"Why, thank you for your most generous gift, my dear Aria, but now that I have this new title, I need to close up shop and start organizing Dracula's forces, as you well know!" Rosie stated primly as she quickly ushered Alastor and Aria out of her shop. "I also regret to inform you that, since we are now enemies in this story, I can no longer offer my services! Thank you and may you have a most unpleasant day!"
With that, Rosie slammed the door in their faces as the open sign switched to closed. A moment later, a new sign appeared that looked like Aria and Alastor with a big, red circle with a line going across it. It was official. Alastor and Aria were banned from Rosie's Emporium.
"Well," Alastor said with a bright smile on his face as he shrugged and put an arm around Aria affectionately. "That went rather well!"
"I guess," Aria muttered as she looked back at the emporium before letting Alastor poof them back to the Hazbin Hotel's kitchen as Aria looked at the wine glasses still all in a row with a look of dread. "Still...things might get...ugly, now."
"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Alastor said with amusement as his chipper self came back in full force as his radio background setup a bouncy tune as he snapped his fingers and started washing the blood out of the wine glasses. "I love the thought of crushing his smug face into the dirt of humility as we plan our next move. He won't know what hit him, I'm sure!"
"I guess," Aria muttered, still not feeling so sure as she felt itchy, like her skin was super dry all of a sudden. "I need to eat something, though. I think I'll eat some eggs on toast. You want any?"
"Of course!" Alastor replied gayly as he winked at her as a bell went off in his radio background. "Enjoying your cooking is always a well-deserved treat!"
"Thanks," Aria said gratefully as she felt happy to be with Alastor, but something still felt off as she kept scratching her skin as it flaked, making her wonder if she was having an allergic reaction to Hell's water. "Alastor? Do you have any medical ointment for dry skin? My skin is positively itchy!"
"Hmm?" Alastor mused as he looked at her skin, shrugging it off as he waved her fears aside as he continued to clean. "Use your own ointment! Given you aren't from Hell, you may be having a nasty reaction to it. Heaven knows, your ointments will work much better than mine!"
"Fine," Aria answered with a sigh as she pulled up her hair and got the eggs and bread out as she popped some toast in the toaster, while she pan fried some eggs over easy.
Once Alastor got the dishes clean and Aria had succeeded in making breakfast, they just sat down to enjoy their breakfast as they shared in a prayer of thanks at the dining room table when the dining room doors burst open!
"What the fuck did you two do!?" Vaggie demanded as she, Charlie, Husker, and Angel Dust entered the room in their original outfits, all of them either wearing an angry or worried look as she slammed a hand down on the massive dining room table.
"What do you mean, my dear Vagatha?" Alastor asked patiently as Aria quickly tucked into her toast with egg as she instinctively knew that if she didn't eat it now, she'd never get the chance.
"There is an official letter written by none other than Dracula aka Vlad Tapesh that just came in today ordering the immediate removal of Alastor, The Radio Demon, and Ariathe June, an Angel sent by God, from the Hazbin Hotel premises or he'll use his influence to suck the hotel dry!" Vaggie announced angrily as her bow grew devilish in her aggravated state. "What in the nine hells did you two do!?"
"Well, where should I start?" Alastor asked with an evil grin as Aria had succeeded in eating half of her piece of toast and egg as she downed a few gulps of chamomile tea, which wasn't as good as the stuff in Valentino's office, but it was better than lukewarm milk. "I was once a horned king. I grew up as an actual fawn in the woods and lost my mother to hunters. I was a bunny for a while. I worked with Santa Claus for a few seasons as both a helper and as a reindeer. I got to be a draconaquis for a little while. That was fun! I was also a much younger demon with a cute skull for a face and the lower half of a blue wolf creature at a time when Hell was much more innocent. I know, hard to believe, but it's true. All have forgotten until recently in the human world during the time of this story being written. I got to be a dragon, a barbarian, an elf, a wizard, and a bard! Hmm...I loved the bard so much that when I reinvented myself as the Radio Demon, I just knew music had to be a permanent part of my life! That, and I needed to sow chaos for the greater good! What about you, Lady Aria?"
