Author's Note:
Been a while since I've uploaded a fanfiction, but I've gotten bit by the writers bug again. Also discovered the wonderful world of Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss. And after watching the first season of the former, I quickly came to realize it was the greatest piece of upbeat media ever made.
This story will be somewhat divergent from the proper flow of the canon. With the premise revolving around if Charlie had been able to get more people to give the hotel a shot.
Who those people are, how they interact with the normal cast, and how things morph from the natural pathway will be unveiled upon the way.
So without further adieu, besides my traditional apology revolving around any grammatical stakes that may pop up along the way, I welcome you too…………………
Drifters
A Hazbin Hotel Fanfiction
Chapter One:
A Leap of Force
When the angelic clock struck twelve, Hell's bells tolled thrice.
The first ring echoed out with the destruction of an army's final shell.
A low metallic hum exploding with the might of an orchestra's last breath. It traversed the crimson air, and breezed through the shattered glass windows lining red flooded streets.
It pinged against silver spears and swords. Harmonizing the weapons into tuning forks. Vibrating down their blades, across their handles, and into the bones of the soldiers wielding them.
A signal for the steel to cease its crescendo, and let the blacken ichor dripping from their faces to pitter out a transitioning tune
The second ring came at the climax of a building rapid.
Its tune ruffled the blood stained uniform of stitched faced legionaries. Catching their capes till they flared out smokey wings.
Lifting the army in the air upwards on a strong breeze. Higher and higher till the flock disappeared into the sunlight their numbers had blackened.
The third ring hung in the air… and would do so until the clock tower struck twelve again. A constant hum… a constant reminder… a constant noise ensuring all would know the executioners would be back. That the angels would descend again… that the twice mangled corpses of the dammed was a tradition.
One the angels would forever carry out until all the sinners' souls were shredded into oblivion.
Beneath the golden towers clock, a countdown wheel spun itself upon an hourglass. The triple zeros resetting to a three, a six, and a five. Shadowing the closest thing the Pentagram city below had to winning lottery numbers.
For a few mutated furred, chitin, and scaled sinners who dared peeked their eyes out from their make shift bunkers, the number represented the amount of life insurance they had in days.
But for most it was the numeric code of a silent fourth ring. One signaling the start of the mad dash for the loot left behind.
Animalistic beast, humanoid more so to their past than their current build, sprung upon the deceased like hyenas after they watched the lions saunter away.
Literal rats, crows, and shadowed faced scavengers digging through the pockets and possession of the dead souls they'd been hiding with minutes before.
Beneath paws and hooves, corpses were trampled to paste, while packs of opposing demons played tug of war for the cash in their pockets and the weapons on their belt.
One of the shops the angels broke into had its fished scaled owner impaled through the store's own hook logo… and now a bipedal coyote with a shaven tale and leather jacket was yelling for some shorter rat man to 'get that flailed bastard off his new restaurant before somebody thinks we're selling shit like sushi'
These were the first sights and sounds one survivor experienced when he finally found the courage to crack open the dumpster during Heaven's wrath. And the shaky arm he had propped up retreated to his side. Falling faster then his momentary spur of bravery.
Blanketed by the dark container, the stench surrounding him was more bearable than the feeding frenzy going on in the streets… and far less terrifying.
This devolution into greed and jubilation was worse than the killing spree that caused it.
The young man curled his arms around his legs, and blanketed them as best he could behind his two new appendages.
What was happening outside…it was barbaric… it was inhumane… it was something straight out of a nightmare.
The young man buried his head into his knees. And when he was unable to feel his tears, unable to bangs his back against the barrier of his metallic box, unable to ignore the new pains of the joints he caged… he truly understood… it was Hell.
XxxxxxX
"Ohhhh fuck no!" the first voice the young man had heard hours ago, also became the second one to enter the trash. As the Coyote face demon opened the lid to the dumpster. And snarled at the creature occupying the space his sack of oozing garbage needed to go, "I ain't got time for the fucking homeless! Get out douchebag, before I rip off your wings and shove them up your ass!"
"I-I… I don't… I-I didn't-" the young man stuttered. He stumbled to his feet. When he did, his new found wings unfurled themselves from in between his shoulder blades. If their bones were hollow, then somebody must have filled them with led because the weight sent the young man falling backwards.
