Chapter 9

The English like building's and nearly perfect cobble streets of the noble district hit your senses as soon as you stepped out of the set of ornate doors. What disturbed you though was that the surrounding's looked familiar to the endless creepy town from your dream... while it still reminded you of that horrid place... it did have a similar feel to earth and despite the deep red sky, it was beautiful. With it's all too familiar feeling of earth it made you long for home... And you didn't even live in England at the time.

He stepped besides you, taking your hand in his own, giving your hand a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of your head. You gave him a sad smile. 'Where to next?' you thought, brushing your thoughts into his mind. 'Well... we need to go to the hotel and help with advertising their cause to the demons here in the pride circle and then go to the royal library, as promised.' he said back with an annoyed grimace appearing on his face. He didn't seem to want to go to the hotel anymore than you did.

You were about to say "Lets get going" when the oddest feeling over took you then... a compulsion even, the urge to look to your right... you tried to resit... but an unseen set of hands forced your head to turn and make you look down the cobbled street, it was all you could do not to scream... an inky black smoky smog seeped in and around his feet and as you lifted your eyes upwards you see the same long black curly hair, piercing red/gold eyes with black sclera's and his impossibly handsome face adorn with pitch black ram horns, his scaly skin unnaturally white. He wore a simple long black hooded robe, causally walking down the road towards you both, grinning and pointing to Alastor and then making a "shh..." with his black clawed finger to his lips. You couldn't look away from his ever nearing form or for that matter... make a sound... it was as if you were frozen solid where you stood.

The man from your dream soon stood before you both and like a nightmarish scene... he slid... morphed... into... Alastor's body. Alastor shuddered and convulsed in front of you, almost falling to the ground, grasping at his head. A loud piecing scream ripping from his mouth. His body began to take on a similar stature and build to this man, his face morphing into a perfect combination of Alastor and his. The sclera's of his eyes going completely black, his pupils turning dragon like slits and the color of his iris's changing into a glowing red and scattered gold. His hair becoming a blackish red, pure obsidian at the ends, lengthening and becoming curly. His horns atop his head started to grow, becoming thicker and curving along the top base of his skull, coming to a point straight up at the ends. At the thickest base of the horns, antler like horns sprouted out on either side. His horns turning pitch black. His ears remained the same and his skin took on a almost too white complexion from his ashen gray tone, his cloths morphing to fit his new stature. Despite the changes, he still somehow looked like Alastor...

This couldn't be happening... You wanted to run... to scream... but you remained frozen in place next to him. He cracked his neck and stood to his full height, he seemed taller and more muscular than his previous form. He wrapped his left arm around your shoulders as if nothing happen... nothing changed... and no one seemed to notice either what had just taken place, from the few noble demons milling about around you both. 'Don't act strange out here, don't scream... my dear. I'm as I should be... I just had a reunion with myself... I'm still the same person, mostly... the one and same old Alastor from your childhood...' He spoke gently into your mind as if you were a wild animal... like you would dart at any moments notice.

Suddenly his arm felt like a steel band around your body when all you wanted to do was run... this was to strange, stranger than your dream or anything else that happen so far! You couldn't wrap your mind around it, as if in denial. 'What...? Why did this happen? Who are you, really?' you thought in panic, pushing your question into his mind and despite what just happened, his mind still feels familiar to you.

You heard him laugh softly, which had no... static to the sound... the sound was pleasing to hear despite what just took place. 'My dear Y/N, I just found my reincarnation of myself in limbo. I only just found him because of you... A bright beacon I was curios about, turns out to be my soulmate with my reincarnation... Just to convenient... I had to take my chance. And it feels good to be out of there...' He trailed off, bending over and grasping at your chin gently with his large black hand that eventually faded to white, adorned with black claws. He claimed your lips at first softly and then becoming demanding, slipping his tongue into your mouth, dominating you. Making you moan at the feeling. As he ended the kiss that left you gasping for air, he pulled you close to his chest, making you crane your neck to meet his gaze "You are mine, my dear Y/N." he growled looking down at you possessively as he teleported you both to the "Happy Hotel" entrance.

