An Inhuman Vastness - 1st Edition/DISCONTINUED

by frizzycrls

Summary:

Without anything to really anchor him since Lilith left, Lucifer struggles with the weight of centuries trapped in Hell in a body that wasn't meant to permanently hold him.

Alastor learns there is something far older and more powerful behind the King's delicate appearance than he realized and it only serves to drive him to ask more questions

09/05/25 IMPORTANT INFORMATION NOW IN CHAP 136

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Summary:

Lucifer contemplates his current existence.

Alastor awakens, fully recovered, only to be faced with the fact that Lucifer is very much NOT human.

Lucifer watched with a distant, unblinking gaze as Hellfire consumed what remained of the First Man. He and Adam may not have been friends since Eden, but that did not erase the fact that they had been once. That Adam and Lilith both taught him what being human meant, the potential of their brilliant spirits if only they were allowed to achieve more. That the Heavenly hosts were wrong to keep them simple.

Despite all that had happened because of Lucifer's decision, he refused to regret gifting humanity with free will and all that came with it. It was merely what so many had decided to do with it that he resented. Still, in honor of those initial lessons, he would not let Adam be left to rot or be consumed by cannibals.

"Dad!"

The ashes from the pyre stirred and drifted through the air, the fallen angel watching as they spread. The Pentagram over the Ring brought his contemplation to the cages he was in. Both this small one that he willingly chose and the larger one the Heavens placed upon him to keep him contained, to keep his dangerous ideas from further infecting more of the others.

"Dad?"

It had been far too long since he allowed himself the freedom of his true state of being. This minuscule form felt so very confining, chafing after ten thousand years. Were it not for the damage that would be unleashed on those he still cared for, he would truly wish for nothing more than to let this body fall apart and spread himself across the Rings.

"Dad?!"

It took him a moment to recognize the sound, to realize it was something meant to gain his attention...

Charlie...

He willed the body to smile, to turn its head and look at the only other being aside from Lilith that made this shackled existence worthwhile. He compressed his words into speech that could be formed by the limited vocal cords and small mouth, "Hey, Charlie! Sorry, I was lost in thought. What's got you so upset?"

He focused on her voice, this lovely little daughter that contained an essence of himself. Let her words guide him back down to where he was needed to be, "It's Alastor, Dad! He was supposed to keep Adam busy, hold him off so we could beat the others and group up to take our stand together! Something must have happened! I can't find him anywhere a-and after Sir P-Pentious? Dazzle?! I just can't lose anyone else!"

Charlie's genuine distress was the final push he needed to settle back in and he pulled her close, letting this body's...no, his wings wrap around her, "Hey, don't worry, duckling. I'll find him and make sure he gets back to you, ok?"

She looked at him with so much hope, this precious being that was so like him and yet so very different in the best ways, "You will?! Really?! I know you didn't like him but-"

He shook his head, "There are very few things I wouldn't do for you, Char. I'll take care of this, I promise." It was the least he could do for all the time he had missed of her life and the growing likelihood that he would do it again.

Unaware of his guilty thoughts, his little daughter hugged him close, spilling words of gratitude at a speed it was hard for his still-sluggish mind to comprehend before she released him and ran off to tell the others. Waiting until she was out of sight, Lucifer shook out his wings and flexed his fingers. No matter how hard it was, he should not have allowed himself to detach, to drift like that. There was far too much he was needed for here right now. It would be a long time before Charlie would be ready to know, to truly comprehend what her father was.

Resolute, Lucifer closed his eyes, calling upon the powers granted to the title of King of Hell. The souls of the Pride Ring lit up like beacons in his mind's eye, each unique in their own small ways. Luckily for Charlie's sake, he already knew the shape of the one he sought, making it far easier to single out.

Ah, there it was. Flickering, fading, being eaten away by the last remaining shreds of Adam's holy energies. For a moment, Lucifer considered letting that desperate, grasping, greedy spirit be consumed, removing his stain from his daughter's life...

But no, Charlie said she couldn't lose anyone else...

So Lucifer would ensure she didn't.

***

Alastor fought the urge to groan as he woke up, groggy and disoriented. The fact that he was waking up in what felt like a bed, let alone at all, was a surprise. Whether it was a pleasant one or not remained to be seen.

He carefully breathed, taking inventory of his body. The pain he expected from the gash in his torso never came. The other, smaller cuts and bruises could not be felt either. So, he must have been healed. He doubted he had been out long enough for everything to heal naturally.

The demon then reached for his powers, brow furrowing when he found himself unable to grasp them. It was as though there was a clear wall between his will and the abilities he relied upon. That was...concerning. It would also explain the lack of radio frequencies around him...

Little else could be gathered without fully revealing he was conscious, so he finally opened his eyes to find an unfamiliar ceiling far above him, much higher than anything in the hotel. Shifting to get a hand under himself to sit up, he froze when someone spoke nearby.

"§†å¥ Ððwñ §ïññêr. Wê ñêêÐ †ð †ålk."

Alastor did not like the way that voice automatically made his gut clench and his ears flatten, that his body returned to a fully reclined state without hesitation. Looking over, he saw...what, at first, seemed to be Charlie's father. However, there was something very wrong with the form by the bed. Crouched atop the seat of a chair, Lucifer was far too still for what he had seen in previous meetings with the King of Hell. He was balanced on the balls of his feet, no fidgeting or shifting, not even from the wings on his back. Alastor had once had an idle thought that the tiny angelic figure looked doll-like but this emptiness made him wonder if that body really was just a puppet.

Over all else, it was the blankness of his eyes that made the deer demon's breath catch, triggering an instinct to make himself smaller, less of a threat. The soft yellow or even fiery red would have been far preferable to the vast darkness currently aimed at him, so empty that he felt like it was going to swallow him up if he looked at them for too long. Despite this, he could not make himself turn his gaze elsewhere. The Radio Demon was certain he had never felt such deep-seated terror as he did right then.

Finally, after a moment that felt like an eternity, there was a blink, a shift in the pressure in the room, and life came back into the King's body. Those terrible voids filled back up with a warm golden glow, the six wings resettling into a more natural position.

The change released him from his existential terror and Alastor tried his best to get his racing heart to stop trying to escape his chest, panting as though he had just been chased for miles. What was that?!

What was Lucifer?!

One thing he knew was that he had gotten himself stuck in a situation far, far worse than he had ever imagined possible. Then, the King of Hell spoke again, driving the icy dread even deeper into the Radio Demon's heart, "I can sense you made a deal with Charlie. I have no qualms about destroying every essence of your being, despite my daughter's care for you, but she has decreed that you are to remain. So, lê†'§ †ålk, little sinner."

Notes:

This chapter is much shorter than future ones will likely be because it was originally just a quick story idea that I wasn't sure I would get to build on.

Chapter 2: The First Question

Summary:

Alastor is pressured into explaining his deal with Charlie but finds himself with a lot of questions for the King of Hell in the process.

Notes:

A lot of this is conversation and world-building. There will be more actually happening in future chapters.

I have updated Chapter 1 to flow a bit better with how I have decided to take this story now. Its not much but if you want a refresher, just know there are some changes.

Many who knew him would assume Alastor’s biggest concern was being seen as weak. That assumption ignored the fact that he was too much of a realist to not understand there would always be someone stronger. Physical weakness could be countered with cunning anyway. No, the one thing he detested most was feeling trapped. Right now, with the thing that was the King of Hell looking down on him and his powers blocked, he felt like nothing more than cornered prey.

Seeing as flight was not available as an option, he would have to test his captor, find any weakness to gain some sort of control over this situation. A tricky endeavor, considering the level of power he had just sensed from the fallen angel, “What is there to talk about, Your Majesty? You already admitted you aren’t going to kill me.”

Lucifer raised a brow at his disrespectful tone, “That's true, but you’re aware enough to know that there are multiple ways to force someone to do what you wish. Even if I didn’t already have the power to simply command it of you as your King, I’ve been around the worst humanity has to offer. You lot are very creative in the most awful ways.”

That...was not something Alastor wanted to hear. He had thought the fallen angel was too soft to consider torture as a reasonable possibility. And what did he mean when he said he had the power to command it? If he had that kind of ability, why didn’t he use it from their very first meeting at the hotel?! If he was in the King's shoes, Alastor would have ensured anyone who dared to insult him like that would be well aware of their proper place.

Lucifer moved then, sitting properly in the chair rather than crouching atop the seat. Alastor could feel himself relaxing as he saw the shorter man freely swinging his feet like a child. The ridiculousness of the powerful King of Hell being so tiny made it hard to remain defensive.

...was he doing it on purpose?

Lucifer broke the uneasy silence first, “You see, the crux of the matter isn’t that I can’t; it’s that I won’t. Free will is kind of the whole point of everything I’ve done. If I forced you to do anything, I would be no better than the others in Heaven.”

That did make a bit of sense given what Alastor knew of the reason for Lucifer's exile, but he still needed to know more, “If you aren’t going to force me to rescind the deal, then why am I here?”

“There are two reasons for that! One, the amount of energy required to not only counter the angelic magic in your body but to also rebuild the physical and spiritual parts that had already been stripped away? It’s immense and there was too great a risk of it causing damage to anyone and anything nearby. The palace is fortified to keep my powers from leaking out if needed.”

Just how close had he been to being completely erased?! Alastor wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to that. Instead, he prodded, “And the other reason?”

Lucifer gave him a sharp look, “I want to know the terms of the deal. Lucky for you, I already know she didn’t give you her soul, the connection isn’t big enough for that. I know if I ask Charlie, she'll try to soften it and make it seem more reasonable that she went to some lowly sinner rather than calling me.”

Now they were on more familiar territory; the almighty King was still sore about his daughter turning to Alastor for things first. “What? You don’t trust that your daughter can handle herself?”

“No! I mean, yes!” Lucifer huffed, “Charlie is an adult with her own free will, she has to deal with her own mistakes just like everyone else. What I need to know is what kind of fallout I will have to deal with after you decide she’s no longer useful to whatever game you’re playing. I know your type, you don’t actually give a damn about my daughter or her dreams.”

Alastor wanted to poke further at the opening but he chose tact seeing as his powers were still being blocked, “If I tell you, you won’t hold me here any longer?”

Lucifer nodded, “Yep! I’ll unblock your powers and you can go wherever you want. If I’m lucky, you’ll slink off to whatever slimy hole you crawled out of before you met Charlie.”

“How magnanimous of you, sire,” Alastor pushed himself up from the bed, refusing to lay there any longer. This time, the King didn’t say anything against it or use whatever that was before to terrorize him into obedience. “In exchange for an unnamed future favor, I provided with her information on how to kill the Exorcists and who to get the weapons from. It was agreed upon so long as she would harm no one.”

Lucifer gave a frustrated sigh, looking up at the ceiling as he muttered to himself, “I thought Lilith would have taught her better than that.” He shook his head, waving a hand, “Alright, you’re free to go.”

Just like that, Alastor’s radio static surrounded him once more. It was astounding how comforting the familiar noise was now that he had control of it again. He spread his shadows out, testing that there was no blockage remaining before he reeled them back in. The only thing missing was his microphone but it would do little good to manifest the broken device until he had what was needed for repairs. It could wait for the moment. There were opportunities here that he would be a fool to ignore. Knowledge was power after all and this man...being...whatever he was, likely knew things that he had never even considered before! Plus, he had already admitted that he would not harm the Radio Demon in any significant manner because of Charlie. That darling, naive girl was truly a boon at times.

Now secure in his ability to retreat, he got to his feet and gave a mocking bow, “Before I gladly take my leave, I find myself with a great many questions for you. Might I trouble you with my presence for a bit longer?”

Lucifer looked at him with a mix of surprise and confusion, tilting his head. After a moment, he laughed incredulously. Ears pinning back in annoyance, the sinner glared, “Would you care to let me in on the joke?”

The fallen angel gave him an honest grin, pulling one leg up onto the seat of the chair and leaning his head on his knee, “Oh, don’t be so prickly! I’m not making fun of you. I’m actually a bit impressed! Only two other humans have been given some sense of my true self and not run off screaming in terror at the first opportunity.”

Alastor smirked, “I will take that as a compliment.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes at the proud expression, “Drop the smugness, bellhop, I still don’t like you. I would rather not be around you more than I have to.” He gave a long sigh, considering. “I suppose, no matter what your reasons, you did nearly die to save my daughter and her people from Adam.” The deer demon grimaced at the reminder but waited for him to continue, “So I will offer you this; one question a month. I can’t guarantee I will be available for more than that. Unlike you sinners seem to think, you aren’t the most important thing in Hell. I have actual duties to attend to that have only gotten worse with the Queen no longer taking care of hers.”

That…seemed reasonable enough, though the limit to one a month was rather irritating, “I imagine there are further terms?”

“I reserve the right to deny giving an answer. In the instances that I do, you will get to pick a different question. If you don’t annoy the shit out of me, I might even be willing to discuss the answers further. There will be some questions that I will only answer if you give me some sort of guarantee that you will not be telling Charlie or otherwise spread it around. Other than that, that’s it, take it or leave it. I will not be offering again.”

Alastor hummed thoughtfully. It was pretty straightforward, if a bit restricting. Finally, he answered, “While it is tempting, I am uncertain how willing I am to enter a binding deal with the King of Hell.”

Lucifer shook his head, getting to his feet to face Alastor properly with a toothy grin that rivaled his own, “Oh no, there won’t be any binding contracts or anything! You’ll just have to trust that I will keep my word.”

The Radio Demon couldn't help but laugh at that, “Very interesting then, sire! I believe I can accept your terms.” He folded his arms behind his back, rocking on his feet, “You know, others would probably say a person would have to be crazy to trust the Devil!”

“Then I suppose it’s a good thing you’re already insane, huh?” Lucifer clapped his hands, rubbing them together in anticipatory glee, “So! What’s your first question?”

Ears cocked in curiosity, Alastor blinked at the sudden lift in the King’s mood. He thought for a moment before shrugging, “I think most of my bigger questions will have to wait. I’ll need time to make sure I word them right to ensure I actually get the answers I want. For now, why are you so excited about this with all your talk of disliking my presence?”

“You’re smart, I’ll give you that,” Lucifer tucked away his wings finally, flopping back onto the chair in a graceless sprawl, “Curiosity, mostly. I've been confined to Hell for over ten thousand years, not much surprises me here anymore. You, though,” He pointed a sharp claw at the Radio Demon, “You aren’t like most of the other sinners I’ve met. You actually have some idea of how much stronger I am than you but here you are, talking to me like an equal! Hell, in the first ten minutes of meeting me, you not only insulted me several times, you actively looked for a way to completely piss me off!” He got more animated with his gestures as he spoke. Alastor found it was far preferable than the lifelessness he had displayed at the start of this. “So now I have to wonder, what will you do with the answers I give you? After all, you can never return to ignorance once you have the knowledge. I think it might be very amusing to see.”

The deer demon gave a more honest bow this time, a true grin on his face, “I am always delighted to entertain!”

“I’m sure you are, Radio Demon,” Lucifer made a shooing motion. “We’re done here for now. I will find you in a month.”

Alastor chose to accept that and slid away into the shadows. It was only when he materialized at the outskirts of the city that he realized Lucifer had referred to him by his title, rather than an insult. Perhaps he had impressed the King of Hell more than he thought. ‘This could be even more advantageous than I first considered!’

Notes:

Alright! So the driving point of each chapter is going to be the question Alastor has for Lucifer each month. I currently have 6 more questions lined up along with an idea of the answers. If you have something you want to see Alastor ask, feel free to comment.

So far, my aim for this is to work towards a relationship between Lucifer and Alastor but it won't be sexual and it likely will be slow to build. There will be no real Lilith bashing. I feel like things with her and their marriage are more complicated than some people portray.

Chapter 3: Lost in Thought

Summary:

It had been a couple weeks since he healed that damned Overlord that his daughter somehow cared about; any other sinner would have been disregarded at this point. And yet, he continued to find himself puzzling over the deer demon.

Notes:

Aaaaangst!

Lucifer sat near the long window of his tower at the Hotel, pensive as he watched acid rain fall over the city. It had been a couple weeks since he healed that damned Overlord that his daughter somehow cared about; any other sinner would have been disregarded at this point. And yet, he continued to find himself puzzling over the deer demon. There was something about him that the fallen angel couldn’t quite dismiss.

When he had retrieved the nearly destroyed soul from the ruins of the old radio tower, Lucifer had been fairly certain he knew how things would go. The mortal souls condemned to Hell were such self-serving things, petty and greedy for a sense of superiority over others. Completely unaware of just how small they all were in the symphony of the universe.

Once behind the wards of the palace, he had begun the tedious work of extracting the searing magics and rebuilding what had already been burned away in the demon. Time stretched, slowing to a near halt as he focused. He could feel the dark layers of sins that had built up in both life and death. Gluttony at the core, pride and greed coating in equal portions, wrath and envy lacing through in bands. Lust was present, but skewed different from most. All that was missing was Sloth or this soul would have been a prime example of everything that had gone wrong with humanity. It was sickening to touch, to hold that weakened spark and encourage it to grow.

The memory of Charlie’s hopeful face and his own guilt in failing her were the sinner’s saving grace. Lucifer, who was once Samael, the Morning Star, Bearer of Light, had drawn from a well used only one other time in ten thousand years and fed the flickering embers into a full flame once more. As the soul stabilized and began to solidify back into this plane, the fallen angel had placed a barrier over the powers granted by Hell to this wretched creature. He would release it once he was sure there were no pieces still missing.

It was as the sinner's body settled whole upon the bed that Lucifer began to see the myriad threads connecting it to so many others. Some were torn, broken off as the other ends had been severed by angelic weapons. Many bore the thick bands of a soul bond, feeding power back into the holder. His study of the connections was halted when he saw a familiar soul’s imprint on a thread.

Charlie…

Lucifer had forced himself to not shift over, to not simply annihilate the prone form. He’d had to detach to keep from damaging the body that was straining to contain the energy leaking between planes.

It was then that the sinner regained consciousness...

And had utterly failed to follow the script Lucifer had been so very certain would play out.

Almost all other humans who had felt even that faint echo of his core energies had been unable to speak to him at all, let alone converse rationally without intervention. This one had been terrified as expected but, as soon as the fallen angel began to resettle into his physical body, the sinner had pushed back! That alone was enough to spark interest, to slide more fully back into his skin and begin the process of downplaying what had been seen, looking like nothing more than the eccentric and small King of Hell.

Then, when the fallen angel had allowed him to regain access to his powers, the Radio Demon had stuck around of his own volition, the smile that was always present turned wide and bright and curious to know more. Lucifer hadn’t been lying when he said only two others had done similar but...those were very different circumstances. Before humans knew despair and destruction and death.

At least every moment the Overlord focused on him was a moment he was not digging his claws further into Charlie. He wondered just how much Alastor would be able to handle, how long until...

…well, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d had to erase someone’s memories after they cracked. Nor the second...

Lucifer let the tears fall as freely as the rain outside, echoes of voices begging for him to take it all away. At least this time it wouldn't be someone he loved.

Notes:

Writing this Lucifer puts my brain in an odd state. Its interesting...

And yes, seeing Charlie's connection stopped Lucifer from spotting the one that binds Alastor's soul to another.

Question; would you guys rather it be Lilith holding the deal or someone else? I'm open to suggestions

Chapter 4: The Second Question

Summary:

Alastor makes a shocking request of Lucifer before asking his second question

The month following the failed Extermination had been positively delightful for Alastor! The hotel had reopened to a line of demons wishing to get in now that they knew it really was possible to be redeemed. Most of them dropped out within a week once they realized it actually took work. Some of them Alastor had even gotten the pleasure of chucking out the door himself when they got it into their silly heads that threatening the Princess of Hell was going to get them what they wanted.

He hadn’t had this much fun in ages!

Not to mention his newest hobby, studying the puzzle that was Lucifer Morningstar every chance he got. Alastor had to give him one thing, the King was a consummate actor. If the deer demon trusted his own mind any less than he did, he would have thought their interaction in the palace was little more than a fever dream following a near-double-death experience. But there were little details, microscopic cracks in the facade that one could only see if actively looking for it.

Lucifer didn’t come around often, apparently he had been speaking true about his busy schedule. However, he had sworn to Charlie to join them for an evening at least once a week, a promise that had brought much delight to the Princess.

It was during those evenings that Alastor made sure to also be in the hotel, watching the little monarch closely. When with Charlie, Lucifer was energetic and expressive, relishing in every moment with his daughter. When left alone too long, he lost his liveliness. His eyes became unfocused, blinking one lid before the other, like a frog. The fidgeting and shifting inherent to most beings would gradually fade away. Once, Alastor had successfully managed to keep the others from the King long enough that his hidden Shadow had seen Lucifer’s breathing slow to nearly stopping altogether!

Apparently the fallen angel required interaction, an audience to perform for, to remember the little things that were simply natural for everyone else. It was utterly fascinating!

That’s not to say he just watched from the sidelines whenever Lucifer was around. No, he continued to poke and taunt the little monarch, feeling a sense of pride when he found the strange being reacted to him nearly as much as Charlie. Perhaps even more so, given that there were times where Lucifer purposely withdrew from his daughter, a flash of grief and guilt on his face when he thought no one was looking.

Yes, there were so many questions Alastor had about this creature that walked among them. He would have to be careful not to overstep and lose the chance at gaining answers.

***

When the full month had passed, Alastor left his Tower to find Lucifer standing in the hall nearby, leaning against the wall, “Good afternoon, Your Majesty! I was hoping I would see you soon!”

“I’ll bet. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little games these past weeks, pal. You're very persistent, aren’t you?”

“Guilty as charged! I have never been accused of simply waiting for things to happen. Though the fact that you noticed and did nothing to stop me says that you are allowing my ‘little games,’ so you must not mind them terribly much!” Alastor twirled his microphone with an unrepentant grin.

Lucifer waved a hand, a sparkling portal opening a few steps away, “We’ll be having our talk at the palace. That way if you piss me off to the point of vaporizing you, no one else will be caught in the blast.”

The Radio Demon gasped melodramatically, hand over his heart, “Such a temper, sire! Why, if I did not know you value young Charlotte’s feelings more than anything, I might actually fear for my safety!” If glares could kill, Alastor was sure he would be little more than ash right now. “Now let’s be on our way so we can have a cordial conversation without interruption.” He actively chose to step through first, smirking when he heard angry footsteps behind him.

“Keep this up and I’ll call this whole thing off, jackass! You want answers more than I want you in my presence,” Lucifer practically snarled.

As the portal closed, Alastor turned sharply to face the King, bowing low with respect, “Apologies, sire, but I have a reputation at the hotel that simply must be maintained. I promise you that here I will restrain my disrespectful remarks as best I can.”

When he straightened, the fallen angel was far closer than he had been before, causing the sinner to tense. He hadn’t heard the smaller man move at all! Lucifer studied him for a long moment before tilting his head, “You’re telling the truth. Huh. I will hold you to that promise, sinner.” The anger seemed to have completely faded, to Alastor’s relief, “You’re also purposely avoiding wording anything as a question, aren't you?”

The Radio Demon shrugged, “I do not know how much of a stickler for details you are yet, sire. I do not wish to waste my question on something frivolous!”

Lucifer chuckled, motioning toward a pair of comfortable chairs nearby, “'The devil is in the details', isn’t that how the saying goes? Don’t bother tying yourself in knots, I won’t take that sort of advantage over you. I’m not like you Overlords and your petty games.”

Alastor nodded in gratitude and took a seat, laying his staff over his lap, “If so, then will you allow me to make a request of you before we get to my actual question?”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at the sinner, suspicious but also curious as he sat down, “What sort of request?”

“In our previous...meeting here at the palace, you were very different when I awoke. Without any ability to fight or flee, I felt the sort of terror I haven’t experienced since I was a child.” He leaned forward, grinning, “I wish to experience it again, as I am now. I need to know if that feeling will remain.”

That definitely was not anything that Lucifer had expected, that much was clear on his face, “You...seriously want… Are you insane?! I know I accused you of it before but now I think it might actually be true!”

Alastor could feel his body shifting a bit, antlers growing as anticipation and excitement coursed through him, “Oh, I’m absolutely serious, sire. I really do need to know what I will feel now that I have all my options available.” His Shadow rose up behind him, all sharp edges and teeth.

Staring at him for a long moment, tension slowly left the King of Hell, “You are certainly the first to ask for that. However,” Alastor’s ears folded back at that word, expecting rejection to follow, “I will only do this once, understand?”

His eyes flashed to radio dials at the acquiescence before Alastor reigned himself in, calling his Shadow back down, “I completely understand, Your Majesty, and I will not ask this of you again. Thank you!”

Lucifer shook his head in disbelief, leaning back in the chair, “Thank me after, if you still find yourself able to speak.”

The change was immediate, the golden glow of those wide eyes draining away into the sort of darkness that was not a color but a complete absence of anything. The small body seemed frozen in place as the pressure in the room built to a nearly unbearable level. Alastor felt like a hunted beast again. He breathed in the terror, let it course through him as his shadows swirled under his feet. His every sense was on full alert, seeking the threat that surrounded him. It was exhilarating!

"§†ïll ¢êr†åïñ †hï§ ï§ whå† ¥ðµ wåñ†, §ïññêr?"

The King’s mouth moved woodenly with the words, but the sound was everywhere and nowhere, layered and painful to his swiveling ears. Alastor could answer with nothing more than a plaintive whine, his instincts demanding he flee. He refused to be a slave to his baser instincts and remained where he sat, claws digging into the fabric covered arms of his chair.

Making the choice to refuse made all the difference, in his mind.

Gravity slowly returned to normal as the still body across from him began to draw breath, to blink and move the way it was supposed to. The sinner dropped his gaze and panted, heart racing and muscles trembling with the adrenaline still coursing through him. Swallowing down the remnants of fear, he was able to speak the words he couldn’t before, “Yes, sire. Thank you.”

There was no response for long enough to make Alastor concerned. He raised his head to look at Lucifer only to find the King had again moved into his space silently. Sharp feedback filled the air as his Shadow rose again, snarling defensively, “Please cease crowding me, I’ve been known to bite others for less.”

“Huh. I would have said one time was a fluke,” Lucifer returned to his seat, hands folded around one knee drawn up to his chest. “But here you are again, speaking to me like that was nothing but a momentary inconvenience to you.”

“What? Am I expected to prostrate myself before you?” Alastor scoffed, removing his claws from the shredded arms of the chair.

The King gave a sharp laugh, “That or flee while screaming in terror, yes. It’s what all others have done.’

“If I take flight, it would certainly not be announced with screaming. That would only let those I’m running from follow me more easily.” His ears finally came up from his hair when Lucifer doubled over with even more laughter, clutching his sides, “I fail to see what’s so laughable.”

The King wiped tears from the corners of his eyes once he regained the ability to speak, “It’s nothing, don’t get worked up about it.” He waved a hand in dismissal, “Now, your question if you would, once you’re ready.”

Alastor narrowed his eyes in suspicion, uncertain if he wanted to let the matter drop. Several seconds passed before he shook his head and moved on, “What is it that makes you so different from angels like the Exorcists?”

Lucifer leaned his head back, looking at the ceiling as he thought, “Hmm, alright, that’s a safe one to start with, I suppose. How much do you already know of the Heavenly hosts?”

The sinner shrugged, “Not much beyond what I’ve learned to keep from finding myself on the wrong end of an angelic blade. Bible studies were not a large part of my upbringing.”

The fallen angel snorted, “Eh, human religious texts are so full of bullshit made up to suit their needs, its ridiculous.” Dropping his leg so both feet could swing freely, he continued, “There’s a hierarchy in Heaven-born beings. Its complicated to explain and I really don’t feel like dragging this out. To answer your question, at the very top of the metaphorical food chain are the oldest class of angel, known as the Seraphim.”

Alastor considered that before asking, “And I take it that is what you were?”

Lucifer raised a finger, a humorless smile on his face, “Correct, but change the ‘were’ to ‘are.’ I may be cast out but they couldn’t take away what I am, only-” He looked like he was about to say more but stopped himself, shaking his head. “Never mind. Basically, the Exorcist army was built from the lowest classes, the most plentiful of angels. Comparing me to them would be like comparing the Earth’s moon to the sun. They both give off light but the moon’s is just a reflection of what the sun radiates.”

Eyebrows furrowed, the sinner tilted his head, “If you are so powerful, then why let them-”

Lucifer held up both hands this time, palms out, “I’m gonna stop you there. That’s not something I’m willing to answer so don’t bother.”

Miffed, Alastor considered pushing but he had the feeling he had made a misstep here, “...fine.”

The fallen angel gave a tired sigh, reopening a portal back to the hotel, “Good. I’m calling this conversation done.”

Biting his tongue hard enough to taste blood, the Radio Demon forced himself to stand instead of demanding more, “…Thank you for your time then, sire. Have a good evening.”

Better to take his leave now and learn more next month than burn his bridges when he had just barely scratched the surface.

Notes:

Long convos are so HARD. Why did my brain have to pick a story FULL of conversations?!

I hope this doesn't seem too stilted to everyone else. I'm pretty sure I'm just being nit-picky at this point.

I'm considering alternating chapters between Alastor POV Questions and Lucifer POV Interludes. Anybody have any thoughts on that?

Chapter 5: Strain of Eons

Summary:

The weight of the years felt particularly heavy sometimes on this little body Lucifer occupied.

Days passed with syrupy slowness after the second meeting. The weight of the years felt particularly heavy sometimes on this little body Lucifer occupied. He could vaguely register the ache of hunger, the stiffness of joints, but he couldn’t quite bring up the will to move from the seat he had been in since the sinner left. All duties that required the presence of the King of Hell had been taken care of for the time being so he waited, left without purpose until the alarms he had set would let him know that a week had passed and he could visit Charlie.

Lucifer knew that his daughter would be thrilled if he came over for an extended stay but… he couldn’t risk it. She still looked at him with love and hope, not seeing him the way her mother had in the end.

The body hurt in its chest as he thought of Lilith. That beautiful, head-strong, compassionate spirit that had reached out to him for centuries, strengthening his connection with this plane so he would not lose himself to the prison his core was held in. Now, that was gone... and Charlie was all he had left.

Lucifer would destroy his only remaining pathway to this reality, this final bit of freedom he held, to keep from facing her rejection should it one day come to pass. It would be the last gift he gave his child, safety from himself in case her turning away broke him the way Heaven never could, no matter how much they wanted to.

He registered the hot tears that fell from the body and knew he needed to divert his thoughts. He needed something safer to focus on. So, he breathed out the pain and looked at the shredded arms of the chair across from him, willing his focus to narrow, to only see with the eyes of the body, ignore and dismiss the layers that overlapped one another. Reality warped as time reversed in this small room, bringing back an echo of the Radio Demon as he had seen him before.

Lucifer pushed the body to unfold, flexing his fingers as his physical senses fully reconnected with his thoughts. Standing brought a brief dizziness and a sharp reminder of his neglect of the body’s requirements. Right, he would need to eat and let himself sleep soon, his core energies could only sustain this form so long before functionality broke completely.

Sighing in frustration, the fallen angel moved to stand in front of the ghostly apparition, studying it closely. This was safe, a puzzle he could ponder as long as he wished.

He leaned in, frowning as he studied that frozen expression. The terror was familiar and very obvious, but under it there was something more, something he was having trouble identifying. He circled the chair, looking at the memory of the whirling shadows underneath it. So, the sinner had been ready to flee but hadn't? Why?

How could he have the ability to even choose not to escape? Existential terror rid all humans of reason after Eden.

‘Insanity. Absolute, utter insanity. That has to be why this damned sinner was able to recover so quickly.’

Lucifer growled in frustration, pacing the floor as he muttered, “No, that can't be it. That should have made him more vulnerable to breaking."

Though it pained him to admit it, the fallen angel had been so very tempted to reach into the Overlord’s mind. It would have been terribly easy while he was between states to slip a bit of energy into the wide-eyed demon and root around for what made the Radio Demon so different from any other he’d met. But no…he knew better. Once he touched a human mind that way, it left scars that no amount of memory altering would fully wipe clean. He may not like the greedy soul but he wasn’t about to purposely inflict that sort of damage.

No matter how much curiosity Alastor made him feel, Lucifer would not make that mistake a third time. He released his hold on the flow of time and left the room for the first time in several days.

Notes:

This was a little difficult to write. Depressed Lucifer is so sad for me.

Chapter 6: Al's very bad, no good day

Summary:

Alastor wakes up from a recurring nightmare.

His day only goes downhill from there.

Alastor woke up in a cold sweat for the third morning in a row, phantom pains in his limbs and echoes of hunting dogs in his ears. His Shadow swept through his bedroom, seeking the threat until he calmed enough to call it back. It wasn’t often that his death haunted him anymore, which made it all the more frustrating when his subconscious felt the need to refresh his memory.

The thought of being around the others right now made him feel ill. Much as it rankled, he was going to need to excuse himself from today’s activities or risk slaughtering the first fool to annoy him. Which would not be conducive to his reasons for being here. He took a deep breath and got to his feet, using his microphone to call on the one contracted soul he would allow to see him in this state, “Niffty, darling! Could you join me for a moment?”

It wasn’t long before he heard her rapid knocking on his door and his Shadow let her in, “Hi Alastor! Oh goodness, you look terrible! Do you have a bug? Can I stab it?!”

His smile turned more genuine. This little lady never failed to lift his mood, “No thank you, my dear. I just need you to let Charlotte know that I will be unable to join her today. Simply tell her I have a bit of a headache and will be here if there is an emergency, alright?”

Niffty gave an enthusiastic nod, “No problem! I’ll be in the third floor vents later if you need me again! I think I smelled the bug queen in there!”

He watched her scamper off, shutting the door behind her.

***

Of course that wasn’t the end of it. That would have been too easy. A couple of hours later, there was a tentative knock on his door, “Uh, Al? Sorry to bother you but…”

Alastor closed his eyes as he cut off the music, mentally willing the strength to deal with Charlie’s eternal optimism. When he opened the door with his usual grin, she gave him a nervous smile that did not bode well for his already tentative hold on sanity, “Good morning, Charlie! What seems to be the problem?”

Charlie bit her lip for a moment before blurting out, “Okay, look, I know Niffty told me you needed the day off but, uh, something pretty important has come up?”

He really did not like the hopeful pleading look in her eyes, “Well if it’s important to you, I will do my best to aid you. It’s my job after all!”

She loudly sighed in relief, “Okay, good! Dad called about dinner tonight and said he’s bringing my Aunt Bee for a visit and its been so long since I’ve seen her and I just want to make sure that everything goesrightandshelikesthehoteland-”

Alastor held up a hand to stop her, “Your Aunt Bee?”

Charlie lit up, “Yeah! You probably know her as Beelzebub or Queen Bee though. I want her to meet everyone on the staff since you guys are like family to me too!”

Lucifer decided, last minute, to bring one of the other Sins over for dinner? Like it was just a matter of little concern? Of course, he did. The King was an absolutely clueless idiot. Charlie’s assertion that Alastor counted as family did little to assuage his irritation but he gave her one of his most winning smiles, “I completely understand, dearest! We must ensure that we provide the finest hospitality for such an important guest! I will make sure everything is in tip-top shape before they arrive!”

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!”

He followed behind the bouncing and giddy Princess of Hell, imagining all the ways he would wring her father’s scrawny neck.

***

Several hours later, his excuse of a headache was no longer a falsehood. Between keeping nosy residents from spreading word to every damned soul in the City, to dealing with Charlie’s meltdowns over having enough quality food and drink, Alastor was fairly certain he would have demolished the whole building by now if he only could. Since he couldn’t, he had to settle for being the only one in the lobby waiting for their company to arrive. This way, he at least had a few moments to verbally eviscerate the King for his ineptitude without Charlie attempting to play peacemaker. Thankfully, the girl had agreed to let him welcome them and lead everyone to the dining hall.

Right on time, a sparkling portal split the air and Lucifer stepped through first. Alastor gave him a terribly sharp grin, “Good evening, Your Majesty. I hear you have an important guest joining us! It would have been delightful to have had more than a few hours notice seeing as you sent your daughter into quite the panic.”

Lucifer had the audacity to look confused, “What? Why would she panic?”

Alastor leaned in close, his neck snapping in a sharp tilt, “Because, you royal i͆ͤmb́e͈̘̊cï̡̝l̹ͪḛͪ̏, this hotel is important to dear Charlie and she values the opinions of those she calls family the most. I suppose you forgot that while you were holed up in your little palace all those years.”

“Hey man, ease up on-”

There was a hand on Alastor’s shoulder. He turned to snap at the one who dared touch him so freely. Only to freeze when he saw a large dog-like muzzle with. Very. Sharp. Teeth.

***

Lucifer wasn’t sure what had him throwing up a shield between Alastor and Bee’s boyfriend, parting the two before the sinner exploded in a flurry of sharp feedback and sharper spikes. He just knew something was wrong and acted. Almost immediately after the attack started, Alastor and his shadows vanished just as Charlie ran into the lobby.

“Dad?! What just happened?! Where’s Al?”

“I don’t-”

“He left, sugar. Looked pretty upset about something,” Bee interrupted him, a rare frown on her face, “Charlie, sweetie, could you give us just a minute? I need to talk to your dad.” Why was she giving him that look? He didn’t even do anything! “In private.”

Charlie, clearly confused and worried, pointed at a door near the front desk, “My office is over there.” Bee practically dragged him that way as his daughter looked at where Alastor had just been, “I hope he’s okay.”

Lucifer yelped when the other Sin shut the door only to whirl on him with a snarl, her eyes solid fuchsia, “Lucifer! What. Did. You. Do?!”

Notes:

1) The next chapter shouldn't take long to make. I hope to get it up tonight but have to be up for work at 3am
2) I started this story with no idea how Alastor had a resistance. That has changed
3) Lucifer is so freakin' confused right now

Chapter 7: Acts of Creation

“Lucifer! What. Did. You. Do?!”

Lucifer bared his teeth right back at her, “What do you mean, what did I do?! I didn’t do anything! I wasn’t the one that went crazy and attacked your boyfriend!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about! Don’t play dumb, I can hear-” Bee stopped, narrowing her eyes at him before stepping back, the fuchsia glow fading away, “Oh shit. Mammon was right, wasn’t he?”

