Starscream

Alastor had returned from his musical duel with Vox. Although, it's hard to call that spectacle a "duel" as it implies Vox had a chance of winning and it wasn't as one-sided as it was.

I assumed Vox would be in a hissy fit after being humiliated on live television by two Overlords in the span of three weeks. And because both Overlords, Alastor and I, resided at the Hazbin Hotel, it was reasonable to assume he'd go after the Hotel for revenge.

I activated my commlink Baxter built. "Gallop, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear Eagle," Striker responded. He and I used codenames over the radio waves, for security purposes.

I asked, "Gallop, seeing as Mike got embarrassed again, he's probably going after the Her Highness. Have you heard any news?" "

"Positive. Mike is sending a spy to Her Highness, some snake dude," Striker answered.

"Copy that," I responded, "Can you give me a proper description?"

He replied, "Negative. Didn't get a good look at him. But from the little I did see, he was decently tall, with dark grey skin, tophat with an eye, and a British accent, sort of like yours."

"Copy that. Eagle out." I shut off the comm and waited for whatever spy Vox would be sending. I didn't wait long, as there was a commotion at the front door. I strolled over to see this spy. Charlie was already introducing whoever it was.

"And this is the foyer!" She walked over and I intercepted her. I went to look at the new arrival, and both of our eyes widened in recognition.

Charlie seemed to be faintly aware of this. "Oh, Starscream! This is-"

"Sir Pentious," I cut her off. At that point, Baxter had also walked over, and we both recognized the new guy.

He muttered in shock. "Starscream... Baxter..."

Charlie perked up at this, asking, "Oh, do you guys know each other?"

We stood in silence for a moment, then started laughing. I playfully punched Pentious on the arm and Baxter awkwardly half-hugged him.

"Sir Pentious! Where have you been?" I asked, smiling.

He chuckled. "Oh, just building war machines and trying to take over. Same old same old."

Baxter laughed. "I knew I recognized that chassis style on that blimp! Signature Pentious!"

"It does help that I had my face on it!" Pentious agreed.

Charlie and the others were just watching. Angel Dust asked, "Wait, you three know each other?"

I laughed. "Of course we do! I've known the Arkevilles for a long time! This is Sir Pentious Arkeville."

Vaggie seemed confused. "Hold on, Pentious is an Arkeville?"

"Of course I am! Me and Baxter are cousins!" Pentious explained. Baxter elaborated, "Pentious is from the British side, I'm from the American side."

Charlie smiled and clapped her hands. "Oh, that's nice!"

The two Arkeville cousins and I laughed as we caught up. I'll admit, it was nice to see another familiar face. Almost made me a bit sad to see that he was probably a spy.

Charlie smiled as she, Baxter, and I led Pentious on a tour around the Hotel. We even met Alastor, and Charlie gave Pentious his first lesson on apologies as he gave Alastor back the piece of his coat. Although, the Radio Demon just burned it.

After getting him settled, Charlie immediately got Pentious involved in the activities. We were doing one on saying no to drugs, and Pentious passed with flying colors. I couldn't tell if he was being genuine or was just playing nice. All the while, Angel Dust and Niffty were giving him grief, with Angel butting heads with him and Niffty being, well, Niffty.

After a while, we all turned in for the night. Except for me. I walked around the hotel, and spotted Angel Dust doing the same. I went into one of the rooms and saw Pentious setting up a Voxtek camera.

"Hello, Pentious." I coldly greeted.

Pentious nervously spun around. "S-Starscream! What-what brings you here?"

"What are you doing?" I asked. Pentious looked at the camera and then nervously shifted to block it from my view. But I already saw it.

I sighed, "Look, what did Vox promise you? Or are you in debt? You can be honest with me, I'll help you out. You know that."

Pentious got a bit more defensive. "This is my chance to prove myself to the Vees, and I won't mess this up!"

I shook my head. "Pentious, you have to stop. You always hyper-fixate on some group or person and desperately try to get their approval. When will you learn that this isn't healthy? Being a spy won't-"

"Pentious is a spy?" Angel Dust barged in. He glared at Pentious. "I fuckin' knew it!"

I tried to intervene, "Now, Angel Dust, no need to-"

Before I could say anything, Angel Dust lept onto Pentious. They started fighting while I tried to yell for them to stop.

I yelled, "Angel Dust, no!" Angel Dust sneered, "You fuckin' traitor!" Pentious shouted, "Get off!"

Pentious and Angel exchanged blows, with Angel being the main aggressor. Pentious only defensively responded. They knocked books and cushions everywhere.

The fight was getting out of hand, so I charged up my shriek. "Both of you...STOP!"

The two of them rolled to the ground, disoriented. As they did, Charlie and Vaggie ran into the room. Charlie asked, "What's going on?!"

"This little bitch is a traitor!" Angel Dust yelled. Vaggie looked at Sir Pentious and sneered. Charlie asked, "Starscream, is this true?"

I tried to explain, "Yes, but-" However, Vaggie interrupted me. She shouted "Traitor!" as she lifted her spear.

Pentious panicked and tried to open the window. He spoke into his watch, "This is Agent Pentious requesting immediate evacuation! I've been compromised!"

Vox's revolting laugh came through. "Are you serious? You've been caught! It hasn't even been, like, a day!" Pentious looked hurt as he pleaded, "You've got to get me out of here!" Vox just laughed in his face. "We really thought you could handle something this simple. Let me give you some advice. If they don't kill you, do it yourself, you miserable failure!"

