Chapter 5.5: The V's Meeting

While the second interview is being set up, Velvette will meet her associates to explain her new form of entertainment to her followers.

Velvette strutted into the dimly lit meeting room of V Tower, where the other two Vs—Vox and Valentino—were already waiting. The room was sleek and modern, lined with massive screens playing a variety of Hellish media: news reports, advertisements, scandalous reality shows, and chaotic viral clips from the Sinner population. The air was thick with Valentino's signature pink smoke, swirling lazily in the dim lighting.

Vox, the Overlord of Technology and Broadcasting, sat in his usual smug posture, his pixelated face flickering with static. He wore a dark-tailored suit, and his neon-blue tie was perfectly straight. His gloved fingers tapped against the metal table, the rhythm sharp and deliberate.

Valentino, the Overlord of Lust and Vice, was sprawled back in his seat, a cigar between his fingers. His large, heart-shaped shades hid his eyes, but his smirk was unmistakable. Dressed in his fur-lined coat and gaudy jewelry, he radiated indulgence and arrogance.

Velvette closed the door behind her with a dramatic twirl and plopped down into a chair. "Alright, boys. Let's get down to business."

Vox tilted his head, the screen that made up his face briefly flickering to display a buffering symbol before returning to his usual smug grin. "You've been making waves, Vel. Word on the networks is that you just had a very interesting chat with the Princess of Hell. Tell me—what's all this talk about redemption nonsense?"

Valentino chuckled, exhaling a plume of pink smoke. "Yeah, babe, I gotta know—since when did you start caring about this 'sinners-can-be-saved' crap? You getting soft on us?"

Velvette scoffed, crossing her legs. "Please. You think I'd waste my time on something that wasn't at least entertaining?" She twirled a lock of her ribbon-like hair between her fingers, letting the tension build before flashing her signature grin. "I gave Charlie a challenge. One week to prove this whole 'redemption' thing actually works."

Vox let out a sharp, static-laced laugh. "And you think she's actually got a shot? Come on, Vel. This is Hell. We don't change."

Velvette shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. But let's be real—whether she succeeds or fails, it's good content. Everyone's dying to know if she's serious about this, and I get to be the first to give them the inside scoop."

Valentino raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Heh. So you're just in it for the drama?"

Velvette winked. "Naturally. And the publicity. Imagine the engagement spike I'll get when I start dropping exclusive content from inside the Happy Hotel. Everyone wants to know if this redemption thing is legit. So why not be the one to monetize it?"

Vox leaned forward slightly, his screen flickering with a sudden burst of distorted numbers and symbols before settling back into his usual, unnervingly smooth expression. "Alright, Vel, I'll admit it—that is interesting. But tell me something. Who's actually participating in this little experiment? You know, the poor suckers who think they can swap out damnation for salvation?"

Velvette smirked. "Oh, you're gonna love this." She propped her elbows on the table and laced her fingers together. "So far, we've got two sinners stepping up to the plate."

She raised one finger. "First, we've got Miss Mayberry—some goody-two-shoes who used to be a teacher for a bunch of rugrats before she, well… snapped when her husband was cheating on her with another woman. Ended up turning into a full-blown psycho and scarring her students."

Vox let out a short laugh. "You mean the chick who went postal on her husband's corpse for having an affair? Damn! I remember when that story hit the networks. One second, she's an upstanding citizen,n and next, she's painting the walls with her rival's blood."

His screen flickered with mock sympathy. "Tragic."

Velvette chuckled. "Right? She's perfect for this. If Charlie thinks she can 'reform' a woman who literally tore apart her husband's bitch in a blind rage, then I have to see how this plays out."

Valentino exhaled another puff of smoke. "Alright, I'll bite. And the other one?"

Velvette grinned wider, holding up a second finger. "Sir Pentious."

Vox and Valentino both paused for a beat before bursting into simultaneous laughter.

"Oh, no way," Vox wheezed. "That failure? He's part of this?" His screen displayed a glitchy skull emoji for a brief second before resetting.

Valentino wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Babe, you have to be joking. That little snake's been trying to become an Overlord for decades, but he still hasn't gotten anywhere. He's a joke."

