Hazbin Hotel

The once lively and bustling hotel lobby stood eerily quiet. Charlie limped her way down the grand staircase, the sound of her uneven footsteps echoing through the empty space. The weight of the past few days hung heavy on her shoulders, and the absence of Vaggie only deepened her sense of loneliness.

Reaching the bottom step, she sighed deeply and headed toward the coffee maker in the corner of the room. As she waited for the fresh batch to brew, the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock was interrupted by a loud knock at the front door. Charlie groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Really?" she muttered, dragging herself toward the door.

When she opened it, she froze. Standing there, dressed in his signature tailored suit and holding his cane, was Lucifer Morningstar, her father.

"Dad?" she asked, her voice tinged with both surprise and relief.

"Hello, my darling," Lucifer said warmly, stepping forward as Charlie threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.

She lingered for a moment before pulling back. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how my little star is doing," he said, stepping inside.

Charlie closed the door behind him and gestured for him to sit. "Better than yesterday, I guess," she replied with a weak smile.

Lucifer's eyes darted to her limping form as she moved toward the coffee machine. His sharp gaze softened with concern. "Your leg still hasn't healed?"

"I'm managing," Charlie said, pouring the coffee into a mug. She handed it to him and began preparing another cup for herself. Lucifer took a sip, his eyes lighting up at the familiar taste.

"You still remember how I take it," he said with a pleased smile.

"Of course," Charlie said, glancing over her shoulder. "I remember a lot of things."

Lucifer chuckled lightly before his expression turned serious. "Where is Vaggie? I thought she'd be by your side."

Charlie's smile faded. She set the mug down and leaned against the counter. "I haven't seen her since she put me to bed last night. She's probably out… doing something."

Lucifer frowned but said nothing, instead watching as Charlie prepared her coffee. She hesitated, her hands trembling slightly as she added cream and sugar.

"My leg's fine, by the way," she said abruptly, though her tone lacked conviction.

Lucifer tilted his head. "I know some people who could help with it."

Charlie shook her head. "No. I… I want to keep it. As a curse."

Her father raised an eyebrow. "A curse? What are you talking about?"

Charlie's hands stilled. She stared into her cup, her voice trembling as she spoke. "That day at the trial… I wasn't myself. I was angry. Furious. I wanted revenge for what Blitzo caused. For my friends… my staff…" She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "I was full of hatred. I've never felt that way before, and now… this limp feels like karma. A reminder of who I don't want to become."

Lucifer set his mug down and stood, walking over to his daughter. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she didn't look up.

"I don't want to be that person again, Dad," Charlie said, her voice breaking. "But the anger… it's still there. I don't know how to let it go."

Lucifer sighed. "Charlie, you're not alone in feeling conflicted. What Blitzo did… yes, it was catastrophic. But remember, he also saved you in the end."

Charlie's lip quivered as she finally looked at him. "Even then, I still couldn't stop myself. I said things—did things—that scared me. And scared you."

Lucifer hesitated, but he nodded. "I won't lie, seeing you like that was… unsettling. But you're still my daughter, my little star. I know you're strong enough to find your way back to who you were."

Charlie bit her lip and set her coffee aside. She rested her head on the table, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders. "I've been thinking about shutting the hotel down. Permanently."

Lucifer blinked, taken aback. "Shutting it down? But why?"

She sat up straight, brushing her hair back. "Nobody will come here after what they saw. A changed Charlie Morningstar. I'm not who I used to be, and this place… it's a reminder of everything I've lost. I think it's time to leave the city. Maybe find somewhere quiet. Somewhere I can find peace with Vaggie."

Lucifer's eyes softened. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Charlie nodded, her resolve firm. "It's better than living with an empty hotel and memories of failure."

Lucifer sighed, placing a hand over hers. "If this is what you want, I'll support you. But you'll need to tell Vaggie yourself when she returns."

Charlie smiled weakly. "Thank you, Dad."

Lucifer nodded, but his expression remained worried. "For now, try to rest. And if you need anything, I'm here."

As they sat in silence, Charlie couldn't help but glance toward the front door, a gnawing sense of unease creeping into her chest. "Where is she?" she whispered, more to herself than to Lucifer.