He threw his hands up in the air with frustration, “Right about what?! You’re really starting to-” Lucifer cut himself off when he noticed her expression, a deep and terrible grief in her eyes.

“You...you don’t hear the Songs anymore, do you? They took that from you too, didn’t they?”

He flinched, backing away from her only to be stopped short when he hit a desk, “I don’t-why-what does that have to do with anything?!”

The Sin of Gluttony knelt down, reaching out to brush a hand over his cheek with a painful gentleness, “§åmåêl, talk to me. What happened? Why does that sinner have your Harmony in him?”

***

Lucifer wasn’t sure how he got through dinner. He couldn’t even remember much of what was said, only that he had been grateful when Bee took over most of the conversation. She was great at making people lose their worries for a bit and Vortex seemed to get on well with several of the others. That was...good, at least.

Charlie had asked questions none of them had answers to. One minute, Alastor was berating him for being an idiot like usual, the next…

When they got back to the palace, Bee had given him a quick hug before heading home, accepting that he needed space so long as he called her in the next couple days. Lucifer had a feeling she knew the difficulties he had been having with staying connected. She had always seen more than others realized, even before she Fell.

Movement helped fight the urge to withdraw, so he kept the body pacing while he replayed their conversation in his mind.

* **

“§åmåêl, talk to me. What happened? Why does that sinner have your Harmony in him?”

Her use of his Angelic name shocked him so much he nearly missed her question, “He...he has what?! That’s impossible!”

Bee shook her head, “You know I wouldn’t lie about something like that. His own little melody is still there, but your Harmony is pretty strong under it.”

Lucifer felt cold suddenly, “I… Charlie asked me to make sure Alastor came back to her. I couldn’t let her down. He...Adam hit him pretty hard, there wasn’t much left by the time I got him to the palace. I had to-I didn’t even think-”

“Stay with me, hun. Come on, don’t pull away,” Warmth flowed through her hand, easing the shaking in the body, his body, “There we go. Alright, so you saved him. How?”

“I...used my Creation energies. But how did it-Charlie doesn’t-”

“Sammie, Charlie is a whole new soul with half from Lily and half from you. Of course her Song is gonna be different, she got to grow with it. His-you said his name’s Alastor?” He nodded mutely, “Alastor’s was already realized. He lived and died with it. Sounds like it was pretty weak when you used yours to build him back up.”

“But what does that mean?!”

Bee shrugged, giving him an amused smirk, “Who knows? You always did Create new things without a Plan. Part of the reason the snooty bastards up top got so upset at you all the time.” She got to her feet, placing a hand on her hip and giving him a cocksure grin, “Alright, come on, Luci. Your kiddo’s waiting for us and probably worried as hell right now. Let’s go have dinner and we’ll see what happens next!”

***

Lucifer put his face in his hands as he swore in every language he knew. He had no clue what to do. A thought came to him and he had to laugh.

‘Well, that probably explains his ability to withstand my energies.’

Notes:

Should I have been in bed an hour ago? Yes.

Did this chapter demand to be written first? Also yes.

Do I know where this is going from here? Hell no. Its gonna be as much of a surprise for me as you guys

Chapter 8: A soulful melody

Summary:

Lucifer does his best to explain what he did in reviving Alastor

In the days that followed the incident, Alastor did what he always had on the rare occasion that he publicly embarrassed himself. He simply acted as though it never happened. It was either that or kill every witness and sadly, the latter wasn’t an option.

Though it took an exhausting amount of evasion, eventually Charlie got the hint, dropping all attempts to get him to ‘open up’ about the cause of his sudden outburst. It was a lucky thing that she had been the only one among the more permanent hotel residents that had seen. His traitorous subconscious had relented on the recurring nightmares after that night. With each day that passed, it became easier to convince himself that it truly had been of little consequence. Although it remained to be seen how Lucifer was going to behave around him now.

It was nearing the expected day of their next conversation when he left his rooms and spotted the King pacing at the other end of the hall, just outside of his own doorway. The fallen angel was gesticulating wildly with one hand, clearly agitated as he spoke into a phone. Alastor wasn’t one to deny himself a chance to eavesdrop and melted into the shadows to get closer.

“Levi, you tell Satan if he so much as thinks about coming over here over this, I will publicly kick his ass all the way back to Wrath! Actually, that goes for all five of you!” Lucifer paused mid-step at whatever response he got, letting out a long sigh. When he continued, his tone was much softer, “Look, I know you guys are worried. You do realize that I've been dealing with this the whole time, I'm not going to-”

Lucifer cut himself off as he noticed Alastor standing nearby with a raised brow. "Listen, I gotta go. I have a meeting and they just showed up early. Bye!" He hastily hung up before groaning, “Why do they treat me like this? I’m older than all of them combined!” He blinked, dark brows furrowing, “Maybe. When did Belphagor form…”

The Radio Demon cleared his throat to pull the King out of his musings, “Your Majesty, if you ever do decide to publicly humiliate the Sin of Wrath like that, please allow me to know in advance so I can properly advertise it in my broadcasts! It would be best to ensure the occasion has a proper turnout after all!" Recorded cheering filled the air around them.

The fallen angel laughed at that, "I doubt it would be scheduled. There's a reason we don't all meet in the same place a lot. One wrong word and somehow the whole block ends up a crater. I swear, Mammon has turned into the biggest asshole ever!"

Turning his nose up in mock offense, Alastor scoffed, "Tsk! And here I am, working so hard to gain that distinction! It pains me to know that I fall so short of your standards, your Majesty!"

"Ha, fucking ha, you're so clever.” Despite the sarcastic tone, Lucifer had an amused smile.

Alastor tilted his head, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Something was off about this conversation. It was...concerning. If this was some form of pity over the other day... “You know, you are being rather friendly to someone you claimed you despised only two months ago. Would you care to tell me why that is?"

Lucifer sighed, rubbing his hand over his face, "Fuck. Yeah, I guess... a part of me wanted to make sure we were on good terms before I talked to you about something. I was going to do this in a couple days at our next conversation, but I guess I better do it now." He gave a rueful smile, "Hey, at least this means I wasn't lying to Leviathan. They can always tell for some reason."

The sinner shook his head, "Sire, its because you have a terrible poker face. Quite awful really!" He spun his staff idly at one side, the only sign of his growing agitation he would allow. "Now, what is it you wish to discuss?"

Lucifer snapped open a portal, "Not here. You go on ahead, I'll let Charlie know I'm kidnapping her manager for a bit."

‘And now he is referring to me as the manager rather than the bellhop or janitor? A concerning change indeed.’ Alastor stepped through the portal to find himself inside a truly large music room with a magnificent grand piano near one of the windows. His fingers twitched; he had never been of the status to be able to play one of those in his life and Hell generally didn't do instruments of that quality, not for the sinners in the Pride Ring anyway.

'Well, if the King didn’t want me touching it, he shouldn't have let me be in here unsupervised.' With that decided, he took a seat at the bench and tested out a few scales to familiarize himself with the keys before playing out a simple melody as a warm-up.

The sinner was just beginning to roll the melody into what had been a popular ballroom number when he was alive, his microphone playing the accompaniment, when he got the feeling of being watched. Pausing, Alastor looked over towards the door to find Lucifer leaning against the frame, a strange expression on his face, “Think you can keep playing while I talk? Music helps with...things, especially when it’s someone else playing.”

Well, far be it from him to turn down a royal request! Alastor grinned in delight and went back into the song he had started, “Certainly, your Majesty!”

“Lucifer.” Fingers stilling for a beat, he looked over to meet the King’s gaze. “For right now. This is going to be difficult enough to explain and I would rather not deal with formalities on top of it.”

“Alright then, Lucifer.” There was something about playing that kept Alastor’s growing anxiety from making him snap at the other man to just get on with it so he returned his fingers to the keys.

***

Lucifer came closer to lean against the side of the piano, looking towards the floor as he talked, “This...is going to require a bit of history for you to understand what I mean, so don't think I'm just stalling, okay?” He waited for the demon to nod before continuing, “Angels can hear music, a sort of symphony, in all of existence. Not just things like animals or people, but in planets and stars and the spaces between. It’s...there is no way to really describe it.” There was pain, a growing sense of grief in the-no, his chest. He started pacing, trying to calm himself so he could keep the connection clear, “Each being has a unique Song to their soul, something that reflects what they are at their core. Bee told me that I apparently messed with yours when I saved you from Adam’s energies.”

Lucifer wasn’t surprised to hear the music stop at that, Alastor’s concern clear in his tone, “What do you mean by ‘messed with’?

He gave a long sigh, trying to remember how he had worded this all the way back in Eden when two other curious souls had asked about angels, “Seraphim have a unique power within our core because we were formed with the first and strongest wave of Creation that began this universe. It starts out with the same Harmony as us but, as what we create begins to take its place in the symphony, the melody changes.” He turned to face Alastor, forcing himself to meet the sinner’s gaze, "Your soul, your Song, was nearly gone when I got you back to the Palace. Bee heard it when she saw you at the hotel. She said that you still have your original melody but it’s weak and my Harmony is under it, keeping you afloat.”

***

Alastor felt rather confused. He didn’t feel any different than he had before the battle… “Wait, you keep saying that Bee is the one that told you of this. Didn’t you just say all angels can hear this music? Why didn’t you notice it yourself?”

Lucifer shook his head, “They, the other Seraphim, have made me unable to hear the Songs anymore. I can’t even hear my own unless I-” He cut himself off with a huff, “Anyway, I wasn’t able to hear that the Harmony wasn’t changing to match yours when you were whole again and it’s not like I knew to look for it. So...yeah, that’s it.”

The demon tapped his claws on the wood of the piano, thinking. He could tell Lucifer was waiting for him to lash out but, quite frankly, he was too stunned to really feel anger. Besides, he wouldn’t even be around to be angry right now if the fallen angel hadn’t put him back together. “Is there anything I should be particularly worried about with this? I’d really hate to find out that I’m on borrowed time until your Harmony or whatever runs out.”

Lucifer blinked, “I don’t honestly know. This has never happened before.”

Alastor sighed in frustration, muttering, “So for all we know, I could cease to exist at any time? That would be... inconvenient .”

The fallen angel sputtered and choked on a laugh, “Inconvenient?! Seriously, that’s all you have to say about it? You really are crazy.”

The Radio Demon smirked at having broken up the overall stifling mood in the air, “I think you meant to say ‘remarkable and uniquely talented.’”

Lucifer snorted, “You’re uniquely something, alright. How can you be taking this so well?”

Alastor shrugged, “What good would it do me to tie myself up in knots over something that cannot be changed? It certainly seems like you have been doing that enough for the both of us.” Besides, he preferred to break down in privacy, thank you very much.

The sinner turned back to the keys and began a lighthearted tune, turning over everything he had learned. It was intriguing to know there was a form of music to everything and, frankly, he felt a bit slighted by the universe that he wasn’t able to hear it.

Wait. What would this mean for the contract tied to his soul?

Notes:

Guess who posted the chapter with several lines missing? Sorry about that to anyone who was reading it before. I seem to have a bad habit of not double checking when I paste over.

Original End Note: This one fought me. Mostly because my brain wanted to do big plot things when I knew I hadn't developed the story enough for those things yet. The rest was a case of Imposter Syndrome after reading some really freaking good stories about these guys. Had to remind myself of the Two Cakes Rule.

Also! I have actually started to figure out where this story is going to go and I can only HOPE I can do it justice.

Chapter 9: A way forward

Summary:

Lucifer has his own thoughts on things while Alastor continues to play.

Lucifer had a feeling that the piano was helping the sinner think, so he let the deer demon continue to play. It wasn't like he wanted the music to stop anyway. Human instruments couldn’t touch the magnitude of the symphony of the universe but the ones with a true passion for it put so much of themselves into music that there was almost an echo of it. He hadn't been lying when he said it helped. Lilith's singing had once been a balm when the Silence began to overwhelm him. He pushed away that thought, leaning against the piano again to let the vibrations aid in keeping him from going too far down that path.

It was understandable but the fallen angel was pretty sure Alastor didn't really grasp the full scope of this. The Radio Demon mentioned ceasing to exist as a possibility but that wasn't really likely. The Harmony wouldn't simply fade away like that, no. Lucifer feared that he had unintentionally caused irreparable damage.

A humorless smile crossed his face. It was always the unintended consequences that ended up biting him in the proverbial ass. Impulsiveness and curiosity were not unique to him, but he was the only one of the Seraphim who did so much without listening for a Plan. Bee was right, the others had utterly despised how he went about things.

"I have a question for you, si-Lucifer."

He looked over at Alastor with a raised brow, "I doubt it's only one."

There was an amused slant to that permanent smile, "True but according to your terms-"

Lucifer huffed, "This is hardly a simple conversation to appease your curiosity. Ask whatever, as long as you understand there are still some things I can't and won't answer."

Alastor had no right to look so delighted at that. It reminded Lucifer too much of the endless curiosity in Adam and Lilith in the beginning. "I couldn't help but notice in all your talks about the universe, you made no mention of God or anything of the sort. Is there a God?"

And this right here was what had made Lucifer start to fall in love with humanity. They had the ability, no, the drive to question what was generally accepted as fact, no matter how the answer might affect them. The fallen angel looked away, unsure if he wanted to risk the Radio Demon seeing his expression right now, "There was a time where I would have said yes. We Seraphim all felt it was best to allow that belief in order to keep the younger ones from feeling too lost and overwhelmed in the vastness of existence. But the truth is, none of us know for sure. We can feel what we call Plans, a sort of knowing where something needs to be Created in order to strengthen the overall Song. Beyond that, no singular being has made itself known to any of us."

There was a distant feeling of betrayal, speaking those words. At admitting to something that no one had questioned out loud in front of them before. Well, if the other Seraphim wanted to strike him down for telling a full truth where there had been always been ambiguity, they knew where to find him.

"So who is it that determines who gets sent to Hell or Heaven?"

He let Alastor see his wide grin at that, "Your guess is as good as ours. That's what has the older angels of Heaven so scared of Charlie. She's doing something they all had accepted as impossible. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. They've been too quiet."

Alastor's ears went back, "I agree with you on that. Centuries of violent massacres don't just stop because of one redeemed soul." Something seemed to cross his mind and he snorted, "Ha! Look at us, getting along and agreeing on something! Why, one might even call this bonding! Charlie would be insufferably delighted!"

A question that had been simmering in Lucifer's thoughts came up and this seemed like the best chance he would get to ask, "Do you actually care about her? Charlie, I mean."

The music stopped as the Radio Demon froze. Those red eyes met his before looking back at the keys. Lucifer waited patiently. Finally, there was a quiet but honest, "I don't want to."

The King of Hell could accept that, hearing what was left unspoken.

Notes:

Progress!

Headcanon: The reason Lucifer is having trouble keeping himself steady is massive amounts of PTSD. He based the body off of human biology, including the squishy brain matter. So, extreme emotions or situations cause his body to react out of his control, straining the connection. Disassociating is far more literal with him.

Too bad Hell doesn't do much with human psychology and Lucifer has too much of a guilt complex to talk to his daughter about it. She might be able to clue him in.

Also, I have finally figured out Alastor's angle in the potential of their relationship in this story.

This Lucifer is in need of an anchor and someone who cares about him without feeling like he is a burden to them.

This Alastor likes being needed and appreciated by those closest to him without being pressured to be something he's not. Its why, despite his best efforts, he's started to catch paternal feels for Charlie.

Chapter 10: Wandering thoughts

Summary:

Alastor takes the time to really consider things away from Lucifer and the Hotel

They had parted ways soon after that, with Alastor leaving under his own power rather than using one of the King’s portals. He wandered the city for a time before returning to the Hotel, his mind far too occupied to feel comfortable with slipping back into his role there.

And if he just so happened to use some of the more crude vermin on the streets as test subjects to see if there were any previously unnoticed changes in his abilities, that was simply prudent. It would have been irritating to find out something had changed and he lacked proper control during a fight where he was less certain of his success. By the end of it, he didn’t sense any differences in any of his powers, to his relief.

As far as his contract went, there was no real way to manifest his chains and examine them without either the holder of his leash doing so or seriously attempting to disobey one of the terms. The first would be disastrous; if there was something altered enough in his soul and it was noticed, there was potentially a chance for the contract to be adjusted to account for the difference. The fact that there was a little wiggle room in it now that hadn't been found yet was a matter of subtle manipulation and the writer's arrogance in not looking it over again.

The second, well, there were really only three options there. He would have to purposefully step aside and not give his all in defense of the Hotel, let the Princess be under serious threat of death, or attempt to tell someone the identity of the one that held his contract. There was one more clause but if things got to that point, it would be too late to do anything anyway.

The first two were out of the question, too much risk of exposure and he wasn’t...comfortable with the idea of Charlie being harmed like that. The only reason he hadn’t been forced back into the fight when Adam got to her was because of his lack of awareness due to being unconscious from a fatal wound.

Alastor shuddered at the memory, his hand coming up to touch at the spot where he still felt phantom pains at times. His body may have been healed but it hadn’t been long enough for his brain to fully accept that there was nothing there.

As far as the third option…

He considered going to Rosie but, while he truly did trust her, there was still a risk of his contract holder sensing the attempt. His fellow Overlord may be strong but she was just as likely to be ensnared as him. The staff of his microphone creaked as he clenched his fist at the thought.

Lucifer was the only one he knew that might be strong enough. Charlie had potential but she wasn’t anywhere near the level of her father yet. The problem was the King had no reason to aid him, not really. He might have saved Alastor from erasure but that was only at the behest of his beloved daughter. There was too much chance the fallen angel would simply decide he was too much of a risk and a threat; that he would choose to finish what Adam had started.

No, Alastor would have to wait. To see where this all led before he could trust Lucifer to that extent.

Notes:

The next chapter is a little bit less heavy, though it does have Lucifer involved soooo...

Also, I kind of love dropping little hints of planned plot twists. Its neat to see you guys catch them and discuss it with me

Chapter 11: Drunken ramblings

Summary:

Lucifer accidentally gets drunk at the hotel one night

A few days later, Alastor learned something else about the King of Hell.

He had absolutely no tolerance for alcohol. At all.

Lucifer was in the lounge with Angel Dust while Alastor relaxed with a book at the bar. There had been a mixup in plans that resulted in Charlie and Vaggie being on a date when the fallen angel showed up to spend time with his daughter. The crestfallen expression had been almost painful to witness but Angel managed to convince him that he was still welcome to stick around.

Alastor was unsure if Lucifer was truly unphased by the spider's flirtatiousness towards him or if this was one of those times when the King was having trouble maintaining awareness. Either way, the porn star had eventually eased up at the lack of reaction and brightened when Husk brought him a brightly colored concoction, "Thanks, babe! Hey, you wanna try one a' these?" He held the drink out towards Lucifer, who took it after a blink.

Husk rolled his eyes and grumbled as he went back to the bar, "Guess that means I gotta make another one. Thanks a lot."

"If yer reeeeally mad about it, I can make it up to ya, Husky!" Alastor could practically hear Angel's eyebrows waggling.

"I'll pass, thanks."

"Aawwww, yer no fun. Ya gotta-"

The usual banter between the two was interrupted when Lucifer giggled, "You two are cute! 'S nice t'feel 'nstead of the usual ickiness."

All three of them looked at the fallen angel with mixed levels of curiosity, finding he had drunk about a third of the glass but looked like he was already extremely tipsy. Lucifer held up the drink, "This 's really good! Dunno whadit is but I like it!"

Angel Dust was the first to recover, "Uh, yer Highness-"

"It's your Maaaaajesty! Highness would be Charlie-bear. Cuz she's the Princess, yanno?"

Angel just nodded slowly,  "Okay, yer Majesty. Yanno that's got liquor innit, right? Cuz I'm startin' ta think ya didn't."

"Really?! Huh, I dint even taste it." Lucifer grinned, taking another sip, "That 'splains a lot. Alc'hol makes things feel weird. 's why I don't drink. Bodies are weird 'nough."

Husk snorted, "Wouldn't have taken you for a lightweight with how long you've been around."

The fallen angel huffed, pouting, "Alc'hol wasn't 'nvented yet! Dint know how t' make th' liver work with it."

Angel Dust looked curious and amused, leaning forward, "Didja just say ya made yer liver? Like, ya got ta pick everythin' out? 'Scuse me fer askin' and no offense, sir, but why do ya make yerself so cute 'n tiny all the time, short king?"

Alastor closed his book and got to his feet, uncertain if he should intervene. He had to admit he was curious about that as well.

Lucifer raised a finger in the air, "One! Past me took th' whole 'Be not afraid' thing waaaay too ser-usly. 'N two, can't make a new one 'nymore. Can make m'self look like am-an- aminals 'n can make m' wings 'n stuff go poof! But 'm stuck wit' this as th' d'fault," he gestured at himself. "If I knew they were gon' lock me in, woulda r'moved some stuff." He glared at the ceiling, "Who's idea wuzzit t' make these things break if it dint get touches 'n hugs 'n shit?! Wuzzint me!"

"Ooookay then, I think ya've had enough, yer Majesty." Angel easily pulled the drink from him but the King tried to take it back, whining, "Heeey! I wasn't done with that!"

The spider demon yelped, holding his hands high and away when Lucifer fell into him, face landing right on his fluffy chest, "Uh, sir?!" He threw a worried look at the other two, "Guys? Should we be callin' Charlie or somethin'?"

Lucifer hummed, not even trying to reach for the glass anymore, seemingly content to stay where he was, "'s soft. Miss cuddlin'. 's too quiet without Lily."

"Alright, I think that's quite enough, your Majesty!" Alastor lifted the King up off of Angel by the back of his shirt, his body dangling from the tight grip like a ragdoll.

"I can take him to his room, boss," Husk stepped up, ready to relieve the Radio Demon of the burden.

"No, that won't be necessary, my friend! I'll get this rascal squared away! You two have a pleasant evening," Alastor ignored the look of surprise from the bartender, one of his tentacles coming out to take Lucifer in a more secure hold. The fallen angel looked halfway asleep already, not even protesting being wrapped up like that.

As the Radio Demon went up the stairs with his charge, he made a mental note to rile the King up into a proper fight soon so as to dispel any thoughts the other two might be entertaining about him going soft.

***

Just as Alastor reached the top floor, Lucifer muttered something, "Apologies, sire, but I didn't quite catch that." He really hoped the door to the King's tower was unlocked as it was unlikely Lucifer had the wherewithal to bypass the wards he had placed on it.

"Said y' c'n leggo. Know y' don like me."

Alastor raised a brow, looking over to find a rather pitiful expression on the fallen angel's face, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

There was that uneven frog blink as Lucifer seemed to be fighting to focus on him, "Yer always callin' m' names n' makin' fun of me. Y' wanna fight all th' time."

Alastor hummed, relieved when the doorknob turned easily, "And what part of that says I don't like you? I don't bother wasting time on people I dislike unless I must."

"...yer a weird human."

"Why thank you!" Alastor chuckled at the confused look Lucifer gave him, "Do you think you can get yourself to bed?"

"Mmmm, prob'ly. Pu'me down?"

Alastor set him on his feet before releasing him, though he kept the black limb nearby just in case.

The fallen angel swayed a bit but managed to stay upright, glaring at his own feet, "'f I could make hellfire right now wi'out burnin' th' whole hotel down, I could make this go 'way. Brain's all echoey n' words 'r hard."

"Well I'm sure Charlie will be very grateful to see the hotel still standing when she gets home. Have a good night, sire." Alastor turned to leave, stopping with his hand on the doorknob when he heard a small sound of protest, one ear swiveling to better catch the soft words that followed.

"Can y' stay? Jus' til the body goes t' sleep? 'S too quiet right now."

Cursing himself, the Radio Demon looked back over his shoulder to see Lucifer with his arms wrapped around himself, face still turned downward. He really shouldn't humor this. The King was likely going to regret being vulnerable like this when he woke up...

Then he heard a small sniffle.

Dammit.

Notes:

... is it bad that I giggled at the last bit? I can just hear Alastor bitching at himself

Also, I totally envisioned a Lucifer-burrito and it was too cute

Chapter 12: Unintentional consequences

Summary:

Lucifer really really hates how alcohol affects the body.

Lucifer tried to pull his wandering thoughts together as he focused on keeping upright. Alcoholic drinks were one of the things he couldn't decide whether they fell on the side of good or evil. They could make things so much better or really really bad. Sometimes both at the same time. It was stupid that the body could have so much effect on his clarity.

Charlie said it was a moderation thing once. That it was good until it went bad. Lucifer guessed it was kinda like him that way.

He blinked and looked up when he heard a loud sigh. Oh! Alastor was still here? He was kinda looking at the ceiling like he wanted to go all murder spiky on someone again. Lucifer wondered if he had done something dumb again, like the night with Bee. He hadn't thought it was a big deal but apparently he was wrong, like usual.

"-sire?"

"'S kinda funny. Y'r more scareduva hellhound th'n me."

Whoops. He probably shouldn't have brought that up. There went the screechy noises and the spiky antlers. To be honest, he kinda liked the noises, all static and crackles when it wasn't music and funny sounds. It was almost like there was a Song following the sinner that he just didn’t understand yet...

Huh, Alastor looked surprised now. Those fluffy ears were upright and turned toward him. It was better than the 'Lucifer is an idiot' look but what happened? He was just standing here?

"You don't even know you're talking, do you? I think its time for you to get to bed, your Majesty."

Yeah, he was probably right. Lucifer waved a hand, trying to swap into his pajamas but instead had about a dozen rubber ducks fall out of thin air around them. Oh, right. That's another reason he didn't drink...

Woah!

The world suddenly tilted again, but instead of falling on the floor like one of his ducks, he was all wrapped up in one of Alastor's tentacle things again. It was weird but kinda...nice. Like getting hugged by a ghost. The mental image made him giggle.

"I think I will make a hotel-wide rule ensuring you are not to be served anything with alcohol after tonight."

...that was probably a good idea, yeah.

He felt a bit uncomfortable when he saw his bed. Drinking also made it hard to control the dreams. Stupid brain liked to bring up bad things if he didn't block it. Like the guilt he'd felt, waiting for Adam to go too far and break the deal keeping him away from the fight. The sheer terror of knowing if he had been just a few seconds slower...

"-ajesty?"

Or the way Lily had looked, curled up on the floor, protecting their unborn daughter even through the effects of his fury...

"-cifer?!"

The cold sense of righteous satisfaction on the one he had once thought of as his closest companion. The cool darkness to his fiery light for untold eons. In that moment, Lucifer had known the one he once referred to as his brother truly hated him. Had pushed him into-

"Dammit, Lucifer! S̵̗̩̲̞̑͊̑̓́̑T͉̲̬̓ͩ̈̀̋͘Ô̸̧̧͡P̰̒ͫ̅̔!"

Shock brought him back into the body as it was dropped to the floor. He scrambled to get up when he saw Alastor on one knee, hands over his ears and blood dripping from his mouth.

No, no, no, no!

Panic-fueled adrenaline cleared every bit of haze from him and he reached out, placing his hands on either side of that bowed head and willing his powers to fucking cooperate! Praying to a deity he wasn't sure existed that he hadn’t gone too far, broken that fascinating mind. Like he had with Lilith...

Like Eve.

Notes:

I'm sorry! Don't shoot me!

Edit: Ok, when I posted this, I didnt know exactly what would be the next steps...

This is gonna get worse for the next 2-3 chapters

Nope nvm. Brain decided we need to stay lighter for now

Chapter 13: Realignment

Summary:

Alastor hadn't felt this weightless since he was a young child.

Warmth. Light. A comforting hum blanketing from all sides.

Alastor hadn't felt this weightless since he was a young child. Too young to know what the world was really like. Too young to understand why his maman sent him out to play in the woods when his father came home some nights, even if he was supposed to go to bed soon.

That man's death had been too quick when Alastor was 14.

His screams had been far more satisfying as the Radio Demon's first broadcast.

A tugging sensation pulled him from his musings. Something was...someone was talking to him?

***

"-managed to trip one of the archangels into the river. Think that was Felian, if I remember right. Adam thought it was the funniest thing. His laughter was almost as obnoxious as yours back then. Ah, there's the offended ears! You waking up now?"

Lucifer's voice was entirely too perky. Alastor opened one eye to glare at him as he tried to figure out what had happened. Apparently he was in a bed, the fallen angel sitting cross-legged in a chair beside it.

...why did it look like Lucifer had been crying?

"Soooo, what's the last thing you remember?"

Brows furrowing, he fought through the haze, "...ducks?"

Lucifer put his hands over his face, "Of course, you would hold on to the most embarrasing part. Where did those go, anyway? I checked the living room but they weren't there."

Alastor felt a bit of amusement, more of the memory coming back to him, "No idea."

There was a huff, "I call bullshit! You're going to find the worst possible time to pull them out in front of the others, aren't you?"

He gave a noncommittal hum, feeling his mind clearing a bit more and a faint taste of copper in his mouth, "I...you were having...something happened? I bit my tongue and the pain made it so I could yell at you. You needed to stop doing...something?"

"Well, that explains the blood," the King gave a tired sigh, "Yeah, that’s probably going to be a bit hazy for a while. I had to mess with your head a bit. I...started leaking through too much and you were touching me. Well, your tentacle thingie but it was attached to you so...yeah."

"Eloquent, as always, your Majesty." Alastor took a deep breath, getting both eyes to open up and focus this time.

"Hey, you're back to sarcastically calling me an idiot! Good! Didn't fuck anything up in there too badly then!"

Lucifer looked far too happy for having obvious tear stains on his cheeks. Pushing himself upright, Alastor was trying to come up with a retort when he caught a scent, "Why does it smell like smoke and sulfur in here? And how long was I out?"

"It's been about half an hour. And, well," Lucifer looked over by the doorway with a flush of guilt, "I, uh, took a bit of a risk and used Hellfire to burn the alcohol out of my bloodstream. It mostly worked, panic makes enough adrenaline to clear the mind so I only burnt a little bit of the carpet."

Well that explained the smell and why his Shadow still wasn’t back. He'd hidden it in Charlie's to keep an eye on the ladies while they were out, just in case. At least he hadn't lost much time, "So, you can purposely interfere with someone's mind?" He wasn't sure he was comfortable with that thought.

Lucifer's flinch didn't help, "I really, really don't like to. Anything more than blurring or blocking recent memories runs a high risk of permanently damaging the psyche."

Alastor had the distinct feeling the King was speaking from direct experience rather than common knowledge, "Considering I can kind of see what happened, I'm assuming you simply blurred mine?"

Lucifer nodded, "Yeah. There's only so much human minds can handle. Making it seem like a dream was enough to calm yours down. I did an overall look to make sure I hadn't done any real damage but I guess you pulled me out of it fast enough that there's just some...psychic bruising? It's not the right words but close enough. Nothing looked torn, thankfully."

He tilted his head, careful to only show idle curiosity, "So you don't see a person's memories when you do that?"

The fallen angel shook his head with a smirk, "Nope! All your dirty secrets are safe in that neat little twisty brain of yours!" The sinner's relief went unnoticed when he looked at the floor, his good humor slipping a bit, "I guess, since you're okay, you should probably go. It's understandable if you don't want to be around me for a while."

Alastor was quick to scoff, wary of the King's mood shifts after what had happened, "Nonsense! I am a gentleman of my word, good sir! You asked that I stay until you fall asleep and what sort of host would I be to deny our most royal guest such a simple request?"

Lucifer looked at him like he'd suddenly grown a halo, "Really? After all that? Something is seriously wrong with you, you weirdo."

The sinner grinned widely, normal people were terribly dull in his opinion, "So many compliments tonight, your Majesty! Why, I might actually think you like this 'lowly sinner' after all!"

"Don't push your luck, bellhop," Lucifer grumbled, a faint flush in his cheeks.

And if Alastor noticed a lack of bite to the insult, he chose not to call it out. For now.

***

When he went back downstairs in the morning, he found Charlie flitting worriedly about with several guests in the lobby looking a bit hungover. When she noticed him, she rushed over, nearly vibrating with concern, "Al! Are you ok? We think someone might have tripped one of Sir Pentious's old sonic traps or something! Everyone I've seen so far said there was this weird wave of pressure last night and now they all have a headache. I'm trying to figure out why so we can fix it."

Alastor blinked at the rush of words. A part of him wanted to hint that her father was the source. To make her wonder if the King was hiding something from her. It would be an easy way to strain the relationship. Lucifer would quickly pull back, hide away again if he knew he'd hurt so many of his daughter's guests. Charlie would be hurt, losing trust in him when he refused to talk to her...

"Well, I'm right as rain, dear girl! I will do a full sweep of the hotel grounds to see if there is anything that was missed in cleaning up from the battle."

"Ohmygosh thanks, Al! You're the best!"

Notes:

Of course Alastor would daydream about murdering his father when he's feeling happy.

I was tempted to go a MUCH darker route with this but then... well the characters said no.

Chapter 14: Remembrance and Regret

Summary:

Alastor is visited by another memory. Another nightmare

Alastor was noticing a pattern. After being hit by Lucifer's energy, nightmares he had thought were under his control would resurface.

Fourteen years old and his hands were covered in blood and muck as he finished throwing body parts to the crocodile infested waters. Strangely, he felt no regrets, no guilt for ridding the world of that piece of filth. When the last piece sank away, he felt a presence.

"Oh, you pretty little thing. I can see so much potential in that soul of yours. You will be going to Hell for this, you know?"

There was no one in sight but he could feel fingers running over his skin. It left him feeling nauseous and more unclean than the mess on his hands, "What?"

"Yes!" The voice was feminine, all sickly sweet and coaxing, "Heaven doesn't condone patricide, no matter the reason. But I can help you out, ensure you aren't stuck at the bottom of the food chain when you go. You can do whatever you want in this life and be feared in death. Simply swear your soul to me."

Alarms went off in his mind. He already knew the feeling of promises that were too good to be true. "Tempting but I do not like the open ended nature of your terms. I will live for what? Sixty to seventy years more at most. Only to spend an eternity at the beck and call of someone I cannot see? How do I know you aren't just a hallucination? It's very easy to believe I have simply lost my mind after killing my father."

There was an echo of laughter that sent a chill up his spine. "Such a smart little beast you are! Yes, you'll do very nicely! I cannot make myself appear to you here. That I can even speak to you is because the one watching me closest has been weakened." The voice seemed to be very pleased with that, "But the moment you die, I will catch you and bring you to me so you can see that I speak the truth. Swear yourself then and I will give you power when you do land in Hell. Enough to shake things up in whatever way you wish, to make a name for yourself in all the Rings but not so much that the ones in charge will suspect an outside influence. In return, your soul will be mine until you fulfill a role I will require in the future. I cannot give more details on that yet but once enough pieces are on the board, I will call you back to me and lay out the final terms of your contract. Oh, and you cannot reveal any details of who I am to anyone. Do we have a deal?"

Nearly a full century had passed since his first conversation with his detestable Master. He hadn't known back then how soon he would be dying, that he was already almost halfway through his mortal life. Foolish and arrogant, he had relished the supposed freedom of knowing what he did from that moment on wouldn't change the fate that had already been decided for him.

Alastor had enjoyed tormenting his victims, ensuring that he aimed for the most vile of them. Men in power who thought they could assault women with no consequences. The world was overflowing with them, the ones he caught would make scarcely a dent. But to the women freed from their presence, it was a vast improvement.

Even now, even knowing he had been making it easier for her to reach him with how dark he had stained his soul, he could honestly say he would do it all over again. The only thing he would have changed about his life is the night he got killed. He'd had so many more targets that had been spared because of one hunter and his dogs.

The deal he'd made after the bullet ended his life had given him a rush of power, enough to ignore the weight of the collar on him. He'd had no reason to care, only seeing the myriad ways he could add his own brand of punishment to the miserable cretins of Hell. Finding his old victims had just been the start, a way of familiarizing himself with his abilities. Then he set his sights on the Overlords.

Now...

100 years later and knowing what his part was in his Master's plans...

Regret was not a familiar feeling for him. He could say with certainty that he didn’t like that he was experiencing it now.

Notes:

One thing of note:

Now that I know where this is going, I am going to be ignoring the ending scene of season 1 with Lute and who we assume is Lilith. It's the only thing that needs to be disregarded from the series

Chapter 15: The Truth of Eden

Summary:

"What really happened back in Eden?"

Alastor considered his next words carefully, letting his fingers wander aimlessly over the keys of the piano.

Lucifer had brought him to the music room again. From the relaxed expression on the King's face where he sat on the floor, leaning his head against the side of the instrument, the Radio Demon felt the comment about music played by another person helping him was not an exaggeration. This would probably be the best time to ask about something he was sure the fallen angel would be reluctant to speak on.

Before attempting, he turned up the volume on the frequencies that followed him. Lucifer had drunkenly admitted to liking the noise of the static so it would be best to use every advantage he had, "What really happened back in Eden?"

His ears flicked when he felt a small change in pressure. Not enough to signify Lucifer was losing control again, but he definitely wasn't happy with the question. One gold-lit eye opened to look at him and he kept his gaze on the keys, reminding himself to stay patient and to gracefully accept if Lucifer decided not to answer.

"...why do you want to know?"

Alastor felt a thread of excitement, knowing that not being turned down outright meant it was likely his question would be answered, "The story everyone knows seems too...simple. Too clear cut for reality. Things are always messier than the winning side makes it seem."

Lucifer huffed, falling silent for a time. The sinner tried adding in a lighter note to the melody and his reasons, "Plus, given what I know of you, the fact that you have apples everywhere seems like a giant middle finger to Heaven. You tend to hide away from the things you feel guilty for, not flaunt them for all and sundry."

The King scoffed, turning his full gaze on him now, "You really do watch and pick apart everything around you, don't you? It's no wonder you held out against Adam so long. Most would have just been batted away like that snake fellow."

Alastor allowed a proud smile to cross his lips. His defeat may have been humiliating but to know that he had done better than others would have helped.