Pentious dropped the watch and backed away from the window. I recognized that dejected look of misery I wore all too often.

"Just make it quick," Pentious requested, flopping down. Angel and Vaggie lifted their weapons to strike, but I stepped between them, expanding my wings to their full length.

I ordered, "You will not harm Pentious."

Angel and Vaggie looked confused. Vaggie asked, "Why? He's a spy!"

I stood my ground. "You will not harm my friend."

The two looked like they were about to attack anyway when Charlie stepped up. "Wait, Pentious." Pentious looked up as Charlie held out her hand.

Charlie caringly sang, "It starts with sorry; That's your foot in the door, one simple sorry; Spoken straight from your core; The path to forgiveness is a twisting trail of hearts; But sorry is where it starts!"

Pentious retorted with tears, "Who could forgive a dirtbag like me? I don't deserve your amnesty!"

Angel and Vaggie came up, glaring. "Can't we just kill him? Shoot him and spill his blood?"

Charlie stammered, "That's an option you could choose."

Angel Dust and Vaggie lifted their weapons, "Works for us."

I stepped between them and Pentious, "But I've also been in his shoes."

"It starts with sorry," I held out my hand.

Pentious responded, "I'm sorry"

I encouraged, "You can do it! Just go ahead and say one simple sorry."

Pentious sang, "I'm so sorry!"

I smiled. "And our journey's underway!"

We sang together, "It'll take time to cover our vast multitude of sins; But sorry is where it begins!"

I ended, "It starts with sorry; A word known across the stars; One little sorry; And it'll take you quite far!"

I asked, "But you know what the hardest part of sorry is to do?"

Pentious inquired, "What is it?"

I sang, "The hardest part is to say that we forgive you."

Pentious teared up before bawling his eyes out. I caught him before he fell, "Easy there, easy."

He bawled, "Tha-ha-hank you...!" I barely got to process him bawling before I saw Charlie start to tear up.

I motioned to Vaggie. "You better handle her, she's your girlfriend." She smirked as she walked up to her, "Hey hun, you okay?"

Charlie started to bawl, "It's so beautiful-hul-hul!" I chuckled as I dealt with Pentious and Vaggie dealt with Charlie. Baxter came in to check on what was happening, and Angel filled him in.

Pentious eventually recovered. "Thank you, Starscream. You are truly a great friend."

I chuckled, "Don't mention it."

He laughed. "And here I thought you were just a heartless murder bot. Since when did a great Cybertronian such as yourself have sympathies for a lowly human?" Baxter, Charlie, and I cringed when he said that.

Angel Dust asked, "Wait, whaddya mean you's have sympathy for a 'lowly human?' What's that supposed'ta mean?"

I stammered, "Well, I mean-"

Vaggie interrupted, "And what does 'Cybertronian' mean? Didn't you say you're from Vos?"

Baxter tried to excuse, "Yes, but-"

But Pentious also interrupted. "Wait, you thought Starscream was human?"

"Wait, you mean to say that he isn't human?" Vaggie asked.

Pentious hollered, "Of course not, he's an alien! He hates humans!"

Angel Dust waved his hands. "Whoa whoa whoa, you sayin' that Crimson Wings ova' dere," he motioned to me, "is an alien?"

"I mean, wasn't it obvious?" Pentious asked.

Vaggie asked, "Charlie, did you know about this?"

Charlie gave a slightly sad look. "Yes, I did."

"Then why didn't you tell us? Hell, why didn't you tell me?" Vaggie questioned.

Charlie excused, "Well, he asked me not to tell anyone else when he told me, and I wanted to respect his privacy, so-"

I sighed, "Look, it's late. All you need to know right now is that I'm an alien from the planet Cybertron. I'll explain more in the morning. And I guess... I guess you can tell everyone else in the hotel."

Vaggie agreed, "He's right. It's too late to talk about it. Let's get some sleep."

"Good night everyone. I'll stay and clean up." I declared.

Everyone said their goodnights as they walked back to their rooms. Meanwhile, I picked up Pentious' Voxtek watch. My Null Rays worked by creating an electrical surge that temporarily overloaded a device. But in small power levels...

I activated a light spark, and the watch flickered to life. Vox shouted, "What?" before stopping when he saw me.

I coldly stated, "I wanted to inform you that Princess Morningstar's Hazbin Hotel is closed to the Vees and their associates. It is now under the protection of Air Commander Starscream."

"Now hold on-" Vox tried to object.

"And another thing," I sneered, grabbing the watch hard enough to crack the screen, "Why don't you take your own advice?"

Vox started shouting in rage as I used my Null Rays to overload the watch. I put much more power into it than I usually used, however, causing the case to blacken from the heat and the internals to melt. I then threw it on the ground and stomped it.

I heard Alastor's crackling as he started to slow clap slowly. "My my, what a display! And you, an alien? Why I never would have thought of this in a hundred years!"

I just sighed. "I'll explain more in the morning. Just go back to your room and sleep."

Alastor asked, "And what will you do, hm?"

"Probably just fly. Nothing else, really." I admitted.

Alastor chuckled. "Well have a nice flight!" He walked out of the room back to his.

I looked around and sighed. Angel and Pentious' fight jostled some things around. I'd have to sort all of this out before going on my flight. I sucked it up and got to work cleaning.