Author note - Welcome back readers! Finally figured out the details of the next job, but first to set the stage! Wow, 25 favorites and 30 followers, that's amazing, thanks everyone! Looking forward to how y'all react to the next couple of chapters, so enjoy!
Chapter 40: Alastor has friends?
Taylor tried to slow their rapid breathing as they sat on their bed, legs curled up close to their chest and arms hugging themselves and head on their knees.
'Holy shit. Literally. My patron is a fallen angel.' They ruminated on fretfully. They knew their patron was powerful - they were able to make an Overlord look like a joke, after all - but they wouldn't have guessed that they were celestial in origin.
They kicked themselves internally for not making the connection. In hindsight the voices were similar, but the Nim version reminded them of Charlie in their idealism, passion, and loyalty to a fault, albeit with a jealous streak that made it hard to reconcile with their patron's mercurial shifts from child-like glee, condescension, and viscousness.
'What could have caused such a change? And where are they now?' They brooded with a shiver. They held a hand near their throat and tried to force their chain and collar to manifest, but sighed in defeat; no matter how hard they tried, it never worked.
They looked over at the clock to see it was three in the morning: too early to bother Charlie and Vaggie. Feeling too shaken go back to sleep, they decided to busy themselves while they waited for the others to wake up.
Taylor ambled into the kitchen and perused the fridge and cabinets for inspiration. After jumping between a few options, they decided on making cinnamon rolls from scratch. Getting to work, they gathered ingredients and mixed the dough. They started humming to themselves quietly as they warmed a measuring cup of water with their hands to activate the yeast starter and moved on to quietly vocalizing a nonsense song as they worked the dough until smooth before setting it aside to rise. Their singing progressively got louder as they lost themselves in the mindless work of making breakfast. Before long, they sang a rendition of Charlie's Happy Day in Hell as they frosted the steaming cinnamon rolls.
"I can do this; I just know it! I'll get Heaven behind my plan! There's just no way, I could blow it, not this once-in-a-lifetime chance! To change their minds, and touch their hearts! I'll do it and fulfill my destinyyy! I can already tell that today is gonna be a fuckin' happy day in Heellllll!" They belted out as they held the last note.
Hearing a squee behind them, they turned abruptly and turned crimson; they had garnered an unexpected audience at some point to their horror. Charlie and Vaggie looked starry-eyed or impressed, but Sir Pentious, Niffty, Husk, and Angel looked spellbound. The quartet had glazed over eyes and they were smiling dreamily with mouths slightly agape.
Taylor was suddenly pulled into a crushing hug by an overly enthusiastic Charlie.
"Oh my gosh! That was so good! Why don't you sing more often, Taylor?" She gushed, spinning them around and depositing the fire demon on the ground. As Taylor caught their breath, they looked over and the four were still lingering in their trance-like state at the doorway.
'Uh, what's with them?' They wondered.
Confused, Taylor glanced back at Charlie.
"Oh, um, thanks, it was just alright." They said humbly.
At that, the spell was broken and the others blinked and approached the counter merrily.
"Wow, Fuoco, why ya been hidin' those pipes this whole time?" Angel commented appreciably.
"I liked that song!" Niffty chimed in happily.
"Indeed, quite the lively performance!" Sir Pentious added with an eager nod.
"It wasn't bad on the ears." Husk admitted.
Taylor turned a deeper shade of red as their embarrassment washed over them. When they were alive, they were told in no uncertain terms that they were extremely tone deaf. Their patron agreed and while the mark seemed to do the brunt of the work, they had been undergoing singing training during their visits. But a lifetime of critiques meant that despite their newly developed musical abilities, they still refused to sing out loud for an audience. Until today it seemed. To divert attention away from them, they grabbed the tray of cinnamon rolls and made their way into the dining space.
"Anyway, how about breakfast? I made plenty!"
After breakfast and morning trust falls, Taylor took Charlie and Vaggie aside to tell them about their latest dream. Charlie was saddened that her father seemed resigned to his fate but was moved by his tenderness and attentiveness toward her mother after they fell. Vaggie looked shocked at the recounting, especially about the form changes of the angels, with her eye darting around, deep in thought. After finishing, Taylor had a question.