He let you go and wrapped his arm around your shoulders once more, while leading you up the stairs and through the doors of the hotel. His arm still feeling like a steel band that you couldn't break from if you tried. You saw Charlie look up and smile from the hotel reception desk "Alastor and Y/N! Your here, and now we can start!" she proclaimed with excitement, staring at both of you. It was as if she noticed no change in Alastor's appearance, which irked you to no end... And it seemed like Husk and Niffty didn't either. He also never answered your question about who he was... not really. He lead you both to where Charlie stood, smiling his Cheshire cat smile all the while, as if nothing had changed.

Charlie led you both down to a vacant room off her and Vaggie's office. It was rather big and made you wonder why they didn't use it for something else? You turn to look up at him. His grin widen, if that was even possible and with a snap of his fingers, changed the room into a radio broadcasting station. He finally let you go and took his place at the radio station and began to broadcast his message to denizen's of Hell about the "Happy Hotel".

"Welcome one and all to the Radio Demon's Station, I'm your host Alastor! I come to you all this fine evening to announce the opening of the "Happy Hotel"! A place where all you sinners who aren't happy with your current predicament can come and be redeemed! The stay is free as long as you play by the rules! Nothing to worry about, but your own redemption! Come one and all!" His voice was once again filled with static sound and as he did his announcement it had a hypnotic feel to it, heck it made you want to go... and you where here...

You suddenly wanted to take the chance and run for it while he got lost in his zone. But it was all you could do to move an inch from where he left you... as if he held you to him still. 'I will not hesitate to make you sit next to me, Y/N...' you heard his warning blare into your mind, making you cringe. Despite this you still wanted to run... all of this was... to much to handle. You stubbornly took a step towards the door and almost let out a shrieked as your body was made to walk forward, like some invisible force was leading you towards him. You where made to sit at a chair that happen to appear conveniently out of no where just then, right next to him.

You let out an annoyed growl, crossing your legs and glaring at him. You hear him chuckle darkly as you take a look at the control panel ahead of you. You happen to see the radio dials and controls going crazy. It was as if he had broadcasted on all station's and was still doing so. 'So this got out to just about everyone in Hell that listen's to the radio...' you thought staring up at him in awe.

He went on and on talking to his listener's as if he was in his own world, with no one else in it. He had gone on for a good hour and began to finished the broadcast. And it was good that he finished because you felt even more tired than before. Yawning, you looked towards Charlie on the other side of the room who was clapping enthusiastically as he finished up. He walked gracefully towards you and your chair, helping you stand and enveloping you once again by wrapping his arm around your shoulders. He led you towards Charlie as she looked up at him with awe, as if all her issue's about her "Happy Hotel" were mostly fixed. You felt happy for her and hoped it worked out as he led you out into the lobby of the hotel with Charlie in tow.

Charlie chatted on and on about the hotel and how it would help stop the extermination's impact on so many people new and old to Hell. You hoped it worked for those who tried, maybe you were right and this was a limbo as he mentioned earlier and that there was something more than just... this... at least you wanted to believe that it was. You both stop at the entrance to the hotel and he turns you both to face Charlie.

"Would you like to come with us, Charlie? We would like to go get lunch and then head on over to the Royal Library soon." he says, without static in his voice. She smiles a contagious smile at the both of you, making you start to like her more. "That would be wonderful and I can go say hi to my dad! Can I bring Vaggie?" She asked, not waiting for a response turning towards the office they had at the hotel and called for Vaggie to come out.

You heard Vaggie grunt and shuffle out of their shared office. "Yeah babe...?" she asked sounding as tired as you felt. "Do you want to go with us to get lunch and then go to the Royal Library?" Charlie asked as Vaggie looks unsure, Alastor interjects "Niffty and Husk can man the hotel till we get back later. Well, gals?!" his voice is suddenly alluring again, like when he was broadcasting on his radio station. It was... odd to hear it... coming from him, yet again. Odder still, when Vaggie looked suddenly enthusiastic towards the idea and left to tell Husk and Niffty what they would be doing till they got back. You heard Husk grunt at his new orders near the bar and heard Niffty's muffled squeal in joy in a room off the office area, maybe the kitchen?

