stuck with Alastor. Furfur would have less means to get to them, with Nestor being the gut-feeling detector for bad news when Alastor's own couldn't get to work around the Demon.
Also, I have two new stories out, one is about Lore Olympus and the other about Cyberpunk (both Edgerunners and 2077 lore in it). The links are in the discord server.
REVIEW Q&A!
Coldblue2015:
1) Nope;
2) No, but he will find him earlier and their approach will be less aggressive and 'purpose-driven' compared to canon;
3) Yes;
4) Yes.
