Alastor twirled his cane around his fingers as he strolled down the staircase. He paused for a moment as the sound of many voices rose up to meet him. It sounded like quite the commotion. Around 25 sinners packed the hotel lobby making a scene of utter chaos. Charlie and Vaggie frantically ran this way and that, trying to accommodate them all. As he strolled into the throng, Vaggie happened to pass by.

She stopped long enough to say, "Nice of you to show up. Maybe you can start doing your fucking job?"

"Certainly," he replied as he thumped his cane on the ground. A bright green glow cut through the middle of the lobby floor out of which sprouted a reception desk and a red velvet rope. A small army of shadow spirits ushered and wrangled the would-be guests into two orderly lines on either side of the rope. Now that they were organized, Charlie and Vaggie found it much easier to issue them all keys and directions to their rooms. The small shadow spirits with their bulbous heads and red glowing eyes, acted the part of bellhops carrying luggage up the stairs.

Alastor crossed his arms behind his back as he surveyed his good work. Sweeping his eyes over the crowd, he spotted Isobel. She was surrounded by five sinners who were all listening attentively as she spoke using animated hand gestures. It was clear she was giving a lecture on the hotel itself. At her elbow a young woman with goat ears and small ossicones growing from her forehead stood quietly, her eyes never leaving Isobel's face. She looked vaguely familiar to him, but he could not place from where.

There were too many people in the lobby to move around freely. He didn't seem to notice that they were all trying their best to give him a wide berth. To avoid the hassle of walking through the crowd, he melted into shadow only to reappear behind Isobel, a tall red and black menace. The five sinners surrounding her shrank in fear with wide eyes and petrified expressions. The goat-eared girl yelped and clung to Isobel's arm.

Confused, Isobel glanced over her shoulder.

"Oh, Alastor," she said with a smile. "I should have guessed it was you. You're scaring the new guests."

"Apologies, my dear, that was not my intention." his smile beamed at the newcomers, however any attempt to seem friendly was completely lost.

Isobel turned back around. "Why don't you all go ahead and get settled in your rooms. We can talk more tomorrow." Grateful to be dismissed, the five left in a hurry, while the goat-eared girl stayed latched onto Isobel. Alastor didn't like the familiarity, but didn't want to give away his displeasure and kept his charming smile. Isobel didn't really like it either and peeled each finger off her arm.

"Kali," Isobel took a step closer to Alastor feeling that strange sense of comfort at his presence. "May I introduce the host of the Hazbin Hotel, Alastor." She then turned to him. "Alastor, this is Kali, a new, uh, friend of mine."

"Charmed," he said in an overly enunciated way. He looked down at the small creature before him who seemed to cower in his shadow.

"But… but aren't you the Radio Demon?" she asked, trembling.

"Why yes I am. I see my reputation precedes me." He grabbed a lapel with one hand while leaning on his cane with the other striking a pose, obviously quite pleased with himself.

"I didn't realize there was an Overlord staying at the hotel," Kali's eyes seem to plead with Isobel.

"Don't worry," Isobel said reassuringly. "He made me nervous when I first came here too. But you have nothing to worry about. I'll keep an eye on him for you."

Though Kali was not wholly convinced, she decided to trust in Isobel's words and put on a brave face.

"Of course, if you say so." She then left to receive her own room assignment. Alastor waited until she was out of earshot.

"So this is your doing, I see," he said, moving closer to his paramour. "Is this your flock, then?"

Isobel shrugged, "I guess." He eyed her suspiciously.

"A bit unlike you to invite this kind of attention to yourself." He leaned down to speak quietly in her ear.

"Charlie needs people to prove the hotel works, right? And they were all just standing around outside being a nuisance. It just so happens that these nuisances are willing to do anything I tell them to. So if it helps Charlie and the hotel, it's the least I can do. I mean, I owe her that much."

"Of course and now we have a troupe of lost souls staying here just aching for a strong hand to guide and shelter them." She could see the greedy look in his eyes, a hungry wolf circling the herd. To him they were all easy pickings, deals practically already made. Isobel smiled to herself.

"You are welcome to try," she said, "but something tells me, you're not going to be as successful as you might think."

"I can be very persuasive when I want to be."

"Don't I know it, but remember this lot are not fans of overlords."

"We'll see." He stood back to his full height and adjusted his bow tie. "I'll have to thank you for this opportunity."

Isobel put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. "And how do you plan on thanking me?"

"I'll think of something." He winked and disappeared into shadow, off to help a lost sinner find their room or some other hostly duty.