The fallen angel appeared to come to a decision then and began speaking, "The apple wasn't really an apple. There was no tree set in the middle of Eden with a giant sign saying Do Not Eat. That would have been stupid. Even if the humans had avoided it, what's to say a squirrel or something wouldn't climb up there to take a bite?" Lucifer shifted a bit, bringing his knees up to hug close to his chest. It made him seem even smaller, curled up like that. "Humans were an experiment. A first attempt to make something complex enough to be caretakers for our creations while angels could be free and focused on making more Songs. But you were supposed to remain simple enough to follow commands without question or concern. At first, I agreed with the idea. It wouldn't have been able to happen if I hadn't."

Alastor was very curious of that but didn't dare to interrupt.

"The other Seraphim were very hands off about the whole thing. Once Adam and Lilith were made, they were content to just watch things happen with the lower class angels guiding things. I was the only one that wanted to interact with them directly. At first, it was all following the Plan. They were happy enough to tend to the garden with no worries at all. Then... they started asking questions, wanting to know more about the world and universe at large." Lucifer gave him a look, "A bit like you, without the whole murder-happy craziness."

Alastor grinned, unrepentant in the least, though he didn't like the whole comparing him to Adam part.

"I should have probably noticed then, that their Songs started to change. I'm pretty sure I was the problem, like usual. Back then, I didn't have a constant hold on my energy. We knew they couldn't handle seeing us fully but I didn't think my energies could have an effect. But..Lilith started to resent Adam and then he started to push for more control over her." Lucifer looked up at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, "They never ate the Fruit but you saw how Adam was. Every bit as arrogant and condescending as any other human could be. Lilith left him even though she shouldn't have even thought to. I was too infatuated at that point to realize and, by the time I did, it was too late. Their Songs were just as complex as any young angel."

"The others didn't hear them, never got close enough and assumed it was just a small error since I didn't tell them about the change. The angels that worked with me in the garden kept quiet as well. They were just as fascinated by these beings that were so different from us. Then...we made Eve..."

Lucifer shuddered a bit, a tear falling unnoticed, "I helped form her but Mi...one of the others finished her. Tied her to Adam's Song and made sure she was so constrained that she would never dream of leaving the First Man. When I saw her for the first time, that's when I truly knew that what we were doing was wrong. That it was unnatural to force their Songs in the direction we wanted rather than letting them flourish on their own. I tried to tell them but they all ignored me. So I..." He took a deep, shaky breath and shook his head. "The Fruit wasn't my first attempt. But it was the only way to ensure humanity wouldn't just be erased by the others as a mistake."

Things felt quiet then, Alastor mulling over the information as he continued to play. He knew Lucifer had glossed over what happened with Eve, he wouldn't push there, "What did you do that they couldn't just erase us?"

Lucifer grinned through his tears, vicious and victorious, "I put a part of myself in the Fruit. I made humanity an integral part of Creation. If angels destroyed you before your Songs were realized without me taking back what I had given, it would create Silence. A space in the symphony where there was nothing." There was a strain in his voice, "And that Silence would eventually spread until all of existence would fall quiet. True Silence, for those who have always been surrounded by the Songs, would drive all angels to madness and despair. So they had to let Eve live. They couldn't erase Adam without admitting to the others what I had done, making them wonder why. It was too likely even more would agree, would break the unity that had kept all of them trusting in the guidance of the Seraphim. They sent the two humans out into the world, likely hoping that they would quickly perish without the resources of the garden. The rest is history."

That...that was very different from the stories preached by the churches, but he could see how the core of it had been used to keep it sounding like the truth, "Then you and the Queen were sent to Hell, her name forgotten and yours villified."

Lucifer snorted, "Mine was forgotten too. Lucifer Morningstar is like saying the same thing twice. It's stupid but, at this point, I like it. Means the ones that attempt to summon me are knocking at the door rather than forcing me up there."

Alastor blinked, fingers stilling on the piano for a beat before he continued playing, "You really can be summoned?" He had thought the King of Hell was simply too powerful for that. Perhaps he could have gotten a better deal than the one he was in. Or an easier way out of it...

"Since my name has been mostly forgotten, it's easy to refuse." Lucifer sighed, "I usually ignore it unless someone makes the mistake of a human sacrifice. Then I don't care if they see what I am. They are going to Hell anyway and summoning me makes it hard to contain things in the body. Not my fault they fucked around and got sent down here earlier than they would have liked."

'So it was for the best that I hadn't thought of that as a valid option.'

Once again, Lucifer had refered to it as 'the body', not 'my body'. The deer demon really wanted to know what Lucifer looked like if the form everyone knew was just a puppet. Every hint he got of it said that knowing would destroy him but the itch of not knowing was getting hard to ignore. He turned the music more jaunty and playful, "I have one more question for today, if you are willing to permit it."

Lucifer snorted, "I'm awful at sticking to rules if you haven't noticed." He waved his hand in a kingly fashion, his tone teasing, "Ask away, peasant."

Alastor gave a haughty sniff, "I don't take orders from you, sire." The atmosphere was more relaxed now with their banter, confirming the likelihood that the tone of music could affect the King's mood, "You said the Seraphim couldn't have been able to create humans without your agreement?"

Lucifer hummed a bit, "Yup! It has to be all eleven of us. If even one of us refuses, the complexity is lost and whatever being is brought to life will be no more than a simple creature of instinct alone. A single string instead of a full instrument. Between that and being unable to safely erase my mistake... well, that's why they are trying so hard to break me."

He blinked, seemingly surprised at his own admittance before looking at Alastor apprehensively. The sinner stopped the melody, staring at the King of Hell as more pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

Heaven wasn't content to simply leave Lucifer to rot for all of eternity. No, they wanted to break him to their will. Knowing how erratic the fallen angel's behavior was, how long would it be until they succeeded...

Chapter 16: A shift in the tempo

Summary:

Lucifer begins to panic...

Lucifer could feel the panic building as it began to strain the connections, threatening to pull him and the body apart. He tried everything he could to get it under control but the heart kept racing, breaths becoming shorter. The mind raced with the knowledge of what was and what could be.

Only Lilith had known what Heaven was attempting to do though he never told her exactly what would happen to him if he did submit to the will of the Seraphim. It was enough that she knew all of humanity would cease to exist, including the sinners in Hell. In fact, all of Hell would be wiped clean, not just the sinners.

Once Lucifer himself was back in line, only knowing himself as Samael once more, rewriting the survivors among those that had followed him, had chosen to Fall when he was cast down, would be easy. It would be as though the last ten thousand years had never happened.

Charlie, his beautiful baby girl with her own Song still growing... What would they do to her?! They couldn't risk the Silence so what-

He was shocked out of his thoughts when something struck him in the head with a squeak before landing at his feet. Lucifer blinked as he looked down at the bright yellow object, failing to recognize it for a moment before he realized... it was one of his ducks.

Looking over at Alastor, he saw the sinner had a hand over one ear and a mildly pained expression. Behind him was his Shadow creature, most of the rubber ducks cradled in one arm against it's chest and one being tossed casually in it's hand, obviously ready to throw it like it had the first...

"Did you just...throw a duck at me?!"

Alastor chuckled before rubbing at his ear and blinking several times. The pained look faded away quickly, "It worked, didn't it? I wasn't going to deal with you practically weeping over me again if I touched you. It's terribly undignified of a King to behave as such over a lowly sinner like myself, after all!"

Lucifer felt something in him shift then, as he started laughing hysterically at this insane, morally bankrupt creature before him. Despite the fact that the Radio Demon was nearly everything that the fallen angel had not wanted humanity to become, the King found he genuinely liked the damned soul!

Perhaps it would end up leaving a scar just as everything else had but he already knew he would never heed the part of him telling him to back away before it was too late. It wasn't in his nature and, knowing his luck, it was too late already.

Notes:

This is a short one. After this, things are really going to start happening. Chapters will likely be longer and may take more time to post (though I've said that before and ended up doing an entire story overnight)

Chapter 17: An outside perspective

Summary:

Charlie thinks something has changed between her dad and Alastor

Charlie could honestly say that right now her life was almost perfect! Her dream, her hotel, was working! (Well, it had worked once so far but she was sure it wouldn’t be long before another soul ascended!) Everyone currently in her life was supporting her and cheering her along! Oh! And! Recently, she had noticed something was...different between Alastor and her dad.

Sure, they still fought almost every time they were in the same room but it never came to blows anymore! And if she turned things a bit to the side, she almost thought they were having fun rather than truly fighting! It would be great to know they were becoming friends but both of them denied the possibility anytime she brought it up. Since they weren’t going to admit to it, that just meant she had to catch them in a situation where they couldn’t deny it!!!

Charlie started pushing for her dad to come over more often. More visits would be more chances to see them interacting. Though he had resisted at first, she hadn’t been above using what Vaggie called her ‘kicked puppy eyes.’ Was it underhanded? Maaaaybe? But this was for their own good, dammit! She was almost certain Al would approve if he knew.

Of course, her dad being over more also meant listening to Angel flirt with him. She knew it was just his way of talking to people but it was soooo embarrassing!

“Well, if it ain’t the Big Dick in Charge!”

Charlie put her face in her hands, fighting the urge to apologize on behalf of her friend.

Her dad just blinked at the greeting and looked up from his mocktail at Angel. Charlie thought it was pretty awesome they had a whole line of non-alcoholic drinks now that were still fun looking. She had been so excited when Al brought up the idea! “Heeey, uh, sorry about the whole face in your chest fur thing, Angel.”

“The WHAT?!” She hadn’t meant to shriek like that. From the expression on Alastor’s face, that had hurt his ears. Oops. “Sorry, uh, I meant-”

“Nobody told ya? Last date night, yer dad showed up and-mmmph!”

Angel was cut off when Lucifer stood on the rungs of the bar stool he had been sitting on, wrapping him in a headlock and covering the spider demon’s mouth with his other hand, “Hahaha! Sorry, Char! I, uh, don’t think you need to hear-Ack! Did you seriously just lick me?!”

“Yup!” Angel Dust waggled his eyebrows as her dad took his seat again, shaking his hand off with an expression of disgust, “I can do more’n that if you got the dough for it, yer royal hotness!”

“Enough, Angel!” Oh thank goodness, Vaggie was here! She was better at the whole being firm on boundaries thing.

Charlie added in her own plea for him to stop, “Please don’t proposition my dad in front of me? Or, like, at all?” She was pretty sure her whole face was going to be permanently red now.

Lucifer snorted, “It’s not like it would do any good anyway. You wouldn’t have anything to work with.” He balanced his drink on the tip of one finger, tongue poking out of the side of his mouth with the effort.

It was cute to watch but what?!

“What?!” Apparently she and Angel had been thinking the same thing.

Blinking, Lucifer looked around at the mix of curious and stunned expressions around him, “What? I’m an angel? What would I need that stuff for?”

Husk was the first one to break the flummoxed silence after that, “Your Majesty, you have a daughter. Your wife was pregnant with her. That usually implies-”

“Oh! Yeah, I can have any of the equipment if I want but I only did while we were trying for Charlie. So it’s been, uh” He set down his drink as he looked up in thought before glancing at her in embarrassment, “Sorry, Char. What year is it now?”

“I’m 206 now, Dad,” She said, a little hurt that he forgot but mostly overwhelmed by information that she wasn’t sure she had wanted to know.

“Yeah! That! So about 207 years then.”

Angel opened and shut his mouth several times before squawking, “But...I mean...yer wife? Lilith?” For some reason, her dad looked away at the name, shoulders nearly to his ears, “Wha-”

Alastor snapped his book shut sharply, cutting Angel off and catching everyone’s attention, “Riveting as this conversation has been, I find myself quite done with it! Shall we move on to other topics n̟͉òw̟?” His radio dial glare said he would brook no argument.

Angel Dust didn't seem to catch on though. He whirled around and pointed at the other angel in the room, "And you, Vags! Does this mean ya don't got a va-

"Finish that sentence and I will fucking end you, Angel!" The matching murderous expressions on Vaggie and Alastor was kinda funny, if she was going to be honest.

Charlie threw a worried look at her dad again, just in time to see him catching something that was going to hit him in the head. It looked like...was that a rubber duck?! For some reason, the toy in his hand had Lucifer’s shoulders dropping back down and, when he looked at the group again, his smile was back.

….that was weird. Who threw it? And why?

“Wait, wait, wait!” Husk looked at her with narrowed eyes, “Did you say you’re 206 years old?! Since fucking when?!”

***

The next morning, Charlie was still puzzling over the rubber duck mystery as she went to her office. The first thing she noticed when she opened the door was a shimmering golden scroll on her desk. A message from Heaven?! Those usually went to her dad, not her! Maybe it was from Sir Pentious?!

Her hand was just about to touch the shining paper when the hotel started to shake.

Notes:

Had to use Charlie's POV for a chapter. I wanted to show how things look from someone else's side of things before we get in deep.

Also, so. many. exclamation points!!! Ugh.

Chapter 18: Concerning feelings

Summary:

Alastor was starting to suspect something was...changing.

Alastor was starting to suspect something was...changing. It didn’t take much to believe it was due to the Seraphim’s Harmony. During their discussion about Eden, he had chalked up some of it to paying such close attention to Lucifer with no other distractions. As the days went on and Charlie succeeded in getting her father to visit more, he had to accept that there was more to it. He was starting to sense changes in pressure around the fallen angel even when he wasn’t panicking or whatever else triggered that strange sensation that was no longer simply terrifying but also painfully loud. He was still figuring out what each variation meant but he had a general idea so far.

When Lucifer was calm or happy, everything felt pretty normal. Boredom and exhaustion brought a sense of gravity lifting a bit, like something was pulling away. Annoyance, embarrassment, and frustration put a sharp line directly toward the source of the emotion. Guilt and panic were the worst ones, making Alastor’s ears ring and his chest tighten.

It was...strange, having his own internal sense of the King’s emotional state. Surprisingly eye-opening as well. Lucifer seemed pretty expressive but what he showed was not often what he actually felt. The up side was that Alastor could tell when the facade of control was starting to crack and had enough time to find a way to discreetly have his Shadow drop or throw a duck before it went too far. It seemed the bright toys were disruptive enough that it pulled Lucifer away from whatever caused the problem in the first place. The down side was that he was going through so many of the damned things already. Was it triggered more at the hotel or was the King this bad even elsewhere? He didn't dare to entertain the idea that it could be even worse outside of his influence, it was...depressing.

Somehow while this was going on, the ducks had become a bit of a game. The fact that the Radio Demon always had another despite having gone through the original number was clearly driving the fallen angel up the wall. It was hilarious watching him try to figure out how the sinner was getting more. Alastor was waiting for him to admit defeat and ask directly. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them that Lucifer wouldn't use any extra abilities in catching him. Such an innocent pastime was surprisingly refreshing.

Alastor knew Charlie had seen the duck her father caught last night, though she hadn't noticed his Shadow dropping it from the ceiling. It would be interesting to see how he could meddle with both Morningstars and perhaps use them against each other to cover his tracks. Hell, he might even manage to get Lucifer to slip up and actually talk to his daughter for once, rather than just encouraging her to talk about herself.

With an audible record scratch, Alastor froze as he fully registered his line of thinking.

...what was he doing?!

He shouldn't, couldn't let himself get so close to them. There was too much at stake, too many uncertainties about what was to come! He snarled and clenched his hands into fists, claws digging into his own palms. Damn Lucifer, damn Charlie, and, most of all, damn himself for letting this go on!

He couldn't listen to the part of him buried so deep that he didn't remember it existed sometimes. The one that still ached when something reminded him too strongly of his maman. The piece of him that wondered if she would still love him, even knowing what he had become...

Taking a deep breath, he smothered that voice down under the memory of the woman who currently held the strings, making him dance to her deranged tune. He couldn't afford to get attached, to be sentimental, especially with Lucifer and Charlie, not until he could get free of her.

Resolving to find a way to step back without cutting off what trust he had gained, he was about to sink into the shadows and head downstairs when a fierce burning hit his chest, causing him to falter.

It felt like it was pulling him towards Lucifer's tower.

Then the hotel started shaking.

Notes:

*whistles innocently* 😈😈😈

Also, the previous chapter has a bit more convo added just after Alastor snaps his book shut. Not really vital but hilarious if you want to check it out

Chapter 19: Into the Fray

Summary:

The sinner was almost certain that whatever had just happened, the King of Hell was at the center of it.

Soon after the tremors started, they abruptly cut off. Alastor wasn’t able to feel any relief however, there was an empty feeling in the air like something massive had just vanished. He slipped into the shadows, aiming for Lucifer’s rooms first.

When he arrived, he couldn’t sense the fallen angel anywhere nearby but there was something undefinable at the edge of his hearing that was fading fast. The sinner was almost certain that whatever had just happened, the King of Hell was at the center of it.

***

The courtyard of the hotel was in chaos, the residents panicked and staff attempting to keep anyone from getting trampled. Charlie raced over when Alastor materialized just outside the hotel doors, “Al! I need your microphone!”

“Certainly, my dear!” He let her take the staff, grinning. The girl hadn’t even said please! Fantastic!

Taking a deep breath, Charlie used the microphone to project her voice, “Everybody, calm down! We need to make sure no one is missing or hurt! Divide up by the floor you stay on and report any injuries you have! Once that is done, then we will figure out what happened!”

She didn’t follow up her orders with an ‘if you want to’ or anything! Alastor was so proud; she was finally learning! The satisfaction was spoiled a bit by the current situation but when Charlie came back to give him the staff, he gave her a hearty round of recorded applause and a bow, “Well done, dear girl! Now, have you seen the King at all this morning?”

She started to answer but was cut off as her phone rang. Looking at the display, Charlie frowned in confusion, “It's Uncle Oz?”

After the incident with Beelzebub, Alastor had asked the girl what she called each of the other Sins, just so it would cause less confusion. Uncle Oz meant Asmodeus. The Sin of Lust just happened to be calling immediately after a sudden earthquake? Alastor found it highly unlikely that it was just a coincidence. Had it been felt in multiple Rings?

“Hi, Uncle Ozzie! I’m a little busy ri-” She blinked, “My dad? That's funny, Alastor just asked the same thing. I thought he was in his rooms here?” Charlie looked at him with a raised brow.

The Radio Demon shook his head in answer, remembering something Lucifer told him months ago. '“The palace is fortified to keep my powers from leaking out if needed.”' The picture forming in his head was not one he wanted to be right about.

“But Al says he isn't... Huh? Oh! Uh, sure? Hold on a sec,” She pulled the phone from her ear and pushed a button, “Okay, you’re on speaker now!”

~‘Hey Alastor, sorry we gotta meet like this, man. Luci’s told us a lot about you. You got a way of making sure nobody else hears this?”

Tapping his staff on the ground, he summoned a dome around Charlie and himself. The poor girl was looking so terribly confused and Alastor had a feeling it was only about to get worse, “Already done, sir! Let me guess, you need me to get Charlotte to the palace?”

~‘Damn! You figured it out already?! How much has he- no, never mind! I have a feeling we’ll actually need both of you. Try to keep it quiet. We don’t need anyone else asking questions.’

Alastor held up a hand to keep Charlie from speaking, “I have a feeling time is of the essence, my dear. I promise, you will get an explanation soon.” Even if he had to physically tie Lucifer down to do it.

~‘He’s right, Char. Sorry.’

She took a deep breath and nodded in understanding, “Okay.”

~‘How quick can you get there?’

Alastor’s method of travel would be fastest but he wasn’t able to take anyone else with him. He would need to get the Princess there another way, plus she would want to make sure things were being taken care of at the hotel while she was gone, so a reasonable guess would be... “Fifteen minutes at most.’

~‘Right. See you there.’

The call ended and Charlie was practically vibrating with worry. Alastor dropped the dome. Vaggie was just outside of it and looked like she had been about to use her spear to force her way in. The Radio Demon ignored her and called out into the crowd, “Husker!”

The feline sinner came over quickly, looking wary, “Yeah, boss?”

He leaned in, speaking quietly, “I need you to transport the Princess to the palace as discreetly as possible. Drop her off just outside of the property and leave immediately after. Understand?”

Husk grumbled, “Do I look like a damn taxi?” Despite his tone, he was stretching out his wings.

“Al, I can take Razzle-”

“Too conspicuous. Husker knows how to keep from catching attention, even in the air.” If Vox or even some random sinner caught her on video racing toward the palace in a panic after multiple Rings reported the tremors… Rumors would spread like wildfire and be twice as damaging. “Ms. Vaggie, Charlie and I have been called to an emergency meeting regarding the quakes. I trust you can handle things from here?”

Vaggie looked to her girlfriend for confirmation first. Charlie threw her hands up in the air, losing her patience, “Fine! Vaggie, I’ll be back. I’ll tell you more later but Dad needs me.” She turned to Husk, “Sorry about this.”

“Eh, it ain’t the worst thing I’ve done. Come on, kid, let’s go.”

Alastor vanished into the shadows, racing for the palace.

***

On arrival, he found three of the Sins at the main doors. Asmodeus, Sin of Lust. Bee, Sin of Gluttony. And most surprisingly, Mammon, Sin of Greed. The latter was pacing and ranting at the other two, “-been dealin’ with this for 10,000 years, he says! I’ll be fine, he says! Bull-fuckin’-shit!”

Asmodeus rolled his eyes in exasperation, or at least that’s what Alastor thought the expression on those three faces meant, “Go on, man. Tell us how you really feel.”

“Shut up, Oz! You know as well as I do, I may not get along with the self-sacrificin’ little shit stain but I picked him over those hypocritical fuck-wads up top and I would do it again if I had to!”

“Stop waving your dicks around, boys! We got company,” Bee waved at Alastor, motioning for him to come closer.

Mammon looked the sinner over as he approached, lip curled, “You sure this guy’s still got it? I don’t hear anythin’ special.”

The Radio Demon bared his teeth at the Sin of Greed but Bee stepped in with a sharp tone, “Back off, Mammon!” She looked at him with a grin, “Ignore him, we’re all a bit on edge right now. You mind giving me your hand for a sec, Alastor? It’ll feel a bit weird but we’ll be able to hear what’s going on better.”

Alastor very much did mind but…

He threw a look toward the palace. He could already feel a buzzing sensation at the edge of his mind, even through the wards. The sinner straightened up and gave her his best hotelier act, “Very lovely to finally meet you, Lady Beelzebub! It’s a genuine honor!" He held out his hand, "My sincerest apologies for not greeting you properly last time.”

"Ha! Call me Bee, sugar," the Sin of Gluttony seemed amused at the very least and took his hand. As soon as she made contact, Alastor felt a surge run through him, the shock causing a sound like a squealing trumpet to blast out of his frequencies.

“Holy shit, Beez!” Asmodeus came closer, “That’s different from what you said.”

She let him go and laughed, “Guess it’s decided to settle in and get comfortable. Damn!”

The Radio Demon didn’t like being talked about like he wasn’t there, “I beg your pardon, but would you mind letting me in on the answer?” He could see Husk approaching and would rather know before Charlie got here.

Mammon was looking at him with keen interest now but it was Beelzebub that spoke up, “You got a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing thing going on in there, honey! Your Song has wrapped itself around Luci’s Harmony like camouflage. I could only tell because I knew it was there already.”

Alastor blinked. Well...that was good to know...

Charlie practically hit the ground running as soon as Husk let her go, racing over with her horns and tail free, “Alright, I’m here! Now can somebody please tell me what’s going on already?!”

“We think your dad got himself in a bit of a pickle and his...angelic power is going haywire, sweetie. We're hoping you and your friend here can help pull him out of it. The other three are dealing with the rest of Hell so it'll be just us.” Bee reached down to ruffle her hair, “We have to see how bad it is in there first and then we’ll tell you what we can, okay?”

“Right, okay, fine! Let’s go then!” She nearly growled when her aunt held her back.

“Slow down, sugar. If we let you race in there and get hurt by Luci’s energy, he’ll-”

“Ugh! Are we going in to help my Dad or not?!”

"We are," Asmodeus opened the palace doors, a golden barrier visible on the other side, “Just take it slow, kiddo. We’ll be shielding you two but let us know right away if anything feels wrong or hurts, okay?”

Alastor realized then that they had no idea how Charlie was going to react to Lucifer’s energy at all. He stepped up to her side and gave her a reassuring smile, holding out an arm for her to take, “Shall we go rescue your father from himself, my dear?”

She gave him a grin that was all teeth as she linked her arm with his. It looked remarkably similar to his own when he was about to go into a fight. “Sure! And when we’re done, I’m giving him a serious lecture about asking for help!”

Notes:

Here we go! The ball is rolling for the next big hurdle!

I stuck with the three Sins we know aside from Luci because my brain refuses to guess at the others.

Also! I realized I haven't explained why Vaggie hasn't noticed the situation. I'll bring that in soon. Sorry about the plot hole!

For someone who hates doing heavy convo chapters, I actually rather enjoyed this one. I think this is going to be about 5 more chapters, but I've underestimated that sort of thing before. I already have the outlines for what I think will be 22 and 23 done.

Changed the rating to Teen and thinking I might put it to Mature at the planned chapter 22. That one is going to be rough

Chapter 20: Fraying strings

Summary:

The sense of absolute terror he could feel throughout the palace could only mean one thing.

Heaven had made their next move in attempting to break the King.

Alastor knew from the moment they stepped inside that this wasn't like the previous times Lucifer lost control. The lack of pressure could have been because of the shielding but that didn't seem right from the looks of confusion on the three Sins. Something was very wrong here and it was making the ringing in his ears worse. It almost felt like-

"Luci-baby, what the fuck did you do?!" Asmodeus looked over at Alastor, eyes narrowing, "You look like you know something. Spill it, music man!"

"Not yet! Follow me," he growled as he released his hold on Charlie, walking quickly.

"Al?!"

"Dammit, don't go outside the shield, jackass!"

"Then keep up!" He snapped. The sense of absolute terror he could feel throughout the palace could only mean one thing.

Heaven had made their next move in attempting to break the King.

***

Lucifer watched the Pentagram brighten in a mimicry of dawn from his tower at the hotel, fiddling with the duck in his hands. It was strange, knowing that Alastor was going out of his way to do something so ridiculous. So childish! And for what reason? He had spent much of tonight puzzling over it, replaying his memories to try to find the answer. This wasn't the sort of thing that could gain the Radio Demon information or any sort of leverage. In fact, it almost looked like he was trying to help.

Which was impossible, right?

Lucifer might have come to terms with the fact he actually liked the sinner, possibly even felt a touch of fondness. But that didn't change the fact that Alastor was still...well, Alastor. An unrepentant murderer, remorseless cannibal, and all around jackass. There had to be some selfish motive to what he did...

The fallen angel was interrupted from his pondering by a flare of light on the floor in front of him. He tensed, every fiber of his being on high alert when he saw the telltale shimmer of gold that marked the scroll as Heaven-sent. The fact that it had been sent to him personally rather than to his office meant this wasn't just a document for the King of Hell. He didn't want to open it...but he had to.

He barely registered the official script covering most of the page, the body's eyes were drawn to the hand-written addition at the bottom.

I look forward to revisiting our last conversation. I do hope you have reconsidered my offer. I would hate for your daughter to get caught in the middle of this like last time. After all, she doesn't have her mother to protect her now, not after what you did.

-Michael

'Nononono! I've kept my head down, played by their rules, so why?'

With such a clear threat to Charlie,  Lucifer couldn't stop the desperate wave of energy rushing in from his core, overwhelming the body and threatening to tear apart everything, everyone around him. He had only one option to keep his true self from using this path out of his prison in a misguided rush to save his most precious Creation. He yanked the body through a portal to the palace to keep himself contained while he severed the tethers.

'Forgive me, Charlie. I really wanted to stay.'

***

207 Years Ago

Lucifer smiled as he finished up the final touches on the crib for his daughter. Their daughter. He was going to be a father! He couldn't believe it!

It had taken tricky wording to get an idea of how her Song was forming without revealing that he couldn't hear it. He wouldn't burden the others with something that couldn't be changed. They'd willingly sacrificed their places in Heaven because they believed in him and he was only glad they all seemed to have found something to live for down here.

Shaking his head, he brushed away the depressing thought and hummed a happy tune as he went to find Lilith. She would probably laugh at how overly detailed the little animals were that decorated the edges of the rails but that was okay. He loved her laugh. He loved everything about her so fully that he could almost forget the Silence, the weight of the sins of every human in the city, the screams of-

No! He was not going to let their Judgement ruin everything. He was fine. Better than fine!

And now there would be a little girl coming into their family of misfits! He hoped she would inherit her mother's fierce spirit.

"Liiiily! The crib is done! Want to see-" He froze, eyes wide when he saw Lilith with her head down and one arm over her stomach, tears streaming down her face and teeth bared in defiance. Protective rage had his body shifting into his demonic form as he got between her and the stranger in their unfinished nursery.

When he saw the voids in those eyes, he knew who inhabited that body, even without hearing his Song, "Michael."

"Hello, §åmåêl. It's been a while."

Lucifer could feel his wife flinch at the angelic intonation of his original name but he didn't dare look away from the threat in front of him, "What are you doing here, Michael? I've not lifted a hand against the Exterminations as you all demanded. You have no reason to be here."

A false smile spread over Michael's otherwise emotionless face, "Oh, but I do. I got word that you had Created some thing that should not exist. And now I see the rumors are true. Pity. You really should have known better, §åmåêl."

'Nonono, don't be here for her. Focus on me, not them!'

Lucifer reached back to touch Lilith, sending trickles of power to heal her mind from the strain. He couldn't do more, not without leaving an opening, "Stop that! You know how it hurts them!"

"I do. That is because we made them to be small; to do the work we tasked them with and nothing more. Until you went and decided your way was better than the Plan, §åmåêl!"

Lilith collapsed with a shout, no longer able to withstand the rising waves. He had to end this soon, before she broke. He could feel his Seraphic core starting to come forward, recognizing the threat to his beloved and their unborn daughter. Not fully realizing Lucifer himself was just as much of a threat if he let the pure energy spill over too far.

"The others think the Silence will be enough to break you in time, but I know you too well. You bring chaos in your wake and revel in the disorder. Perhaps it's time to close this opening to your cage."

Lucifer could feel Michael's energies squeezing the tethers that connected him to his core. Eyes wide, he shook his head, feeling the burn from his other side fighting against it, "No! Don't! Please, Michael!"

"Then submit. Let us welcome you back into the fold. We will undo all of this," the other Seraphim gestured out the window to the city of sinners, "And you won't have to feel all this pain anymore. You'll even thank us for rewriting you!"

Lucifer could feel himself weakening, the source of his self being cut off from the body. His core was too heavily shackled by the layers in his prison to block the suffocation Michael was applying but he couldn't get enough information to himself to stop the painful back-flow, "No! I refuse!"

"Remember, you had a choice. It's too bad that such a little Song is so easy to shatter under a Seraphim's Harmony."

The tight grip on the tethers vanished, leaving the furious tidal wave of his core freed and crashing through his body. Lucifer tried to focus it, aim it away from Lilith's curled body, but it was too much for his physical form to handle. He could read the cold satisfaction in those empty eyes, truly knowing the depths of hatred his former brother had for him as Lilith began to scream.

***

Lucifer remained at the torn edges of his connection to the physical plane. There were still a few strands left after he became too disconnected to have any effect anymore, slowly fraying away under the strain. Michael never understood; he would never understand the sacrifice a father was willing to make. That he would isolate himself until the heat death of the universe rather than harm his daughter for his own freedom.

Just as a mother would withstand the slow decline into insanity to ensure her daughter would grow up happy.

Behind him, he could feel his core's terrible grief and regret. If he listened, he could even hear traces of his Harmony for the first time in so very long. It was horrifying to realize he barely even recognized it anymore. But Lucifer stayed where he was, watching the final ties break, allowing himself the time to come to terms with this. He would have an eternity to familiarize himself with his core again. Once he pulled away from here, it would truly mean he would never see Charlie again.

Notes:

I made myself cry with this one, okay?! It's not just you guys, I promise!

I don't know if the next chapter will take me one or two days but it will be soon!

P.S. And here we present the primary source of Lucifer's PTSD

Chapter 21: Cosmic Dissonance

Summary:

"Now," he straightened up and braced himself, grinning madly, "do that a̹͆̅͂̍g̑ͪa̮͈̘ͩ̈́̇̉iͪͯň̩̞̈́!

Chasing the rapidly fading sensation, Alastor shoved open the music room doors, stopping just inside when he saw Lucifer's body on the floor. This time, it really did look like an empty shell, limbs sprawled unnaturally like a puppet with its strings cut. It was only a small grace that the face was turned away.

"Dad?!" Charlie sounded very small as she took a step foward. Alastor stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Shit shit fuck!" Bee was the first to reach the too-still form, her mane and tail glowing brighter as all four hands seemed to be running over invisible strings, "He's torn all the threads! Oz, keep his body running! Mammon, boost me! It's still got some energy so there has to be something still intact."

As the other two Sins moved to follow her orders, Charlie looked up at Alastor with tears in her eyes, "Why does he feel so empty, Al? Where's my Dad?"

The sinner turned to look at her to avoid catching sight of the voids that should be gold when they moved the body to straighten it out. He'd be no good to anyone if he got locked up by them. Wondering how she could tell so quickly, he raised a brow, "I honestly don't know, my dear. What do you feel?"

"I...I don't know. But he isn't in there!" She pointed at her father's body, "I-I just got him back! Mom's gone, I can't lose him too!" Alastor could tell the second she saw those empty eyes, his ears pinning back when he felt a familiar but weaker pressure building around Charlie. "Where is 𝘮̰̾𝘺̰̾ 𝘋̰̾𝘈̰̾𝘋̰̾?̰̾!̰̾"

He stumbled as his head began spinning. He had the strangest sense of hearing her twice, one much farther away than he physically was.

"Holy shit, there they are!" Bee sounded both disbelieving and relieved, "Charlie! Whatever you're feeling, keep pushing it. I think your dad felt that!"

Charlie didn't seem to fully hear her, her eyes going from Alastor to an empty space to the left several times, "I...I  think I felt him too, but...there were two. Why did you feel like Dad, Al?"

The sinner tried to steady himself despite the vertigo, "Long story, my dear. To put it simply, your father used a piece of himself to keep me alive and it's still there. Now," he straightened up and braced himself, grinning madly, "do that a̹͆̅͂̍g̑ͪa̮͈̘ͩ̈́̇̉iͪͯň̩̞̈́!"

***

Lucifer felt achingly tired. It had been so long since he rested, not having to constantly maintain his connections. 200 years since the partial peace Lilith's singing could give him. 10,000 since he could just exist, surrounded by the symphony. He could feel his core reaching for him, trying to call him back so he could fully understand the entirety of the joy and the loss he had experienced. He was so very tempted to reach back...

"-𝘮̰̾𝘺̰̾ 𝘋̰̾𝘈̰̾𝘋̰̾?̰̾!̰̾"

Charlie?!

Lucifer and his core stopped in shock, in clear recognition. That had been her voice but how?! Was she actually looking for him? For him to hear her, she had to be close, had to have likely seen the body. She sounded so scared, like she wanted, no, needed him still...

His senses swept through the torn threads, scared to hope. The few strings that were left were so thin and fragile, any attempt to pull himself through would surely snap them. Someone was trying to hold them steady and reinforce them but-

"𝘋̰̾𝘢̰̾𝘥̰̾?...𝘣̰̾𝘢̰̾𝘤̰̾𝘬̰̾,̾ ... 𝘱̰̾𝘭̰̾𝘦̰̾𝘢̰̾𝘴̰̾𝘦̰̾?̰̾!̰̾"

The seeking arm of his core surged forward again and he feared he was going to be swept up in it, that the cage would close as he became whole before he could answer her.

Please, wait! Not yet!

His full self didn't stop on his smaller mind though, instead reaching over, through, past.

Nonono! Careful! They are all so fragile out there!

It was amazing to be enveloped by his power, to by surrounded by his Harmony in its entirety but he wasn’t consumed, wasn't pulled fully back in the way that would cause this path to be lost.

When had he learned how to do that?

A shift, a brushing thought.

Oh, he hadn't known. He just knew that he had to try.

He then showed himself a hidden thread, one new and unworn by the ages. There was an even smaller echo of him than this one on the other end...

A familiar energy: an angelic barrier was in the way but it didn't matter. He'd push through and get back to Charlie no matter what.

***

Alastor could feel something shifting closer, the sense of invisible eyes watching him. It was the same as what he had felt from Lucifer before but so much more! Before he could speak, something shattered between him and the thing watching him.

"Mammon! The shield!"

"I know, dammit! Lu, the hell are you doin'?!"

Alastor remembered dying but he was sure he had never felt more alive! His body disagreed with his mind, however, and he wasn't sure how much more it would take. He could barely hear the whining sound that escaped him over the roaring in his ears.

"What the fuckin' shit? Lu?! Back the hell off! Are you tryin' to kill him?!"

A large green hand was reaching for him and he snarled, his Shadow surging up to knock it away.

How could it do that? That was a Sin!

The frequencies around him shifted wildly, out of his control, until they began to emit a vaguely familiar humming, washing away the roar. It was like a hundred voices flowing seamlessly together around a solar flare. The sound made the pain vanish, leaving Alastor weightless.

...hadn't he felt this before? How did he know what a solar flare sounded like?

"Oz! Bee! You guys hearin' this too or have I gone cracked?"

"...Daddy?"

The focus of the strange coiling feeling surrounding him shifted towards Charlie then, his own gaze turning with it.

"Oz, keep it going. I'm gonna go help them out." Bee's flowing colors danced at the edge of his perception, "You're right, sweetie, that's your dad. You're hearing his Harmony. But we gotta get him back into his body, okay honey? I don't know what this is doing to your friend."

Alastor felt like he was perfectly fine, never better in fact, but he didn't know how to tell her that. His body felt a bit undefined at the moment.

Then why could he feel his teeth itching?

The tone of the Harmony shifted slightly and he got the feeling he was being laughed at. He was sure he should be offended but he couldn't quite grasp that emotion through the sheer amount of life surrounding him.

"Okay. What do I need to do, Aunt Bee?"

"Come over here and take his hand. Focus really hard on his Harmony and call out to him. If he can make the jump, I think he should be able to reconnect both ends of the threads he needs to stay in there."