Velvette giggled. "That's exactly why he's hilarious to watch. The guy's got an ego the size of Lucifer's castle but the success rate of a drunk imp in a knife fight. If anyone is going to cause a scene at the Happy Hotel, it's him."

Vox leaned back, considering this. "So, let me get this straight. The Princess is trying to prove that sinners can change by 'redeeming' a bloodthirsty schoolteacher and a wannabe Overlord with an inferiority complex?"

Velvette nodded. "Yep."

Valentino shook his head, still grinning. "Oh, sweetheart, this is too good. She's already doomed."

Vox crossed his arms, his screen flickering again. "Unless she actually pulls it off."

Silence settled over the table for a moment.

The idea was ridiculous.

Impossible.

But the fact that it was even being considered was enough to make the Overlords pause.

Velvette smirked. "Exactly. You see why I'm interested now?"

Vox tilted his head. "And what's your angle, Vel? If this works, if redemption is actually possible, what's in it for you?"

Velvette's smile was razor-sharp. "Control."

Valentino arched a brow. "Explain."

Velvette leaned forward, her pink eyes glinting. "Right now, Hell is what it is. But if Charlie succeeds? If sinners can change? That shifts the entire power structure. Heaven's rules, Hell's rules—all of it—get thrown into question. And whoever controls that narrative?" She tapped her fingers against the table. "Controls everything."

Vox hummed, clearly intrigued. "So you're saying, if Charlie pulls this off, we spin the story however we want?"

Velvette nodded. "Exactly. And if she fails? Well…" She shrugged. "That's just more proof that Hell stays the same pit we're all in for the rest of our lives. Either way, we win."

Valentino chuckled, clearly enjoying the prospect. "I gotta say, babe, you're playing a damn good game here."

Vox rubbed his chin, his screen flickering with scrolling data. "Fine. I'll play along. But I'm watching very closely."

Velvette clapped her hands together. "Perfect. Now, let's sit back and watch the show."

The three Overlords exchanged knowing looks, each already scheming how they could manipulate the unfolding situation.

Meanwhile, back at the Happy Hotel, Charlie had no idea that her little project had just become the most-watched event in Hell.

"Okay, now who's next?" Charlie asked as a sweet voice called out to her.

"Why hello, darling! So your LLucifer'sdaughter, right? " the voice said as Charlie looked up from her clipboard to see another Overlord who wasn't sadistic but wasn't exactly a saint.

Said Overlord, a very tall and slender demon who stood taller than a certain Radio Demon. She had wide hips, pale gray skin, and a mouth with black lips and sharp, light pink teeth. The Overlord also had dusty pink cheeks and white-and-gray hair with pink streaks. Like all residents of cannibal town, her eyes were pitch-black with no irises or pupils, and she displayed no physical evidence of having a nose.

Her clothing suggests the high-class fashion of the Victorian era. It consists of a large, pimped-out sun hat in a shade of maroon, with two skulls in grayish-pink and red-pink, three dark burgundy flower-like decorations located at the brim, and large plumes in black and pink-red, respectively. In addition, her hat also includes pink frilled trim around it, along with black lining inside.

She wears a pale-maroon and pale-burgundy dress with puffed shoulders, thin pale-maroon swirly-like stripes on the high black collar, black trimming around the waist and on the long sleeves ruffled cuffs, and three black stripes and black trim on the hem. Under her dress, she wears a pair of black kitten-heeled shoes.

The Overlord was Rosie, the Overlord of Cannibal Town and its leader.

Charlie smiled as she held out a hand and guided Rosie to the backroom. She then sat back in her seat and asked Rosie, who was admiring the style.

"So, Miss Rosie, why exactly do you want to sponsor the Happy Hotel?" Charlie asked before Rosie replied.

"Simple. To cease exterminations for my people."

"...Huh?"

Scene!

Now, on to the second interview and a little look-see into what Velvette is up to since she is much smarter and deadlier than the other members. It'll be interesting to see what's coming from the next two interviews and the Vs making the Happy Hotel entertaining.