"Well, sheesh, my mother's list was long, but for myself, it's pretty short," Aria muttered as she finished her egg on toast as Alastor ate his while she spoke. "If it's my mom you want to talk about, she took on every title, story arc, and good and bad guy story ever created! No joke! Everything! Of course, she had help from all her daughters in the other worlds to pull it off. I contributed to working with Santa Claus when I was seven on the eve I was to turn eight. It had a ton of eternal consequences for Santa, a red headed woman named Kim, and my mother. Lots of drama. I know I did something right, but I can't remember specifics. Then I just grew up, took on the same interests my mother had before she got pulled into the realm of the Gods. She's in the dream world now. Now, I don't mean my adoptive mom or even my birth mom when I say mom, here. This is my soul mother. She's the mother that I share experiences with connected to my soul. I have memories that aren't mine, but are hers. She also recieves my own experiences and memories. Not sure how to explain it any other way. I share an incredibly small portion of the pain and heartache she endured as she achieved eternal life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before the age of forty! Of course, she eventually had to die to achieve it, but it was worth it, in the end."
"Not that, ya morons!" Angel Dust spat out as he sauntered over and leaned in very close to Aria with a sneer as he poked her chest before grabbing her face with one of his hands, while two more grabbed her arms! "Ya fucking incited one of the most powerful mob bosses this side of Pentagram City!"
"Not just Pentagram City, Angel," Charlie said softly, catching everyone's attention as her sweet face looked incredibly solemn and grim as she leaned on the dining table. "All of the nine circles! He has vampires in every circle of Hell, and a lot of them are rich and influential. If I don't throw you out of the hotel today, he'll use that money and influence so that the hotel literaly rots away because no one will finance my redemption project. They'll be nothing left!"
"What about your father?" Aria asked, hoping something could be done as Aria lit up her angelic fire on her arms, making Angel let go of her as he batted at the flames on his hands as he glared at her before scratching his palms, making her sigh as she summoned some ointment for him, while she put some on her own skin, much to Angel's surprise as he helped himself. "I know he hasn't been supportive of the hotel, but do you think he'd find this letter a little, oh, extreme?"
"I don't know," Charlie said uncertainly as she paced at the head of the table, while Vaggie drummed her fingers impatiently on the wood. "He might see it as a great time to start talking me out of my project. Mom might want to get involved, which is NOT something you want to happen. As much as I want to ask for help, it may do more harm than good."
"Just fucking throw them out!" Husker commented dispassionately as he drank from a bottle of booze. "It ain't none of our business if they want to start trouble, but we don't have to fucking take it! It's your own damn fault for meddling with powers far greater than anyone has a right to meddle with and we don't owe you nothing!"
"Husker's right," Aria said with a sigh as she finished up her herbal tea, draining the glass as she watched Alastor finish his own breakfast. "I started this and none of you should have to pay for my mistakes. I will say this. There's someone who's already agreed to help me without outright saying so. Alastor and I will stay with her until this all blows over."
"Blows over!?" Vaggi said angrily as she glared at Aria like she couldn't believe her ears. "You talk about this like it's a minor inconvenience! This is Charlie's dream you're putting on the line!"
"Dracula is a man of his word," Aria insisted shrewdly as she stood up and looked at all of them as Alastor stood and snapped his fingers, clearing the table as he smiled confidently. "I know that much. Let him hunt me down. Besides, no vampire can enter a building without an invitation, so who invited Lord Dracula to be able to enter the hotel?"
"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked as she looked at Aria in confusion, while Aria sighed as she rubbed at her eyes as she tried to be patient.
"Vampires can't enter a place of residence without permission from said owner, which means someone gave him permission to enter this place since his hair was found in my room on the ground floor and in the hotel's kitchen's pantry," Aria answered simply, making Charlie suddenly look sheepish as Aria wondered what was up. "Charlie? You look like you suddenly wish I hadn't said anything."
"Uh...well," Charlie said awkwardly with a guilty grin as she played with her hands nervously. "Remember when I said I owned the Hazbin Hotel?"
"...You didn't," Aria groaned as she put a hand to her face as Alastor chuckled darkly with amusement as his radio background made a wah, wah, wah sound of a trombone.