Alastor felt like the colors of the world around him were expanding and the sound around his mind turned worried, buzzing a bit at the edges.

Fuschia eyes stared at him, through him. "Let him go, Luci. C'mon. We'll catch him for you."

"Dad! I could really use a hug right now and you need your own arms for that!"

The sounds went twisting, curling, flowing up and away from him in a rush, leaving an aching emptiness behind. Alastor came crashing down back into himself and collapsed, hearing Charlie call his name as he blacked out.

Notes:

Everyone say thank you to my insomnia becaus this is the byproduct. This was a head trip to write. Hope the mixing thoughts of Lucifer and his pure Seraphic core weren't too confusing

Chapter 22: Reconnect

Summary:

Lucifer had gotten very used to inhabiting his physical body over the centuries, to the point he actually didn’t notice how cramped it felt a lot of days. Now, after being so close to his full Self, it felt like it was almost claustrophobic.

Lucifer had gotten very used to inhabiting his physical body over the centuries, to the point he actually didn’t notice how cramped it felt a lot of days. Now, after being so close to his full Self, it felt like it was almost claustrophobic. Not to mention he was having to remind nearly every damn cell in the body what it was supposed to be doing! Stupid fucking biological functions! He still wanted to know who it was that came up with some of these clear flaws in the design!

...it wasn’t like he was dragging his feet about getting fully settled or anything. He wanted to hold Charlie so badly! But, well...he knew the others were waiting for him too. That they would demand answers he really didn’t want to give…

“Luci.” Oh no. Bee had that serious tone in her voice. “Quit stalling, or I’m gonna have Mammon start singing.”

He shuddered and slipped the rest of the way into his limbs.

“Hey! Fuck you, Bee! And double fuck you, Lu, for reactin’ like that!”

Lucifer opened his eyes to find Charlie leaning over him, watching him worriedly, “Hiya, duckling.”

“Dad!”

He hissed as he was wrapped up in a tight hug, “Easy, baby, easy. Everything’s still a little raw.”

She let go quickly, sitting up with her hands fluttering anxiously, “OhmygodI’msosorryDad!”

“It’s okay, Char. Just gimme a second,” Lucifer flexed his fingers, trying to get used to the movement again. Time ran a bit funny that close to his core. He wasn’t sure how long he had actually been away but it felt like months to him. The Silence was loud after finally being enveloped in his Harmony again...but he would give it up any day for his precious little child. Taking a deep breath, he nodded, “Alright, c’mere.”

Charlie was more gentle this time, letting herself lay against him so he could wrap his arms around her, hold her close. Feeling her shaking, his heart ached, “I’m sorry, Char. I wasn’t trying to leave you, I promise.”

She sighed shakily, "I know. I don't know how I know but I do. I could feel you wanting to come back before you were all around Al."

He blinked, looking over at Bee, “You guys still holding Alastor steady?”

“Yeah, Ozzie’s got him right now, Sugar Daddy,” She gave him a teasing grin.

He groaned at the nickname, “Don’t call me that, Bee! It sounds so bad!” He gave himself a moment more to hold his daughter before he let out a sigh, nudging Charlie, “I gotta get up, duckling. I need to make sure his mind’s okay after all that.” There was also a time limit before memories settled in too deep to safely blur or block.

She scrambled up at his last statement, looking over at the unconscious sinner in worry, “His mind?! He didn’t look like he was feeling hurt after that harmony thing started?”

Mammon snorted as Lucifer finally defeated gravity and sat up, “I don’t know where you guys found that crazy shithead but he looked like he was havin’ the best time of his goddamn life!”

“Shit yeah! That guy was totally buzzing!” Bee cackled.

Huffing in amusement, Lucifer shook his head and moved closer to Ozzie, “Maybe, but still, you guys know how fragile they can be. Move over, Oz. Hopefully blurring the memory will be enough.” He knelt down and was nearly touching Alastor’s head when the sinner’s Shadow caught his hand. It was weak but the shock of it even being out in the first place was enough to have him freeze up.

There was a burst of static before Alastor cracked open one eye, his pupil visibly fighting to focus, “Don’t you ḍ̶̿â͈̭r̴͑ͪe̶̋͞ or I really will bite you, sire.”

The entire room was silent for a moment.

“Luce...baby…What the fuck is up with this guy?!”

Lucifer just sat back and shook his head in disbelief. At least now someone else knew what he had felt like these last few months!

Notes:

A short little breath of fresh air after that heaviness. There will be more serious talking to the others next.

Chapter 23: Stubborn minds

Summary:

I saw how your mind reacted to everything and yet I still don't fucking get it! How are you even coherent?!

Lucifer sighed in frustration as Alastor just kept looking at him, waiting for a response, "Fine! At least let me check things to make sure nothing's more broken than it already was, jackass!" He really hoped there wasn't. He had already fucked up enough today.

The sinner hummed, closing his eye again, "Hmmm, no."

Lucifer's jaw dropped, "No?! What the fuck do you mean no?!"

"I didn't realize you were unaware of the meaning of such a simple word, your Majesty. Should I find a dictionary for you once I can feel my legs again?"

'Why that little-'"You absolutely insane asshole! I saw how your mind reacted to everything and yet I still don't fucking get it! How are you even coherent?!"

Alastor cracked his eyes open to look at him in suspicion as Charlie spoke up, "Wait, you were in Al's mind?"

"No, we were just on the same wavelength for a few minutes. So you," he pointed at the sinner, "can put that look away right now. Doing that while I was in that state would have actually caused physical damage to your brain. Not just the shit that you should be dealing with right now but somehow aren't!"

"Uncle Oz? Why is Dad so upset? Al seems okay to me."

“Human minds aren’t supposed to just...be okay with what he just went through. The fact that he woke up on his own? And then demanded that Luci leave that shit alone? Something’s gotta be wired wrong up in that cute fluffy head of his.”

Why was Oz was looking at him weird? Shouldn't that look have been aimed at Alastor?!

Said demon had an offended expression as both eyes fully opened, glaring up at the ceiling, "I'm not sure I appreciate the Sin of Lust calling me cute."

Lucifer folded his arms over his chest and grumbled, "Deal with it, they've all been doing it to me for centuries."

A movement from Bee had him looking over to see that she seemed to be having a silent conversation with Oz. A few seconds later, they both grinned before looking at him, Bee leaning forward in interest, "Soooo, Luci, what did you see when you were hanging out while he was flying high?"

He blinked, "Uh..."

He looked at Alastor, who also seemed interested in the question, "It's not like I know how my mind is different. I'm curious what you think is so strange about it, sire."

"You know, every time you say 'sire', I hear 'idiot' for some reason," Lucifer huffed as he tried to find the words for what he had sensed. Glancing at Charlie, he realized he needed to start with the basics, “Okay, so, humans reside in this plane of reality that has very clearly defined rules for them, right? Time, space, action, reaction; everything flows in one direction from their perspective. Anything that challenges or outright defies that literally tears at their minds and sense of self."

The Radio Demon raised a brow, "Huh. That sounds very limited. No wonder so many people lack creativity."

"Then there's this psychotic little shit," He waved a hand in the direction of the smirking sinner, "His mind sees the rules more like suggestions. I could feel him accepting everything he saw and felt as just a new experience that someone very rudely forgot to tell him was available before. He sensed me coming down through the connection to my Harmony and his mind was like, 'Oh? Here comes this massive being that is capable of breaking everything down to the atomic level? Might as well set the table for two then! Maybe it will take me along for the ride if I ask nicely enough!'" He threw his hands up in the air, "He just...picked up the edges of his view of reality and spread them out to accommodate me, like it was nothing!”

He could tell Charlie still didn’t fully understand, but then again, she had never been outside of this layer of reality. The other Sins were looking at Alastor with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. Lucifer was so fucking glad he wasn’t the only one anymore! He glared at the Radio Demon, "As I was leaving, I caught that last thought. The answer is absolutely not! There is no way I'm doing that again on purpose!"

Alastor raised one hand to point at him, "Sounds like you just issued a challenge to me, sire!"

Mammon leaned closer to Charlie, muttering, "Do your dad and this guy do this shit a lot?"

She threw her hands in the air with an exasperated noise, "All the time! I don't know how to get them to stop fighting!"

"Oh honey," Bee shook her head, amusement clear in her eyes, "I don't know about your friend here, but your daddy ain't fighting." Lucifer froze, looking at her with wide eyes. "He's flirting!"

No, he fucking wasn't!

...was he?

***

Alastor was fairly sure he was steady enough now to sit up so he used his shadow limbs to push himself upright. The world tilted a bit but he managed so that was an improvement, at least. He looked amusedly at Charlie and her father with their matching expressions of shock and confusion, "He's also not worrying himself into an absolute fit over what he possibly did to my mind anymore!"

Asmodeus laughed heartily, "Ok, I like this guy! He's got your number pretty good, Luci."

Alastor reached out to grab his own ankles and manually folded his legs into a more comfortable and balanced position before reaching for his microphone to lay it in his lap. Much better now!

"Al? Are...are you sure your mind is okay? Aunt Bee just said Dad is flirting with you and you didn't get offended or anything."

He tilted his head and looked at her placidly, "I'm rather flattered, actually! Your father is a multidimensional being that's practically older than time with more power than anyone I've met. And despite being repeatedly tormented and traumatized by Heaven," And now the Sins and Charlie were laser focused on Lucifer again. Good, "he has yet to lose control of it and destroy us all."

As he played recorded applause, the King gave him a dirty look, "You said it like that on purpose, didn't you?"

"You never made me promise not to share that information," He knew he sounded smug, "I didn't want you distracting them enough to think you were going to get out of explaining yourself."

"...I hate you."

"Keep telling yourself that, sire."

Notes:

A little more fun. Al wanted to be a sassy brat.

Chapter 24: Revelations and Resolutions: pt 1

Summary:

“I...I guess I’d better start at the beginning, huh?”

Alastor listened and watched, fitting new pieces into the puzzle in his mind as the King of Hell slowly began to talk about what he had been through from the moment he had been Judged.

“I...I guess I’d better start at the beginning, huh?”

Alastor listened and watched, fitting new pieces into the puzzle in his mind as the King of Hell slowly began to talk about what he had been through from the moment he had been Judged. About how the Fall and the Silence had just been the start of the punishments that had been laid upon him. At least, the official ones agreed upon by the majority of his peers.

He told them about how his core, his true Seraphic form, was placed in a dimension between planes of reality, one created for that purpose and void of anything else. Layers of barriers were around it so that if he tried to break through, there would be plenty of time to replace each one before he succeeded. Alastor saw it for the isolation it was, a way to continue weakening the King by leaving him without any contact should he try to retreat. Apparently the only reason he had even been left with the access to his physical form was so he could witness the misery he had supposedly bestowed upon humanity.

This led into the next set of punishments. That the King would feel each new soul and their sins as they fell until they manifested in full. That he would be unable to create and connect to a new body to avoid dealing with the stress and strain the continual reminders would do to his physical form.

The last was that his body could not leave Hell except for when summoned by humans. Lucifer gave a humorless laugh, “The worst part of that? I don’t think they even knew what summoning would do to my energy. That it would expose everyone present to the knowledge of what I am. It’s not like we ever dealt with that before. I think that’s why they’ve let my original name be mostly forgotten. It’s not like they could admit they made a mistake and revoke that part. That would ruin the facade that everything was under control and going according to Plan after all.” He stopped after that, looking small and miserable.

Asmodeus was the first to speak when Lucifer showed no signs of continuing, “Shit, Luce. How...how are you still even holding yourself up? Like, this is the first time we’ve ever felt you lose it and its been ten thousand years of this?!”

The King looked down then, smiling sadly at the ring on his finger, “Lilith. She found a way to keep me going. Whenever the Silence got too loud, she would sing for me. It...it’s not the same as the Songs, but there’s something there when I hear someone creating music that they enjoy or love.”

“And Mom stopped singing years ago…” Charlie’s voice was barely above a whisper, full of distress and sympathy.

Lucifer flinched then, pressure filling the room and making Alastor’s ears fold back. Charlie gave no indication of feeling the energy pouring out because of her father’s heavy sense of guilt, “Yeah...yeah, she did. She couldn’t...she…” The sinner was sure this wouldn’t be the sort of fit that a rubber duck could pull him out of.

And Charlie, being the kind and intelligent girl she was, closed her eyes and breathed deep, visibly pulling herself together for his sake, “Dad, I know something happened to you and Mom. But forcing yourself to tell me before you’re ready? It’s only going to hurt you more and I don’t want this to make you pull away from me. I just got you back. Again.” She stepped toward him, kneeling in front of Lucifer and wrapping him in a hug as he began to sob. Her touch calmed the surges building around her father.

Alastor and the three Sins shared a look, silently agreeing to let them have a moment of privacy. But this conversation wasn’t over. There was something big Lucifer had avoided talking about, he was sure of it. And from the looks on their faces, they were suspecting it too.

***

As soon as the door to the music room closed, the Radio Demon found himself under the scrutiny of the others. Unsurprising. He was the outsider in this to them. Refusing to be cowed, he stood straight under the weight of their stares, hands holding the staff of his microphone behind his back as he waited to see where this would lead.

Mammon narrowed his eyes in suspicion, “Lu’s fascination with you is easy to understand. What I don’t get is what fuckin’ stake you got in this. What’s your angle?”

Alastor bared his teeth in a false grin, “I propose an answer for an answer, good sir! Why do you care? It’s well known that the Sin of Greed is at odds with both Lust and Pride.”

“There’s Hell shit and then there’s Heaven shit, sugar.” Beelzebub motioned toward the closed doors, “This is Heaven refusing to leave our Luci alone. We made an oath to each other before we followed him and Lilith down here that no matter who or what Hell turned us into, we would set it all aside to do whatever we could when he needed us.”

“Which would be easier if the fuckin’ martyr wouldn’t avoid all of us until he nearly breaks the goddamn Rings! I ain’t leavin’ til he tells us what set that off today!”

The sinner gave a more true smile then, understanding that the King truly did have allies in the other Sins, “I agree. As for my stake? There are things I cannot tell you but I will say this. I have no desire to bring any sort of harm to young Charlotte or Lucifer. What I do hope to accomplish is to remove the target from my King’s back and properly repay those who have harmed him.”

Asmodeus raised a brow at him, smirking, “Your King, hm?”

Alastor blinked, realizing that was what he had said. So much for not getting too close.

Dammit.

***

Charlie came out a little while later, wiping away the tears on her face and giving them a small but hopeful smile, "He promised me he would talk to you guys. I'm...gonna go back to the hotel. I think I wanna ask Vaggie about all this Song stuff."

Bee put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, "From what I saw? Your cute little angel is still pretty young. Her own Song hasn't fully settled yet so I doubt she has full clarity." When the Princess just looked at her with utter confusion, she snickered, "Sorry, sugar. What that means is that she probably still has a hard time hearing all of the melodies and such. It takes a few centuries for younger angels to get used to the noise and sort it out. Teaching them to muffle it is one of the first things the older classes are supposed to do. So don't go thinking she's being vague on purpose when you talk to her."

Charlie nodded and motioned for Alastor to wait while the three Sins went inside. Asmodeus snorted and looked down at Bee, "Hey Beez, remember the first time Bell heard a supernova ring out after she got clarity?"

"Fuck yeah! She's still trying to figure out a drug that gives that same kinda high! Bitch better share when she finds it!"

As the door shut, Charlie gave Alastor a soft smile, "I just wanted to say thank you, Al. I...can't say I understand what is going on with you and Dad, but I think it's been good for him."

The Radio Demon grinned widely, teasing, "Why of course, my dear! Its the least I could do as your business partner and other paternal figure! Goodness knows your father needs all the help he can get!"

She shook her head and smiled in amusement, "Yeah, he really does."

Notes:

More of Lucifer's past! You guys have no idea how many times I rewrote this chapter. This has to be like the sixth version at least!

Also! I realized on a reread that there was a section that was not quite clear a while back, when Alastor was thinking on the terms of his contract after finding out about the Harmony. It's been adjusted to the underlined section now:

The second, well, there were really only three options there. He would have to purposefully step aside and not give his all in defense of the Hotel, let the Princess be under serious threat of death, or attempt to tell someone the identity of the one that held his contract.

Edit: For any early readers, I caught the duplicate line and fixed it. Sorry about that

Chapter 25: Revelations and Resolutions: pt 2

Summary:

Lucifer begins to talk of Michael and their past

Notes:

TW: Mentions of past physical and emotional abuse

I don't get graphic with it but take care

Once Charlie walked away, the Radio Demon made a quick trip through the shadows to another section of the palace before rejoining the rest of the group. Without her presence, the likelihood of needing to play the part of heading off her father’s panic attacks was significantly higher.

When Alastor reentered the music room, he stopped for a moment, amused by the sight that greeted him. Lucifer looked ridiculously tiny sitting by Asmodeus, practically glowing gold with a blush as Beelzebub poked at him with a teasing tone, “-one of those super sour candies! The kind that makes your face hurt at first but if you get through it, it’s actually really sweet inside, right?”

“Beeeee, stop it!” The King buried his face in his hands.

At least the Sin of Gluttony knew a thing or two about keeping Lucifer from being a complete mess. The air in the room was considerably lighter than before, “I was unaware he could turn that shade! You’ll have to let me in on your technique, my lady!”

The King yelped as Beelzebub cackled, Asmodeus and Mammon snickering behind their hands. Lucifer shook his head and waved his hands emphatically, “No! No, absolutely not! You two are not allowed to team up!”

Alastor and Bee looked at each other with matching grins and raised brows, “Sire, you do realize you just made it inevitable, correct?” The responding groan of dismay was terrific.

Despite his visible exhaustion, Lucifer looked steady and present. It was impressive, the level of resilience displayed despite everything Alastor already knew he had been through. Now that he had regained his footing with his daughter, it seemed that he was ready to face the rest of their questions head on. He took a deep breath, “I received an official scroll from Heaven this morning.” The teasing atmosphere fell away and they all looked at him expectantly. He sighed and wrapped his arms around himself, “There was a message attached...from Michael.”

The Sins turned enraged immediately, all snarls and clenched fists, waves of energy sparking around the room. That was quite the explosive reaction to one name, in the Radio Demon’s opinion.

“Of fuckin’ course that asshole was involved!” Mammon spat, “Fuckin' called it! The little prick couldn’t just fuck off into a black hole for the rest of time or somethin’?!”

Alastor tilted his head, waiting for someone to explain.

Lucifer held up a hand to head off anyone else talking, waiting for them to quiet down, “This...this is going to be difficult to talk about already, guys. Let me get it all out first, okay? I’m having a hard enough time staying contained as it is.”

Well, there were a couple things Alastor knew he could do to help with that. He slid over to the grand piano and held his hands over the keys as he looked at the King questioningly. He would wait to see if the second tactic would be required; the element of surprise was always the most valuable in any assault.

***

Lucifer wasn’t sure what he felt when he saw Alastor move to the piano without hesitation. That the sinner would just immediately make such a considerate offer, especially after everything he’d already experienced today, was so at odds with what the King had once thought of the damned soul. Maybe the earlier implication from the others was right...

Fuck it. With how exhausted Lucifer himself was, he decided to not think on it right now. He gave a nod and a small smile of appreciation before he started to talk over the light melody that floated through the air.

“Michael and I were...close, before Eden. We were partnered up often times because we balanced each other out. Light and dark, chaos and order. He kept me focused, kept me from overexerting my energies on any one Creation while I pushed him to take new paths, to be more creative. It worked, for a really long time. Then we all started working together to create humanity.”

“Michael wasn’t terribly invested in the project at first and didn’t get my fascination with them, my desire to interact with them like I did. Then he started getting...angry, over how much time I was devoting to them. I didn’t realize it at first, but he was jealous of the humans. I thought of him as my brother but...I think he felt differently, now that I look back on it,” Lucifer closed his eyes, remembering the way that Michael had tried to order him to leave, the destruction their fight had caused in another plane.

“I refused to leave like he wanted and then things started changing in Eden. I started to...feel things for Lilith.” And Adam but that wasn’t relevant to this, “Michael suddenly got involved when Eve was made. I...I thought maybe he was turning around, that he would see what I did.” Asmodeus scoffed, earning a glare from Lucifer, “Maybe I was purposely blinding myself to his intentions but I couldn’t stay ignorant when I saw what he had done to Eve, supposedly to ensure the success of the project.”

“After...well, when I was Judged for my actions, Michael was the most fervent about my punishments. The fact that the two of us had been so close had the others believing he knew best what would make me learn that what I had done was wrong. There were two that refused to agree to the Judgment but that still left eight, which was more than enough. Then I was cast out with Lilith, to remain here or in the Void until I was willing to accept being rewritten.” Mammon growled low at that, muttering curses under his breath. Lucifer let it slide, “It was hard at first, dealing with everything that had been imposed on me. But...we figured out a way forward, Lilith and I. I thought maybe I could really live here, not just survive it.”

“When Adam’s idea of the Exterminations was approved in Heaven...Michael delivered the news to me personally.” He could practically feel the questions, the demands to know why he hadn’t told anyone about it but he forged on, “He tried to pretend that he was regretful of the necessity of the decision, to try to cajole me into submitting because then there would be no need. He implied it would be a mercy when all of humanity was erased, rather than suffering in Hell only to be destroyed by an angelic blade. I refused and he...he lashed out.” The lungs were starting to fight him on keeping the breathing calm. He really didn’t want to talk about what happened then or what came later. But he had promised Charlie, told her that he would at least tell these four everything, so he had to. “I learned how much this body is able to recover from, that it could regenerate a lot of things. It’s only because the meeting happened here in the palace behind the wards that no one else got hurt.”

“Thankfully, Lilith was out that day. It...he stopped when I agreed to let the Exterminations happen without my interference, so long as no Hell-born or member of the royal family was targeted. I had to, in order to get him to leave before she came home, in case he would take it out on her too.”

The fury pouring off the others was immense. Part of him was grateful for the clear display of how they still cared, how they were still a part of his family despite everything, but it was not helping the body to remain steady or calm. Especially knowing that the worst was yet to come…

***

Alastor wanted nothing more than to walk away from the piano and shake Lucifer out of the feelings of guilt he could sense pouring out from that small form. How could he not see he was a victim in this?! He grit his teeth and kept his fingers light and steady, a thousand scenarios running through his mind of what he would do if given the chance. It mattered not that Michael was a Seraphim and well out of his reach in terms of power; the Radio Demon would gladly add his screams to his broadcasts.

Then he felt it, the growing instinctive fear in his own body as Lucifer began to slip loose. Looking over, he could see the light draining away in the King’s eyes. Even the Sins seemed to be affected by the level of energy coming through, looking at Lucifer with wariness and concern. Alastor’s Shadow rose up to block Bee when she started to reach out, shaking its head. She growled at it but it just held up a hand to request a moment before moving to hold its hands over the blond, several rubber ducks raining down on him. The energy immediately cut off and Lucifer covered his head with a yelp of surprise, “The fuck?!”

“Are those...why do some of those ducks look like us?” Asmodeus reached down to pick a couple up.

Breathing out in relief as the unwelcome fear dissipated, Alastor gave an innocent grin when the fallen angel looked his way, “How the fuck do you keep getting these?! Those were locked away in my workshop!”

“Aw, did you make these, honey? They’re adorable! Can I keep mine?” Bee was looking at the one that resembled her with glee, making it squeak a few times.

Lucifer blinked in surprise, “You…want to keep it?”

“Well, duh! It’s cute and you made it! Why wouldn’t I want it, Luci?” She squeaked it in his face.

“Same here, man. I think Fizzie will get a kick out of this!”

Mammon was already pocketing his, refusing to look at Lucifer.

And Alastor continued to play. There would be more to be said, he was sure of it, but for the moment, he considered that a job well done.

Notes:

So...yeah, Michael is a jealous and possessive bastard here. He wants "his" Samael to come back to his side, refusing to acknowledge the other name. Hence why he hates Lilith and Charlie and humanity in general. And the Sins know of his feelings for Lucifer, it was pretty clear to everyone but Luci. They knew that it was unlikely he would be able to just leave well enough alone.

I hope the duck interruption didn't feel forced but I just felt like there would be a point where Luci couldn't handle the memories

In this story, the Exterminations started before Charlie was conceived and Sera reports to Michael. The two who were against the Judgment will become relevant later!

Lucifer can love more than one person at a time and did have a crush on Adam at one point but Adam wasn't interested in him like that. Unlike Michael, Lucifer was able to accept that and then Adam started becoming an ass towards Lilith and the rest is history

On a lighter note, Bee's teasing at the beginning was about Alastor yes

Chapter 26: Revelations and Resolutions: Final

Summary:

Lucifer finishes telling them everything.

Notes:

TW: Continued discussions of abuse and assault.

Nothing graphic but you might cry like I did.

Lucifer couldn’t believe how much they had liked the silly ducks he had made! A feeling of warmth eased the ache in his chest from the memories. He had really missed this, being around the ones who understood what it was like in the beginning. Maybe one day, he would set up a dinner party or something, when everyone had a clear day in their schedule.

Only...things would probably go back to the way they had been after this, wouldn’t it? They’d only come to help him because of their love for Charlie, likely. His daughter had wormed her way into all their hearts from the moment they saw her.

The emotional roller coaster of the day was really taking it’s toll on the body. It didn’t help that Lucifer hadn’t let it sleep the last few nights. He pushed a gentle trickle of his core energies through it to keep it going for now. Just a little longer and he'd have fulfilled his promise to Charlie. Then he would be able to send everyone away…

Even if he really didn’t want to be alone, it was for the best, in case he couldn’t control the dreams after all this.

Getting to his feet, he moved closer to the piano and sat back down with his back to it, letting the sounds run through his body, grounding him. There was something more to Alastor’s playing today, it was nice.

“There’s more, isn’t there, Luci?”

He gave Oz a humorless smile, “Yeah. It...it didn’t end there.” They all turned their attention to him again, thankfully calmer than they had been before. Alastor’s diversion had worked in more than one way and it boggled his mind to think the Radio Demon had purposely had those particular ducks for just that reason. Lucifer pushed that thought aside for now and closed his eyes, fiddling with the duck he had picked up, “The last time I saw him was about four months before Charlie was born.” The music faltered for a second before continuing on, “He...he got word about us expecting a child and...he wasn’t happy, to put it mildly.”

“I didn’t even know he was here at first. I don’t know how long Lilith was stuck in the nursery with him staring her down. He was just barely using a physical form, keeping her scared. She was fighting it so much,” Lucifer felt tears falling down his cheeks but kept his voice steady, “When I got there, I got between them, tried to shield them both. He kept using my angelic name while talking to me, pushing her farther each time. He called Charlie a thing! Then, he choked the tethers between me and my core.” He heard a growl from Mammon, he had probably caught on to what happened next. “I fought it, from both sides. I couldn’t get information back to myself to warn of what was happening. All my core knew was that there was a threat to Lily and Charlie. He knows me too well, knew how I would react, that I would walk right into his trap.”

“Michael tried to get me to concede again then.” He gave a harsh laugh, “Told me that I would be thankful for being rewritten, grateful that I had been saved from so much pain. I...I refused and he released me, released the dam holding back so much energy and fury. I couldn’t stop it!” He could feel his pain and rage shifting his body, releasing his horns and tail. The duck in his hand was shredded in his grip.

“Okay, fuck this! Come here, honey,” Bee scooped him up and held him close, “Let it out, Sammie. We’ve got you.”

Harsh sobs tore from him a second time, full of grief and self-loathing. The body didn’t fight him this time, didn’t try to shove him out as he cried, “I broke her! I-I thought-I thought Charlie would be-”

“Hush, Luce,” Ozzie’s hand was on him, blanketing his back, “You didn’t break Lilith. He did. You know that, right?”

“I should have been able to stop it, divert it, do something! She screamed and I can’t stop hearing it!” He could see her face as he tried desperately to clear the memory, to block it. Could hear her begging him to kill her, to make it all stop.

Eventually, the tears ran out, his body falling limp in Bee’s arms when he couldn’t cry anymore. He heard Mammon in the background, pacing and swearing under his breath. The piano had fallen silent at some point…had Alastor left? Lucifer wouldn’t blame him if he had. His voice was emotionless, practically monotone as he told them the rest, “I...I was able to block off the memory, but the damage was already done. As the years passed, she had to stay away more and more. The sight of me would bring it back to the surface. We could only be together for long enough for me to refresh the block by the time she left. I couldn’t even talk to her without her falling apart. I found a letter in her room, eight years ago, telling me she had gone to get help in Heaven. That she couldn’t stay and be what finally let Michael win. She promised she would live and be happy and that I needed to do the same. But how can I? I failed her and Charlie.”

“That has to be against something up there! There’s no way enough of them would approve of him doing this to you or Lily, Luce!”

Lucifer looked up at Oz with dull eyes, “How could I prove it? It was my energy that tore her mind open. There was no record of his visit. It’s my word against his, since hers could no longer be trusted. He planned it too well to be caught. And now…” He summoned the scroll, holding it up for Ozzie to take, “He wants to talk again. This time, Charlie doesn’t have Lilith to protect her.”

“She doesn’t need to, your Majesty!”

Lucifer blinked, turning his head as far as he could to see Alastor standing in front of Bee, microphone held in front of him, looking so very confident in his words.

“Your daughter is strong and has many allies,” The Radio Demon looked pointedly at the Sins, “and friends, as well as a rather resourceful hotelier, if I do say so myself! Plus, I doubt you would simply stand by against such a threat. Now, with your permission, I would like to try something.”

Lucifer blinked again, barely able to process the words enough to nod. A tendril of shadow wrapped around his wrist and immediately a sound began to broadcast into the air, one that had his eyes going wide with wonder. A rush of solar energy and humming voices, the notes filled with the grief and exhaustion he was feeling.

He looked at Alastor in disbelief, who gave him a smug smile, “You left that frequency open when you left so suddenly. I couldn’t get anything from it on my own so I thought contact with the source would help. Seems I was right!” The sinner's grin was so wide and pleased with himself that Lucifer couldn't help smiling back.

Notes:

So. Many. Tears! Omg I sobbed writing this.

Chapter 27: A Moment to Recharge

Summary:

Lucifer awakens to find himself feeling something he hasn't in a very long time.

Alastor ponders the events of the day before and what he experienced.

Lucifer woke slowly the next day, surprised to find that he had actually gained some rest. He couldn’t remember falling asleep and the fact that he had slept, truly, without a part of himself maintaining awareness to keep the body from dreaming? That was something that hadn’t happened in a very long time…

He cracked open his eyes, his senses slowly coming online to realize he could still hear a strange version of his Harmony. It wasn’t the true thing, which would have felt like it was flowing out of somewhere inside of him, instead closer to the crackling broadcast that Alastor had projected the night before. He lifted his head to see a gramophone on the table next to his bed, playing a record that apparently held a copy of his Song as it had been and enchanted to play on loop throughout the night.

‘Alastor must have created it before he left…’

A chime from the phone had him reaching for it, finding a rather extensive number of messages waiting for him to read. Scrolling through the texts from all the Sins and his daughter, all wanting him to let them know he was okay, he felt something he hadn’t since before Charlie was born. Something that he was scared to name, knowing that there were those in Heaven that still wanted to drive him to madness.

He actually wanted to live, to have hope for the future...

It was absolutely terrifying...

***

Alastor hummed to himself as he wandered the streets of Pentagram City, considering the events of the day before. It had been fascinating, thrilling even at times. Pity that his body was so apparently limited, intolerant of things like that far too brief possession. It would be quite interesting to explore further if he could find a way to make it safe enough for the King to be willing.

When he had regained consciousness after blacking out momentarily to find Lucifer’s frequency still open even though that energy had left him, he chose to reject attempts from the fallen angel to check him over, knowing there was a likelihood that it would be decided to close it off out of misguided concern. Risky, perhaps, but he'd felt there was little sign that damage had been done and he really preferred to keep any new avenues he gained in this little dance he and the King had been taking part in. One never knew what would come in handy.

And it had, rather soon after the event even! To hear what atrocities the supposedly ‘good’ side was willing to pull just to restore their comfortable way of existence before humanity came into being was infuriating. Such hypocrisy! From what Charlie had told of her visit to Heaven, it was likely the majority were left in blissful ignorance with only a few pulling the strings to hide the truth. Well, if there was one thing Alastor excelled at, it was toppling the overly confident powers in charge.

He was well aware of his limits, however. This was far larger than he was currently capable of handling.

“You got a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing thing going on in there, honey.”

The Sin of Gluttony had said that, before they entered the palace. An interesting turn of phrase, implying that there was a potential for the Seraphim’s Harmony within him to be utilized like the fangs of a hidden predator. If only he could harness it, make it work for him in more ways than simply sensing the King’s emotional state…

When he had made contact with Lucifer while holding open that frequency, he had felt something respond inside of him. Not a physical shift, something more similar to when he was first learning to invoke his abilities. Perhaps the longer it remained within him, the more accessible it would become?

Alastor felt a prickle, a familiar sense of a different sort of wavelength in his range. Raising a brow, he turned his head to see the blue face of one of the demons he used to consider an ally replicated over multiple screens.

“Alastor! First you get all cozy with the Princess of Hell, now you’re getting invited to emergency meetings with the King and the Sins?! What are you up to, you old-timey son of a bitch?”

The Radio Demon tilted his head in thought, considering Vox. There was a time when he actually found the other man interesting. A worthy challenge. But now? Knowing how much bigger the universe was? He found his old pal pathetic and dull. Absolutely unworthy of his attention any longer. Alastor snapped his fingers, sending out a wave of energy to short circuit the televisions and cameras in his range. Turning on his heel, he continued on his way, humming to himself once more.

Perhaps he should stop by Rosie’s before he went back to the hotel. She had a good supply of venison come in recently. It would seem possession by a being older than time left one rather famished!

Notes:

A bit of calm after the previous day.

Vox isn't going to take being ignored well...

My thought is that while Lucifer was not actively suicidal, he really wasnt that concerned if something happened to him or the body. Charlie was really the only thing that mattered. Now that he's actually let out some of the shit he's been dealing with, it's starting to change. Still fragile and easy to go back to how it was though

Chapter 28: Reverse the Flow

Summary:

Lucifer thought he had been alone while he slept. Apparently he was wrong.

Alastor returned to the hotel that afternoon still in good spirits. Lunch with Rosie had been lovely, even though he'd had a devil of a time keeping quiet on all the things that had happened yesterday. Thankfully, she had plenty to discuss with the mayhem and rioting that had happened throughout the city after the quakes. Her own territory had remained civilized about the whole thing but she'd had to personally handle several troublemakers who mistook the quiet as an invitation to try to muscle in. That explained the large quantities of fresh supplies at her butcher's shop.

When she inquired about his own whereabouts, he had simply told her that he'd had the honor of escorting the Princess to the palace and even met three of the Sins. A truth at least, even if not the full story. As they talked, he'd had an idle curiosity over what his close friend's Song would sound like. Pity that when she patted his hand, that new frequency had remained quiet. Perhaps it was only tuned specifically to Lucifer?

Alastor had bid her farewell when her next appointment arrived, despite her insistence that she could reschedule it. He really did have to get back to the hotel, since Vox’s brief interruption of his morning stroll let him know they had someone giving out information they shouldn’t be.

***

Lucifer was completely unsurprised by the phone ringing once he texted Oz to let him know he was awake, "Just because you look a bit like a giant rooster doesn't mean you have to act like a mother hen."

The Sin of Lust laughed, "Well, you definitely sound better today!"

"Yeah, it's amazing what a night of uninterrupted sleep will do for a person," he responded dryly. Though one night wouldn't fix everything, it was a start.

"Huh. You really must be comfortable around him."

Lucifer blinked in confusion, "What? Who?"

"Alastor? Your sinner friend? He said he would stay with you last night. That's the only reason Bee went back to her Ring," Ozzie sounded confused and a bit miffed at the idea that the Radio Demon hadn't kept his word.

"Hold on just a sec, Oz. I'm gonna check something."

Asmodeus sighed, "Aw, man! You're gonna do the time-"

He was cut off as Lucifer froze the temporal flow in his room before reversing it. Once he saw a familiar red form, he paused it. From the sense of it, this was only about ten minutes before he woke up. The echo of past Alastor was seated on the bed and in the middle of being swallowed up by the shadows to leave. Huh.

Now he was really curious...

He kept going back to when the door to his room first opened, manipulating the area so he could more clearly see and hear what had happened.

Oz opened the door to the room, "-sure? I really can-"

"It's quite alright, sir! I have no other plans this evening and I am certain all of you would like to check up on things in your Rings," there was a firm note in Alastor's voice as he walked past the giant Sin.

Lucifer felt a bit of embarrassment at seeing himself all bundled up in the sinner's tentacles, already clearly asleep. Well, that explained why he had no memory of going to bed.

Oz shrugged, “Alright, you have a good night, music man! Take good care of your King.”

Lucifer felt like he had missed something.

The Radio Demon shot a glare at the closing door before rolling his eyes with a huff . Glancing at his burden, he moved toward the bed, “I’m certain your friends won’t let me live that slip of the tongue down, hm?”

Alastor pulled the blankets back and settled Lucifer on the bed, leaving a small tendril of shadow to allow the Harmony to continue playing while he tucked the fallen angel in. “I suppose if you are going to be my King, we’ll have some work to do, won't we?”

...what? That...what?! What was that tone?!

“They may have dimmed your light, but I’m sure soon enough we can remind them chaos can’t really be tamed. We’ll just have to resharpen your fangs and claws first!” Alastor seemed delighted by the idea, setting himself on the edge of the bed, “Your daughter has started to find hers. I think she will truly be a force to be reckoned with one day. I just hope I will be there to see it.”

There was something off about that. Why did he sound so unsure of the possibility? Alastor usually wore confidence like a second skin.

From there, the sinner settled in against the headboard with a book and stayed there the entire night, summoning the gramophone and record before he left. Lucifer snapped his fingers and time righted itself, the phone call resuming.

"-rewind thing, aren't you? No wonder the three of us felt nauseous before we left."