ROUGH N' TUMBLEWEED RANCH

"Absolutely not!" Sallie May's voice cut through the barn like a whip. She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Loona, who was doing her best to keep calm.

"He's staying," Loona insisted, her tail flicking in agitation.

"After what he did?!" Sallie May shot back. "After what he put Millie through—what made her like that on TV? I don't want him here, and I sure as hell don't want my parents finding out what he did."

Loona folded her arms, meeting Sallie May's fiery gaze with her own. "Hate to break it to you, but they already know. Well… halfway. They know something happened in the city, but they don't know the whole story."

Sallie May raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Joe figured it out," Loona said with a shrug. "Apparently, you give everything away with your expressions."

Sallie May groaned, rubbing her temples. "Damn it. I knew that old man could read me like a book."

Loona took a deep breath, trying to appeal to Sallie May again. "Look, I get it. You don't trust him. I don't trust him completely either, not after everything that happened. But he's my dad. My family. And family matters."

Sallie May hesitated, her expression softening slightly before hardening again. "There's nothing you can say or do to change my mind. He's got to go."

Loona stared at her for a long moment, her frustration building. Finally, she let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, for fuck's sake!"

Before Sallie May could react, Loona grabbed her by the head and kissed her square on the lips.

The barn went silent.

At the edge of the doorway, Millie and Moxxie watched with wide eyes, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

Moxxie leaned over and whispered, "Maybe we should leave."

Millie shook her head, a mischievous grin on her face. "Nah, I wanna see how far this goes."

Moxxie blinked at her in disbelief but said nothing.

Back inside, Loona pulled away, her face bright red as the realization of what she'd done hit her. Sallie May blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "Well, damn. You kiss like a pro."

Loona's blush deepened. "It… It was my first."

Sallie May smirked, stepping closer. "Was it great?"

Loona could only nod, her mouth dry.

The smirk faded from Sallie May's face as she let out a long sigh. "Alright. For now...Blitz can stay."

Loona perked up slightly, but Sallie May raised a finger. "But I'm gonna keep an eye on him. I don't trust him."

Loona nodded. "Fair. I don't fully trust him either, but like I said...he's my dad. He's family."

"Family's important," Sallie May admitted. "And that does matter."

Loona gave her a small, thankful smile. "Just… give him a chance."

Sallie May paused, her expression unreadable. Finally, she said, "One day."

Then, to Loona's surprise, Sallie May leaned in and kissed her cheek before whispering something in her ear. Whatever it was made Loona's eyes go wide as her face turned a deeper shade of red.

Sallie May smirked at the reaction and walked away, tossing a wink over her shoulder.

Millie, unable to contain herself any longer, walked up to Loona. "So, what'd she say?"

Loona turned to her, still stunned. "I regret coming here."

NEARBY THE RANCH - ON A HILL

Through a pair of binoculars, the Rough N' Tumbleweed Ranch came into view. Vaggie adjusted the focus, her gaze settling on the barn. From her hidden vantage point on a hill overlooking the property, she watched the interaction between Loona and Sallie May unfold. When Loona kissed Sallie May, Vaggie's eyes widened, her cheeks turning a faint pink.

Lowering the binoculars, she smirked, impressed but also a bit exasperated. "Well… that's something," she muttered to herself.

She reached for her phone and dialed. After a few rings, the line picked up.

"I'm outside the ranch," she said, her voice low and serious. "What do you want me to do?"

The voice on the other end, which sounds robotic, replied calmly but firmly, "Wait for the right opportunity. Grab Blitz and get out of there. Don't engage unless absolutely necessary."

Vaggie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Got it."

Hanging up, she glanced back at the ranch one last time before retreating into her hidden, makeshift tent. It was small but well-camouflaged, blending into the surrounding terrain. Inside, she had a cot, a small stash of food and water, and a map of the area pinned to one of the tent walls.

Setting her binoculars down on a crate, Vaggie took a deep breath. "Wait for the right opportunity," she repeated to herself. "Right."

She sat down, keeping her focus sharp, her eyes occasionally drifting back to the ranch as the setting sun painted the horizon a deep crimson.

THE NEXT MORNING - VAGGIE'S HILLTOP HIDEOUT

After a whole day of nothing, Vaggie had just passed out from tbe bordeom.