Across the lobby Kali had watched their exchange with peak interest. Though she felt a sense of pride and confidence that her Shepherd did not fear the likes of the Radio Demon, something about their conversation made her wary. She could not hear what they were saying of course, but something about their body language did not sit well with her. They stood perhaps a little too close to each other. They seemed too familiar, too comfortable.

A weed of doubt sprouted in her mind. Was this all just a trick? Was The Shepherd working with an Overlord to somehow trap their souls? Kali turned her head, angry with herself. Was her faith so flimsy that it wavered at the first sign of uncertainty? No. She knew in her very bones that Isobel would not betray her or the rest of the souls in her care. She banished the thought from her mind and vowed to atone that evening, twenty lashes should do it.

The next morning Isobel was awoken by a light tapping on her door. She grumbled and rolled over, finding Alastor next to her. She wrapped both her arms and legs around him, refusing to acknowledge the morning. He bristled as her cold hands and feet found the places covered in warm fur.

After a few minutes the tapping came again. And then again. Then once more.

Isobel growled in frustration startling Alastor as she dug her nails into his skin and called out perhaps a little too close to his ear.

"What do you want?"

Kali's muffled, yet cheerful, voice came through the door. "I made a delicious breakfast this morning and thought I would hand deliver it to you."

"You've got to be kidding me," Isobel whispered.

"You devotees await the first sermon of the day," Alastor whispered back followed by a low radio static filled laugh.

"Shut up," she said, smushing her face into his back.

"Better get up and answer or they are liable to break down the door."

"You get it. And then eat them so they can't wake me up again."

"Very well." He moved to leave the bed. "I can't wait to see their reaction when they find an Overlord in The Shepherd's bed."

Isobel tightened her grip on him, both arms and legs.

"Fine, fine," she said.

She rolled out of bed and went to the door. Opening it just a crack, she found Kali and four others waiting just on the other side.

"Hello, Kali," Isobel said prickly. None of them seemed to notice her tone.

"Good morning, Shepherd," they all said practically in unison.

"Please, don't call me that," Isobel said knowing all too well they would ignore her.

"We were just wondering when you might rise this morning," Kali said, handing her a tray with a huge breakfast on it. Eggs, bacon, fruit, waffles. How did they even make waffles? Isobel had never seen a waffle maker in the kitchen.

"I don't know, maybe an hour or so?"

"Do you need help setting out your clothes?"

"Uh, no, thank you," she didn't like their smiles, all too eager. "I can dress myself."

"Should we just wait for you here?"

"No, no." What could she do to get them to leave? "Why don't you, uh, just gather everyone downstairs and wait until Charlie is ready for class."

They all nodded excitedly as Isobel closed the door. She turned around leaning back, and sighed looking down at the tray of food. Alastor stared at her from the bed fully enjoying her discomfort.

"I don't suppose you want any of this," she asked. His expression turned to disgust.

"No, thank you," she said, getting up.

She put the tray on the end of the bed and stared down at the plethora of food.

"What the hell am I going to do with these people?"

Alastor took her by the shoulders, "I'm sure you'll figure it out. And if not, you can always send them to me."

"Appreciate it."

"Have a wonderful day, Isobel," he said, overly sweet as he booped her nose.

"You as well, Alastor."

The next few days were very much the same. Early morning wake up calls. Every mid-morning and afternoon she would watch from the bar as the sinners attended Charlie's redemption classes. Under her supervision, they all enthusiastically participated, which made Charlie very happy. Though, Isobel couldn't help wondering if a soul sold to another is even eligible for redemption. At all other times, the congregation followed her around trying to cater to her every whim. Which was mostly annoying.

They produced trays of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Isobel didn't even know where they were getting so much food. They followed her to the library and insisted on carrying her books back home. They followed her on her walks throughout the city. They followed her around the hotel. Two sinners were stationed outside of her bedroom door at all times. Everything seemed to be organized by Kali, where the sinners were at any given time, who was with Isobel, and what tasks they were responsible for.

It was all becoming too much for Isobel.

The whole point of having these people in the hotel was to distract them with Charlie's lessons and plans, but apparently it was not enough to keep them completely occupied, and more sinners arrived every day. They would constantly call Isobel 'Shepherd' as she passed them in the halls and after the 50th time, she lost the will to correct them. And every evening Kali would seek out Isobel in private and bring her the new members ready to shake her hand.

It only took a week before she needed to escape.

One morning while they were all distracted in the lobby writing out five things they believed they could do better as a person, Isobel snuck away.

She briskly padded down the halls, constantly looking behind to make sure she was not being followed, until she came to a familiar door.