"Oh, uh, sorry about that.” The King frowned, “He...stayed nearly the entire time. Apparently he only left just before I woke up."

"Heh. Guy doesn't like anyone knowing he's got a soft side, huh?"

"..."

"Luce? You ok?"

"Yeah. Just...something he said while I was asleep."

Oz snorted, "Well, don't go telling me. Have a feeling he'd already hate knowing you heard it. He seems like the sort where you don't wanna get on his bad side even if he is just a sinner. Did you know he looked like he was gonna take a chunk out of Mammon within ten seconds of meeting him? Didn't give a flying fuck that he was staring down a Sin."

"That really doesn't surprise me one bit."

***

Charlie waved happily at seeing him in the entryway, "Al! Glad to see you’re back!"

“Good afternoon, my dear! Just one moment, please," Alastor sent out a wave of energy to turn on the radios in nearly every room of the hotel before speaking into his microphone, “Greetings and salutations, listeners! To all of the delusional patrons of the Hazbin Hotel, this is a Public Service Announcement from yours truly! It has come to my attention that at least one of you has been selling information to those despicable failures who call themselves the Vees! To whoever that may be, you have one hour to turn yourself in to Vagatha.” He ignored the annoyed and predictable “That's not my name!” as he continued, “Should you fail to do so, I will be forced to handle this matter p͟ér̸̦̝̆͘s̤onͪ̋al̳̟̀̕͞l̰̔y̡̻ͧ and I promise, you will re͟g̦̾r͎̃͆e͑͞t ǐ̪̻͓t̷̖̩ͣ͢! To the rest of you miserable lot, have a hellish rest of the day!” He cut off the broadcast and gave Charlie a sharp grin.

She took a deep breath and sighed, “At least you gave them an option this time, I guess? What happened? ”

“Vox heard that there was an emergency meeting I was invited to with you. The only way he could have known that is if one or more of our guests gave out information they overheard,” Alastor gave her a pat on the head, "So long as they choose to turn themselves in, I see no further need to get involved.” He rather hoped they didn’t though. He was feeling restless and a bit of blood sport would really hit the spot right about now.

***

For a moment, Alastor thought he was going to end up supremely disappointed. Two individuals came forward, tearfully explaining how they were being blackmailed in one way or another and they were oh so very contrite. Charlie, of course, was determined to help them. Well, that was her decision and he would just have to deal with the inevitable resulting mess.

Then he caught frantic movement out of one of the windows. Melting into the shadows, the Radio Demon slid into the back courtyard of the hotel, finding a beetle-looking fellow pleading into his phone for help. Apparently his pleas fell upon deaf ears because he pulled his phone away to look at it in shock. Blanching when he saw that there were only 2 minutes left until the hour was up, the unfortunate sinner started to make a run for it.

Alastor smirked and casually followed, waiting for the clock to finish counting down. He was a man of his word, after all. As he trailed his prey, he called to their housekeeper through his staff, "Niffty, darling! It's been far too long since we've had some quality time together! Meet me in my tower in five minutes and you can pick out a new trophy for your collection. Be sure to bring your supplies!" He could almost hear the excited squeal the little cyclops made in response to that.

Notes:

I think spending the previous 24 hours around such high energy situations followed by a quiet night watching over Lucifer left Alastor with some energy to burn.

Alrighty guys! I want opinions! I have been thinking, yes, Alastor has eldritch-esque abilities already but would you want to see his demonic form to get shifted by Lucifer's Harmony? Like seriously up the creep factor? If so, what do you think he should look like?

Chapter 29: Change of Plans

Summary:

Alastor inevitability has a nightmare after recent events

Of course, Alastor's personal feelings on the events did not mean avoiding the thrice-damned nightmares. Waking up clawing at one's own throat was unpleasant and not the way he wanted to start the day. He had to spend several long moments in his bayou, running his fingers along the damp ground to dispel the feeling of gold and red blood coating his hands. Reminding himself that though the dream held some memories, the rest was simply his imagination.

Once he felt more centered, he focused his thoughts on everything he had been learning and how it fit in the bigger picture.

1) Lucifer Morningstar was far more powerful than Alastor's contract holder believed him to be. His Fall had not stripped him of one iota of power like she thought. He was also the target of an unimaginably long attempt at breaking his will.

2) Charlotte Morningstar was the singular thread holding her father's mental state together. Her opinion of him as well as her overall well-being were crucial, though she didn't seem completely aware of that fact.

3) There was a Seraphim with a personal stake in making sure the King of Hell broke down and submitted to his wishes. While Alastor didn't know for sure what being rewritten entailed, he had to assume from all the context clues that it was a way of permanently removing memories to reset an individual to a previous state.

4) The one that forced Alastor to call her Master was likely far more of a puppet than she believed the Radio Demon to be. It was becoming vital that he find a way out of his contract before he became the sacrificial lamb to Michael's obsession with Lucifer.

...however...

If he did get free, that would just delay their plans. They would simply bide their time before making their big move and he wouldn't have any idea of the cards they held then...

As it stood now, he was likely the only person with insight on so many factors of this. Even Michael was probably assuming that Charlie was the only one that actually cared about Lucifer at this point and that Lucifer’s guilt would keep him from reaching out to her. It would have been true even, if not for the fact that one sinner started asking questions...

Determination cleared the remaining traces of his dreams and he got to his feet. Right. It was time to change tactics.

As he passed by the windows of his tower, he looked up at the gateway to Heaven and gave a small but true smile.

'Looks like you were right about me after all, my Queen. I will make sure they know, after all of this is over.'

Notes:

A scene has been added to the end of the prev chapter. Not vital but my mind wouldn't drop it and it didn't fit the tone of this one.

Chapter 30: Awakened in Fear

Summary:

Lucifer's possession of Alastor may have been brief but it still had repercussions.

The Harmony within the Radio Demon is no longer passive.

The streets are so empty...

Where is everyone...

Why is it so l͑o̭͉͚̹̘u͉̘̽ͮ͜d̥̟ͥ̿͆͘...

Alastor knew he wasn't in his right mind, even more so than usual. He was desperately in need of something but he didn't know what.

The nightmares had stopped but he still couldn't rest.

There was a ringing in his ears and an electric current in his veins. His ever present hunger was stronger than it had ever been, even surpassing when he had gone seven years without food. 

It was when he saw tears in Niffty's eye that he realized he needed to get out before he did irreparable damage.

That had led him here, to the streets of Pentagram city. He needed a fight, needed to get this energy out of his damn body...

But there wasn't anyone in sight. It was like they knew he was coming and ran before he could find them...

How could they know...

Wait.

A familiar shade of blue flickered in a store window before the screen exploded in a shower of sparks.

The Radio Demon looked up at the buildings downtown and grinned painfully wide as he realized there was one place he could be guaranteed to find someone who would put up a decent fight. Someone who never turned down a battle with him and wouldn't run, staying trapped in his precious tower. Maybe Vox's screams would drown out the damned noises in his head.

Behind him, his Shadow began to grow and change before his body followed suit.

***

Lucifer wasn't sure what he had been expecting when Charlie texted him to come to the hotel but it certainly wasn't this. Guests and staff alike looked somewhere between hungover and freaked out. Charlie was wringing her hands in worry as she went about checking on everyone in the lobby. When she noticed him, she came running over, "Dad! Thank goodness! Maybe you can help?"

"Yeah, sure!" He rushed to reassure her, "What's going on, Char?"

"For some reason, everyone but Vaggie and me have been having problems sleeping the last couple nights and during the day, well," She motioned at the general misery of everyone around them, "It's almost like what happened last time but that was just one morning!"

"Last time? This has happened before?"

"Yeah," Angel Dust groaned from where he was laying on one of the couches. "That night ya came over and they were on a date? It hit sometime afta Smiles took ya ta bed."

Now Lucifer knew it was serious because Angel didn't even try to make that sound sexual or anything! Wait, that was the night he got drunk on accident, and then he had... oh. Everyone had felt that?! Oh fuck, he could have seriously hurt someone if Alastor hadn't-

He took a shaky breath and swallowed, forcing himself to calm down. Panicking would only make this worse for everybody, "Okay, let's see if I can help and then we will figure it out."

It took a while to get through all of them but it seemed mostly all they needed was a simple touch of calming energy. The last few even said they had started feeling better on their own. Strange...

He actually had thought maybe it was Charlie's angelic energies waking up but, if it was, the symptoms wouldn't be fading while she was still nearby. And Vaggie already knew how to contain hers, though she wasn't old enough or powerful enough to have reached this sort of widespread effect yet. It was as he approached the sinner behind the bar that he realized there was one other possibility. One that wasn't here, "Where's Alastor?"

Husk pointed in the general direction of the city without raising his head from the countertop, "Boss went for a walk a bit ago. He's been in a fucking mood so I'm glad not to be dealing with his shit on top of this bullshit."

Lucifer took a deep breath and focused on making sure the bartender was okay first, "What do you mean by mood?"

Husk sighed in relief, the tension running out of his wings as the magics worked, "I dunno. I figured it was the same as the rest of us. I know he ain't been sleeping and he keeps acting like everything is too loud. He actually snapped at Niffty this morning and he never does that. She's like his one exception for all his bullshit."

Lucifer felt his stomach drop and he turned to Charlie, "Wait here, I need to check something." He didn't wait for a reply, snapping himself up into his own tower. The wards here weren't as strong as at the palace but they would work as long as he was careful. Facing Alastor's radio tower, he closed his physical eyes and pulled himself away from the body, exposing himself to the layers of energies around the hotel.

There was thin, fog-like layer of energy throughout the building but it was strongest in the Radio Demon's rooms. It was so familiar and yet...

Rushing back into the body, he vanished the window in front of him and took flight. 'Fuck fuck fuck!' His possession of the Radio Demon must have triggered a reaction. Whatever his Harmony was doing in Alastor, it had decided to become active. He needed to get to him and get it contained before it was too late!

***

Vox watched his monitors in bewildered confusion. Everyone in the city was running for their damned lives from something he couldn’t see! Whatever it was kept shorting out the electronics in the area before he caught sight of it. The glitching before they broke reminded him of Alastor but this had a much larger range than that outdated fossil...

Right?

Just before the cameras at the base of V-Tower went dark, he heard a familiar distorted voice through the audio that made his screen glitch and had him snatching up the blessed revolver he kept nearby. He had thought he was going to use it to get the bastard to stop ignoring him but...

 

“V̼͂ͩͦ͛ͣ̉oo̷̟͚͙̭̼̾͠o̦̬ͮ͋ͨ͘͠ö̹x̖, come out and fǐ̼̙̑̚͡ͅg̵̶̛̩̯ͥͬ͘͟h̛̺̰͂̑̅ͪͬtͣ m̢̠̪̟͑̍̽̔ͨ͂͝e̖̥̰̐̐̽̕!”

Notes:

Alastor didn't wait for Vox to throw a tantrum. He went to him instead!

I actually wasn't going to do this yet. But nothing else was inspiring me to write so here we go! Weeeeee!

Edit: Eldritch Al
my personal opinion of what Al looks like atm. His body isnt mixing well with Lucifer's Harmony so he's kinda coming apart at the seams!

Chapter 31: Straining to Live

Summary:

Vox races to save Velvette and sees what his rival has become.

V-Tower had always been a hub of constant activity at the heart of the Entertainment District with media data streaming through all hours of day and night. In his element, Vox would dive through the information he gathered like a shark through bloodied waters, finding anything and everything he needed to take over the other weak-willed sinners. It was his pride and joy, this monolith to his power and control!

But now it was silent, dark, the air heavy in a way that left a bad taste in the back of a person's throat. This veritable playground of his had become as foreboding as a tomb. The only sound was his own internal fans and servers working overtime to keep him conscious against this growing dread in his mechanical heart. Vox snarled at his own ridiculousness as he raced towards the stairs, his signal constantly searching for any live cables he could use to jump through to other sections of the tower.

The noise of a call coming through made him spark and he cursed his own jumpiness before picking it up on his screen, Velvette's shrill voice loud in the silence, "V! The bloody hell did you do this time?!" She yelled at someone nearby, "Where the fuck do you think you're going?! Get back here now!"

"Believe it or not but I actually didn't do anything this time!"

She gave a short, hysteria-laced laugh, "Well that's just fucking great! What's all the cock-up then?! The whole studio crew is running like they're on fire and I feel like-"

The speakers in the tower crackled to life and Vox knew that feedback noise well, "Vel! Go up to get Val and then both of you get to the stairs! I'll meet you there and-" The sound of glass shattering cut him off and Velvette gasped, her phone dropping to the floor. A cackling laugh was followed by her screaming in unholy terror. It was loudly broadcast through every speaker around him.

Vox felt like his insides seized up. Velvette had never sounded like that before! He stopped running and slammed a fist through the wall, grabbing hold of the wiring inside. It was a sizable drain to his personal reserves to manually power the lines he travelled through but he needed to get up there now!

When he landed in the darkened studio with his gun up and ready, Vox's first sight was the writhing black tentacles covering the shattered windows, blocking any light from outside. Radio dial eyes phased in and out of the inky limbs, glowing red circles with golden dials instead of the normal black. He tore his gaze from them as his screen tried to black out only to find himself looking at....the fuck?!?!

The Radio Demon was hunched over and still barely fit in the high ceilings of the studio, black drool and tendrils coming out from that open-mouthed grin, green stitches straining over his lips. There was a coiling bright mass in his chest, held inside despite the grey skin being split open and rib bones exposed. In fact, several parts of the towering demon were broken apart by golden light and held together only by green stitchwork. All around him, his Shadow was draped like a cloak made from tentacles and reaching arms, hanging on his head in the shape of a translucent deer skull. Between those branching antlers were visible distortions around a glowing eye containing a red star.

"T̳he̡̺ͨrͩ͡e̺̹ y̩͚͐ọ͘ǘ̺ ar̤̣̒e̠͇ͤ!̈́̈̽ I͇ͦ͂ k̐͆̚ne͈̿̕wͦ ỳ̰͒ö͈́u͡ w͉͎͠o̫̅̐u̘̭ld c̹ǫm̼ͣe i̔͟f̻ ş̛ͩh͒ͩe̷̟ͯ sc͚r̂e͂͒͆a̲̻m̭ͪe̖d!̜"

Velvette's limp body dangled from a pair of long fingers, her head hidden by the red claw tips. Vox prayed to anything that would listen that she was still alive, raising the angel blessed revolver and aiming for the center of his monstrous rival's forehead.

***

Charlie paced and gestured wildly with one hand as she tried to keep from yelling into the phone, "I don't know what's going on, Aunt Bee! Dad's text just said he needed all six of you at the palace asap! Something's going on and it's-"

She was interrupted by the radios in the hotel crackling to life and a woman's screams filling the air. She could faintly hear her aunt swearing before hanging up but her eyes were on the opaque tendrils writhing out of the speakers of the old radio on the bar. Husk looked like he was going to be sick and, somewhere in the background, Niffty giggled, "Sounds like King Roach is feeling much better now! He'll be hungry when he gets back! I'll go make him a stew!"

***

Lucifer followed the line of darkened buildings toward the center of the busiest hub of the city, magically pushing the wind to carry him faster. Up ahead, he could see the usually blue-lit tower was now darkened from a lack of power, and near the top was a writhing black mass. He only hoped he was able to contain what was supposed to be Alastor and get him to the palace before Heaven noticed the surge. Before they realized that the energy wasn't actually the King of Hell.

***

In a brightly lit office, a still body smiled in cold satisfaction as he felt Samael's energy going wild. Good, he was losing control again. It wouldn't be much longer and he would have his partner back at his side where he belonged and the universe would go back to the way it was supposed to be.

Notes:

Okay, poll time! With Valentino, Velvette, and Vox, there are options on how they end up.

So, who do you want to see:
1) Survive physically intact but mentally fucked.
2) Survive but physically and mentally broken
3) Die screaming and made part of Alastor's broadcasts

They can all three end up any one of these or they can each go to a different option. I'm just having a hard time deciding.

P.S. The image is something I made last night. Its been a decade since I did digital art so please be kind

Chapter 32: Just Killing Time

Summary:

Alastor nearly giggled in perverse glee as he thought of how his former friend would look when he saw one of his precious people in his claws.

Notes:

Warning!

Alastor is in full murder-happy cannibal mode here! This is one of those chapters that show he is in hell for a reason and is not really a good guy to anyone he doesn't consider his or under his protection!

Burning and healing...

Agonizing pain and sweet relief...

Such a thin line between this existence and true death...

Alastor could feel his body being scorched from the inside by the energies flowing through him though the feeling never went beyond the edges, the same energy healing the damage it was causing. A single slip could tip the balance in the wrong way but somehow he knew the Harmony itself would not be what faltered. More likely that his body would be what fell first from exhaustion and hunger as it tried to keep up. Until then...

Destroying the energy sources of the Tower had been laughably easy with a wave of this new power. His old pal had so many generators hidden underground and throughout the levels, a bit paranoid perhaps. Then again, it wasn't paranoia if someone was actually out to get you, was it?

Somehow he could now see the hundreds of little souls fleeing as far from him as they could get while inside the building, little lights all gathering in the farthest corner. Three stronger, brighter ones in the upper floors told him the location of each of the Vees. Vox would be moving through windowless rooms and halls, avoiding places with easy points of access from the outside. His Overlord partners, however, wouldn't have such instincts as they had never hunted with the Radio Demon as Vox once had. Alastor nearly giggled in perverse glee as he thought of how his former friend would look when he saw one of his precious people in his claws.

This was no longer about expending this energy in a fight, no. He knew he was beyond that, the power inside him too strong for any other sinner to even hope to match. Now his desire was to find out what he could do, what he had gained in this state before his body inevitably collapsed.

Alastor tapped into all the audio emitting devices in his considerably wider range before gathering his shadows under him and launching himself towards the floor with broad windows where he saw one of those strong soul-lights. Smashing through the glass with a laugh over how easy such movement was, he found her staring at him with wide eyes, her phone dropping from her hand. Apparently his form was quite terrifying to behold now because she began to scream even before he grabbed her. How very delightfully accomodating of her!

Alastor had little interest in tormenting this one as she had never personally wronged him. In fact, her effectiveness in riling up Carmilla over that angel's head had been rather amusing. As he brought her up to eye level, one of those strange noises around him, no longer overwhelmingly loud in this form, shifted before she suddenly went silent and limp. Well then! That was interesting indeed! Was he hearing other Songs now?!

Vox came rushing to her aid, just as Alastor knew he would. When that brightly lit screen looked up at him in fearful disbelief, he even said as much. Then the man brought up a gun, one that rang with the notes that he somehow knew meant angelic steel, the trigger pulled before he could fully register the glowing metal with his physical eyes. The mass of energy in his chest burned hotter and everything around him suddenly moved in slow motion, giving him ample time to move his head out of the way and allow the bullet to fly past harmlessly.

Did time slow down or had his speed increased?

Vox looked so stunned that the Radio Demon had to cackle, dropping the limp body in his hand, uncaring as she crashed to the floor, "Do y̶͢ǭ̞u s̽ē̡͛ẹ it͉͓ nͮo̵͔̭w,ͭ o̙ld̸̩ p̅al?ͣͮ Do̪ y̹̒ou̳̦͐ stĩ̶͗l̙l͛ w͓į͠sh t̨͕̃o̿ p̴͔la͙ͪͅy̖̿ g̲̉̅a͌ͦ̕m̿es̡ͧ̅ wî̓͢t̵̫h m̢ͬ͡e̘ͭ͠ a͆n̬̖̻d͒̿ m̢̩in͔ͩe͈͇ͤ?"

More gunshots rang out but not from the trembling Vox this time. No, the third member of the Vees had decided to try his hand at taking Alastor down. Despite how he could feel the Harmony draining his body with it's magics, he still felt a rush as everything around him slowed down.

Curious, he reached out with the shadow hands around him and nudged the bullets, changing their direction mid flight. When everything returned to normal speed, they instead struck Valentino in his legs, making him scream at the burn of angelic steel piercing him.

Alastor felt like a child with brand new toys, giggling in amusement as the moth demon collapsed to the ground. His vision was beginning to blur but he was having far too much fun to care! His hunger spiked again and he felt a curious tug as his view of Valentino shifted, no longer seeing the physical form but the soul within.

Drool flowed from his mouth and he reached for the body trying to pull itself away. Perhaps a snack would help. His consciousness faded out just as he gripped those bleeding legs.

***

Vox found the longer he was in Alastor’s vicinity, the more his body refused to function, terror growing even as the Radio Demon made no move to retaliate. There was something, a frequency coming from that eye floating between those antlers that he couldn't quite tap into but could feel washing around the room and adding to the sense of wrongness emanating from the monstrous body towering over them.

When Alastor had flickered from one spot to the next to avoid the gunshot, Vox had thought perhaps he was going crazy. Then Valentino had rushed in, firing off from all four guns and the flicker had happened again, this time the stretched arms of the shadows around the Radio Demon suddenly appearing pointed towards Val and the bullets changed course, hitting the moth in the legs instead.

Vox fought against his screen shorting out even as his legs folded under him, no longer able to keep him upright. Alastor was reaching for Val and here he was, helpless to do anything but watch, his voice frozen. The radio dials in those huge eyes faded out and the black around them shifted, changing into a darkness that was a terrifying void of light. The mass in that gaping chest glowed brighter, the light surrounding the edges of the Radio Demon's body as he grabbed Valentino by the legs and picked him up, pain making the Overlord scream as he was dangled in front of that grinning, drooling, wide open mouth. Gold threads shot out from between the stitches and over the reaching tongues. They went into the struggling body but not piercing his flesh. Val stilled and fell silent, eyes wide and unseeing as the threads began to pull something formless from him.

Vox wanted to be sick, wanted to run, wanted to do something, anything but sit here and watch as Alastor consumed what he somehow knew had to be Valentino’s soul...

His body sparked and overloaded, finally winning the fight to knock him out as something white came barreling through the wall of shadows over the broken windows.

Notes:

So yeah, first time trying to write something like a full creepy horror scene...

Hope everyone enjoyed it! Lucifer POV in the next one! Will he save Val or is it too late? Will he even care to save Val at all?!

Chapter 33: Pull the Strings

Summary:

Lucifer crashes into the scene at the Tower.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at the wall of writhing shadows blocking the way into the Tower where he could feel the burning, erratic energy was. They were creating a barrier that even he was unable to easily see through. A sinner's demonic powers alone shouldn't be capable of that and the Harmony in Alastor wasn't supposed to be large enough to manage it. Which meant it was gaining more angelic power somehow...

The King swore and dove for the wall. This had to mean the Harmony had actually tapped into the tether and was pulling energy from his core self! A small enough trickle to be unnoticed but that would still be more than enough to threaten the physical body it was contained within!

Instead of the expected resistance, the dark tendrils parted for him and left him crashing into the floor of the room, nearly going through it into the one below. He quickly righted himself and climbed out to find the horrifying state the Radio Demon was in. 'Yeesh! Taking the whole 'falling apart at the seams' thing a little too literally there, Al!'

It was obvious to him how the aggressive angelic energy was eating away at the strength of the Hell-made body it was inside, turning it almost skeletal and pulling it apart. The empty eyes were a sign things were probably running on pure survival instinct at this point. The soul that it was trying to absorb would only buy a little time with the demonic energy of what had to be an Overlord. Lucifer pulled back from his own body to see the hundreds, maybe thousands of soul chains being forcefully torn from the slimy thing as it was separated from it's host body. 'Seriously?! That thing looks so gross!'

"§†Öþ!"

He projected the command as forcefully as he safely could with both Seraphic power and the voice of the King of Hell. The towering figure froze, the shadowy tongues halting in their quest to pull apart the physical body of the sinner in their grasp while the angelic threads only slowed for a second before continuing to unbind the soul so it could be more easily consumed. At this point, the thing was so shredded that it would probably be a mercy to let it be eaten. And...well, it would buy a little time to get Alastor's body put back together...

Deciding he would deal with the guilt of this later, he sank back into his own body and focused on containing the wild energies tearing through the area before they could warp things too far to repair. It was giving him a headache and he really needed to be able to think clearly. He glanced at the two other beings in the room, noting their unconscious states when a wet noise made him realize Alastor's physical body had resisted the command now too. 'Don't look up, don't look up, don't look-'

He looked up.

Yep, that was...yeah, no. He may have seen all manner of atrocities in his years in Hell but it was still nauseating to see...that.

Lucifer forced the body's eyes to the physical manifestation of the Harmony's core inside Alastor's open chest. Bright and coiling around itself with no visible beginning or end, there was an echo of his true self's shape in it. He could even faintly feel the energy of it resonating with his own and an idea began to form in his mind of how he could safely get the Radio Demon to the palace without tearing too much of reality.

He registered movement in the periphery and turned to find one of those large, fractured hands reaching for another of the sinners. 'Nope, that's more than enough of that!' He threw up a barrier between them. The first may have been realistically too far gone to save but he didn't need to allow more of this to happen. He was then shocked when the shield barely made the fingers pause before pushing through! 'What the ever-loving fuck?!'

Looking at the Harmony again, he was struck with a realization. That was still a part of his core's Song, a piece of his true self! Of course his own barriers wouldn't block something that for all intents and purposes felt like himself! Suddenly, the fact that Alastor somehow had access to spaces he shouldn't have made so much more sense. When had the sinner figured that-

No! He needed to focus and stop this madness before it went any further. Gritting his teeth, he expanded his reach to grab the flow of time around them and pulled it to a halt. For a moment it seemed like that would work but then the Harmony pulsed, picking up speed until the body started to move again.

'Son of a fucking-' Alright, no time to actually plan then! Looked like he was going to have to jump into this head first. This was probably going to hurt like a bitch for both of them but...

He leapt into the air and flew straight for the coiling mass that felt as familiar as his own mind. As soon as he made contact, he could hear his Harmony ring out clearly around him, through him, from inside him in a way that felt so right he nearly faltered. There were so many others that were being heard through Alastor as well but he had to ignore them, had to fight against losing his will to this sudden return of a sense he thought lost to him forever.

Lucifer slipped his own small body into the welcoming fire of this piece of his core and stretched its tethers around, over, and through the larger deteriorating one, bringing it under his control. There was no fight against him, the Radio Demon’s mind was quiet, lacking conscious thought. Good, because there was a high chance this was going to be painful enough to extract himself back out from without dealing with Alastor's stubborn greediness for more on top of it! Breathing deep in a body far larger than he was used to, he pulled in the unfamiliar powers around him, calling away the shadows from the windows and closing the tear in reality held between the antlers. The other two sinners would be lucky if the waves emanating from that hadn't touched too deeply in their minds before they blacked out...

Wrapping everything in close as he possibly could, he opened a large portal to the palace underneath it using his own body's magics and dropped through.

***

"Vaggie! I have to go!"

Charlie knew her girlfriend was scared after what they had heard, she could see it in the pleading expression on her angelic face, "It's not safe! Your dad can handle-"

"I don't care that it's not safe," Charlie refused to back down on this and stood firm, "Alastor risked his life for the hotel, for all of us, more than we even knew! I can't just stand aside and do nothing when he might need help!"

Vaggie must have seen that there was no changing her mind because the worry gave way to resolve, "Fine. Then I'm coming too."

Charlie grinned at her beloved and went to step out of the hotel when she heard Angel's shocked tone, "What the-"

Everyone looked at him, at the collar and chain on his neck that suddenly crumbled with a flare of golden light, the pieces vanishing as they fell. Angel Dust touched his throat, eyes wide in wonder, "Val...he's dead!"

Charlie wanted to say she felt sad to hear that but...she had seen the terror in everyone at the studio, the bruises on Angel, the hungry, objectifying look the Overlord had given her as he licked her arm. Maybe it was hypocritical to want to save Alastor but be glad Valentino was gone, but she still felt that way all the same.

Notes:

I hope the end with Charlie doesn't seem too ooc but I think she is actually able to dislike someone like Valentino enough to be glad he's gone

Chapter 34: Crossroads

Summary:

Alastor regains awareness to find himself with multiple paths around him

Alastor...well, he couldn't say he woke up because he wasn't really awake. He felt like he was somewhere outside of himself and growing more aware of things despite his lack of physical senses. He could feel something like lines leading from where he was to other places.

One he was fairly sure led back to his body. There was a familiar aching hunger that way but it also felt like it was being....held? Cradled? His physical form was being sustained currently so it felt like things were being taken care of in that direction.

The second was also a familiar feeling but he had no desire to go towards that repulsive place. Interestingly enough though, there was a sense of cracks riddling that path. How delightful! Perhaps his previous ideas for freedom had more merit than he had hoped!

The third though, that was something new! As he became more cognizant of his situation, he realized there was a likelihood that what he felt holding his physical self was the Lucifer he was beginning to know well. The damaged and fiercely protective man that refused to let anyone break him but was far too willing to rip himself apart for the sake of his daughter.

The line leading away from that echoed with something similar but so much bigger, a terrifying feeling of ancient vastness that could easily destroy him but...

A hunger of a different sort filled him as he realized this might be his only chance and he made his choice.

Notes:

Baby's first step in astral projection of a sort and of course he immediately goes towards the apocalyptic power

 

Alright! I need help again! This time, I want Song ideas. Three in particular that I have a sense of what I want it to feel like are:
Alastor: something that kinda evokes a feeling of riding that line between the fierce desire for life and understanding of the inevitability of death.
Charlie: a strength of will and a power that is kinda small right now but with a potential to become MUCH larger
Vaggie: reflecting her protective warrior nature but shows how she is still learning who she is outside of that

 

They can be earth sounds or space ones.

 

If you have ideas for other characters, I will def want to hear them

 

Nvm, im not gonna try to describe what the soul songs sound like. Too many ways it could go weird. I'll just stick with the feeling it invokes when Luci hears it

Chapter 35: Bridging the Gaps

Summary:

“Luce, my man, what seems to be the pro…blem…” Ozzie’s expression would have been hilarious at any other time, “Whoa. I knew you liked ‘em big but goddamn!”

Crashing hard in the massive throne room, Lucifer felt relieved as he sensed the palace's emergency wards automatically activating due to the erratic waves pouring off of Alastor. Until someone figured out how to fix this fucking mess, at least he knew these would contain this shit storm since they weren't made from his own energies. It would have to be pretty close to his Seraphic core fully coming out for those barriers to fail…

Which had almost happened just last week!

'When it rains, it really pours, doesn't it, Al?' He didn’t really expect any answer to that and slipped himself back into his own physical body. He had to get out as quickly as possible because he could tell it wouldn’t take long before the Harmony in Alastor tried to merge back into him. That was an unacceptable option as it would kill the sinner. He sent a wave of calm, of safety into the bright, burning light, forcing it to ease its assault on the demonic body around it. Hopefully that would stop the pull of his core energies because there was nothing he could do about that from this end and getting his full self’s attention would require someone else being here to keep this fucking thing calm.

It hurt to pull himself away, to feel the Silence settle back in when he had finally, finally heard the Songs again, heard his own Harmony interacting and resonating with the world around him. When he finished climbing out, it was no surprise to feel the tears his body released with that wound torn back open again. The urge to detach was strong but he knew he had to stay in control of this situation. Shaking, he pulled the tethers between him and Alastor tight, binding the demon down and hoped someone, anyone would have an idea of how to make this right.

***

It wasn’t long before someone arrived at the palace but he couldn’t lose focus to check who it was. As soon as it sensed another person’s presence, the energy inside the Radio Demon tried to go back into overdrive. Whatever Alastor had been doing while the Harmony woke up, it seemed to be treating everything that wasn’t Lucifer himself like a potential enemy. The fallen angel tried to send a sense of calm through the lines but he feared that relaying any actual energy would be what finally tipped the balance too far. ‘ Come on, you fucking over-reactive bastard! No one who wants to hurt us is allowed through those barriers. You used to be a part of me so you should know that already!’ Dammit, he really hoped Alastor would be able to wake up and take back control soon.

“Luce, my man, what seems to be the pro…blem…” Ozzie’s expression would have been hilarious at any other time, “Whoa. I knew you liked ‘em big but goddamn!”

“Seriously, Oz?!”

The Sin gave a nervous laugh as he came closer, looking at the stitched body worriedly, “Sorry, man. Really though, what happened?”

Lucifer sighed, “I fucked up. What else is new?” He pressed on despite the concerned look turned his way, “I think when I used Al’s tie to my core to get back, it triggered things. His body isn’t made to hold this and I don’t know what we can do to change that!”

Asmodeus tapped a finger at one of the fractured spots, hissing when it flared up in response and burned him, “Shit! That’s pure Seraphim energy in there! I don’t think any of us could get a hold on that but you, Luce. We’re all too changed by the Fall. The fact that he's even still here at all...”

“Well I hope one of the others can come up with something because I’m out of even stupid ideas at this point!" His wings and tail refused to settle with his agitation, "I mean, it could probably balance itself out if it knew how to work with what Al has naturally but I’m not human! His demonic energies are different from mine so I have no clue what to tell it to do!”

Someone else passed the barrier and this time, surprisingly, the Harmony didn’t surge up in defense. Who in Hell would-“Dad?! Where are you?!”

He and Asmodeus shared a look as they both came to the same conclusion, “Keep him down, I’ll go get her!”

Lucifer felt the urge to break into hysterical laughter as Oz ran out the door. Of course! There was one other person that had a mix of human, angelic, and demonic energies in her soul. It was Charlie!

***

Alastor wasn’t sure how long it took him to travel along the path, there was no real sense of time or even his own footsteps to measure the distance. Moving without a physical form was rather odd. He did feel that he was getting closer to his target though. That loud sensation he felt when Lucifer began to lose control was getting stronger.

The space around him changed suddenly as he got the feeling he had been noticed by...something. A foreign curiosity washed over his senses before something like thousands of voices hit him, "◣▌ ⬤ ▐▄█ ▅▀▅ ◤▄ █☰ █▚▌ █☰ ▀▄▀▄▀ "

That alien sound tore through him, making him feel like every atom of his being was spreading out in a million directions! Shocked panic halted the division before the thing grabbed each piece and pulled him back together again, compressing him down until he actually started to get a sense of taking on the physical shape he was familiar with. He could even feel his eyes blinking as he looked around the bright golden light that surrounded him now. 'Well, that was certainly a strange sensation!'

"Äþðlðgïê§, ï† hå§ ßêêñ åñ ågê §ïñ¢ê Ì ¢ðmmµñêÐ wï†h åñ¥ðñê ßµ† m¥ ð†hêr §êl£," Amusement rippled around him and he felt something invisible brush against his forehead, "¥ðµ mµ§† ßê Äl姆ðr."

There was a change when the voices touched him, his vision shifting until the light began to take shape. His mind went silent with terrified awe as he found himself looking at something that twisted around on itself in seemingly infinite gold-scaled knots and massive feathered wings, its eyes containing entire stars! "M¥ §mållêr §êl£ ï§ gðïñg †ð ßê vêr¥ þåñï¢kêÐ †ð £ïñÐ ¥ðµ hêrê, llê §ðµl."

Notes:

Al is definitely not going to be the same after all this. Lets just hope the rest of the universe is ready for that

Translations:
"YOU ARE NEW"

"Apologies, it has been an age since I communed with anyone but my other self,"

"You must be Alastor."

"My smaller self is going to be very panicked to find you here, little soul."

Chapter 36: Orbital Decay

Summary:

Charlie's natural energies may be what they need to save Alastor.

Meanwhile, the Radio Demon finds himself the focus of an ageless entity.

Notes:

All of the angelic speech has plain text versions in the end notes!

"Vaggie's going to be okay, right Uncle Oz?" Charlie twisted her hands together anxiously as she jogged to keep up with the tall Sin's fast pace. When she had brought Vaggie through the wards, everything seemed fine at first. But the moment Charlie had let go, her girlfriend had collapsed, her hands pressed to her ears and her wings wrapping around her like a cocoon. Thankfully her Uncle had gotten there soon after and helped get her outside.

"She'll be fine, trust me. Bee and Levi are with her. They will get her straightened out and teach her to more properly filter out your dad's Harmony when it's this loud." He looked at her curiously, "You're sure you don't hear anything different?"

She shook her head, still unsure what was supposed to be changed from normal. As they turned, Charlie realized they were heading for the throne room. That space hadn't been used since before she was born but she remembered playing in there and watching the light come through the stained glass windows. Oz must have seen her curiosity because he smirked when he opened the door for her, "It's the only room your friend currently fits in with enough extra space for us to work around him."

"What do you...oh." Charlie couldn't believe her eyes. Alastor was...huge! "Ohmygosh! Is he-what the-what?!" His body was broken to pieces and there was all that light and just...

Lucifer gave her a tired and sad smile. Her dad looked so small right now and his expression was almost as bad as just before he broke down crying in her arms last week, "Yeah, that's pretty much the reaction everyone is gonna have, duckling."

She hurried to his side, crouching down to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Charlie wasn't sure what in the world she was going to be able to do here that the others couldn't but she was going to damn well try her best, "Uncle Ozzie said I might be able to help fix this? What do you need me to do?"

***

Lucifer was so proud of his strong little daughter, so ready to help even when it was pretty obvious she was in way over her head, "I'm not sure but I think so? Al's...." He sighed, "Remember what I said about the energy that was supposed to merge with his soul and change to match him?" When she nodded, he motioned to the glowing mass in Alastor’s chest, "That's it. It never shifted like it was supposed to. I guess there just wasn't enough of Alastor left for it to know how to merge right. It was okay while it was dormant in him but now it's awake and it's killing him andIdon'tknowwhat-"

"Dad, stop! Take a deep breath. Like this, okay?"

He copied her when she inhaled deeply and slowly let it out, feeling the-his body calm down. How did she know that would work? Fuck, he supposed to be keeping it together! Charlie kept looking at him, worry clear in her expression, "I'm okay, Char. Thanks."

A small smile flashed across her face before she nodded, "Alright. What do we need to do right now? Let's focus on that and we can talk about anything else later."