Vaggie was slumped in her chair, her head tilted awkwardly, and a line of drool slipping from the corner of her mouth. A faint snore escaped her lips, a rare sight of vulnerability for someone as disciplined as her.

A piercing scream jolted her awake, and she nearly toppled over. "What the—?!" she yelped, frantically wiping the drool from her chin. Still groggy, she grabbed her binoculars and peered down at the ranch.

Her sight zoomed in on the barn, where chaos was unfolding. Loona was standing on a haystack, shouting at Blitz, who appeared to be running in circles trying to dodge something. Moxxie, clutching a broom, looked like he was trying to fend off an angry devil bull that was rampaging through the yard, while Millie laughed hysterically nearby.

Vaggie lowered the binoculars and groaned, rubbing her temples. "Seriously? This is what I wake up to?"

She set the binoculars down, muttering to herself. "Maybe I should've let someone else handle this job…"

Despite her irritation, she couldn't help but glance at the scene again. "Idiots," she said under her breath, shaking her head. Then she stretched and grabbed a thermos of coffee from her gear, preparing to endure another long day of surveillance.

RANCH - NOON

Loona lay sprawled on the dusty ground, breathing heavily as she gave a lazy thumbs-up to Millie, who stood nearby with a clipboard. The remnants of the hay-filled practice dummy were scattered around her, the head decapitated by Loona's final strike.

"Test #8, huh?" Loona said between breaths. "How many more of these do I have to do?"

Millie checked her clipboard and grinned. "Only two left."

Loona groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Ugh, I'm gonna pass out before this is over."

Millie ignored the complaint, tapping her pencil on the page. "So far, we've confirmed your super smell. You already had that, but it's way stronger now."

Loona nodded, though her face scrunched up in disgust as she remembered smelling a dead rat in the barn from fifty yards away. "Great. More smells. Just what I needed."

Millie smirked. "Next was your healing. Remember that one?"

Loona's eyes narrowed as a flashback hit her—Millie stabbing a knife clean through her hand. She had screamed in pain whike the others screamed in horror. Back in the present, she glared at Millie. "Yeah, that was super unnecessary."

Millie shrugged with a mischievous grin. "But it worked, didn't it?"

Loona let out a sigh. "Fine, healing and enhanced senses. I'll give you that. And the durability thing is checked off too, I guess."

Millie scribbled another checkmark on the clipboard. "Yup! Those claws of yours handled that durability test like a champ."

Loona frowned, flexing her fingers and watching her metallic claws extend and retract. "Yeah, but why are they metal? They don't feel…normal."

Millie pointed to the pile of smashed concrete blocks from earlier. "That's why. Those claws are strong enough to cut through anything. But don't think you're done yet."

Loona's ears twitched, and she raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's next?

Millie glanced at the clipboard and grinned. "Teleportation!"

Loona froze, giving her a deadpan look. "Nope!!"

Millie blinked. "What do you mean 'nope'?"

"I mean no," Loona said firmly. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I'm not doing it."

Minutes later

Loona stood in the middle of the field, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Millie. Beneath her was an old, oversized cardboard box. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this. This is so fucking stupid."

Millie grinned, holding her clipboard like it was the key to the universe. "It's not stupid! It's science! All you gotta do is sit in the box, close the lid, and focus real hard on where you wanna go on the ranch. If it works, bam! Teleportation!"

Loona groaned loudly, rubbing her temples. "You're lucky I don't claw you for this."

"Lucky and charming," Millie quipped. "Now, get in the box."

Muttering curses under her breath, Loona climbed into the box. She sat down cross-legged, grabbed the lid, and slammed it shut over herself.

"Happy now?" her muffled voice came through the cardboard.

"Almost!" Millie chirped. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then tiptoed closer to the box, pulling out a small canister of gasoline.

Loona immediately perked up inside the box. "What's that sound?"

"Uh, nothing!" Millie called, pouring a trail of gasoline around the base of the box and then leading it several feet away.

Loona sniffed the air suspiciously. "What's that smell? Is that… gas?!"

Millie held up a match, grinning mischievously. "Just keep concentrating, Loona!"

Before Loona could protest further, Millie struck the match and dropped it onto the gasoline trail. The flames roared to life, racing toward the box.

"Millie, you better not be doing what I think you're doing!" Loona shouted.