"You don't have to tell them anything, Charlie, especially since it's completely obvious they're both in cahoots with eachother!" Vaggie said defensively as she stood in front of Charlie with her arms out, looking at her as she shook her head at Charlie.
"Alastor and I actually have a lot of history together, and why am I still surprised that you lied to me?" Aria said with a sigh as she looked at Vaggie, who whirled around as she balled up her hands into fists, just itching for a fight. "Charlie doesn't own the hotel, does she?"
"She doesn't have to tell you anything, la concha de tu madre!" Vaggie swore at Aria, making Aria look down at Vaggie with disappointment as she just rolled her eyes at her as she walked away from her and sat down. "Yeah, you better walk away!"
"I'll have to go see Lucifer, then," Aria muttered with another sigh as she ignored Vaggie, who seemed even more angry that she was being ignored as she fumed, while Charlie tried to calm her down by hugging her from behind. "Ugh...that's going to complicate things. There's too much drama around him because of me and my mother's memories. I could live without having to open up that can of worms."
"Ah, he ain't so bad," Angel Dust insisted nonchalantly as he sauntered over and snickered at Vaggie's anger, making skulls appear in Vaggie's eyes as she glared at the pink spider. "He's pretty laid back, nowadays, and he's even built a theme park and made things better in Hell! It's Satan ya wanna stay clear of."
"Agreed," Aria muttered as she sighed, leaning back as she put her arms behind her head, closing her eyes for a moment before opening one eye to look at Alastor with a soft smile. "You up for meeting the devil himself?"
"Why, it would be an honor!" Alastor said with a little mock bow as he offered a hand to Aria as she took it, looking suddenly at ease as she stood.
"Then, if you'll let Dracula know we left, Charlie, if he asks where we went, let him know, will you?" Aria asked Charlie, making her look a bit confused, but she nodded as she looked at Aria, then Alastor quizzically.
"What are you two going to do?" Charlie asked.
"I'm going to Valentino's place, since I have some unfinished business there and then after that, I'm sure you can guess where I'm headed," Aria said with a grin as Alastor offered his arm to her, making her smile widen as she took his arm happily. "After that, we'll come back after a few days of lying low. Shall we go, Alastor?"
"Wait!" Charlie insisted as she looked a bit frazzled as she rushed out of the dining hall. "I'll be right back!"
Aria looked at Alastor, who only shrugged and smiled as he twirled his staff in his free hand, while they waited for Charlie to come back. Angel Dust yawned as he took a seat at the dining table and leaned back in the chair lazily, while Husker downed the last of his liquor before he tossed the empty bottle on the ground before he muttered to himself about how he wasn't being paid enough for this shit as he left the dining hall. Vaggie stood where she was with her arms folded in front of her as she glared at Aria and Alastor.
"Just for the record, Aria, I trust you as much as I trust Alastor, now!" Vaggie said angrily as she narrowed her eyes at Aria before glaring at Alastor, who only hummed his favorite song about never being fully dressed without a smile in response.
"Got it!" Charlie announced loudly as she burst through the dining hall doors open to reveal a printed off email as she gave it to Aria with an apologetic grin. "It isn't much, but there was this party mom and dad invited me to go to tonight, but it's my date night with Vaggie, so I can't go. Why don't you use this to get in and meet my parents? Otherwise, you'll be waiting for months to get an appointment just to see them."
"You want me to go to a party organized by the devil himself?" Aria said, feeling like the butt of a joke. "Wouldn't I be a fallen angel enjoying all that Hell has to offer?"
"You've already fallen, since you fell for me," Alastor said with amusement, making Aria roll her eyes, but she chuckled as she smacked at his arm playfully, making Alastor chuckle.
"Sigh...well...Angel Dust? Would you help me figure out what dress to wear? I'll let you into the party if you do, since I doubt you'd do it for free," Aria said, making Angel Dust fall backwards onto the floor as his chair leaned back too far as he looked up at Aria from the ground in surprise.