How was she so smart? She must have gotten that from her mother because he sure as hell wasn't great with all this. 'Focus, right, okay.' He blew out another breath, "Since it isn't shifting over, its thrown everything out of balance. He's naturally got human energies plus the ones Hell gave him as a sinner. Angelic energies, especially Seraphim, don't play well with demonic ones. When it woke up, it was already stronger than his human soul and his demonic powers so it automatically started eating away at them. But it knew it was supposed to be keeping him alive so it pulled in more angelic energy to try to heal him of the damage it was causing and that just started a vicious cycle. He's stable for the moment because he, uh" Lucifer stopped himself. He really didn't need to tell her that her friend ripped apart someone's body and soul and ate them to keep himself alive, right? "Uh, never-mind that! Anyway! I think, maybe, you might be the answer to the problem here, Charlie."

"Me? What do you mean, Dad?"

"You've got all three energies too, duckling. Even if your angelic power isn't fully awake yet, it's been in you this whole time so it's gotta know how to work with the other two. I think if we teach the Harmony to act like yours, it won't keep hurting him." Lucifer really, really hoped he was right about that.

Three people passed the barrier then and Alastor's instincts, or whatever was at the wheel right now, really didn't like that! When the body fought to move but couldn't because of the tethers, that Shadow creature reared up in between them and the door instead, all smoky arms and spikes with that huge skeletal deer head blindly pointed at Asmodeus.

Apparently, his daughter had absolutely no fear of it because she went right up to the Shadow and pulled on a tendril near the base to get it's attention while Lucifer was too busy trying to keep the physical body from breaking itself further to stop her, "Al! Stop that! Uncle Oz is a friend!"

It ignored Charlie, if it could even hear her in the first place. In response, Ozzie raised his hands, palms out as he backed up towards the door, "Luce, I think the rest of us are just going to make this worse right now. Why don't you call us back in when you two get him settled and we can help him recharge and heal up then?" The fiery Sin didn't wait for an answer, shutting the door as soon as he was out of the room.

Lucifer wanted to call him a coward but...it seemed like he was right. As soon as the door was shut, the Shadow shrank back down until it was only a little taller than Charlie, flickering like the defensive show of force had taken most of its energy. His daughter gave it a chastising look before coming back over, "Alright. Let's fix this, Dad. What do I need to do?"

***

Alastor could feel his frustration building as he found he couldn't do or say anything. The instinct he felt to stay small and quiet in front of Lucifer's power wasn't just in his physical body it seemed. There was another ripple of amusement from the impossibly massive being that was all around him before the golden light dimmed and then vanished in a whirl.

Between one blink and the next, his surroundings changed into something achingly familiar. Trees rose up and his feet sank slightly into marshy soil, the scent of peat and decaying plants filling the air around him. The bayou he had in his room at the hotel was based on his memories but this? This was exactly like he was back where he had spent much of his childhood, complete with all the little things he thought he'd forgotten.

"þêrhåþ§ ñðw ¥ðµr ïñ§†ïñ¢†ïvê £êår§ wïll §ê††lê?"

Alastor whirled around to find Lucifer seated on a tree branch behind him, swinging his legs in the same ridiculous way he usually did when he felt he'd shown too much of himself to the Radio Demon. Only this one looked like he was made out of constellations and stardust, an array of colors shifting and flowing fluidly through him. Realizing that the strange illusion of the King was waiting for a response, he gave his widest grin and bowed, "I am most grateful for your consideration!" Apparently, his radio static and vocal tuning could not follow him here. He would have preferred it had but there was not much to be done about that, "I will admit, I am rather surprised that I was not simply thrown out or blocked with the way you...er, the other you feels about us lowly mortals being in your presence!"

"¥ðµ ¢åñ §þêåk ð£ m¥ ð†hêr å§ å Ðêrêñ† ßêïñg. Ì£ ï† wïll 姧阮 ¥ðµ, ¥ðµ må¥ rê£êr †ð †hï§ mê å§ §åmåêl åñÐ m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ å§ Lµ¢ï£êr. †hå† Ðïvï§ïðñ ï§ rå†hêr †rµê ð£ whð Ì åm ¢µrrêñ†l¥, 壆êr åll." There was no movement of the-of Samael's mouth when he spoke, instead the words were from everywhere and nowhere all at once. It was similar to how Lucifer had spoken outside of his body before but this time there was no pain in his ears or sense of rattling in his mind, "†hêrê wå§ ñð ¢håñgïñg ¥ðµr þå†h ðñ¢ê Ì §êñ§êÐ ¥ðµ, ¥ðµ wêrê ålrêåÐ¥ †ðð ¢lð§ê. Ì£ Ì håÐ ñð† ïñ†êrvêñêÐ, ¥ðµ wðµlÐ håvê håÐ ñð ¢håñ¢ê ð£ rêmåïñïñg ¥ðµr§êl£ ðr rꆵrñïñg †ð whêrê ¥ðµ ßêlðñg . ħ ï† ï§, †hêrê ï§ ñð †êllïñg whå† †hï§ wïll Ðð †ð ¥ðµr §êl£ åñÐ §ðµl."

Alastor found himself oddly okay with that thought. It was worth it to have experienced this. It seemed Samael could read his emotions just as he felt the Seraphim's because now a sense of curious interest filled the air around him. There was something the sinner was curious of as well and so he asked, "I must inquire, how do you know of this place?" He motioned at the swampland around them.

"¥ðµr mïñÐ ï§ ñð† måÐê †ð hïÐê £rðm m¥ §ïgh†, åñÐ ¥ðµr §ðñg ï§ ßå§êÐ ðñ †hê mêlðÐ¥ 𣠆hï§ låñÐ."

Oh...oh damn...that meant he-

Another ripple of amusement was followed by a sense of reassurance, "Ðð ñð† £êår. Ì håvê §êêñ ¥ðµr rêå§ðñïñg å§ wêll å§ †hê êvêñ†§ †hêm§êlvê§. Ì ßêlïêvê ¥ðµ håvê ¢hð§êñ †hê ß꧆ ¢ðµr§ê ð£ 墆ïðñ, †hðµgh m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ wðµlÐ håvê å hårÐ †ïmê µñÐêr§†åñÐïñg †hå†." The Seraphim hopped down from the tree branch, the movement almost correct but not quite. He moved closer to look up at Alastor and the sinner noticed there was something...missing in the illusion. It looked like there was a hole in the space where a heart would be in a human's body. His focus was pulled away when Samael spoke again, "†hðµgh Ì Ðð åÐmï†, Ì åm ¢µrï𵧠whå† Råþhåêl åñÐ Lïlï†h hïÐ ßêhïñÐ †hå† ßlð¢k ïñ ¥ðµr mïñÐ."

Notes:

For anyone having a hard time reading the angel speech font:
Perhaps now your instinctive fears will settle?

You can speak of my other as a different being. If it will assist you, you may refer to this me as Samael and my other self as Lucifer. That division is rather true of who I am currently, after all.

There was no changing your path once I sensed you, you were already too close. If I had not intervened, you would have had no chance of remaining yourself or returning to where you belong. As it is, there is no telling what this will do to your self and soul.

Your mind is not made to hide from my Sight, and your Song is based on the melody of this land.

Do not fear. I have seen your reasoning as well as the events themselves. I believe you have chosen the best course of action, though my other self would have a hard time understanding that.

Though I do admit, I am curious what Raphael and Lilith hid behind that block in your mind.
_____

I have two options for Charlie in regards to hearing soul-Songs.

One is that she cannot hear them yet because she hasn't grown into her powers enough.

The other is funnier because it would be that she does already hear the Songs and always has so she has no idea that its the unusual thing that everyone is talking about.

Opinions?

Chapter 37: Interlude: What has been Hidden

Summary:

A brief flashback to the time that has been blocked in Alastor’s mind

A little over a year ago

Alastor had a rough landing on rocky ground, the red light of the Pentagram making his eyes hurt. Seven years in darkness would do that to anyone. He lay there for a moment, shaking and nauseous, both from sharp, desperate hunger and the knowledge that he was finally away from her. That he wouldn't need to endure her chilling touch on his skin ever again so long as he completed his end of the deal. Everything in him protested the fact that he was willing to do this but what other choice did he have? Better to lead the naive Princess of Hell to her untimely end than be stuck back in those chains for eternity. Right?

From the lack of city noise, he had to guess he was somewhere in the barren wilds that surrounded the Pride Ring. At least he would have time to readjust to his surroundings before he had to pretend the last seven years had never happened. Just as he managed to fight down the urge to retch, a sound like a foot sliding over dirt had him tensing up. He tried calling to his shadows, ready to destroy whoever had the misfortune of witnessing his current state.

Then there was a bright flash of light.

When he blinked his vision clear, he felt far steadier than before and his hunger was down to the manageable level it had always been since he arrived in Hell. Why were his cheeks wet? Had he been crying?

Looking around, Alastor found he was standing where the rocky border flattened and led into the city. Night was settling over the Ring and there was a shimmering paper in his hand. He lifted it up to read, surprised when he recognized his own writing.

Act as though everything is as planned, even if you figure out what has been altered. Keep this paper safe and tear it apart on the day the final act begins. It is the key to what has been hidden.

Beneath that was an addition in an elegant scrawl.

She may have your soul for now but she does not own your mind. You are not the cruel beast she thinks she has made you into. You are a clever monster with a heart.

Lilith

Notes:

Short one again but fitting it into the longer chapter up next wasn't workin

Chapter 38: Seen with New Eyes

Summary:

Charlie gets in touch with her own eldritch angelic abilities.

'Focus. Keep calm. Stay in the body. Don't freak out when you hear Charlie's Song. Oh fuck, I'm going to actually hear her Song!"

Lucifer knew with certainty he was not in the right state of mind for this. But...there was no one else that could even try so he had to be. It looked like he was going to have to jump in without a Plan again! Good thing he had a lot of practice with that, "Alright, Charlie, you ready?"

She grinned bright and nodded, far more sure of her father's ability to make this work than he currently felt. Breathing deep, he shut his physical eyes and placed his hands on the exposed Harmony. Almost immediately, the Songs of Hell were around him again and he swallowed hard against the tears threatening to fall as he heard Charlie's for the very first time.

Her soul sang of the potential of life. The heartbeat of a child unafraid of the world. A tidal pool full of light and warmth waiting to join with the ocean and explore its mysteries.

It was beautiful and so very fitting of his little girl.

"Dad?"

He took a shaky breath, "Sorry, sorry! I-I just...needed a second to adjust. I've got it now," He took control of the golden light, urging it to reach out with a tendril and gently wrap it around Charlie's wrist where she sat next to Alastor's hand.

She blinked, smiling down at it, "It kinda feels like one of Al's shadow things but it's warm like you, Dad!"

Lucifer wanted to laugh at that but he needed to keep focused, "I'm glad it doesn't feel uncomfortable or anything. Alright, now try finding that feeling you had when I was gone."

***

Charlie blew out a long breath and nodded, her brow furrowing as she concentrated on pulling up that energy. She remembered how scared she felt seeing her dad's body but knowing he wasn't in there. The way Alastor had looked at her after, grinning wide and full of confidence that she could call out with that power again.

The world around her started to blur just like it had that day, like she was looking at everything from under water. She was too heavy to swim through it but something in her wanted to, reaching out from within to make ripples in the air in front of her, "𝘐̰̾ 𝘵̰̾𝘩̰̾𝘪̰̾𝘯̰̾𝘬̰̾ 𝘐̰̾ 𝘩̰̾𝘢̰̾𝘷̰̾𝘦̰̾ 𝘪̰̾𝘵̰̾?"

A shift that...felt like delight sent more ripples around her and she looked over to see the blur where her dad had been was bigger than what he usually looked like, with all sorts of strings coming out from him and wrapping tight around the light he was sitting on top of. The big glowing thing was Al, right? She could see, almost feel how it was moving too fast in him, making him too hot and burning him up inside. 

The light on her own wrist moved then, coming up to wrap around the invisible part of her that was swaying and making ripples in the watery air. When they touched, she felt like her whole body was suddenly filled with liquid sunlight and her blurred surroundings sharpened into focus again. She could see all the glowing lights still and... "Dad? What are all those things above your head?" They were so pretty, why hadn't she seen them before?

***

Feeling the energies around Alastor slowly starting to smooth out, Lucifer reluctantly released his hold on the Harmony. He seemed to be getting more used to the Silence coming and going, it didn't hurt as badly this time. He looked over to find Charlie staring with eyes that were almost glowing white, looking at him like she was seeing him for the first time, "What do you mean, duckling?"

She waved her hand over her own head in a funny little swirly gesture, "The sparkly things? I can't tell how many there are. They kinda keep fading in and out."

Oh! He closed his physical eyes again and pulled back a bit from the body, bringing his other Sight fully into focus and looking at her, "¥ðµ ¢åñ §êê †hêm?"

From the way her jaw dropped as she looked straight at where his consciousness was now, the answer was pretty obvious.

"Are those eyes?! They look like they have stars in them! That's so cool!!!"

He slipped back into his body so he could properly laugh, "I'm glad you think so. Looks like you're starting to-" He cut himself off as he got a strange feeling through his tethers. Usually his full Self was pretty quiet but he felt something like a flare of shock and panic. What could possibly have him feeling like that in the Void? The only connection to there was through...

...

"Dad?"

"Just a sec, Charlie," Lucifer looked down at the body slowly knitting itself back together under him and moved to stand next to Alastor's head, brushing a hand over his temple. His mind wasn't quite unconscious anymore but it also didn't feel like it was...

'That fucking reckless, stupid, slimy bastard!'

"Char...I think I'm going to have to put a metaphysical leash on Alastor." She made a noise of confusion but he focused on unwinding his tethers from the shrinking body and getting himself seated, "Go get Bee and tell her to keep my threads stable because some antlered asshole decided he wanted to be suicidal and go visit my damn core!" He would have to wait outside the boundary to see if his full Self was able to send Alastor back, hopefully in one piece.

Notes:

This one focused on Lucifer and Charlie. Next one is all Al and Samael!

Chapter 39: An Offer of Magnitudes

Summary:

Alastor gets to know this other side of Lucifer

Notes:

Plain-text for the angelic speech is at the end of the chapter

Alastor felt himself growing tense and defensive over the mention of the missing memory but forced himself not to immediately react. Who knew if he would ever have this opportunity again? He had to learn what he could of this being and that meant he needed to not let his emotions dictate his responses.

As he forced the feeling down, he remembered what Samael had said earlier about seeing his reasoning as well as the events. If the Seraphim was desiring to attempt to remove the block, he would have to trust that this side of Lucifer would respect his preference to keep it there rather than simply doing it without permission. It felt very strange, transferring the trust earned by another to someone who was essentially the same being but did not look or behave quite the same.

"¥ðµr wå¥ ð£ †hïñkïñg ï§ vêr¥ Ðêrêñ† £rðm †hð§ê ð£ ÈÐêñ. Ì ßêlïêvê Ì ñðw §êê wh¥ m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ hå§ §µ¢h å £å§¢ïñå†ïðñ wï†h ¥ðµ."

The sinner felt a bit of prideful glee at hearing that. After all, who else could honestly claim to hold the keen interest of the King of Hell that was also the multidimensional Seraphim he was speaking with now? Although, there was something about Samael's choices of words that were bothering him, "You and Lucifer say that you are the same entity but you speak as though you do not actually know everything that he does? The 'division' you mentioned is more than just simply your true form being unsafe for our," he paused and tried to remember how the King had phrased it, "'layer of reality' to handle, isn't it?"

The...projection? Illusion? The nebulous form in front of him shifted a bit, the face gaining a wide grin similar to when Lucifer found something the Radio Demon said to be clever, "¥ðµ ¢åµgh† †hå† rå†hêr qµï¢kl¥. ¥ê§, ßð†h §ïÐê§ årê mê ßµ† †hêrê ï§ å...ßðµñÐår¥? Ä §êþårå†ïðñ 𣠧êl£ Ðµê †ð †hê måññêr ïñ whï¢h †hê JµÐgêmêñ† ðñ mê wå§ håñÐlêÐ. †hï§ §êl£ ï§ l꣆ wï†h𵆠mµ¢h ïñ§ïgh† ïñ†ð êvêñ†§ ßê¥ðñÐ †hï§ þlå¢ê. Ì kñðw 𣠧ðmê †hïñg§, ê§þê¢ïåll¥ †hïñg§ m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ £ïñЧ ïmþðr†åñ† ßµ† ï† ï§ lïkê rêåÐïñg å þågê ïñ å ßððk. Ì ¢åññð† †rµl¥ Kñðw †hê êxþêrïêñ¢ê§ 𣠆hå† lï£ê wï†h𵆠ßê¢ðmïñg ðñê ßêïñg åñÐ †hå† wðµlÐ mêåñ Ì wðµlÐ ßê µñåßlê †ð êx阮 å† åll 𵆧ïÐê 𣠆hê VðïÐ."

Alastor couldn't say he completely knew how that felt, but his own experience with being held in a dark prison with only the one that was actually supposed to be there for company gave him a bit of understanding, "That seems a rather horrid way to live."

"̆ ï§. †hï§ §êþårå†ïðñ ål§ð måkê§ ï† Ðl† †ð rêå¢h 𵆠†ð m¥ §mållêr §êl£ å§ wêll."

"So this side of you really has been without any sort of real interaction for this whole time?"

There was a nod at that. It seemed like the longer Alastor was here, the more natural the movements became in the body Samael presented, "ÄñÐ †hå† ï§ wh¥ Ì håvê §lðwêÐ †ïmê †ð ållðw µ§ å ¢håñ¢ê †ð §þêåk. ¥ðµ håvê gïvêñ mê å g ߥ ¢ðmïñg hêrê åñÐ §ð Ì £êêl †hå† Ì §hðµlÐ rêþå¥ †hå† Ðê߆."

His ears turned fully forward with his interest in that. Debts may not work the same here but Samael had to know the importance behind the word for a creature of Hell, "You consider my being here a gift?" He was going to take great pleasure in holding that over Lucifer's head later!

That feeling of amusement washed over him again, far stronger than any previous time. He thought he heard something from beyond the trees around them, indescribable but full of mirth. Had he managed to make this unfathomably powerful being laugh? The sound faded away before the Seraphim responded, "Wï†ñꧧïñg ¥ðµr êxþêrïêñ¢ê§ mêåñ§ †hå† Ì ¢åñ £ïñåll¥ §êê †hê m𧆠þrê¢ï𵧠Çrêå†ïðñ m¥ Hêår†'§ §ðñg hå§ måÐê."

The space next to Samael wavered before a frozen copy of Charlie appeared there. It looked like the image was from a moment where she was terribly excited about something and nearly bouncing out of her own skin from the feeling. It was an expression Alastor had seen often. From the heavy and complex feelings in the air, this gift he had unknowingly given the Seraphim was truly treasured. The focus he could feel placed on Charlie's image reminded him of the way his maman looked at him like he was the most precious thing in her world.

After a moment, he registered the unfamiliar term and glanced down at the blank space that was otherwise surrounded by billowing stardust, "Your Heart's Song? Is that what part of you Lucifer is made from?"

The expression on the smaller form's face indicated that he was impressed the Radio Demon had made the connection on his own, "ÌñÐêêÐ. Ì †ðlÐ Lïlï†h †hå† Ì wðµlÐ gïvê hêr åñÐ åll ð£ hµmåñ-kïñÐ m¥ hêår†." A feeling of frustration made the air around them heavy, "Ì£ Ì håÐ kñðwñ †hå† m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ wðµlÐ ßê †råþþêР𵆧ïÐê ð£ mê, Ì wðµlÐ håvê ¢hð§êñ †hê þïê¢ê Ì gåvê hêr mðrê ¢årꣵll¥. †hêrê ï§ å rêå§ðñ †hê Lµ¢ï£êr ¥ðµ kñðw ï§ §ð ð£†êñ ðvêr†åkêñ ߥ êmð†ïðñ§. †hå† þår† ð£ m¥ §êl£ Ððê§ ñð† µñÐêr§†åñÐ †hå† †hï§ ¢ðñ§¢ïðµ§ñꧧ hå§ ñêvêr þµ§hêÐ †hê ¢ðrê ð£ ðµr ßêïñg †ðwårЧ Hêll. ̆ ï§ †hê þåñï¢ åñÐ Ðê§þêrå†ê ñêêÐ †ð þrð†ê¢† †hå† m¥ §mållêr §êl£ £êêl§ †hå† måkê§ Lµ¢ï£êr Ðråw †hê ßµlk ð£ m¥ êñêrg¥ †hå† wå¥ wï†h𵆠rêålïzïñg ï†."

'Interesting! So, Lucifer controls more of that energy than even he realizes. I could certainly see that being one way to sharpen his claws against Michael...'

The feelings around him changed then and Alastor could very much imagine the proud, vicious grin Lucifer had worn when he spoke of how he had saved humanity from being erased in that emotion. Apparently, the Seraphim had purposely said that to give the Radio Demon that thought.

The scene around them blurred a bit as Samael's focus turned elsewhere, "M¥ ð†hêr §êl£ hå§ §êñ§êÐ ¥ðµr ïñï†ïål årrïvål hêrê. ̆ wïll §ððñ ßê †ïmê †ð rꆵrñ ¥ðµ †ð whêrê ¥ðµ ¢µrrêñ†l¥ ßêlðñg."

Pity, but that had been inevitable. Alastor had certainly gotten more time than he had expected with this meeting. The most he had honestly hoped for was a glimpse of Lucifer's true appearance.

The Seraphim looked at him for a long moment before speaking again,"ßê£ðrê Ì §êñÐ ¥ðµ ßå¢k, †hï§ ¢ðñvêr§å†ïðñ hå§ ñð† ßêêñ m¥ £µll rêþå¥mêñ† ð£ m¥ Ðê߆ †ð ¥ðµ."

Alastor was immediately intrigued by the idea there was more that Samael wanted to give him for something he did without even trying to. The strength of that feeling, the way he felt more focused on this place, made it seem like he was a bit more solid here. He thought he could just barely hear just a bit of his radio static.

"†hêrê årê måñ¥ þð†êñ†ïål§ ïñ ¥ðµ †hå† Ì ¢åñ §êê. §ðmê Ì wðµlÐ þrê£êr mðrê †håñ ð†hêr§ åñÐ §ð Ì wðµlÐ lïkê †ð ð££êr ¥ðµ å G."

Alastor's eyes grew wide when the being made of stars held out a hand and a small object with swirling, impossible colors appeared in it.

'The apple really wasn't an apple but I can see how it would have been called that!'

_________________________________

Plain-text Samael here because apparently there were too many letters for the end notes section!

Your way of thinking is very different from those of Eden. I believe I now see why my other self has such a fascination with you.

You caught that rather quickly. Yes, both sides are me but there is a...boundary? A separation of Self due to the manner in which the Judgement on me was handled. This self is left without much insight into events beyond this place. I know of some things, especially things my other self finds important but it is like reading a page in a book. I cannot truly Know the experiences of that life without becoming one being and that would mean I would be unable to exist at all outside of the Void.

It is. This separation also makes it difficult to reach out to my smaller self as well.

And that is why I have slowed time to allow us a chance to speak. You have given me a gift by coming here and so I feel that I should repay that debt.

Witnessing your experiences means that I can finally see the most precious Creation my Heart's Song has made.

Indeed. I told Lilith that I would give her and all of human-kind my heart. If I had known that my other self would be trapped outside of me, I would have chosen the piece I gave her more carefully. There is a reason the Lucifer you know is so often overtaken by emotions. That part of my self does not understand that this consciousness has never pushed the core of our being towards Hell. It is the panic and desperate need to protect that my smaller self feels that makes Lucifer draw the bulk of my energy that way without realizing it.

My other self has sensed your initial arrival here. It will soon be time to return you to where you currently belong.

Before I send you back, this conversation has not been my full repayment of my debt to you.

There are many potentials in you that I can See. Some I would prefer more than others and so I would like to offer you a Gift.

 

Notes:

THIS is something I've actually wanted to get to since the beginning. The way it happened has changed a lot with the evolution of this story but I am so freakin ecstatic to get to it finally!

Anyone wanna guess what Knowledge Samael is offering? 😈😈😈

Edit: Added an image of as close as I can get to what the projection looks like to me

Chapter 40: A Gift and a Price

Summary:

Samael offers Alastor a Gift but what will the cost of the Knowledge be?

Alastor could feel a familiar hunger growing as he looked at the Fruit. There was an urge to shift his body over but he had no idea how to do that here, "I mean no offense but I wish to know what it is before I can accept it."

Samael tilted his head, studying him curiously for a moment, "ÚñÐêr§†åñÐåßlê gïvêñ ¥ðµr êxþêrïêñ¢ê§. Ì ßêlïêvê †hð§ê årðµñÐ ¥ðµ håvê lïkêl¥ £ïxêÐ †hê 裏µê 𣠥ðµr ßðÐ¥ ßêïñg ïñ†ðlêråñ† †ð §êråþhïm êñêrgïê§ §ïñ¢ê Ì ¢åñ £êêl m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ ï§ ñðw wåï†ïñg 𵆠†hêrê †ð ¢å†¢h ¥ðµ." The air around them gained a sharp chill, "M¥ Hêår† må¥ håvê §þêñ† †hê§ê måñ¥ ¥êår§ ßêïñg måÐê †ð §lðwl¥ Ðrðwñ µñÐêr gµïl† ßµ† Ì håvê §þêñ† mµ¢h 𣠆hå† †ïmê ßðrêÐ. ÄñÐ åñgr¥."

Oh, Alastor knew that feeling intimately, "A most dangerous combination indeed!"

"Vêr¥. Ìñ †hå† †ïmê, Ì håvê †ê§†êÐ åñÐ lêårñêÐ †ð µ§ê å §êråþhïm'§ ¢åþåßïlï†ïê§ ïñ ¢ðmßå†ïvê w奧 †hå† †hê ð†hêr§ håvê ñêvêr êvêñ ¢ðñ§ïÐêrêÐ ßê£ðrê. ¥ðµ Ðê§ïrê †ð kñðw hðw †ð wïêlÐ †hê Hårmðñ¥ wï†hïñ ¥ðµ å§ å wêåþðñ åñÐ †hï§?" Samael tossed the Fruit into the air and it expanded, coming apart to show a coiling knot of golden scales like those in his true state, "†hï§ wïll gïvê ¥ðµ †hê KñðwlêÐgê †ð µ†ïlïzê †hê þðr†ïðñ ð£ m¥ £µll Hårmðñ¥ †hå† ¥ðµr þh¥§ï¢ål £ðrm ¢åñ håñÐlê å§ ï£ ¥ðµ wêrê åñð†hêr þår† ð£ m¥ §êl£," There was now a cocky smirk on the little illusion's face. This one the sinner had seen on Lucifer on the rare occasion that the King of Hell felt confident in his skin and power, "þlµ§ å £êw †hêðrïê§ Ì håÐ µþðñ §êêïñg ïñ†ð ¥ðµr mïñÐ. †hð§ê ¥ðµ wïll håvê †ð wðrk ðñ wï†h m¥ §mållêr §êl£ †ð §êê ï£ m¥ ïÐêå§ årê rïgh†."

'I see now how this being is known as the original tempter.' Fingers itching with the desire to reach up and snatch away what was being shown to him, Alastor gave the Seraphim's projection a sharp look, "And is there a cost for this Knowledge? It seems rather generous for something given freely.

"Öh, †hêrê ï§ å þrï¢ê ßµ† ï† ï§ ðñê ¥ðµ håvê ålrêåÐ¥ ¢hð§êñ †ð þå¥," The smile on Samael turned predatory. The Radio Demon had never seen that particular one on that face before and now he very much wanted to find a way to get the physical version to look like that, "Öñê †hïñg †hå† hå§ þlågµêÐ m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ êñðµgh £ðr mê †ð gê† å §êñ§ê ð£ ï† ï§ †hê l姆 †ïmê Mï¢håêl Ðê¢ïÐêÐ †ð vï§ï†. Hê §åïÐ †hå† Ì ßrïñg ¢håð§ ïñ m¥ wåkê åñÐ rêvêl ïñ †hê Ðï§ðrÐêr. ¥ðµr mêmðrïê§ †êll mê †hå† ¥ðµ wåñ† †ð rêmïñÐ †hê ð†hêr§ †hå† ¢hå𧠢åññð† ßê †åmêÐ," the light shrank back down into a shimmering Fruit and fell into Samael's outstretched hand again, "Ì wðµlÐ lïkê £ðr ¥ðµ †ð ßê †hê Ðï§ðrÐêr †hå† m¥ Çhåð§ wïêlЧ ågåïñ§† Mï¢håêl ïñ †hê ¢ðmïñg Ð奧."

Alastor cackled, his hunger and something even stronger crashing into him fully then and shifting his form to tower further over the little illusion, "I̡̜ͬͥ͋ s͈ee w̳ͭ̌ha̝̦̠͈͋̀ͅt̝̓ y̐ͦ̿oͮ̀͐ͥ͜u̵̴͆̒ͭ m̞̪ͭ̈ͬ͛ě̻͓ͣ͟͝a͓nt n͕͇̩̕͘o͎̦̣̿̕w͌ aͥ̑n̵̷̨͈d̬̱̈̐ͯ I͂ g̵̩l̨̮̇a̩͝d̼̖̾ͦly̵ͯ͗̃͝ âc̸̺̋ce̸͚͑̃̀ͤpͬt̓̍!̷̦"

The trees flickered under a wave of surprise, showing all of the massive eyes he could see were directed straight at him now, "¥ðµ håvê ¢ållêÐ µþ †hê Hårmðñ¥ wï†hïñ ¥ðµ †ð hêrê...êvêñ wï†h𵆠†hê KñðwlêÐgê? ¥ðµ årê §†råñgêl¥ rê§ïlïêñ† †ð †hå† whï¢h ¥ðµ §hðµlÐ ñð† ßê."

Whatever shape his body had taken was not frozen in terror at the sight of the proper form of the Seraphim this time and he gave the being a truly sharp grin, "S̞̅o I̴͢'̢̌̕͘v̙̗̾̈́̓̈e͔̪ͦ̀̔ b̸͕̓̄e̵̻͐en̻̰ͭ͑ to̩̗͙l̯̤͉͛̌̔͢d͎!̷̇"

Alastor felt the Knowledge being fed to his mind then, a whirling rush of information that was too much to sort through right away. Once that was done, a doorway rose up. "Ì£ ¥ðµ Ðð rêmêmßêr åll 𣠆hï§ å£†êr lêåvïñg †hï§ þlå¢ê, lê† m¥ ð†hêr §êl£ kñðw †hå† êvêñ wï†h m¥ £µll §ïgh†, ¥ðµ †rµl¥ årê åñ ïmþð§§ïßlê mïñÐ †ð ¢ðmþrêhêñÐ £ðr å ¢ðmþlê†êl¥ hµmåñ §ðµl."

 The sinner guessed this meant it was time for him to take his leave. Pushing his form back to his more usual appearance, he could still feel the power, the Harmony inside of him allowing him to look straight at one of the Seraphim's true eyes, "Before I go, I have one request, if you are willing to humor me."

***

Lucifer had never felt the desire to pace and fidget outside of his physical body so strongly as he did now. For all that it had only been a couple moments since he felt the wave of emotion from his core, time did strange things out here so there was no telling how long it had been for Alastor. He could feel Bee's energies supporting his tethers and was again grateful that this was one of the things she had kept after the Fall along with her Sight. While he had been able to repair the threads of the damage he had caused in his panic before, they were still worn from the years of use and easy to break.

Shock ran through him as he suddenly felt a burst of energy race past him and over the limit of where he could reach. That was the Harmony in Alastor, he was sure of it! The way there was still a line leading back to the physical plane meant the demon's body was still alive but it should not have done that!

The fallen angel was growing increasingly stressed by this entire situation.

Finally, he felt an approaching form coming from the prison of his core. As soon as it was close enough, he reached out and took hold, relieved when he sensed that it was Alastor's consciousness. He could feel that the sinner was dazed but seemingly intact overall. 'We'll see how true that is once he wakes up.'

Lucifer yanked the demon down the line to where the tether to Alastor's body was and all but shoved him back to where he belonged. 'Fucking insufferable bastard!' Frustration and anger were easier to deal with than the fear he could feel waiting to take hold. Fuck, he really hoped Alastor continued to disregard the consequences he should have for his idiotic impulses.

_____________

Plain-text Samael:

Understandable given your experiences. I believe those around you have likely fixed the issue of your body being intolerant to Seraphim energies since I can feel my other self is now waiting out there to catch you.

My Heart may have spent these many years being made to slowly drown under guilt but I have spent much of that time bored. And angry.

Very. In that time, I have tested and learned to use a Seraphim's capabilities in combative ways that the others have never even considered before. You desire to know how to wield the Harmony within you as a weapon and this?

This will give you the Knowledge to utilize the portion of my full Harmony that your physical form can handle as if you were another part of my Self,

Plus a few theories I had upon Seeing into your mind. Those you will have to work on with my smaller self to see if my ideas are right.

Oh, there is a price but it is one you have already chosen to pay,

One thing that has plagued my other self enough for me to get a sense of it is the last time Michael decided to visit. He said that I bring chaos in my wake and revel in the disorder. Your memories tell me that you want to remind the others that chaos cannot be tamed,

I would like for you to be the Disorder that my Chaos wields against Michael in the coming days.

You have called up the Harmony within you to here...even without the Knowledge? You are strangely resilient to that which you should not be.

If you do remember all of this after leaving this place, let my other self know that even with my full Sight, you truly are an impossible mind to comprehend for a completely human soul.

 

Notes:

This chapter has been eating at my brain to be written for WEEKS and I hope it is as fun for you guys as it was for me!

Alastor is going to be very impatient for Michael to make his next move I think

Also, Alastor definitely let more of his natural personality show to Samael before the end there.

Chapter 41: Levity and Respect

Summary:

Alastor makes a request of an impossibly old entity

"Before I go, I have one request, if you are willing to humor me."

Alastor could now feel the Seraphim attempting to See his thoughts and made use of one of the small pieces of Knowledge he had been able to glean from the truly overwhelming amount of information waiting to be understood in the back of his mind, effectively raising a barrier against the probing energy. If the ancient being truly pressed it wouldn't hold long, but he trusted Samael to understand the line being drawn. He was glad to be proven correct when all he felt in response was another wave of amusement with an undercurrent of pride and respect.

"Ì håvê ñð†hïñg þrꧧïñg †ð gê† †ð §ð Ì §µþþð§ê Ì ¢åñ hµmðr ¥ðµ å mðmêñ† lðñgêr, llê §ðµl."

He cackled in response to the sarcasm he could actually hear in the multitude of voices this time, manifesting his microphone in his hand now that he better understood the rules of this place. His radio frequencies settled around him comfortably like a cloak and his voice became masked with the alterations he preferred. He gave the staff a habitual twirl before placing it in front of him, hands folded over top and the end landing solidly despite the lack of anything under his feet any longer. Now he felt properly like himself again, "You refer to Lucifer as your Heart's Song and have stated I could now have some access to your full Harmony. This means that what I have heard from him is but a portion of what you are. Might I trouble you to drop the shield around me that is blocking the Song?"

Apparently it was possible to catch an unfathomable entity so off-guard that they blanked out emotionally and mentally! That was very satisfying to know!

The feeling of Samael's focus returned slowly before he seemed to decide to grant the Radio Demon his request.

Where Lucifer had been a hundred voices encompassing a solar flare, this was an innumerable choir calling out over the roaring energy of a thousand suns. Within that mass of heat and light were complex feelings he could not grasp but one familiar note called to mind the proud fury of one who knew they had been wronged. Alastor did his best to commit the Harmony, particularly that portion, to memory. After all, if a simple melody from a piano could uplight the mood of the morose King of Hell, this sound could be key to making Lucifer gain the will to fight back against his chains.

Just as the strength of it was beginning to rattle the sinner's teeth, the shield returned. A sense of wary curiosity wrapped around him as Samael checked him for signs of damage, "Wå§ †hå† §å†ï§£å¢†ðr¥?"

Alastor could feel the manic delight pulling his grin painfully wide, "Absolutely aces, my friend! You have my sincere gratitude."

"ÄñÐ ¥ðµ håvê mïñê. †hï§ mêmðr¥ wïll grêå†l¥ êå§ê †hê lðñêlïñꧧ 𣠆hê ¢ðmïñg Ð奧." Melancholy settled in the air like a miasma.

Now that just wouldn't do! "Fret not, my dear King! I have so very many more questions for you. This will not be our final meeting!" The sheer volume of shock, disbelief, and an oh so thin thread of hope that emanated from the Seraphim now made him laugh again as he waggled his fingers at Samael playfully and stepped through the doorway. "Toodles!"

His delight in his newfound ability to catch an ancient, inhuman entity by surprise followed him even as crashing into several layers of reality and re-entry into the proper flow of time rendered him otherwise senseless.

A true showman always left their audience wanting more!

Notes:

Plain-text Samael:
I have nothing pressing to get to so I suppose I can humor you a moment longer, little soul.

Was that satisfactory?

And you have mine. This memory will greatly ease the loneliness of the coming days.
______
Guys. Guys! Eeeeee! I'm so excited because I now fully know the last two scenes of this story AND I know how things end with Michael!

Eeeeeheheheheee!

Also, hearing playful, goofy Alastor in this one had me giggling irl and got me through a really bad start of the day

Chapter 42: The Differences Between

Summary:

Charlie tries to understand more about what her dad is while they wait for Alastor to wake up.

Lucifer gets a surprising bit of information about Heaven from his daughter.

"So...that's why you keep forgetting things like names and what year it is?" Charlie kept her voice low to avoid disturbing Vaggie, who was dozing with her head in her lap. Apparently between the effects of what she had heard and learning to maintain a new way of filtering it out in the future, her partner was a bit exhausted.

"Yep!" Her Dad had on his 'pretending really hard that everything is okay so I don't freak out' face. Charlie had gotten better at reading him now that they were spending more time together. Although, she really hoped this was the last time they met at the palace for something stressful like this for a really long time. "This old noggin wasn't really made to handle ten thousand years of memory and getting it stored in my core is...difficult."

She was pretty sure that was a massive understatement, "And your core is stuck in a prison and also a kind of but not really separate conscious being?" Another nod and she gave an angry sigh, "I thought Heaven was supposed to be a really good place! How could they do something like that?!"