The beige feathered tips bent upwards on the dumpster's edge, and the new pain hit the young man a sharp phantom. It was soon mask by the stench of the chum soup poured over him,
"Hehe, you've got some big balls on you boss." a squeaky peered over the edge of the lid… and if the terrified young man hadn't tripped already, the red eyed and white fired human sized mouse head starring down at him would have sent him spiraling on his ass, "for all you know he could be an Exorcist."
"Keep sprouting bullshit like that and I'll cut yours offs." the coyote growled… and dumped more fish guts onto the confused man as his annoyance shifted towards the rodent,
"I don't know, he's got a feathery set of wings," the mouse snickered at his own lie, "and I hear underneath the mask angels look like ordinary people. His face is human… enough"
The young man winced at the comment… the end of the quill he saw at the corner of his right eye reminding him that the beige feather that growled out just above his ear, flowed in place of skin from his neck downward.
"Exorcist don't grovel in the trash dipshit." the boss looked away and the young man scampered frantically over the edge when he realized the canine was just bending down to pick up another load of trash, "now help me throw this crap away before I add you to the menu."
The rodent snickered. Unable to comply unless he miss the sight of the feathered man slip over the edge and face plant the ground,
"I should charge you by the stain" the boss muttered when he saw the avian dripping with the mess,
"Aren't we getting rid of it though?" the mouse responds,
"Not for free we aren't."
"I-I'm s-sorry… I-I didn't mean too… I just needed a place to hide when the… things came from the sky." the young man stuttered out, slipping his way back to his feet. And leaning on the alleyway whenever his wings bit the air like a paddle,
"Then next time dive onto their spears before you trespass on my property." the coyote grumbled,
The mouse's cheeks puffed out. His smile contained the urge to say something that would get him run through with a spear. After a second, the wind puffed out when the rodent reran the air that just entered his ears.
The winged man didn't think of himself as tall, but when the rodent scampered over to him, he realized the mouse man was most definitely short. Less than the height of the dumpster for sure.
Yet, under the creatures piercing red gaze, the white haired thing seemed to tower above the bird.
"Wait a second… you don't know what an Exorcist is?" the rat piqued up,
"Y-you mean like the movie?" the young man answered, "c-cause I've heard about it, b-but I'm not really into horror… sorry."
The rodent eyes widened, although going from pennies to nickels still made them appear hauntingly small,
"Holy shit! You're new here aren't you?! And you came just before an Extermination too." the Rodent beamed, "Fuck man, I'd say that's rotten luck... but you're still alive so maybe not"
Given what dripped off the young man he disagreed. Though he didn't want argue, especially since the coyote faced man didn't seem to please at the bird for taking up his employees time,
"… b-but I'm not… t-the… I had… t-then the guy with the book… before he dropped me down he said I'm already dead." the avian rambled inchoretly,
"Then he sent you to Hell." the rodent waved the bird man off like it was something he'd heard a million times before, "an afterlife so shitty, you still have to be afraid of death… at least once a year."
The beige feathered man tenses up. It was probably hypocritical to do so, but the idea of actually being hunted down produced a primordial fear,
"W-what happens if I die here?" the young man squeaked out,
The coyote snarl finally gave way to an annoyed sigh. His anger disappeared when the last bag of fish filled the dumpster,
"Do we look like the dead fuckers on the street?" he motioned to the looted corpses, "how the hell should we know?"
The rat scampers back a bit and giggles at his boss's remark. The canine claps his claw hand, clicking the overgrown nails before eyeing the bird up. For a moment the eyes become those of a wolf… before a tug by the rodent turned him back into a wily type of dog who couldn't hurt a feathered freak if he tried… at least for the moment,
"You grab that toilet cloth from the trash?" the canine ask,
The bird cocks his head confused. Then looks down to his green hoodie and khakis. The ugly stains scaring them, mixed with the feather beneath luffing them out made the rags seems like that of a stuffed animal attacked by the family cat,
"I-I died in this." the young man croaked out,
"Then I won't charge you for it." the new owner crumbled to himself, "and since you're such a pitiful creature… I'll wave the fish paste soaking into it"
"Fuck… where's this pity for me?" the rodent elbowed his bosses knee, then hid behind him when the canine flared his teeth,
"It's in every moment I don't tear you to shreds!"the coyote looked back to the frighten newcomer, "I don't have time to put up with all the questions your going to shit my way, so it's best you leave now."