"That means this fallen angel is running around somewhere in Hell right now. Charlie, would you know anything about that?" They asked hopefully.
Charlie shook her head.
"As far as I know, dad is the only fallen angel here. I didn't even know he had company when he fell besides mom. Sorry." She said apologetically.
Taylor gritted their teeth in disappointment, but nodded. The most sensible thing would be toask Charlie again to reach out to her dad, but they didn't feel like imposing on the blonde demoness just to ease their mind. After thanking the two for listening, they ambled back toward the lobby, pondering what they'd do for the rest of the day as they didn't have work until tomorrow.
'I suppose I should do some more pyrokinesis work. Or maybe I should ask Pentious if he would let me work on my project in his room. Hmm, I should have asked Vaggie to spar. I haven't seen Cherri in a while though…" they deliberated.
Their phone buzzed in their pocket. They checked and it was a message from Odette.
"Hey Taylor! If you're feeling better, Clara and I can come pick you up to hang out this afternoon! Mom wants to catch up as well. How about it?"
Taylor smiled, but they didn't know what to make of Carmilla. There was that Overlord induction issue, but how the demoness would react to them was a toss-up in their mind.
'If I ignore it, it'll just make things worse.' they grimaced before they messaged an acceptance. They finished pocketing their phone when a voice next to their ear made them jump.
"Morning, chum!"
Taylor whipped around to see Alastor, grinning his Chester grin as he leaned back to stand up straight with his hands on his cane.
"Holy shit, Alastor! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" They snapped.
He tilted his head in amusement and chuckled.
"Not at the moment. But the idea sounds quite entertaining!"
They huffed in annoyance before they composed themselves.
"What do you want this time? It better be good news, like Caesar is back and I can put this Overlord business behind me?" They replied neutrally.
"Not quite. You're still under consideration, I'm afraid. But on that note, I have a message to pass along to you." He said cheerily.
"O-kay?" Taylor asked with a suspicious look.
"A friend of mine is dying to meet you and has extended an invitation for tea at her place! Seeing as your day is free, I thought it'd be wise to go pay her a visit!" He proclaimed as he adjusted his monocle.
"You have friends? Like, people not under contract and want to hang out with you, friends?" They asked dubiously.
"Ha ha! Believe it or not, chum, down here things operate on a simple rule: it's not a case of what you know, but who. No demon is an island, even you must realize that." He said haughtily.
Taylor had to admit, they wouldn't have done so well in their contract annulment endeavors without Antonio, Melanie, and their network. They were still unsure of Alastor's intentions, but they didn't have anything planned for the morning…
"All right then. I'll go get ready and be back in twenty minutes. But I need to be back by this afternoon, I have an appointment to keep." Taylor stipulated.
"But of course! Don't dally now! Time waits for no demon!" He said as he produced a pocket watch and grinned impishly.
Taylor rolled their eyes, already regretting their decision, and made their way upstairs.
Taylor felt an odd sense of déjà vu walking through town with Alastor again. Had it really been three months since they had followed him around filming the hotel commercial? So much had happened since then that it felt like ages ago. They were so engrossed in their memories; they hardly noticed the change in their surroundings until they started detecting a prevalent metallic smell to the air that reminded them of blood.
Their eyes honed in on the vintage look of the buildings and citizens that surrounded them. The style resembled old Americana, perhaps around the early 1900s. As they walked down the main street, they saw a wooden gazebo in the center of a circular park that was large enough for a crowd to gather. They heard various people greet Alastor cheerfully, with the Radio Demon responding in kind. Taylor would nod and smile in acknowledgment when the inky black eyes of the cannibals would rove over to them, sizing them up. After moving along toward a large Victorian-looking building with a gray bricks, white columns, and red windows, Alastor looked toward them with interest.
"You seem especially calm for someone surrounded by cannibals." He noted with narrowed eyes.
"I've worked with a few before. So long as you're polite, and don't catch them during lunchtime, they're actually a delight to be around." Taylor said with a shrug.
"Oh? It's quite unusual for a cannibal to go outside the colony for anything. Normally Rosie handles any issues her people have." He said suspiciously.
"I guess with the Extermination getting close, everyone is hedging their bets to stay safe." Taylor said carefully. They felt a little wave of apprehension at the mention of the cannibal Overlord. Alastor stopped them in front of some doors when realization hit them.
