The hot red ire that ran through Alastor's veins made him feel like he had a heartbeat, like he was mortal and about to commit his first crime all over again. He hated the expression, "An image is worth more than a thousand words", but right then and there, he couldn't deny that it would have taken over a million words for him to believe it, but the image in his hands was proof enough. There was no way of denying it, that photo showed their former guest in a completely new light, in a new form altogether. Sir Pentious had been redeemed.

Perhaps, in other circumstances, Alastor would have been impressed, thrilled, even? But not when it meant things would change, when this silver lining had a tempest overhead, dark clouds predicting a storm heading their— his way. Because that photo, taken in Heaven and delivered to him through an intricate communication system was accompanied by a message. Clear and unarguable instructions of what he had to do next. Because his hands were tied, and his soul was bound to obey.

He felt like a caged animal, wild and chained. And perhaps he was exactly that. He knew what some hunters used to say back in his day, that sometimes, when the prey steps on a bear trap, the only way out was to chew the leg off. Given his appetite, the thought never bothered him much, but if the analogy was to be translated to his current situation, what was he to do with the collar around his neck to finally break free from it?

"Hey! Bellhop! We need to talk."

Alastor turned around to find the King of Hell standing at the doorstep of his room, short and unintimidating as he was, he still managed to look imposing. And the fact just bothered the Radio Demon all the more.

"Charlie isn't here," he said curtly, trying and failing to conceal his anger, making a desperate attempt to keep from turning into his more feral form while he was still recovering, not wanting to ruin Rosie's handiwork by pulling the stitches. "May I suggest looking for her elsewhere? Perhaps in the dozen other rooms she usually frequents."

"Oh, I know where she is," he said dryly, "Far away from you, and that's how I intend to keep things."

Alastor marched towards him, grabbing the doorknob, "I am afraid right now it's not a good time," he slammed the door shut, but Lucifer had already shifted into a snake, slithering in before being locked out.

He transformed back in his human form, dusting his white suit, "Good, now that we have some privacy, it's time we make something clear, sinner." he said threateningly, "Do. NOT. Use. My. Daughter," he emphasized every word, "If you so much as ask her for the time, I'll rip your horns clean off your head," he said firmly, "She could have burnt herself out trying to fix that ridiculous staff of yours!"

"I didn't ask her to!" Alastor shouted back; his horns were growing as his smile turned wickedly wide.

"You didn't have to! You've obviously fooled her into trusting you! Into letting her guard down!" he stepped into his space, "Maybe it's time we finish our previous conversation," he said firmly, "Now that I'm here, I don't think Charlie needs a secondhand 'hotelier' that couldn't even keep the place running without the ceiling falling off! Let alone defend this place!"

"Maybe if you had been here for her, I wouldn't have had to!"

Lucifer's eyes turned bright red, "Even if I wasn't there when the fight started, I made sure to put an end to it. Adam—"

"I'm not talking about that! You imbecile, self-centered, excuse of a parent!" he shouted to the ruler of all the land as though he was nothing but a little man, "You abandoned Charlie the moment your -oh so lovely duckling- packed her bags and turned on her heel!"

"Wait—! H-how do you know that nickname?" he cut him off, "You were talking about Lilith."

Alastor's radio noises screeched a pitch higher, his hand travelling up to his neck, but stopping mid motion, "I must have heard it from Charlie, in one of the several calls she made to the Queen," he said, "It's hard to ignore when her usual melody is filled with despair as her voice is lost to an answer machine," he bent down to look him into his eyes, "If you find me at fault for taking the advantage of getting close to Charlie, then at least have the decency or the guts to admit that you are at fault for leaving that space to be filled!"

Lucifer shoved him against the wall, cursing heavily at him, extending his six wings to hover above him, holding Alastor by the collar of his shirt, "You are just a filthy sinner! You prey on others; you abuse your free will! You are the result of one awful decision after another, a failure and prime example of the disgusting nature of humankind!"

Alastor's smile spread wider, "And what's your excuse, Your Highness?" he held his gaze steadily.

"You piece of—"

"Go ahead, chum!" Alastor smirked grandly, "I've been called worst things by better men! And yes, I've killed them for it and now I'm here, at the hands of the ruler of Hell himself who can't even see that he's playing a game he would've already won if he had only been there!" he said wildly, "All you had to do was show up for Charlie once, so that when she opened the door the one knocking hadn't been me!"

"Is this really how you want to die?!" Lucifer asked, losing his temper.

"If only it was that simple!" He laughed a humorless dry chuckle.

Lucifer groaned pushing him harder against the wall, "I'm getting real tired of your games."

"Who's playing?" he retorted.

Lucifer was positively fuming, "I want you out of here! You'll leave this place and never come back."