"W-wher-" the young man snarled his question when the beast snarled,
"I don't care where you set up shop," the boss forced out, "but unless you've got rent money for the dumpster, you're an empty nester around my place"
The boss stood aide. The alleyway open up to the street. Its business lingered only with undead speed bumps. But the canine made it clear the bird could expect more if he stayed here.
Hesitantly, the fear of the coyote's wrath caused the avian to stutter forward. He wishes the anxiety of the situation could for once drag on into eternity, but the mere fact he was testing somebodies patient made it speed up.
He stuttered forward towards the unknown he had come from. Now with more knowledge on why he was right to hide from it. His wings fluffed on instinct and he had to drape an arm back to keep them folded. When he reached the end, he felt the new sensation of a small hand grasped the edge,
"Hey… you're probably not a good guy, and neither am I… we are in Hell after all." the rodent whispered, despite his triangle ears twitching from back in the alley, "But here's some advice between us bastards. Your actions uptop fell down with you, but make sure your name stays behind. It… it's not smart to give out your real one to people."
The mouse whiskers flinched. The bird didn't understand why, but he nodded knowing it couldn't be good,
"T-thank you… I-I definitely don't deserve the advice… but I'll use it"
The mouse smirks,
"Yeah you probably don't…then again nobody here deserves such an easy score just because you're an idiot."
A growl escaped down the alley and the rodent and bird shed fur and molted feather.
Slapping him on the base of the back, the rodent turned to head back to work,
"Guess I'll see you around empty nester." the Rodent winked, and retreated back into the alley… while the avian gulped down air, and waded out into the open.
XxxxxxxX
Charlie banged her head against every pillar on her way out of the clock tower. Wishing, hoping, praying even that the noise would spark an upbeat rhythms she could sing her worries away into.
Lift her from the horrible news she just received, and brave her to face it head on… leaving the embassy, all her head was filled with was a concussion and the knowledge Adam and his exterminators would be back to reap souls into oblivion within six months time.
"And what's to stop him from cutting it even shorter…" the pale faced woman sauntered out from the golden tower on a somber mood. A far cry from the upbeat note she entered on.
She sat down on the top step, and looked out into the sea of sinners. Filing the streets, or rather trolling them for what was left of the poor souls erased from the last culling.
"What am I going to tell the others?" Charlie dipped her head and clenched her hair between a twice over bone white grip, "what am I going to tell Vaggie?"
The red cheeked woman craned her neck back and watched the Extermination clock half itself. Her voice went low… as she impersonated herself,
"Hey sweetie how are you?! Oh you're worried about the calendar! Well don't be, it just means another extermination is coming in six months! Panic?! Why would we panic?" Charlie picked herself and kicked each stair she descended, "that's plenty of time to prove to Heaven the hotel works! After all, in the five days since the grand reopening we've gotten a whopping one whole guest! And it's not like he only came because he's been crashing there rent free for a year!"
Charlie stubbed her front hove into the cement when she reached the sidewalk. Face shattering in pain, she bit through the cheeks of her own forced smile. Grappling her injured foot, and hopping in the other like a deranged jester,
"Not to mention, he's on such a fast pace to redemption, the last time I saw him do crack was this morning!" a passing shark sinner looked at her display like she was a deranged homeless man. Instead of letting him widen his path around her unimpeded, Charlie leaned over and pressed her forward into his snout, "a full six hours sober, ain't that something!"
She smiled through gritted teeth… that caused the fish to sneer his,
"Fucking freak." he hissed, as Charlie waved goodbye… her own depression pulling her strings,
"No, the freaks just my investor!" she beamed, and now more and more demons widen their pace around the sidewalk like she was a black hole, "You know the Radio Demon who's so feared even Overlords wet there pants in his presence"
The muttering of her behavior increased,
"But that won't deter people, after all it's not like he's literally told me he wants the Hotel to fail!" her laugh muffled itself in pity.
At this point sinners, the most deranged human souls imaginable, thought she was so crazy they avoided her like the plague.
Charlie hung her head low. Letting reality be her own reflection to how stupid she'd felt. She wished she could say her exaggerated and self depreciation stunt was widely over the top… but now she feared that's how she always sounded… what others always heard.
Was that the person people were supposed to trust with their redemption? Was that the person that would save them from Extermination?