You stared blankly ahead of you, not seeing anything as Charlie called a limousine for you all to leave in. You had seen limousine's before, but you never had been in one. In your all to short life, you never had the chance... well at least you do now! Alastor still had his arm around you as the limousine pulled up. It was all black and lined with chrome and gold, very regal looking. He then you corralled you towards the car, making you pile inside. You found a seat in the far back. Alastor followed suit and sat next to you as Charlie and Vaggie piled into the opposing side, by the door.

It was nice and spacious inside. The ceiling was a reflective chrome. The floors were a sleek black and white marble, with blue led lighting in and around the black leather seats and wet bar. It was nice not to have to teleport for once, but that would mean a longer commute. Although you would get to see the sites of Hell for once from point a to b per se.

You passed the time by staring out the windows of the limousine. The initial surrounding area was somewhat run down, but then it began to look more and more like the noble district you had just left. You shuddered at the memory it brought to your mind, making Alastor squeeze your hand in his. He turned in your direction and leaned over. Nuzzling the top of your head. 'I know I'm different in some ways, but I'm still the same me... I'll tell you more about it when we are home.' he said hugging you towards him. You smiled and leaned into him. 'I'm just adjusting to it, is all. It was scary seeing what happen to you.' you replied back sighing and leaning into him. And it was scary, but since you didn't quite understand it all. It would be blind of you not to try and understand... you had to give him a chance.

You looked ahead to see Charlie with both of her hands on her face with wide sparkly eyes, staring in your direction. "Their so cute!" She whispered in vain, not realizing that you had both noticed. Vaggie looked mortified, having notice your stare. Blushing in embarrassment "Charlie they heard you..."

You chuckled at their antics and rolled your eyes. Coughing, Charlie carried on as if nothing happen "Where did you guys want to eat?" Well you had no idea, but Alastor certainly had one. "Albion's! It's a nice and extravagant!" he exclaimed, sounding exited at the idea. "And it's not to far from the palace!" Charlie said smiling, while calling the driver up front and telling him about the restaurant. It didn't take long to get there, like you thought it would. You all piled out of the limousine and looked in awe at how high class this place looked.

A black and white zebra marble exterior integrated with an stainless steel panels, made the exterior feel high class contemporary. The doors were stainless steel and windowed with golden led lights highlighting the bottom of the doorway. A beautiful stainless steel font reading "Albion's" with golden led lit backdrop stood high above the doorway.

Alastor hooked his arm with yours and led you inside with Charlie and Vaggie following behind. The inside carried the same feel from the outside. A waiter who looked much like a tall gray werewolf with red beady eyes in a tux, looked towards your group with a snobbish look of perpetual disdain until he saw Charlie and Alastor. He then took on a look of awe and fear on his face.

"Welcome Alastor and Charlotte Magne's group to Albion! We would normally need you to have an appointment with us, but for ones such as yourselves... please follow me! My name is Dis!" he said, bowing at the waist. Your group followed him to a back room, far from everyone else it seems. "We have here this wonderful secluded room for VIP's and this one so happens to be free for today!" Dis says turning to you, Alastor and your group with a sweep of his arm in said direction of the room.

You made an effort to smile at Dis as you where led to your secluded table. The walls were dark gray and textured. In the middle of the large room was a circular black and white marble table, the chairs were white and comfortable looking. The floors were a polished black granite in a V pattern tile. You sat next to Alastor and across from Charlie and Vaggie. Dis bows again at the waist towards your group "Your waitress shall be here in just a moment!" he says laying out the menu's and utensils and with that he left your group. You look around some more while you waited and notice a beautiful painting of what appears to be earth. This makes you smile, remembering your old home.