"I'm afraid my presence here is not up to you and not up to me. When she says it's time, then I'll yield." His eyebrows frowned in a wild gesture, but his smile remained stubbornly in place.

"I can convince Charlie that she doesn't need a low life like you anymore."

"This isn't about her," Alastor answered firmly, his eyes looking at him intensely.

"Then is she only means to your end?!" He demanded, missing the way Alastor's static was becoming more erratic, "If you wanted to win something out of this, pal, I'm afraid you have another thing coming."

Alastor wanted to bark out a laugh, running one hand through his hair, the same one he had shook with the Princess of Hell. She owed him something, not her soul, not her help hurting someone, just one favor. One shot at breaking his own chain.

"This is my final warning, either you leave willingly, or I'll make sure you depart permanently."

"Charming!" Alastor laughed, "So you want me to inflict the same hurt that you did to your daughter? Another figure she's learned to rely on simply disappears without a second thought?! My oh my! What a thoughtful solution!" he steady his gaze, looking at him, "If my presence is such a threat to you, then I wholeheartedly recommend you focus your attention less on me and more on her," he said, sounding surprisingly centered, "You are so familiar with the Pride Ring and yet you don't seem to realize when someone needs to hear praise. She's proud of what she' built and have you said as much to her sooner, then things wouldn't have turned so dire," he gazed into his eyes, "Yes, I failed to protect the hotel, but you failed to protect her."

Lucifer was shortly aback, feeling the lack of bite and vile intention behind his words.

"Worry not, Your Highness, I don't intend on staying forever, perhaps even not much longer. I'll just sort my business and end my broadcast. The floor will be all yours, afterwards." He said evenly, "So now that that's been cleared, mind releasing me?"

Lucifer grunted, looking suspiciously at him before hiding his wings and releasing the pressure with which he was pushing him against the wall, finally feeling the warmth dampening his sleeve as he looked down, finding the blood stain, "Ugh, gross, you are leaking your vital juice," he let go, taking a step back to inspect his clothes before noticing that Alastor had a red line running across his chest.

The Radio Demon inspected the cut, "Rosie will not be pleased with me for this," he mused to himself, "Well, if we are done here, I better make haste! Do soak that on cold water and rub salt if you want to get rid of the stain."

"Why the hell are you bleeding?" Lucifer asked, taking off his own coat in disgust.

"Perhaps because you suggested something along the lines of duck tape," he grinned at his own wordplay.

"Wait, so you can't heal a simple gash because your stupid microphone is broken?" Alastor's radio noises became louder, as his eyes narrowed, offended at the implication of weakness, "I thought you were supposed to be a big shot around here, a powerful overlord or something."

"That, I am," he said sternly.

Lucifer looked at him mockingly until the statement rang true, "Oh! So, Adam?"

"Nothing of importance," Alastor said severely.

Lucifer gazed back at the microphone and then at the cut, connecting the dots as his face turned from annoyed to somewhat surprised, "Then you didn't hide away from the battle," he said, "He took you out."

"I think I rather have you take me for a coward than a weakling," Alastor said, fixing his coat, "Yes, I had to retrieve until I could gather myself, took me longer than expected, long enough for you to start celebrating my demise," he smiled forcefully, "What a Happy Hotel it would have been for you if it had been the case." Lucifer folded his arms, eyeing him, "Well, if that's all, I do need to attend other matters."

"Wait," Lucifer extended his arm in front of him as if that could actually stop him, "I don't trust you."

"You've made that point," Alastor deadpanned.

"But!" he cut him off, "You technically did fight off that prick and that buy me some time to arrive, if you hadn't…" he couldn't bring himself to say it, to what would have happened to Charlie, "And I don't like owing favors, so" he snatched Alastor's staff in one swift motion, "Swoosh!"

The Radio Demon was about to go feral when a sudden explosion of light blinded him, revealing the moment after his microphone, which was once more restored.

"It's a quick fix," Lucifer said, extending it back to its owner, "It won't hold in a real fight, but it should be good for day to day use. So, stop your leaking, I just remodeled the floors."

Alastor grabbed his staff back, feeling his own power flow through it as it used to, helping him canalize it. He then gazed at the King, "I'm not thanking you for this."

"And I wouldn't believe it if you did," he replied, "Now we are even."

Alastor swung his staff in one hand as he used to, finding himself feeling renewed. He tapped the ground and was finally able to move with his shadow to another room, leaving Lucifer alone to mutter under his breath, "Still, you are welcome, you sadistic jerk."

Author's Note: Thank you so much for staying tuned and for all your reviews, favorites, and followers! I'll do my best so that my next update comes out soon and is a bit of a longer chapter.
Until next time!