"Oh, it's fine! Just focus!" Millie shouted back, taking several cautious steps backward as the flames reached the box.

The cardboard ignited in an instant, flames climbing higher.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Loona roared from inside.

A second later, the box exploded outward as Loona launched herself out, her claws slicing through the air and the smoldering remains of cardboard flying in every direction. She landed on her feet, growling, her fur singed but unharmed otherwise.

Millie froze, her grin faltering. "S-So… teleportation was a bust, huh?"

Loona's eyes narrowed, her growl deepening. "You lit me on fire, you psycho!"

Millie dropped the clipboard and bolted. "IT WAS FOR SCIENCE!"

Loona snarled and gave chase. "I'LL SHOW YOU SCIENCE!"

Their shouts echoed across the ranch as Millie's laughter mixed with Loona's furious threats, leaving behind the smoldering remains of what used to be a cardboard box.

NEARBY - ON A HILL

Vaggie lowered her binoculars for a moment, her mouth slightly agape. She had just witnessed Millie setting Loona's cardboard box on fire in the name of "science." The sight of Loona bursting out, fur smoldering, and chasing Millie across the field left her momentarily stunned.

Then she chuckled, shaking her head. "Idiots," she muttered, almost amused by the absurdity.

Adjusting her binoculars again, she turned her attention back toward the ranch. Scanning the area, her gaze fell on Blitz, sitting by himself.

He was on the porch, strumming a quiet melody on a guitar. The soft notes drifted through the air, tugging at something in Vaggie she wasn't prepared for. Blitz seemed lost in the tune, his face distant and worn. The guilt was written in every line of his body.

As the melody faded, Blitz let out a deep sigh, setting the guitar aside. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he stared off into the horizon.

Vaggie lowered the binoculars, leaning back against a tree. Her brow furrowed as she bit her lip. She wasn't sure why, but something about seeing Blitz like this didn't sit right with her.

She had her orders: grab him and get out. Simple. Direct. But watching him now, broken and weighed down by something unseen, made her question everything.

"Why am I here?" she whispered to herself, gripping her binoculars tightly.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to clear her thoughts. When she opened them again, she gazed back toward the ranch. For now, she decided, she would wait.

NIGHT – LOONA'S ROOM

Loona sat cross-legged on her bed, plucking charred bits of fur from her tail. Each strand she pulled earned a low growl and a muttered curse about how Millie was going to regret everything.

The door creaked open, and Loona's ears twitched. She turned to see Blitz standing in the doorway, holding a guitar in his hand.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft.

"Hi," she replied, eyeing the guitar. "What's with that? You about to sing me a lullaby?"

Blitz snorted as he walked in and set the guitar down on a small table. "Nah. Just thought you might wanna give it a shot. Still remember how to play?"

Loona shrugged, her curiosity piqued. "It's been a few years," she admitted, sliding off the bed and grabbing the guitar.

She sat down on a chair, adjusting the instrument in her lap. Her fingers found the strings with an almost instinctual familiarity. She plucked a few notes, the sound rusty but recognizable.

"I still hate you for those guitar lessons you made me take," she muttered, glancing up at him.

Blitz leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "They were supposed to help with all that post-adoption anxiety you had," he shot back, grinning.

Loona chuckled, shaking her head. "Yeah, well… I guess they kinda did."

She continued to strum, the chords becoming smoother with each pass. Then, her fingers moved into a melody, one she remembered from years ago. It was a piece she'd heard growing up, something that had always stuck with her.

As the music filled the room, Loona glanced at Blitz. A small smile formed on her face as she played.

Blitz's chest swelled with pride as he watched her. A wide grin spread across his face, the kind of smile that came from a rare moment of pure joy.

Without realizing it, Loona started to hum along with the tune. The hum turned into quiet singing as the words of the song came back to her. Her voice was a little rough, but there was a tenderness in the way she sang, an unspoken connection to the song and the moment.

Blitz didn't say a word, letting her voice and the melody carry the room. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt a sense of peace.

As the song came to an end, Loona rested the guitar on her lap, looking down at the strings. "Not bad, huh?"

Blitz chuckled softly. "Not bad at all, kid."

Loona smirked, but there was a softness in her eyes. For a fleeting moment, it felt like everything was okay between them.