Mammon was the one that answered her this time, "The fuckin' hypocrites spouting off about Unity leading to Clarity and all that horseshit ain't many but they're powerful enough that everyone either A) believes every goddamn word they spew, B) buries their dumbass heads in the proverbial sand, or C) Falls like we did."

"And we got the better end of the deal than others cuz we chose to Fall, sugar," Bee added on, "That let us keep the strength in our Songs even if they did get all spiced up and twisted when we landed in Hell."

"So there are other fallen angels? Are they like Vaggie?"

Bee glanced at said angel's sleeping face before responding, "Your sweet girlie there ain't fully Fallen yet. I'm guessing she simply got left here and nobody high up enough noticed and officially passed a Judgement. Her Song would be really different if she was a being of Hell now."

It felt like her dad was really focused on what they were saying, his brows were furrowed like he was trying to make sense of something. Charlie sighed, "Well, I'm glad they didn't decide to while we were at the trial over the Hotel. Sera kinda makes it easier to believe Heaven does this sort of crappy stuff, even if Emily was really fighting for our side at the end of it."

Lucifer looked sharply at her then, "Who's Emily? And Sera, did she look really tall with white hair and a white stripe on her nose? Wouldn't know the meaning of the word 'fun' even if somebody shoved it down her throat?"

Charlie blinked. Was that another forgotten thing or... "Oh! Right! I guess with everything going on with the early Extermination and after, I didn't remember to tell you about them!" She rubbed the back of her neck, "Sorry about that! Uh, well, I think that's the same Sera I met. She was the highest up angel at the trial and Emily sat right next to her. I got the feeling Emily is kind of like a younger sister to Sera or something?"

He definitely was looking for something particular as he pressed, "And this Emily defied the oldest and highest angel's expressed opinions? Openly? There were other angels present?"

She nodded, "Yeah! Stood right by me and yelled at all of them with me and everything! We still write letters to each other when we can." Charlie considered the bubbly angel a friend, even if they hadn't gotten to see each other since that day. There was a feeling then...something she said had her dad looking like he had been hit in the head, blinking dazedly. When she looked at the other Sins, they had almost the exact same expression. "What? Why are you guys looking like that?"

Oz was the first to shake off whatever that was, "Kiddo, you have a friend, an angel friend, who openly showed signs of rebellion in front of multiple other angels, at least one of which was likely of a higher class, and she didn't Fall! That's why. Back when we were up there, that would have meant an immediate one-way ticket out of Heaven! Even if some of the others there covered for her, that means they were willing to do it!"

Charlie blinked, feeling like she was kinda starting to get what they were saying but it didn't make sense, "Well, yeah? Ten thousand years is a long time! Things change, you know?"

Lucifer burst out in hysterical laughter to the point that he fell back, clutching his sides and tears streaming down his face. For all their talk of Alastor possibly cracking his own mind beyond repair, she had to wonder if maybe her dad had something similar going on. She felt a hand on her shoulder and met Bee's patient, sympathetic expression, "Honey, the Heaven we knew didn't change in millions of years, much less thousands."

The other four Sins had their heads close together and it looked like they were trying argue about something without raising their voices, "So what's so different now, Aunt Bee?"

"I'm not really sure, sweetie. I'll bet your dad is gonna be working real hard to figure it out though. I imagine he's gonna have a whole lotta questions for you when he can talk again. After all," She looked at her dad with a proud grin, "he was thrown out for essentially trying to change things and telling the others no in the first place."

***

Alastor could definitely feel the room spinning around him, even without opening his eyes. This was feeling distressingly similar to the way his body handled the time Lucifer used him as a bus stop on his way back to his own physical form. 'I really had hoped I would be getting more of a tolerance than this. Suppose it's either too soon for that to be realistic or this is actually better than it would have been considering how much bigger the goal I aimed for was.' His frequencies were quiet and he couldn't really move anything though his ears seemed to be working fine.

Lucifer sounded like he was gasping for air around random fits of giggles for some strange reason and Charlie was being the darling, curious girl she was and asking someone else questions, "The main reason Dad can't just lead his core out of the Void through the string things attached to him is because the amount of energy would be really dangerous for everyone?"

There was a snort that sounded familiar, the following voice told him it was the Sin of Greed, "Even if that wasn't such a fuckin' problem, Lu's a whole lot bigger than Hell can handle."

"That's what she said!"

"Asmodeus!" Lucifer apparently had enough control now to chastise the Sin of Lust, "Not in front of my daughter!"

"Daaaaaad! It's fine! I'm not a little kid, I can handle sex jokes," Charlie protested even as she laughed.

"Lalalala! I didn't heeear thaaaat! You're always going to be the cute, innocent little duckling that followed me everywhere and tried to copy everything I did!"

More laughter now told him there were definitely several people in the room. He mentally poked at his senses and found he could still actively feel the power of the Harmony in him, even outside of the metaphysical Void. Excellent! He was glad to know he wouldn't have to relearn that, though it seemed the ease with which he had taken hold of it before was lost for the moment. Still, not completely back to square one at least!

Rather than forcing it to do something, he just poked at it until he figured out how to tap into it a bit better and turned his focus outward again. One of his ears twitched then as unfamiliar sounds tickled at it though he couldn't make sense of them. Possibly the Songs of those in the room? Maybe it would take a bit to learn to separate them out and understand what they were in the physical plane. That would be a good way to pass the time while he waited to discover more details of the coming conflicts.

"Hey, Dad? I think something just changed in Al a bit?"

Looked like it was time to make his presence known! Alastor pushed at himself until he could get himself to actually talk, though the static was making it hard to enunciate properly, "Lu*ኡ𐌔ነ𐌕*fer?"

"He's awake already?!"

"Looks like it," Alastor got the feeling Lucifer leaned a bit closer to him, "Yeah, Al, I'm right here."

"*ኡⱿጊ𐌕* have a que*ነ𐌕Ɀኡ*on."

"You sure you should be talking right now, moron? You pretty much just gave yourself inter-dimensional decompression sickness."

Alastor took a deep breath through his nose, static dying down a bit and his voice more clear, "Mmm, 'member how I said a person would have to be crazy to make a deal with the devil?"

Lucifer's tone showed he was clearly wondering why the Radio Demon was bringing up the first conversation that really started this madness all those months ago, "Yeah? And I said it's a good thing you're already insane."

The permanent smile on the sinner's face split into a bright, proud grin as one eye cracked open to look at the King of Hell, his pupil briefly showing what he would later learn was a bright gold-to-red starburst before returning to normal, "What do you call practically making a deal with a Seraphim then?"

The resulting yelling from five Sins in response to his question and Vaggie's shout as she was startled fully awake was well worth the increased pain of his now aching head. Lucifer was looking at him like he had hoped for no less from him. Huh, maybe he was finally learning that Alastor never played by anyone's rules but his own.

Notes:

A bit of silliness and additional "WTAF are you?!" for Alastor.

Kinda needed it after writing down most of the blocked memory. Fair warning, I sobbed writing it. Maybe it won't be as heartbreaking for you guys though?

A small portion of it will be revealed after the main bit for proper story flow.

In happier news, I have also fully written down the Epilogue of this! It's from the POV of a character you guys haven't really met yet and I cannot WAIT to get to posting it. Hopefully that drive keeps me going to connect all the pieces

Chapter 43: Settling Back in Place

Summary:

More conversations as Alastor gets his body back online

Lucifer is trying really hard to wait until everyone else is gone to throttle the Radio Demon for scaring the shit out of himeveryone

"Bye Uncle Satan! Have a safe trip with Untie Levi!" Charlie waved farewell as the Sin of Wrath left with Leviathan. Once the ruckus had calmed down and everyone was sure that Alastor was stable, the six others decided to take their leave of Pride. So many of the Sins away from their Rings so soon after the last time was bound to cause riots and questions none of them wanted to deal with.

"See all you bitches hopefully never," Mammon huffed, "Lu, you can expect a goddamn bill for alla' this bullshit."

The room fell silent as the pressure changed and Alastor forced himself to turn his head to fully see what was going on. That didn't feel like Lucifer's...

Charlie was facing the much bigger Sin of Greed, a perfectly sweet smile on her face, "Uncle 'Mon. I do hope I didn't just hear you imply you were going to extort my dad over a family emergency."

"Er...nope! I was jus' jokin', Charlie, really!"

Asmodeus blinked and leaned in towards Beelzebub, "When did mini-Lu turn into not-so-mini-Lil?"

Alastor didn't think he was wrong to feel a bit smug about her growing fangs. It was fun poking at her stance on things until she finally snapped and put her foot down. The implication of her mother's strong nature brought a vaguely familiar woman's voice to his mind. 'I can’t do much for Hell anymore but I can give you the ability to choose rather than blindly follow the worst of her orders.' He thought he had heard broadcasts of that voice before but it was so long ago, just after he came to Hell...

He felt confused for a moment before the power in him moved just slightly with his curiosity and suddenly he could see the block in his mind. It felt like it had fractures in it that had allowed a small leak. The sinner forced himself to keep from reacting though his ears wanted to fall back with the urge to panic. If he had allowed it to be placed there then he needed it to stay where it was until the right time!

"Al? You ok?"

Alastor blinked his eyes back open to see Charlie leaning over him with a worried look. It seemed most of the rest had left while he was distracted, "Right as rain, my dear! Or, at least, I will be, once I can find where my feet have gone!"

She giggled as one of his laugh tracks played, "Alright, it just felt like something had you worried for a second."

His ears swiveled a bit more towards her with his curiosity, "Oh? Do tell! Have you gained a sudden ability for mind-reading?" He really hoped not. Bringing up any sort of shield right now would just make the most perceptive one in the room suspicious of what he was hiding and he didn't have enough control of it yet to ensure Lucifer couldn't blindly shove his way through. Alastor could trust him to have some tact at times but the fallen angel had a tendency to act without thinking if he got too concerned. He would likely assume the sinner was hiding some damage that he needed to heal and feel guilty about or some other ridiculous thing like that.

Charlie shook her head, "Nope and I hope I don't! That sounds really creepy and invasive! Ever since that Harmony thing went through me, I just kinda feel things about people a little bit more than before."

Ah, so he would have to take extra care to control his emotional state around her. That was going to be exhausting until he got used to it.

Aha! Alastor found he could move his hands again now! Delightful! Disembodiment truly did make one appreciate the little things about a corporeal form!

***

Lucifer was capable of being patient. No, really! Like now! He had kept himself perfectly civil and mostly level-headed the entire time while the Sins, his daughter, and her girlfriend were still around. Didn't mean it wasn't taking everything he had to keep from grabbing Alastor up by the shoulders and shaking him for his blatant disregard for his own damned safety! Or that there wasn't a part of him that wanted to crawl back into the sinner's chest and curl up in the Harmony there to reassure himself that the Radio Demon really had survived all that and come out the other side perfectly fine. Hell, the crazy bastard somehow managed to get back from the fucking Void and his core self stronger than before! Who the hell does that?!?!

Now it was just Charlie and Vaggie left along with Alastor and, while Lucifer absolutely adored his little girl, he was just one or two smart-ass comments from the sinner away from knocking the fucker back out himself with how stressed out he was feeling. The Radio Demon kept finding things to say to Charlie that made her interested in staying longer and the delighted edge he was catching in that creepy permanent smile told him Al was perfectly aware of the fact that he was making Lucifer twitch.

...

When the fuck had he started being able to read the deer so well?

"Oh! Charlie, I almost forgot to tell you! Apparently your father's core found my visit to be a gift! It seems that side of him knew who you were but had no idea what you looked like! Isn't that just awful?"

Lucifer blinked. Okay, yeah, he could see how that would be really important to himself but did Alastor have to sound so. damn. smug about doing something that should have killed him or worse?!?! Now Charlie had hearts in her eyes and was gushing about how that was so nice and thoughtful and all's well that ends well and-

"Sir?"

He blinked and looked over to see Vaggie with a similarly frustrated expression, "Please, just call me Lucifer. Or Dad. Or whatever else you want to that doesn't make me sound like I'm one of the higher ranks up there."

She nodded stiffly, "Right, of course. I just...do you want me to get Charlie out of here? I can tell Alastor's being an asshole right now and I figure it's probably aimed at you."

Oh thank goodness for having an ally! He quickly nodded his agreement, "So long as she doesn't think I don't want her around or anything. I just-"

The young angel patted him on the shoulder, "Trust me, I understand. I live with him at the Hotel." She walked over towards the other two, "Babe, I think we might want to check on things back home. Angel's probably going to try to start an orgy or something if we stay away too long."

His daughter grew wide eyed and squeaked, "Ohmygod I hope not! I know he wanted to throw a celebration for getting free but-"

Vaggie made noises of interest and started walking for the door, which caused Charlie to automatically follow her, "Can't say I can completely blame him. Valentino was a disgusting creep. I should have tried to take him out myself for touching you in the first place."

Wait, WHAT?!?! Lucifer was torn between chasing after them and staying where he was as the door closed behind them. He glanced at Alastor who had a disgusted look on his face as he finally pushed himself upright, "Do you know what they are talking about?!"

The sinner nodded as he started to look nauseous, "I think... I remember something... Is that why my mouth tastes like that?!?!"

Notes:

Firstly! An edit has been made to the previous chapter after someone pointed out that Lucifer would have known Sera!

Personal headcanon has Leviathan gender-fluid and they/them pronouns. Felt it fitting that since the Sin of Greed has so firmly been shown as male presenting so far, the Sin of Envy would be next most likely that goes for whatever gender they want to be the most each day.

You know, I was rereading earlier chapters and I realized that the way Al asked Samael to let him hear the Song and how that completely confounded the Seraphim is the same way Al boggled Luci near the beginning when he asked him to do the whole uncanny valley detached Seraphim thing! LOL, I'm finding a lot of unintentional recurring themes.

 

FOR THOSE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THINGS WILL END:
This is not meant as a spoiler but as a reassurance for those who worry about the note I left in the last chapter. Do not read between the asterisks if you do not want to know.

***
The ending of this WILL be happy and full of hope for the future for Lucifer, Alastor, Charlie, even Lilith, and others that I won't say because definitely spoilers. Side characters that we like will be left to imagination but in my opinion, they also live things out happily.
***

Chapter 44: Release the Pressure

Summary:

Lucifer finally gets to yell at Alastor. Too bad the Radio Demon finds it cute rather than taking him seriously at all.

Alastor drummed his fingers on his knee from where he sat cross-legged on the floor. He wasn't thrilled to realize the blank spots in his memory of V-Tower that day were not simply a bit hard to grasp after his trip to the Void. The fact that he was likely only able to go there this time because he completely lost control of himself tainted the delight of the accomplishment a bit. He could remember reaching out to grab the Overlord because his soul seemed like what his body really craved at the time but, after that, there was nothing. It was a small amusement and consolation that Lucifer looked like he wanted to turn back time and tear Valentino apart again himself.

Although, the part where the Harmony in him actually extracted the cretin's soul for him to better consume was rather intriguing. Hmm...

There was an odd shift from his Shadow then, like it wanted to get his attention. He let it come out in front of him, where it grinned at him in eager delight before presenting him with a familiar long red wing with heart markings and black and white fur trim.

Lucifer halted mid-step in his pacing, “Why does your creature there have that Overlord’s wing? Isn’t it a little weird to keep trophies of people? Oh wait, I forgot I was talking to a psycho murderer for a minute!”

Alastor perked up when he heard the word ‘trophy,’ “Ah! Thank you, my inky friend! You were quite right to keep that!”

The fallen angel was looking at him like he was severely questioning whether or not the deer did return from the Void intact, “You...talk to it? Wait, it did that on it’s own?! How sentient is that thing?”

The sinner chuckled as he took a look at the wing for damage, “It’s not completely its own creature. It’s made from a mix of my powers and some bits and pieces from the older souls I've collected." More than a couple bits were from his miserable excuse for a father's soul. The vile wretch had finally made himself useful for once! "It’s rather attuned to my own way of thinking so it can act as I would in a situation where I am not around.” The Shadow shook in silent laughter as it stretched up the wall and onto the ceiling, delighting in the attention as well as Alastor’s approval, "It kept this because I need some way of apologizing to Niffty, the poor dear. I think she will be rather taken with this for her collection!"

"...I swear, she's almost as creepy and weird as you."

The sinner set the wing back into his shadows for safe-keeping, "I know! Isn't she an absolute delight?!"

Lucifer frog-blinked at him while he processed that.

Alastor put his elbows on his knees and laced his fingers to rest his chin on them as he mentally counted down. '3... 2...1...bingo!' There went the shift in pressure until it was laser focused on him. Dark brows furrowed and Lucifer's eyes went bright red. Alastor watched with a lazy smile and perked ears as the horns made their appearance along with the already displayed wings and tail. 'How lovely! The King himself has finally made his appearance! We won't be needing any ridiculous ducks this evening!'

Actually, now that he was really focusing on the other man with no one else around, he thought he was starting to slightly catch the more familiar sounds of the fallen angel's Song over other background noises. This might be lovely practice in figuring out how to heighten his perception of those so he could hear them more clearly! This truly was turning out to be a day filled with learning opportunities!

"Do you even realize the sheer level of idiocy of your actions, sinner?!?!"

"Ah, so we're back to 'sinner' now, your Majesty? I'm pretty sure I am aware but do go ahead and get it out of your system."

"You insolent little-" Lucifer threw his hands up in the air and started pacing again, tail lashing, "Death isn't even the worst thing that could have happened to you! Hell, you could have killed Charlie!"

"Actually, by your own words, Charlotte was perfectly safe from me, even when I wasn't conscious of my actions!"

"You didn't know that then! Gah!" Was that Hellfire coming out from between the King's teeth now? "Why the hell didn't you contact me?! I know you're intelligent enough to have known that something was wrong!"

Alastor shrugged, "I will admit, that thought did not occur to me. Having others I trust to aid me is a rarity. Trusting someone with your level of power above mine is completely new."

That seemed to knock the wind out of Lucifer's sails for a moment, a flash of a smile crossing his lips before he shook his head and clenched his fists, "You can't just butter me up to get out of this!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, sire! Although I do think you would taste better with a red wine sauce rather than butter." The colors the little King of Hell could turn were positively adorable! And don't even get him started on the noises! Alastor was well aware that, should this turn physical, he had absolutely no chance of victory. He was kind of curious to see how far that line was nowadays.

"Can you stop being a little shit for five fucking minutes?!"

"Absolutely! Let me know when you would like me to start the timer." The shriek that followed that had his ears ringing and likely was heard halfway across the Ring but it was worth it.

***

Lucifer was starting to get the feeling that nothing he could say or do was going to make him feel better short of chucking the asshole's consciousness back into the outer planes and forcing him to make his own way back! He was getting really tempted to do just that when his phone chimed with a text, rapidly followed by more as he went to check it.

hey dad!

plz warn Al that Angel wants to kiss the person who killed Val

well

he didn’t say kiss but ykwim

It took him a second to understand the mashed up letters at the end but he did eventually get it. “Apparently Angel Dust wants to perform sexual acts on the person that killed Valentino," he muttered distractedly.

...wait. How did Charlie know that Alastor was the one that-

He could see the demon shudder out of the corner of his eye, “No thank you! But I am quite sure I could find something for him to express his gratitude with!”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at him, “You’re not going to try to make a deal for his soul, are you?”

“Nope!”

...okay, now that sounded really off for someone who was very proud of being an Overlord. He was just about to demand the jackass let him check his psyche for damage when Alastor got to his feet and summoned his microphone to lean upon, “That fellow would require far too much of my time and attention to be of much use to me, considering how much I have on my plate already. Samael has given me quite the task to handle as it is, after all.”

Lucifer choked in shock when he heard his angelic name from the Radio Demon, coughing a bit before looking up at him wide eyed, "When did I-" Oh, wait, did his core self still go by that name then? "Wait, what did I-"

Alastor grinned wide, standing straight and playfully twirling the staff in one hand as he turned for the door, "That's for me to know and you to find out!"

Lucifer snarled, throwing up a barrier when the sinner went to walk away, only to remember the problem with that when the jackass just kept walking right on through it, "We're not done talking!"

Alastor just looked over his shoulder with a raised brow, "You think you can make me stay to listen, little King?"

Recognizing the challenge in that tone, his wings flared wide and Lucifer leapt for the smug deer.

***

It was hours later, when the King of Hell found himself alone once more, that he realized that Alastor could have left the palace at any time. Instead, the sinner chose to lead him on a merry chase throughout the building until the last of his body's anxious, restless energy was gone...

Ugh, why did that make him feel all warm inside?! Maybe he was the one with brain damage?!

Notes:

I giggled so many times during this one. I'm almost sad to move on to more plot-heavy elements. But the show must go on!

Alright, since I know the ending and I know the blocked memory, is there anything particular you guys would like to see happen or talked about? Between Al and Luci or with one of them and a diff character?

Chapter 45: Interlude: Cracks in the Foundation

Summary:

Sera had once had an utter conviction that their Judgement was right.

Now she was starting to wonder...

Sera, who had come into Being as Seraphiel, had once completely and utterly believed in the Judgement they had made against Samael so long ago. Now, as she looked over Heaven, over the souls who had come to join them in the last ten thousand years, she was starting to wonder...

Strange that ten thousand years seemed like such a long time, where once time had been measured with the rotation of galaxies. Now there was a pulse to the Universe that called attention to these smaller increments that humans understood. It was one of many changes their brother's supposed defiance had caused.

The very first change had been felt by all of the angels the moment Eve ate the Fruit, when Samael gave humanity Knowledge they had not been Created to have. Where once had been heard the singular symphony of the Universe, there were now notes of discord, cracks where the music was...wrong. Jagged tears where the Universal symphony began to split apart and allowed for death, true death, where the energy of a being ceased to Be completely. It was all the evidence they had needed back then to prove that it was his actions that went against the Plans of Creation. Now, she was wondering if perhaps they had been too... hasty in their Judgement.

...or if perhaps there was something more to it than most of them had known.

Back at the start, Adam's appearance in Heaven had been a small surprise but, then again, he hadn't eaten the Fruit. So, they had welcomed him, celebrated his arrival, and had given him a place among them. Eve had not appeared upon her death and that was seen as proof that they were Right and their decision had been Just. She had been the one to consume the Fruit and other humans of her line began to show up in Hell, therefore it must be the Fate of all humans to end up in one of the pits that had been formed, along with their exiled brother.

And then more had come!

Humans who held the Light of their brother deep within their souls, proof that they bore the Knowledge Samael had given them. Humans that had wings and halos and, though they could not hear the Songs, they still fit into the symphony just as though they had been formed from it! The more of them that appeared here, the harder it was for her to deny that their curiosity and questions were invigorating, enlightening even. That they were children of Creation just as much as any naturally formed angel. That their strange Songs were changing the way angels heard the symphony.

That humanity was changing even the highest classes of angels like herself.

Sera thought of the one she had claimed as her younger sister and taken under her wing. Emily had never known a Heaven that was without humans. There had been something achingly familiar within the new angel's Song when she came into Being, it had taken a while for Sera to recognize it. Once she had, she began to understand what fear for another truly was like.

Emily was just like Samael had been when they all came into Being at the beginning. All joy and energy and a drive to embrace everything to its fullest. That joy had been nowhere to be found when she had seen him last. He had looked so very small in that form he had chosen, the form that he had refused to cast aside so that he could remain with the human that had aided in his deceit. The ones who had voted for him to be cast out had granted Michael the power to lay the punishments upon Samael and washed their hands of it. So sure they were then that the Silence would drive him to repent within a few centuries at most and then existence could be returned to what they had known for so long.

Now, Sera had truly started to doubt. Emily's love for humanity was so strong, so pure, how could it be wrong? Knowing that, how could it have been so wrong for Samael to love them too? To have given so much of his own Heart to them so that he could save them from erasure?

...when had they decided that Love, in any form, was something that could be wrong?

Michael had seemed so sure in his conviction that Samael was the one at fault and so many of them believed him because he knew the Morning Star best. The two of them had been closer than any other among the First of the Seraphim. His anguish over Samael’s betrayal of the Plan, the way he had seemed so grieved but certain that the burden of delivering the Judgement lay upon him alone, it all had seemed so very real. But…

Sera had been working with him closely ever since then. Long enough that she was starting to think that something was wrong with his Song. She was starting to suspect she could hear a note deep within her brother that echoed the cracks in the symphony.

Maybe the rest of them should have listened to Raphael and Uriel. They had been the most vocal about the lack of Patience and Insight during the Judgment.

Now, she did not know where to find them and she felt so very alone, trapped under Michael's watchful eye with someone so precious to her in his reach that she feared what she would do to keep Emily safe.

Just as Samael had done the unthinkable and torn his very Self apart to keep humanity safe.

Notes:

I won't be doing Sera's POV much but I needed a moment from Heaven's side of things

Saraphiel is one of the named angels my research found. I thought it was so close to Sera that I had to use it.

Chapter 46: Contemplations

Summary:

Alastor returns to the hotel but takes the time to sit with his thoughts rather than go inside.

Alastor had arrived back at the hotel late in the night but, instead of going inside, he had set his sights on the very top of his own tower. Standing on one of the antennas to look out over Pentagram City, his ears swiveled every which way to catch more of the strange hum coming from the entirety of this place he had known for so long. He didn't know enough to understand how to interpret the sounds, to translate them into something that he could name, but he could feel it.

...that was how Charlie described what she sensed from others, wasn't it? A feeling? The way Lucifer, both sides of him, and the Sins had talked about it, this was something angels knew from the very beginning of their lives. They likely had an instinct for the images that they spoke of to describe what they heard. The only reason he knew what the divided Seraphim's could be compared to was because...how had Lucifer described it? That they had shared a wavelength? The same moment the King had seen into how his mind was working, Alastor likely got some information back as well. It would certainly explain why he knew what a solar flare or a sun sounded like.

Was this sound a combination of all the souls in the city? Or was it the Song of the Ring itself? There was so much he still didn't know about this and that made him grin in excitement. Perhaps if Lucifer could hear this, he wouldn't hate Hell so much. There was such a desperation for survival in it, a hunger to exist! No wonder it felt so right to be here!

As he let himself be serenaded by the city, his mind turned over what had happened before he left the palace.

***

Lucifer eventually came to the conclusion Alastor wanted him to. Blindly yelling and accusing would do as little good as trying to trap the Radio Demon without resorting to extremely unnecessary and frankly unwanted measures. It had been amusing to continue to poke and rile up the little King until the worst of his misplaced concern and fear tired itself out. Interpreting the undercurrents of what Lucifer was feeling was far easier than Samael's true state and his strange complexities.

Finally, after a couple hours of using much of his ill-gained knowledge of the palace to keep frustratingly out of reach, the fallen angel had slowed down and genuinely asked, rather than blindly assuming of Alastor's motives and reasoning for his decisions, "Why did you do it when you knew what the risks were?"

"Now you are asking the right questions, your Majesty! Good job!" That had earned him a glare. Well, that and the little head pat the sinner gave him much like the Radio Demon gave Charlie when she did well, "I did it because I wanted to! Nothing more, nothing less. I am a creature of my own making and I refuse to deny myself the chance to experience what is within my reach."

"Is that all everything is to you? An experience to be chased after?"

Alastor nodded like the answer was obvious because to him it was, "Yes! When it boils down to it, existence is something to be actively grasped and held tight rather than simply letting it sweep you along and break you down! Don't you agree? Otherwise, what is the point of being in the first place?"

The little frog blinks were almost as funny as when Lucifer's larger self blanked out completely, "That...makes so much sense with you and yet I still don't get it. How have you not been truly killed yet?!"

He snickered and shrugged, twirling his cane, "Mostly because Lady Luck finds me charming! Or perhaps I have managed to somehow curry favor with Death itself!

Another slow blink and then the fallen angel shook his head with a defeated sigh, "If I see Azrael anytime this next eon, I'll ask him what you did for him to play favorites."

That was said with sarcasm but there had still been a named being... Did that mean Lucifer actually knew a manifestion of Death?! Intriguing! "Speaking of playing favorites, while I know you no longer detest me as you once did, why is my safety such a concern for you, hm? And don't claim your fear is purely for Charlie's sake. We both know that when it comes down to it, she wouldn't blame you for the consequences of my impulsive nature."

Alastor knew the Sins, namely Beelzebub, had implied the King had an interest in him beyond just curiosity. While the sinner had brushed it off with humor at the time, he still wanted to know the true nature of Lucifer's steps in this little dance evolving between them. Of course, that was if the fallen angel even knew the name of it yet. While not entirely unwarranted given the threat constantly hanging over him, Lucifer tended to deny and downplay what he felt about others, even to himself.

Alastor knew his own feelings on the bonds between people were different than most. Those that were his were his, those that were not could at best be seen to be tolerable, useful, or amusing. There were some in the past that had refused to accept that and so they had been removed from the position in his regard they had once held. He would not be forced to pretend to be something he wasn't to suit others.

Lucifer did not seem to be like them though. He simply wanted to understand how Alastor worked, not change it. It would be hypocritical to begrudge him for that, not matter the motive behind it.

"I..." Lucifer sighed as he sat on the floor, uncaring of the debris littering it from where the last wave of his temper had left a hole in the ceiling. "I wish I could say it was something easy to explain. You are so infuriating and yet I look forward to seeing what insane thing you will pull off next. How you will take something that would give others pause and instead embrace it, damn the consequences!" There was confusion but honesty in his tone before he gave the sinner a scathing look, "That means you need to actually continue to be here to cause your particular flavor of chaos, you bastard!"

'I would like for you to be the Disorder that my Chaos wields against Michael in the coming days.' That was the price Samael had asked of him, something he had already known Alastor intended to be if he only had the power. That power lay in the Knowledge that was even now waiting to be understood.

Seeing the same being from two very different angles was fascinating and both sides of Lucifer seemed to find him compelling as well. It was all so terribly flattering!

Another thing the Seraphim trapped in the Void had said came back to him then and he laughed, "Samael asked me to tell you something." When Lucifer looked at him in clear curiosity, he continued, "Apparently, even with the full Sight of your core, my mind is impossible to comprehend for a mortal soul."

The fallen angel scoffed, "Yeah, I could have told myself that, even without that level of Sight. I don't know how reality hasn't imploded with you at the damned center of it."

"Careful, little King. You never know what my next goal will be, after all!"

***

Back in the present, watching the sky begin to brighten in a facsimile of dawn, Alastor had to wonder if perhaps they were both broken in a way that was pulling them together rather than cutting each other apart on their jagged edges. He climbed down from the antenna and into his rooms, opening the door into the hotel to find Niffty there, asleep atop a covered pot that it seemed she had been guarding from others if the loosely gripped knife in her hand was any indication.

Sighing fondly, he scooped her up and brought her inside. The dear lady had likely stayed up all night waiting for his return. He would see what she had cooked for him after he got her tucked away into his bed. The hotel would just have to manage without her lively presence this morning it seemed!

Notes:

Ok, I didn't intend for this to be a feelings chapter but thats the way it went!

The next one I plan to learn of Alastor's changes is Rosie. BUT! I know it is either canon or commonly accepted headcanon that she is a hell-born. I'm thinking of going a diff route but would that be too off-putting for everyone? I know I should write the story I want but I'm an anxiety riddled creature that wants validation, lol

Chapter 47: The New within the Old

Summary:

Charlie learns that sometimes friendship just isn't in the cards and that can be okay.

Alastor finds out one of his oldest friends might have a truly delightful secret she has been keeping from him

Charlie waved as Alastor came down the stairs, "Hey Al! I'm glad you made it back okay!"

He gave her a nod, looking past her to where Vaggie was squinting at him in confusion and suspicion, "Problem, my dear?"

"I don't get it. You know you should be dead, right? I mean really dead if half of what I've been hearing from Charlie is true."

"Perhaps," Alastor shrugged before giving her a grin and a wink, "Why? Would you miss my charming personality?"

She scoffed and rolled her eye, folding her arms over her chest, "Hardly. I just think you're bringing this hotel a lot more trouble than anyone else."

He chuckled, "And that's without even trying!" The sinner gave her one of his creepy, neck-snapping head tilts, "Imagine what it would be like if I truly wished to cause a ruckus!"

As his weirdly warped audios filled the background, Vaggie looked like she wasn't sure if she should feel like that was a threat or not. Finally, Charlie stepped in between them, "Alright, you guys! Remember, we're all on the same team! Maybe we need to set you two up as a pair in the next set of bonding activities?"

"Charlie, you know I love you but-" "Charlie, dear, how do I say this-" they both started at the same time, ending with matching vehemence, "NO!"

Charlie blinked and held up her hands in surrender, trying desperately not to wilt as they both glared at her, "Alright, alright! I won't try to force you! I just...wish you two could find some sort of common ground, that's all."

Vaggie and Alastor shared a blatantly confused glance before her girlfriend spoke, "We already do have a common ground."

She blinked, tilting her head, "Huh? Really?"

Vaggie groaned as she rubbed a hand over her face. Alastor reached up to pat Charlie on the top of her head, "It's you, my dear."

Oh. Uh... Dammit, she could feel herself blushing as that made her feel all warm and happy, "Well, uh, I'm glad there's that?" She squeaked.

Vaggie came to her rescue, taking her hands in her own as she spoke, "I don't like him, but I don't have to. So long as he keeps you and your dream safe, that's enough, alright? Not everyone can be friends."

"Eugh, quite right! Sometimes tolerable acquaintances really is the best one can hope for. I trust this little ex-angel to fight for you and this hotel. Anything else, we can simply agree to disagree on, right Vagatha?"

Vaggie closed her eye and grit her teeth as she hissed out, "That's not my name, you pompous ass!" He just wiggled his fingers at them before wandering off. She sighed and looked at Charlie again, "See? We're fine just as we are, ok? Still want to shove my spear up his ass sometimes but I won't because you care about him. And I'm pretty sure he feels the same, in his own fucked up, crazy way."

Charlie felt a bit torn on that before it kind of clicked, "I guess you two are a bit like Uncle Ozzie and Uncle 'Mon, huh?"

"Uh...you lost me there."

She laughed and kissed Vaggie's hands that were still holding hers, adoring when such a simple gesture made that stern face go all soft and tender, just for her, "Those two hate each other but twice in a week's time they've worked together to help my dad! They didn't really fight at all! So, I guess you guys are like them, a little bit."

Vaggie snickered, "I would say Alastor is Mammon in that analogy but I think he would be more offended to be compared to Asmodeus."

Charlie sighed defeatedly. If they were bound and determined to continue to be antagonistic with each other, she supposed she would just have to learn to accept that.

***

Pentagram City was as lively as ever, already moving on from the mysterious terror that had plagued it so recently. Alastor waved politely at all the little fools that scrambled to get out of his way. Their fear of him was no different than it had been before his change, lending credibility to the claim of the seven Sins that the angelic Harmony had fully calmed and settled back in, though this time it was far more noticeable to him. He could even feel the way his own soul had stretched back around it, hiding it away from any who might be capable of looking. It was an odd thing to be so actively aware of.

Overall, the numerous sounds around him from the other souls were too muddled up in each other still to truly understand yet. He was all too glad that it simply wasn't as overwhelmingly loud as before. That had been dreadful. Truly an experience not worth repeating!

As he let his thoughts wander, his feet took him unerringly to his preferred part of town. It was only when he started to see the border of Cannibal Town that he realized one glaring difference in his walk. Not a single camera or drone had paid him any attention. Even the TV screens had remained unchanged as he passed by with nary a flash of a blue face. Huh. Maybe Vox had learned his lesson and finally given up on that dreadful obsession of his? Or perhaps he was still incapacitated in that tower?

Alastor could only imagine seeing one's partner be eaten by a true monster wearing the skin of a former friend would be a bit off-putting. He chuckled to himself, a bounce in his step, only to pause as he entered the boundary of his friend's territory

That...was different.

He stepped back, hearing the chaotic whirl of physical sounds as well as the messy mixture of Songs all around. But when he crossed over the clearly marked line again, everything calmed down. There was a feeling of sharp-edged delight and enthusiasm in the air, completely untainted by the city surrounding it. It truly was as though Cannibal Town was its own place, separated from the rest of the Ring's Songs...

Now this certainly piqued his curiosity! He tapped into the Harmony a bit to see if he could get a better sense of the change when suddenly every nearby member of the town stopped and stared at him. He could now see lines thin as a spider's silk coming from each of them and feeding back in the same direction.

Alastor grinned painfully wide in eager glee as a suspicion bubbled up in his mind and he called out to no one in particular, "Rosie, my dearest lady, I do believe you have been keeping secrets from me!"

His suspicion only solidified when the cannibals all blinked at the same time before going back to what they had been doing, seemingly unaware that something had just traspired. Well, this would explain why the cannibal Overlord was so very good at reading people so quickly! He imagined a Fallen would be rightly talented at diagnosing relationship problems when they could hear a person's Song and get straight to the truth of the matter!

It was a good thing he had nothing else requiring his attention today! This was going to be a very long chat over tea!

Notes:

Yep! I'm playing with Rosie as a Fallen! Figured it might be fun for Alastor to have an outsider he can go to about this shit and who better than someone who is already a trusted confidante!

Should I be asleep right now? Yes. Did I write this chapter instead? Also yes.

P.S. I did an art! Its a rough of the scene where illusion Samael offers the Fruit. https://www.tumblr.com/frizzycrls/761980509463150592/i-would-like-for-you-to-be-the-disorder-that-my?source=share
Its also been embedded into Chap 39 in the last line

Chapter 48: A Friendly Guide

Summary:

Rosie demands to know what has Alastor sounding like the King of Hell.

Rosie stood outside her Emporium, blatantly eyeing him with wary curiosity as he approached. Alastor supposed that was pretty understandable. After all, her own story was probably less of an anomaly to those of a more angelic background than what he had been through in the past little while. However, he did hope the wariness would pass quickly, "Good day to you, my fairest of friends!" He noted that many of her customers were already taking their leave despite the early hour and the staff was moving to put everything away, "I take it you are closing up the place early! I'm honored that you feel I warrant so much of your undivided attention today, dear!"