"Alastor, this friend you mentioned wouldn't happen to be Rosie, would it?" They asked with dread.
"But of course! Who else? She and I are thick as thieves!" He replied happily before he opened the red stained-glass doors pushed Taylor through.
As the doors shut behind them, Taylor took in the space anxiously. The decor was very red and posh, with many stands selling an eclectic array of merchandise, ranging from clothing, shrunken heads, jewelry, beauty products, and boxes of what they hoped were chocolates. Their surveying was interrupted as they heard a New York accent ring out from the back of the store.
"Alistah, you old so-and-so! How did it take you this long for you to darken my doorway?"
They followed the voice and shrunk back minutely. A tall and slender demoness with gray skin, white hair styled in a bob, a pink toothy smile filled with shark-like teeth, black lips, and dusty pink cheeks was approaching them. Her eyes were an eerie jet black with no pupils or irises, giving an impression of staring into a void. She wore a fashionable Victorian era pale-maroon and burgundy long sleeve dress with puffed shoulders, a high black collar, black trimming around the waist and her sleeves, and ruffled cuffs. She completed the ensemble with an enormous maroon sun hat with large plumes of red and black feathers and skulls and flower decorations along the brim.
They had heard nice things from their clients about the head of the cannibals, but they knew she was an Overlord for a reason. As the head of the cannibals excitedly strode over them, Taylor swallowed thickly while maintaining a strained smile as they felt a bead of sweat travel down their back.
'Stay calm. Be polite. I'm sure Alastor didn't bring me deep in cannibal territory just to get back for all the times we've bumped heads.' They hoped as the demoness reached them.
"But what's important is you're finally here, darling!" She said with enthusiasm as she gently dusted Alastor off and spun him around merrily. The Radio Demon looking equally as pleased at the Overlord's presence, surprising Taylor.
'Wow, thick as thieves for sure.' They noted before they flinched as the dark orbs were drawn to them and Rosie gasped.
"Oh? This can't be them! Why, aren't you just a cutie!" She gushed as she pinched their cheek playfully. Taylor took it in stride as they held their grin tensely.
"Now, now, Rosie! Taylor here is the newest Overlord in Hell, not one of the children roaming about the place!" Alastor teased. Rosie released Taylor's cheek before they rubbed their face gingerly.
"I'm not an Overlord yet, Alastor." They corrected Alastor before they bowed politely to the Overlord. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rosie."
Rosie curtsied in response.
"Likewise, hun. Forgive my enthusiasm, you just don't seem the dealmaker type, but looks can be deceiving!" She winked before she guided the two toward a sitting room with three armchairs and a tea spread laid out.
"Come in! Come in! Can I offer you anything? I have a little bit of everything! Finger sandwiches, meat pie, fruit-and-eyeball tarts?" She urged as she indicated to the items.
Taylor sat down and glanced down at the options with a strained smile to hide their unease. The items had a distinct maroon hue to it and they swore the eyes in the tarts were following them.
'I never thought I'd miss sitting through my patron's tea times, but here we are.' They thought ruefully as they looked back at the Overlord.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline; I had a rather large breakfast right before we headed over." They replied, voice filled with feigned regret.
The demoness hummed before pouring herself a cup of tea.
"So, spill, Taylor. What do you plan on specializing in once things are official?" she pressed. "Gambling would be the obvious choice, seeing as Caesar formerly ran that racket. Nice man, a little bit of a snob, but a decent enough Overlord. I could never get him over here to play bridge though…" she chatted with a contemplative look.
Taylor grimaced at the memory of their encounter with the gambling Overlord before they quickly got back to the question.
"I hadn't planned on being an Overlord, Alastor volunteered my name without consulting me first. So I don't have any ambitions for territory or an enterprise. Besides, I'm seeking redemption, so it's a moot point." They replied plainly.
The two Overlords burst out in laughter at the comment, making Taylor bristle in annoyance.
"Ah yes, the misguided notion of redemption! Oh, the nonexistent humanity! None of those silly little exercises you do at the hotel can undo what you did before! What whacky nonsense!" Alastor ridiculed. Rosie covered her mouth as she giggled and chimed in.