"You want my help?" Angel asked, looking stunned as he stood up from the fallen chair as he picked it up, looking at her like he couldn't believe his ears. "Ya trust me to get ya ready for some shin dig and you'll even invite me? What's the catch?"
"I need someone to divert the attention of everyone else at the party so that Alastor and I can actually get to talk to Lucifer," Aria said as she watched Vaggie and Charlie talk quietly between themselves as they left the dining hall. "I think you'd do well at that, if for no other reason than for the hellish elite to have something to complain about."
"Complain? Angel Dust scoffed as he adjust his chest with a devilish grin. "I'll be the queen of the night! You'll see! Now, let's see about your hair and dress style, or the lack of it! Seriously, did you grow up in a fucking trailer park, Princess, because ya look trashy!"
"Thanks," Aria muttered, unamused as she listened to Angel rant about her miserable lack of style as she realized this may take a while as Alastor chuckled to himself as ballroom music played in his radio background.
Outside the Hazbin Hotel as night began to fall, three vampires had gathered. They had been commenting on how no one save Charlie and Vaggie had been in or out of the place all day. They had received a message from the princess of Hell confirming that the The Radio Demon and the supposed angel lurking at the hotel had left the building, but when pressed to ask about if they'd been banished, Charlie had been unable to verify it. Their Lord Dracula would soon arrive and the three vampires waited, lurking in the dark inside of an abandoned building nearby.
"Anything?" asked an old, pale vampire as he adjusted his cravat that complimented his Victorian style outfit as he slicked back his silver hair as he sipped at a wine glass patiently.
"Nothing new," said a younger vampire dressed in a technicolor pullover hoodie with curly, black hair, black skin, and wolf ears as she picked at a hole in her blue jeans as she snapped some blood-red bubble gum.
"Our Lord Dracula has announced he will arrive by nightfall and now we watch as the last lights of Hell's beautiful sun flickers and dies," said a cinnamon colored bunny demon man with blue eyes dressed in a flashy, red disco jumpsuit as he danced flamboyantly as the last light of day faded.
"You need not wait any longer," a malevolent, male voice announced from the shadows as Vlad Tapesh, the vampire Lord Dracula appeared behind the vampires. "What news of The Radio Demon and Ariathe June, the angel?"
"We were told by a Miss Charlie Magne that they left to run an errand to Valentino's place before going to the Great Goulish Gala tonight!" said the cinnamon bunny man enthusiastically with a dance flourish like the beautiful Carmen from Carmen.
"I snuck in through the sliding glass door you used and couldn't find our targets, so the information is good," the black on black wolf demon in her technicolor hoodie replied with a snap from her blood bubble gum.
"I would assume they have decided to actually be sensible and talk this out like civilized people," the Victorian vampire said with mild surprise in his tone as he enjoyed his blood-infused wine.
"Rubio, Roulette, and Raul?" Lord Dracula asked as he nodded to the brightly, red suited bunny boy demon, the rainbow hooded, black wolf demoness, and the Victorian vampire gentleman in turn. "I am pleased with the report. I will take my leave, then, since my target is expected to arrive at the gala this evening. Why don't you help yourselves to the few souls remaining in the hotel? I highly doubt a water demon with trust issues, a tiny imp with a compulsion for cleaning, and a drunken puff ball will be of much trouble to any of you."
"If there remains even one lady on the premises, then I will gladly show her a lovely time, I can assure you, Lord Dracula," Raul said with a bow to Dracula, looking pleased as his eyes and fangs glowed red.
"The drunken furball is a flying variety I've had trouble finding, since they usually stay in places where it's hard for a vampire to reach," Roulette pointed out eagerly as she cracked her knuckles and neck like she was eager for an inevitable fight. "They're known to be quite strong, too, so I look forward to a real hunt this night!"
"That leaves the charming water demon!" Rubio said gayly as he pirouette, dipped, then did a jump as he struck an elegant pose of excitement! "My movements will be as water to him, cool, and calming as I raise the passion within him until my dancing fangs find their target below the belt, as it were! Hahahaha!"
"Then may the hunt begin!" said Lord Dracula with a wicked grin as his eyes and fangs glowed red as the four vampires disappeared into the night as the hunt commenced!