Hell, she had an immunity from the carnage, and she felt like she wouldn't even trust herself to keep herself safe… let alone be able to protect somebody she promised too like Angel Dust, or somebody she loved like Vaggie,
"And because of me… the Extermination will be on them even faster-"
"It's gonna be what?!"
Charlie's irises shattered when the ever distant passerby proved to have superb hearing.
In a flash all eyes went to her, then to the updated countdown on the tower, then back to her.
Charlie lips fled into her throat. Before she forced out another smile… this one far smaller and far less stable,
"I can explain everything, but the important thing is to not panic-"
For a lack of a better phrase, all Hell broke loose the moments her words did,
"The hotel bitch has doomed us all!"
"You fucking moron, what did the angels promise you could take part in the next one!"
"The royals probably just want all our shit, can't even wait to con us out of it like normal!"
The crowds screams whipped Charlie's hair back as if she was in the midst of a hurricane. Her words fought to push against it,
"I-I know it seems bad… but if you just come to my hotel we can redeem your souls." Charlie stuttered, "You can be in Heaven before it comes for you"
"Fuck that! If I've only got six months to hide I'm making sure I get a good place!" a cockroach demon pulled out three sidearms from his winged canopy…
Half the street did the same, and the other half...,
"Shit, where's the nearest meth dispenser!" a voice cried out before the noise of gunshot and broken vending machines filled the square,
"People please! This will only make things worse!" Charlie waded into the street and pleaded on deaf ears.
Sinners bulldozed by her. Anarchy making her a kernel in the microwave. The only words sent her way were attached with emotional… or sometimes very real… bullets. She easily twisted out of the way of the physical ones, but the taunts bore into her.
The worst parts of these people were on full display. Literally bearing themselves down on her. Charlie wanted to believe they could be redeemed… she needed to be believe that. But even if they could, how could such people who would rather tear each other to shreds when faced with a crisis be able to change in six months time?
Hell… even if she had a full proof way to redeem them, would they even take the offer. Angel Dust has been in the hotel for a year… and he hasn't attended one of her lessons.
Which begs the question… even if redemption was possible… do any of these people even want to try. Do the have the capability to feel remorse, to even say something as simple as-
A large object whacked into her. A ticklish wall that didn't knock her down, but certainly caused her eyes to widen in shock,
"I-I'm sorry!" a panicked and sincere apologies flew in after the wings,
The beige feather appendages turned to reveal a young man. He seemed… oddly normal, and like Vaggie a person in their early twenties.
His face retained that of a mortal, or at least what she vaguely recalls a regular human looked like. His face was a pale pinkish color, but flushed with far more colors than hers.
His hair was a light brown, and sat unkempt atop of his head. His irises were yellow, but despite that, just like his nose, lips, and ears, lacked no animalistic or exaggerated features.
The only oddity on his head was the feathered quill sticking atop his right ear. Perched up in the same manner a professor would rest a pencil.
Unfortunately, from his neck downward, his body may have looked human if not incredibly thin, but was covered in sandy feathers. And if the fluff of his jacket was anything to go off of, the quills didn't cover just his limbs.
And of course, there was the pair of wings jittering out his back. They were smaller than the Exorcist ones, but big enough to be unyielding and throw off the man's balance… as they flickered out again and brushed her nose,
"Achoo" Charlie nose blew out right onto the man… and immodestly scricnhed up again… expecting the verbal retort to strike her hard,
"O-oh I'm sorry…again." an anxious voice sounded… well it continued to sound like he was genuinely guilty about causing the sneeze, "… they're new and I just have… no idea how they work. I-I'll get out of your way, but i-it's my bad."
Charlie stated dumbfounded at the man… and in her shock whispered out,
"Who are you?"
"Um…I-I" he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly… and still embarrassed when another wing brushed past her face, "I guess my name's… Nester."
"Achoo!"
"Oh…um… bless you." the man cringed embarrassed. He turned to leave… Charlie grabbed his arm, and while she forced her eyes into him, the smile she regained beamed true,
"No, bless you Nester! If you're new here, then do I have the place for you!"
XxxxxxX
Thanks to all who have read through the first chapter. I will try my best to upload a chapter every Friday. But until next week, please feel free to leave a comment! Criticism is always welcomed, so long as there's an attempt for it to be constructive.