"Alistah is right, hun. You got to think of your future, eternity is a long time!" She said with a sagely tone before she observed Taylor's scowl. Her expression turned to shock.
"Oh shit, you're serious." She turned to the Radio Demon in a huff. "Alistah, you cad! Tell me this one of your jokes?"
"No one is laughing, so I suppose not. I was under the impression our little firebrand here was aiming toward becoming an Overlord, hence my nomination." Alastor replied with a smug chuckle.
Taylor leaned forward toward Rosie.
"Can't you just vote me out? That way you can have someone who wants the position." They requested.
Rosie darted her eyes toward Alastor then back to Taylor quickly before giving a strained smile.
"Sorry, dearie. If Alistah here nominated you, I'm inclined to vote with him." She said apologetically before her smile brightened. "But who knows? You might be better suited for the job than you think! And don't worry, when you've gotten this redemption piffle out of your system, there will be ample opportunity for you to carve out your niche. I'll make keep an eye out for anything you can sink your teeth into. Just leave it to Auntie Rosie!" She said with a smirk.
Taylor wanted to shoot back that redemption wasn't a phase, but they didn't want to sound like the petulant teenager.
"I'll take it under advisement." They said flatly. Alastor chuckled at the irked fire demon before turning his attention to Rosie. The two Overlords chatted about possible deals that were up for grabs or Alastor's latest broadcast victims as Taylor tuned them out and poured themselves some tea to keep their hands busy.
'Just grin and bear it for now. I won't be steamrolled into this. Soon enough, I can leave and move on with my day.' They brooded and listened to the two cannibals enjoy each other's company.
"That little songbird friend of yours has been talking my ear off about finding a new act for her club. Her second-best performer got caught up in the last Extermination and you know how good help is hard to find these days." Rosie commented.
Taylor's ears perked up.
"Wait. Alastor has more friends?" Taylor cut in disbelief.
The two looked back the at the bewildered fire demon. Alastor rolled his eyes and Rosie chuckled and answered.
"Why is that so hard to believe? Mimzy and Alistah go way back, they even knew each other up top!" She replied amusedly before turning to the Radio Demon. "Have you been to see her? She asks for you every time see passes by."
Alastor shrugged nonchalantly as he cut himself a slice of the meat pie.
"It's on my to-do list. I've been hard-pressed to find time to indulge in leisurely activities as of late, what with my hotel and broadcasting responsibilities. I'll endeavor to pencil in a time though, for Mimzy's sake." Alastor promised Rosie.
"You're such a card, Alistah! If I didn't know you, I'd think you're leading the poor dear on!" Rosie jested.
Rosie spent the rest of their time together giving Taylor advice on how to go about securing territory, striking profitable deals, or gaining influence around the city as a new Overlord. Taylor just nodded and pretended to care, but they felt like their cheeks were going to crack with how much they were smiling.
'How does Alastor keep this up all the time?' They thought.
"You'll thank me later, hun, trust me." She said knowingly as they and Alastor bade Rosie a good day and headed out of the emporium.
Once they were down far enough, Taylor dropped the smile and rubbed their cheeks to ease the aching.
"How did you find Rosie, chum?" Alastor inquired as he looked over his shoulder at them.
"She seemed nice." Taylor responded.
"She's that and more! Truly a gem among the ilk that plague this realm! You'd do well to keep in mind the knowledge she passed along!" He chirped merrily as he turned back around and kept walking.
"Hmm. Sure." Taylor said as they noted a flyer on one of the lampposts. As they drew close, it turned out to be a want ad for a local cabaret club. They quietly tore it off the lamppost as they walked by and stuffed it in their pocket for later.
The rest of the trip back to the hotel was mostly uneventful, with most demons fleeing in terror at the sight of the Radio Demon, which suited Taylor just fine. There was one point where Taylor felt like there were eyes on them, but when they paused to scan the area, there was nothing out of the ordinary they could sense, so they ignored it and caught up with Alastor.
After lunch, Taylor waited at the bottom of the hill just inside the hotel gates for Clara and Odette to arrive as they scanned the flier they snagged earlier. As idea was percolating in their head, one that, if it worked, could spell a much easier go at their next dealmaker job.