A small smile crept up on her lips, his lack of change in the way he was treating her easing some of her subtle tension, "Well, it ain't every day you come in here feeling like you got someone else hiding under your skin! Can you blame a girl for her curiosity?"

Alastor laughed, "No, not at all! I was just surprised to find out you were the sort to be capable of sensing that! Though, I must say, many of your clever ways with others make a great deal more sense now with what I've been learning these recent months."

They both gave each other matching grins, enjoying their usual little game of speaking the truth without revealing anything useful to unwelcome ears.

Once Rosie waved farewell to the last of her employees, she locked the door and tapped her foot twice. All at once, the emporium was covered in those spiderweb strings, humming with energy that matched what he could now feel from his friend. All the other sounds, physical or not, were completely blocked and so hers was clear as day to him. She felt like something predatory hiding in plain sight with unfathomable patience, a streak of a fierce territorial protectiveness in there too. Alastor could understand why he had liked her so quickly even better now.

"Now, Alastor, do whatever you did before. 'Cause right now you seem like your usual self but you aren't who I was hearin'!"

The Radio Demon obliged her, tapping into the Harmony inside him and watching with unrestrained amusement as her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. He supposed that doing so still leaked the sound of it out. He would have to learn how to keep the cover over it even when he was doing these more subtle actions. Alastor glanced around at the strings he could see more clearly surrounding them. They didn't have the golden light of Lucifer's energy but there was a bit of that muddled into the oily sheen.

"Alright, mister! I'm puttin' on a pot of coffee then you better start tellin' me why you sound like His Majesty is wearin' you like a damn coat!"

He had to laugh at that as he let the Harmony fall back. It wasn't too far off from what the King said he had done to get Alastor back to the palace! "Certainly, my dear! It will be good to have someone I can trust to be discreet to speak to about this. Although, I must say, coffee isn't your usual beverage of choice when we have our lovely little chats!"

She looked him up and down with a frown, "Your brain might be all jazzed up six ways to Sunday but from what I can See in your body, I'm willin' to bet you ain't slept a wink in at least three days! After we're done talkin', I'm givin' you one of Sloth's tinctures. If you keep goin' like this, you'll crash so hard that I wouldn't be surprised if you don't wake up for at least 48 hours!"

"It's been about five days actually," he admitted, fully expecting the judging look she gave him, "And the two nights previous were highly interrupted by nightmares."

"Uh huh. And let me guess, that was you that had the north and west ends of the City actin' like the Exterminations had suddenly begun all over again," Rosie didn't seem to be actually expecting an answer as she continued on, setting up a tray of snacks along with some cream and sugar, "Yanno, most people would just get hallucinations from bein' that sleep deprived. You just had to be special and become everyone else's biggest nightmare instead!"

"Of course! Would you expect me to settle for anything less?" He pulled out her chair for her to sit down before taking his own seat.

"Absolutely not!" She gave him an eager and hungry grin, settling in and leaning towards him from across the table, "Now, you tell ol' Rosie what's been goin' on and then I'll tell you my story! Deal?"

Alastor nodded, looking forward to her reactions. She never held back when she enjoyed a good tale and that made it all the more fun to tell!

***

"...oh. my. stars. That's..."

He hummed in agreement, taking a small sip as Rosie blinked several times while processing what she had just heard. She had gotten most of the story, though he still kept a few things to himself. There were certain parts that he knew better than to tell yet, especially on Lucifer's side. There was still far too much of a risk of her becoming another potential target.

"If it were anyone but you tellin' me all that, I would call bullshit," she shook her head, "Only you would manage to get all tangled up in something like this and still be happy as a clam!"

Alastor chuckled, "You might be right, my dear. You usually are, after all."

"Oh, you! Flattery will get you everywhere!" They laughed at that, taking a moment after to sit in comfortable quiet.

Alastor broke the peace first, "You know, Rosie, my dear, before we get to your story, I do have a question."

"You always do! It's kinda like the ol' hydra fable. Answer one of your questions and you immediately come up with two more in its place!"

She truly did know him so well. He motioned to the energy surrounding them, "I've recently been given some knowledge on things I could be capable of. For several reasons, it would be best for me to not have Lucifer aware of the whole of it. Perhaps you can give me some tips that will help me make heads or tails of it all?"

Rosie narrowed her eyes at him, raising a brow at his casual use of the King's first name, "This might seem a bit silly, but is it knowledge or Knowledge?"

He blinked, tilting his head, "The second one is more correct but I can't say why!"

She waved her hand a bit, "It's an angelic intonation thing, darlin'. There's a power in some words if you say them right, kinda an implication of the whole of the meaning of it on the universal scale rather than the ones human souls know as a baseline. Take one of His Majesty's old titles for example! Callin' him 'the bearer of light' wouldn't be totally right, but saying it like 'the Bearer of Light' would."

There was a difference in the way that sounded but it was just at the edge of his understanding! Mentally, he could think of the Knowledge in that way but saying it with the same undertone wasn't something he could accomplish. Yet.

"And before you even ask, no, I didn't have any sort of fancy title. Usually only the Seraphim get those. The Firsts kinda came with one or two already built in but the rest of the ones that formed with the Potential to Be a Seraphim had to grow into and earn 'em."

This was already opening the door to so many facets of all of this that he hadn't even been aware of! Rosie truly was a gem in this pit of Hell!

"Oh boy, I know that look!" She giggled and gave him an indulgent smile, "This is why I had the shop clear out and close up early once I realized that really was you out there. You got your 'tell me everything' face on."

"Guilty as charged, my dear!"

Rosie sighed in feigned annoyance as she settled back and got comfortable, "Okay, so my Insight won't be somethin' you could learn but my other specialty was shields and barriers. I could probably get you started on the basics for that. You'll have to figure out the style that works best for you!" He nodded his understanding as she raised her hands, "You may wanna tap back into that Harmony again, darlin'! It'll make this more clear."

Alastor was quick to comply, watching closely as that oil-slick light rose from her fingertips and wove together neatly. He blinked, his ears perking when he suddenly knew she wasn't just wielding magic but was actually pulling up her own Song into physical form, "That doesn't drain you?"

"There's a reason I'm always linked to my darlings while they're home. So, you figured what it's made out of already? That come from that Knowledge you got?"

He glanced up to meet her gaze, uncertain until he realized there were several small pieces coming forward and laying themselves out neatly with ideas for the use of the threads of a physically manifested Song. Or a Seraphim's Harmony, in his case. Rosie raised both her eyebrows when his pupils shifted into starbursts. Alastor licked his teeth and grinned at her, "Tḙ̲͙̿͜a̛̮c͇̥͌͑͛ͅh̷ͩ m͚̭͈͕̑èͤ h̦̟̘̝̃̚õ͉͞w̱̍̔ t͙̂̇ͤo̸͋ͬ͠ d̥̫ͯ̀̄̕ò t̩̊̌hͭa̙͗t!"

Notes:

Author note:Basically whenever Alastor starts to understand the Knowledge, it invokes his pseudo-deal with Samael. He'll probably have to be careful to hide that if some of it comes to him in front of someone less of an ally.

P.S. its not that Samael didn't include the basics. Its just that Al's brain is having a hard time understanding what that is without seeing it first. He'll probably get the hang of it once he's got a couple tricks figured out

Chapter 49: Rosie's Fall

Summary:

Rosie talks about her life before Hell and why she Fell

Notes:

link for where I got Rosie's angel name in the bottom notes

 "Alright, so Song or soul magic depends on how much you got to work with. I wouldn't try incorporatin' any of your own Song if it's as thin as everyone's implyin'. You might be able to get away with it when you can do really delicate work but you can't disconnect it and you have to absorb it back into you when it's done or you'll unravel yourself," she gave him a sharp look, "I'm serious about that! None of your testin' if you can somehow bend the rules or anythin'! You undo yourself and I'll find a way to pull enough of you back together to make you regret it, mister!"

Alastor thought about being contrary just for the sake of it but he knew that look in her eyes and sighed, "Fine, fine. I won't do anything involving my own soul's energy unless it's the only other option I have."

Rosie nodded with a smirk, "Good! Now, imagine that Harmony is a spool of thread or a ball of yarn, whatever makes it clearer to you and feels like it will be easier to grab hold of."

***

It didn't take terribly long for him to grasp the concept. The Knowledge was there, he just needed to understand how it worked. Once he was able to pull a string from his palm, Alastor began mentally plotting how to adjust Samael's Knowledge to better suit his own methods. 'Hmm, could this be fed into my shadows? I'm sure the piece I hold is small compared to a natural angel's Song but he did say I would have access to the full of it, similar to how Lucifer does...'

That thought reminded him of the tether that connected him to Lucifer and Samael. The fallen angel had multiple connecting him to his core, though their age made them rather delicate, where Alastor currently only had the one. Could he create more to better channel a larger amount of the core energies? Maybe once he could get a more active feel for the connections and how they were created? That also might make it easier to travel back and forth along the line to the Void...

Wait. Was it possible to be able to repair or even replace Lucifer's if he could create more for himself? That would probably be extremely advantageous for getting the King into far better fighting form against a higher class threat like Michael if he didn't have to worry about his core energies breaking those threads...

Lost in thought over the possibilities, he failed to notice Rosie watching him for several moments. When he did finally catch her staring, he blinked, "I apologize, my dear! Did I miss a question?"

She shook her head with a smile, "Not at all. I was just tryin' to see if I could get some Insight on how that Harmony is workin' in you when it shouldn't match your Self at all!"

"That's not the first time you've said that word. You said it wasn't something you could teach me?"

"Right you are! Angel Gifts are different from skills like this," She waved her hand, making the woven strings dance before she pulled them back into herself, "I was formed with the Gift of Insight. There's a couple of Sight Gifts. Glad I got the one I did 'cause those poor dears with Foresight got it rough."

Alastor was so torn on where to press for answers first and Rosie knew it too from her teasing expression, "How about I tell you about my story first! Then we'll get to everythin' else that fluffy head of yours wants to know about."

He settled properly in his seat and gave her his full attention, "I'm all ears!" He wiggled them just to make her giggle.

"I hope you never really change, Alastor! I mean it!" She drank the last of her cup before she began, "I came into Being as Rosier. I had some Potential but not much Ambition back then. I was just happy bein' around others. I've always been somethin' of a social sort, you see! Once I figured out I had a talent for manipulatin' my Song energies into really strong barriers and shields, I got put into a specialized choir meant to keep the cracks from spreadin' or leakin' too much."

"The cracks?"

"Oh! He hasn't told you... well, I guess I can see why," She motioned to the city outside, "Hell is where the oldest and biggest cracks in the Universe are! When Eve ate the Fruit, it tore open planes angels never touched or even seen before. Caused a whole ruckus and split the symphony, warpin' all the Songs around them and turnin' 'em wrong. That's where my choir, Dominions, came in. We were tasked to try to contain the effects and repair the damage, see if maybe we could push the cracks back some," She snorted, "We were all arrogant fools for not realizin' we could also be warped by them too! Probably happened real slow but there's one moment where we all realized we weren't right anymore."

"See, the cracks didn't just stop after they formed, sometimes they spread a bit, branch off. No tellin' when or why. We were workin' on a real thin one when suddenly it just split in all directions! Went right through one of our gals, Kyriet! Sweet lady, bit of an airhead. You ever see what happens to a bird hit by lightning?" Rosie giggled when he shook his head, "Feathers everywhere! None of us knew how to react for a second and then we just...all started laughin'! Like it was the funniest thing we'd ever seen! Then there was the smell and we realized we were hungry. Angels don't really get hungry the same way as humans, but there we were, starvin'! And once you feed the hunger, it never really goes away, yanno?"

Alastor nodded. He'd gotten used to it over the years in the Pride Ring but it was always there. Most people had it only rear up stronger for very certain things, his seemed to spike for everything he even remotely wanted. He hadn't found a limit to it yet and part of him hoped he never did.

"Well, of course, we got back and everyone could hear our Songs were changed. They wanted to send us to the healin' specialists, get us to agree to be rewritten and all. I think a couple of them might have taken 'em up on it but I just took off runnin'! Crashed right into a cherub on my way out, silly thing thought it could stop me!" She licked her teeth, "Don't know what happened to it after I tore a chunk out but I'll tell you what, most tender meat I ever did taste!"

"Now you're just teasing me, dear!" Alastor pouted at her.

"Oh alright, you big baby! I got ears out there in the black market in Gluttony. I'll make sure to let you know if I catch wind on someone havin' the genuine thing, okay?" Rosie continued after he nodded, "Anyway, I managed to get myself to the edge and jumped, no hesitation whatsoever! Think they might have started a Judgement on me before I got all the way out but I think I was already too changed for them to make it really stick."

He eyed her for a moment before asking, "Do you ever miss it?"

"Nope! I got everythin' I want right here! Picked the Pride Ring, swore to the King and Queen I wouldn't be causin' them any trouble, helped them a bit with addin' some layers to their palace wards, then got to work makin' my life what I wanted it to be!" She winked at him, "And then I met you! So really, I'm here for good! I'll keep my little territory and my little darlings and the big shots upstairs can rot for all I care! What more could a gal want?"

Alastor considered that before he snickered, "A way to get rid of Susan perhaps?"

"Ugh, Susan!" She put her face in her hands, "You just had to remind me of her, didn't you?"

Notes:

https://angelology.fandom.com/wiki/Rosier

I looked up angel names and now I am really wondering if Rosie is a Fallen in canon

More on Insight, Foresight, the darling cannibals, and Susan in the next chapter!

Please tell me any theories you have about Cannibal Town, Rosie, or even just questions you want to know her view on!

Chapter 50: Cannibals, Gifts, and Death

Summary:

Rosie explains about her contracts, her cannibals, and the Gifts of Insight and Foresight.

Meanwhile, Lucifer gets texts from Bee and Oz that he really wishes he didn't.

Alastor watched in amusement as Rosie grumbled several unladylike curses before he finally asked, "Why do you put up with her? You have always avoided answering before but I doubt it's any greater secret than your origins, my friend."

She huffed and rolled her eyes, "Well, tellin' anyone how my contracts work would just have them askin' questions I can't answer without revealin' I'm a Fallen. No sinner Overlord could do what I do! But I don't want to be seen as powerful the way the Sins are. Where I'm at right now, people respect me but they also still act like themselves around me."

Alastor blinked, considering that before shrugging, "Hm, I suppose that makes sense. Since I know now, will you tell me?"

"My darlings let me make them into the happiest people that they can be in this little town that is set up just the way I like it and I give them protection, shelter, and all the food they want! You saw the lines, right?" He nodded and she stood up, a shift of energy revealing overlapping layers of threads flowing out from her back like a strange sort of wings, "I can tap into them to See through their eyes, even control them if I need to, so long as they are in Cannibal Town. My Song flows into them and overlays their minds, makes them want to be happy all the time in return. And the happier they are, the stronger the energy they generate for me is so that I can create Song magic as freely as I did before. The seeds of happiness I feed them are addictive, which is why they will always return to me. But they are also attuned to each other through the connection to my Song, so in order to get them to follow anyone else even temporarily, they need something that interests them enough for them all to want to go."

"Like a feast of angels?" He joked.

"Precisely! And the reason that I can't get rid of Susan is because she is absolutely, completely, perfectly happy the way that she is!" She reached back and picked out one thread, showing that it was one of the widest ones, "She isn't fightin' the contract at all. She hasn't broken any of the rules and so she remains under my protection. If I were to kill her or release her from my contract against her will, they would all feel it and it would cause doubt, fear, and anger in my darlings, make them fight my will. In the end, it would destroy my perfect little town and likely reveal what I am to everyone."

Alastor shook his head, "Too bad the Executioners didn't take her out for us! That would have solved the problem rather neatly."

Rosie groaned, "You say that now, and you haven't even heard what her Song sounds like yet! The happier she is, the more gratin' it gets!"

"Really?!"

"Nails on a chalkboard doesn't even begin to describe it, dearest."

...well now he had another reason to want to avoid the awful woman.

***

Lucifer blinked as his phone chimed, pulling him out of his creative flow. He'd woken up that morning with ideas for a few more personalized ducks and his fingers itching to create. It had been a while since he really wanted to make something for the joy of it rather than a way to simply pass the time.

Setting the current one down, he reached for the device as it chimed again. Looked like it had been for a while before he noticed it, from the multiple messages Bee and Oz had left him in a new group chat.

Bee created the group

Bee set the nickname for Lucifer to Sugar Daddy

Bee: hiya boyz

Bee: sooooo

Bee: Luci

Bee: have you asked him out yet?

Oz: 🤣🤣🤣

Oz: Hell yeah!

Oz: Give us the deets man!

Oz: Did you at least ask him to stay the night again?!

Oz: Looked like you were gonna handcuff him to your side when he finally woke up

Lucifer groaned and felt himself blushing. Those two were going to be the death of him. And how did Bee set that stupid nickname up for him?!

Sugar Daddy: BEE!

Sugar Daddy: Put my name back.

Bee: no

Bee: you want it changed?

Bee: fix it urself old man

Oz: Quit avoiding the questions Luce!

Sugar Daddy: I don't know who you're talking about

Bee :bullshit!

Oz: BULLSHIT!

Bee: ha! jinx!

He grumbled to no one in particular. Really, why were they so caught up in his love life suddenly?!

Sugar Daddy: Guys, it isn't like that. Drop it.

Oz: IDK man.

Oz: You two got good vibes

Oz: Even if its just dinner and hand holding

Oz: I think he might be willing

Oz: Whats the harm in trying?

Bee: 100%

Bee: ozzi knows what hes talkin about

Bee: give it a shot!

Bee: you need some sugar in ur life

Lucifer thought about turning off his phone and ignoring it for a few days so hopefully something shiny would distract them from this. A new message came in before he could decide if he was going to.

Bee: dont even think about ignoring us

Bee: yk i could always invite char into the chat

Sugar Daddy: NO!

Sugar Daddy: Please don't do that!

Sugar Daddy: You guys are already embarrassing me enough as it is

Oz: 🤣

Oz: How bright are your cheeks glowing right now?

Bee: oooo

Bee: send us a selfie!

Bee: ur a cutie patootie when you blush

Glaring at his phone, Lucifer huffed as he reached for the two ducks he had already finished. Looked like he needed to provide the distraction himself. He had wanted to wait until he met up with them in person to surprise them but desperate times and all that.

Sugar Daddy attached a photo

Bee: O

Bee: M

Bee: G

Bee: is that my tex?!

Oz: Awwww look at little duck Fizzie!

Oz: Plz tell me you are sending us those

Oz: I might cry if you dont

Good. Looked like that would hold them off for a little bit. Now if he could forget this whole chat before the next time he saw Al, that would be perfect.

***

Alastor blinked, thinking over her newest answer to his questions, "So...when Lucifer said he could see how my mind moved the walls to accommodate a reality that allowed for him being what he is, it was something like what your Gift does?"

"Is that what you do?!" Rosie cackled so hard her eyes started to water, "I've been wonderin' ever since I saw you manifest! Never seen a soul get to Hell and hit the ground runnin' the way you did! Most of 'em do the whole wailin' and denyin' that they should even be here. Even the ones that know they belong here from the start, the whole changed forms and magic powers trip them up for at least a couple of weeks. You acted like you just got back home from a vacation and found squatters in your house or somethin'!" She daintily used a napkin to dab the tears out of the corners of her eyes, "To answer your question, yeah, it's a little like that. Mine is a little more general though. It's an overall sense of a person's Self."

Alastor thought for a moment, "Okay, so Songs are souls and the way I've heard Being seems to imply it's the form you take. Is Self the whole of a person?"

"Bingo! You got it! I can kind of get a sense of how well a person's mind, body, and soul are workin'. It's how I knew your body is tired and that your brain isn't lettin' you feel it right now. Most with the Gift of Insight tend to end up healers but it didn’t interest me back then."

He hummed a bit, "Probably for the better. I don't imagine you would have ended up here if you had been and that would just be an utter shame, my fair friend."

She fluttered her lashes at him in playful coyness, "You ol' charmer! Now, when it comes to Foresight, that's a Gift that can be more like a curse. It was rough on them before humans came around but after you all got free will? Whew! The healers had to work overtime keepin' the whole lot from goin' mad from all the Potential Futures they could see! Eventually ol' Azrael had to step in and take them all under his wing."

His eyebrows shot up at that, "Azrael? I think Lucifer mentioned him in association with Death?"

"Mhmm! He's both the one with the Knowledge of the Death of All and the Witness of Death. If there was any sort of power rankin' in the Firsts, he's easily the strongest one of 'em in my not so humble opinion!" Rosie gave a wistful sigh and muttered, "Poor guy has got to have the worst time connectin' with anyone, I'll bet!"

He thought about it before shaking his head, "Sorry, my dear, but would you mind explaining why you say that?"

Rosie put her chin in her hand, leaning against the table, "Okay, so imagine you knew the most likely time and cause of death for every person you ever met, with that Potential ending growing stronger the closer it gets to that moment. You could save each and every one of them for a while but Death comes for everyone in the end. Then there's the Possible Futures to consider! What if savin' them one day just meant they were likely goin' to have a more awful death in the future? That's gotta be the reason he keeps to himself, aside from helpin' the others with Foresight to narrow their particular Visions to only the most likely Possibilities."

"It all sounds so very tortured and dreadful," She had that look in her eye she usually got when talking about men just before she married them. Eugh. "No one sees his actual face unless it's the moment of their death and that memory doesn't follow them into the afterlife. It's said that he doesn't kill people himself but he Witnesses them all and lets them see his face in return as way of acknowledging their part in Creation. It might be my love for the romantic but my theory is it's also to give a comfort in not being alone in that moment. All you sinners have Seen him, you just don't remember it. Hell, I coulda Seen him for all I know, when my angelic Self died and I Became Rosie. I don't know the rules on what kinds of death he Witnesses!"

That...truly did sound like a cursed existence. His expression must have shown his conclusions on that because she nodded, "Yeah, you get it now, right? I wouldn't wish Foresight for anyone."

He tapped his claws on the table as he considered it all, "Does he ever save anyone?"

She grimaced, "Don't know for sure but there was some talk of it before I Fell. That he will block Death from a being that he Sees as a key to ensuring Creation and the Songs continue on for as long as possible. That's not necessarily a good thing for the person saved because it could be that what happens to them after is awful but somehow necessary in some way for a better Potential Future."

'So, to be favored by Azrael could be a gift or a curse. With how many times everyone has been so sure I should have ceased to exist, I have to wonder if that is why and, if so, which one it will end up being...' He didn't like not knowing if someone had meddled in his continued existence. It made him feel like he was indebted to someone that he had never met!

'Wait. If Azrael is a First and all of them were at Lucifer's Judgement...' Knowing that the Seraphim of Death was involved in the King's current state did not sit well with him. If he had been one of the ones to vote against the exile and punishments, Alastor doubted so many of the others would have then continued to vote against the decision of someone that knows so much about the future.

Was all the pain and misery both of Lucifer's pieces were going through necessary to Creation for some reason? This brought up so many questions that he would likely never know the answer to.

'Dammit.'

Notes:

I hope the break in the middle to Luci wasn't too jarring, I just was having a hard time connecting the two points of the convo between Al and Rosie. Plus, it was kind of fun to show what he's dealing with while the besties are chatting!

Soooo, what do you guys think of Azrael as Rosie describes him?

Edit: Ended up going in and adding a couple things because I realized I hadn't touched on Rosie's romantic nature nearly enough! If you read this pretty early after posting, give it another glance in case you missed out!

Edit 2: adjusted the text chat for easier reading. Ty for the constructive crits!

Chapter 51: To Protect What's Hers

Summary:

A look into Rosie's thoughts

Rosie hummed a merry tune while Alastor was deep in thought, her fingers moving along to the beat. His ear turned toward her and the radio on her counter flicked on, playing the song right on time with her humming. She giggled and grinned at him, “You’re such a doll, Alastor! We should go dancin' again sometime, it’s been ages!”

“Very true, my dear! Goodness, its been nearly a decade, hasn’t it?”

She nodded, sighing, “Maybe this time, we can keep the bloodbath to a minimum?”

He snorted, “Now you’re just taking half the fun out of it, Rosie!”

“Only half? Glad to know I rank that highly against your love of a good fight!” She leaned against the table again, steepling her fingers as she studied her friend. She knew the Radio Demon well, he’d caught her eye from the moment she saw him appear in Hell. One thing that she was sure of was that he didn’t trust easy, especially with someone in a position of authority and so blatantly more powerful than him. The fact that it was Lucifer now, spoken so casually multiple times, and not some respectful title or scathing insult? Somehow their King had managed to slip his way into Alastor’s regard, was maybe well on the way to becoming one of his people, like Rosie herself, “Maybe you should invite His Majesty to come with us, hm? I’ll bring my dear husband, it could be a double date!”

She cackled as his radio feedback shrieked through the Emporium. Perhaps she should call the Princess up and invite herself over for lunch sometime! She was sure dear Charlie would be all too happy to make sure her father was there if Rosie asked her to! She was going to make certain the King of Hell knew better than to take her friend’s trust for granted. Sure, he was a Seraphim capable of destroying her with a thought, but she could still put the fear of her wrath into him! What was family for, after all?

Plus, she knew Alastor was still hiding things from her despite how much he had revealed today. He had been the whole time she had known him, but now it was something much bigger than before. Rosie had heard his complex Song for too many years to not understand the subtleties in it. He was too new to all of this to know how to hide that yet, if he could even hear well enough to separate out his own. She would teach him, later, but for now she would use every advantage she had to ensure he didn’t keep her out. He wasn’t to be trusted with his own safety, the fool tended to see himself as either untouchable or an exception to the rules of life and death, depending on his twisted brain's mood.

And now? He was getting himself involved in things on the universal scale, not just their little slice of Hell anymore.

Lucifer and Charlie would both have to be brought in on this, she supposed. Rosie couldn’t be there all the time but she could trust them to keep an eye on him for her. She had done all she could to keep him safe during that dreadful Extermination by risking all of her darlings in that battle. Outside of her own territory, she didn’t have the power to have aided beyond the boost she gave them before they left. It had been terrible, watching all of them walk away with a smile.

Sure, all of the Ring would have been threatened if Heaven had won that, but she didn’t really give a rat’s ass about them compared to the wonderful, grinning idiot sitting across from her.

Hmmm. Perhaps she could go a little easy on the King, seeing as he had saved her friend when she couldn't.

The deer demon wasn’t allowed to continue foolishly daring Azrael to show his face. Alastor was hers just as much as she was his.

Notes:

To me, this Rosie has a touch of a similar sort of crazy as Al when it comes to those she loves. She eats her husbands before she can fall out of love with them to keep their love with her forever.

Lucifer is going to be on the receiving end of a very strange shovel talk in the future I think!

Chapter 52: Eager to Practice

Summary:

Alastor had only found the one change to his contract so far, but it was a very important one...

Alastor sighed as he approached the hotel, looking down at the bag in his hand. Sloth's tinctures could be potent but he trusted Rosie was telling him the truth, that despite the restoration, his body was still exhausted. Better to force himself into a deep sleep over the course of a few nights with this than end up crashing for days in a row. He had far too much to do to allow that.

'Hopefully it will also keep the dreams away. I'm rather sick of seeing that blasted woman's face and hearing her voice. That was the one positive thing of entering 'my role' in her plans. She isn't going to summon me back or contact me until after the final deed is done. My subconscious needs to at least allow me to enjoy that.'

Too bad for her that one thing she had really wanted was already out of her grasp, no matter the conditions of his chains. He had only found the one change to his contract so far, but it was a very important one...

***

Several months ago

Charlie looked so wary of him for the first time since he appeared on the hotel doorstep months ago. Unsurprising. He was rather playing up on the theatrics in this. While this time it wouldn't be what she feared most, the next time it might. It was part of the terms of his contract, after all.

"You... You want my soul?"

Eventually, but not yet. He would buy time for now, play a rather delicate game of ensuring she understood the weight of deals without burning her trust, "Yoṵ̈́̊r̢͆ só̸ͅul? Heavens! No, all I need from you is one itty bitty favor. What's a favor between friends?"

"I won't hurt anyone for you."

Good! Bargaining rather than blindly agreeing was a start. The term was a vague one that left far too many openings for her own harm but he was already dragging this out too long. It wouldn't do for them to be interrupted, "Who's asking! One favor, at a time of my choosing, where you harm no one! In return, I tell you what I know! Do we have a dȩ̸a͡l?"

"...Deal!"

As they shook hands and the power flared out from the room, it had taken every ounce of his self control to not reveal his shock as he felt one compulsion of his own contract fade away, the clause completed on his end. But...he hadn't made the deal for her soul yet...

His thoughts went to the note he had carefully hidden away somewhere only he could access.

Act as though everything is as planned, even if you figure out what has been altered.

He had simply needed to make a deal with one Charlotte Morningstar. No soul binding contracts necessary. Ha!

***

Back in the present, Alastor shook his head with a small laugh. 'Even if all else fails and somehow my escape is blocked, that distasteful woman, and in turn, Michael, won't obtain a contract for Charlie's soul through me.' He doubted that he would be unable to break the chains at this point. His only concern really was his efforts being caught before the trap could be set. He knew angels likely had the patience to drag out their plans for centuries but he was itching to get things moving along.

As he reached the main doors, he had a delightful thought that made his hunger grow. Now if only... "Ah! Angel, my fine effeminate friend! I had hoped I would find you down here this evening!"

Angel Dust turned from the bar, looking at Alastor warily but still smiling and giving him a wave, "Hey there, Smiles! What's up?"

"I heard that you were looking to repay the one that took out that rather disgusting moth, correct?"

The spider put his lower hands on his hips while his other arms folded over his chest, "Are ya sayin' that was you?! Damn. I doubt yer lookin' fer the sorta thing I was offerin'."

"Correct, sir! Walk with me, I have a small favor to ask of you," Immediately, Husk puffed up with concern and shared a look with Angel Dust. Alastor scoffed, "Tsk, no need to worry your cute fluffy head, Husker! I am not seeking a contract or a binding deal. Your paramour might even like what I have in mind!"

"I'm not-"

"We're not-"

Alastor started to walk away, uncaring of their protests about their not-so-secret relationship, "Come along now, Angel Dust!"

As expected, there was another set of footsteps that soon followed, moving quickly to catch up to him, "Uh, Smiles? What exactly are ya wantin'? Cuz now ya got me pretty damn curious!"

"Curiosity is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Did you know, in my mortal life, I had a...preference for a particular sort of prey? Of which there are plenty out there," Alastor motioned out the window toward the city as they passed by, "The type of vermin I hunted would have been some of your least favorite clientele, I imagine! It has been some time since I allowed myself to truly indulge and I need to practice some new things I have been learning! Get back to the basics, so to speak. Would you and perhaps some friends of yours in your former line of work be willing to get me a list of the absolutely worst of your previous patrons? Any details on locations would be greatly appreciated!"

He could see out of the corner of his eye that white-furred face looking at him in open-mouthed shock and disbelief. Why did everyone at this daft hotel seem to forget he wasn't one of the guests? He was never going to seek redemption, no matter Charlie's efforts. Hell was his home and it was past time for him to clean up some of the trash that had built up. He stopped and gave the former porn star a wide smile, "I'll leave you to consider my request. Have a most pleasant evening!"

Melting into the shadows to head for his rooms, Alastor did rather hope that Angel Dust and his contacts would pull through rather than having to go through the tedium of wandering the streets for worthwhile individuals. He wanted to familiarize himself with all these fun new ideas he was getting from the Knowledge in his mind. Practice makes perfect, or so they say! He would have to take care to hold back so he could really get a feel for the way things worked without killing them too quickly, but that would just give him better control in the long run he supposed.

Notes:

So what do you guys think? Will Angel Dust and/or his friends in the industry help Al out?

I keep going back and forth because, yeah, giving Alastor a list of people to kill ain't exactly redemption material BUT Angel Dust's friends that are still in the business would probably rather like having to deal with less of the more awful types.

Chapter 53: A Match Made in Bloody Hell

Summary:

Angel has a moral dilemma and while trying to work out what he should do, he learns of how Niffty came to be one of Alastor's contracts.

"Well that's a funny fuckin' look on your face, Angie! What did the old crazy fucker have to say?" Apparently Cherri Bomb had come back from the bathroom while he was talking to Al.

Angel Dust blinked slowly, taking a seat at the bar next to her. Things felt a bit surreal right now, "He... wants me ta get 'im a list of people like Val, or worse, so he can hunt them down..."

Husk choked mid-drink, coughing and spewing alcohol everywhere. Cherri just looked delighted, "No shit, really?! You gonna do it?! Cuz I know a few pricks you can add to clear up some extra space near my-"

"NO! You wanna get Angel killed?!" Husk had his wings flared wide, eyes bright, "You think the goddamned Radio Demon won't check? He's too smart to fall for bullshit like that! That sort of thing can only get you on his bad side real fucking fast!"

"Easy there, tiger. She don't know 'im like we do," Angel reached over to pat Husk's hand before turning back to Cherri, "Yeah, Whiskers is right. Smiles is crazy but he's fuckin' paranoid too. Whatever it is he's wantin' to practice, he ain't gonna just blindly trust anythin' I give 'im."

Despite all the fur, it was easy to tell that Husk turned a bit green at that, "That's what he told you? That he needed to practice something?"

"Yeah? Why?"

The former Overlord swore as he turned away, digging deep into one of the shelves for an unlabeled bottle hidden behind several others and the glass tinted too dark to see the contents. He opened it and poured out a small measure of a glowing yellow liquid that buzzed loud enough to make the shot glass vibrate.

"Ho-ly shit! No way! You guys got a bottle of pure Beelzejuice?! Why the fuck didn't you bitches tell me?!"

Husk threw her a glare, growling, "This is my personal emergency stash, so keep your damn hands to yourself."

Angel Dust groaned and was about to put his head on the countertop when the shot glass was shoved towards him. Blinking, he looked at Husk in shock, "But ya just said-"

"Trust me, you look like you need it even more than I do," the bartender sighed and rubbed his forehead like he was trying to ward off a headache, "He knows his own abilities inside out, upside down, and backwards. Hell, he could probably handle a mob of regular sinners blindfolded! This means he's gotten hold of something new and that's never a good thing. He hasn't needed to practice jack shit since he found Niffty."

Cherri grinned, "Now that's a girl that knows how to have fun! She's on contract with him like you, right? Bitch sure doesn't act like it! What's up with that shit?"

Angel looked at Husk too, toying with the glass nervously rather than taking a drink, "It can't be anymore fucked than me thinkin' 'bout givin' a cannibal a list a' people ta murder."

"You wanna bet?" When they just continued to look at him expectantly, Husk threw his hands in the air in exasperation, "Fuck it, fine! Boss found Niff while testing some new shit he'd added onto his Shadow. She was half out of it from some sorta drug they got her with and cornered by a bunch of fuckers but four of them were already dead at her feet. Two from knitting needles shoved into their heads, the other two had their throats torn open by her teeth. She says she knew she wasn't going to get out of what they wanted from her but she wasn't going to just let them have her either. Al sees this and goes to fucking town on them. Absolute bloodbath. Trust me, don't ask her for a first-hand retelling, she goes into far too much detail," He shuddered, giving in and taking his own swig of golden liquid courage straight from the bottle, "Anyway, he gets done and calls me up to carry her outta there. We take her to his other Overlord friend, Rosie, to get patched up and deal with the drug in her system. He's about to leave her there when she grabs onto him like a damned leech and outright demands to be put on one of his contracts!"

Angel had to snort at that while Cherri cackled. Latching onto someone who just shredded a bunch of people in front of her? Yeah, that sounded like Niffty.

"Course, Boss doesn't take well to having anything demanded of him and slips away, washing his hands of her. I knew that wasn't the end of it though. He left me behind there too and I saw the look in her eye. She wouldn't listen to me at all and of course, Rosie was no help. Half think she encouraged her to go for it," Husk rolled his eyes before holding up three fingers, "Three weeks! Three goddamn weeks that pint-sized lunatic shows up any time he's out in public, telling him she wants to sign up. I'm pretty sure he knew he was gonna take her in by the end of the first week but he wanted to see how far she would go. Then she somehow susses out where he's living and starts leaving fucking meals on his doorstep! Still hot too, so she had to know when he was getting back. Don't ask what was in them, I don't know and I don't want to know. Day after he finally decides he's gonna agree? He finds her in his now spotless goddamn house, cooking dinner and a contract on the table. No clauses, no end terms, nothin'! Just says she's one of his souls in what I will forever tell myself was a really odd colored red marker."

Angel had to laugh. Okay, yeah, that was pretty fucked up. And also kinda cute and wholesome in a psycho murderer way? He definitely felt a little less freaked out by his own moral dilemma now! "Man, I'd been wonderin' 'bout those two. Still can't tell if Smiles sees her as a pet or a little sister or what!"

Husk muttered, "I try not to think too hard about it. It's better that way."

The former porn star sighed, finally ready to deal with this, "Do you guys think I should tell 'im no?"

Cherri scoffed, "Fuck no! You got the chance to aim one a' the most powerful Overlords in Hell at a bunch a' fuckers like Valentino?! I say take it and enjoy the fuckin' show, bitch!"

Husk took a deep breath and sighed, "I hate to say it, but she's kind of right. He's gonna do what he wants, no matter what. This way you can make sure that whoever he takes out really deserves it."

"I'm supposta be workin' on gettin' ta Heaven though," Angel Dust muttered. He felt torn about this. Charlie would be so disappointed in him if she found out he was even considering the idea. But...she would also want to save anybody being subjected to that sort of abuse.

He thought about the others, the ones that weren't freed with Valentino's death. Or, even if they had been, they didn't feel like there was a safe place to turn to like he had here at the hotel. So many of them didn't deserve the shit they were going through, just like he was starting to learn he hadn't deserved Valentino's abuse, no matter that it was his choice to sign that contract. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone before knocking back the shot. Wasn't like he had to write down the names himself, right? Like Husk said, Al was going to do what he wanted. This way, Angel Dust could be sure to keep the collateral damage down to a minimum.

***

Nearly nine years ago

His battle with Vox was almost over. The fool had overestimated his own abilities again and now Alastor was tiring of dealing with him and his unwillingness to really show him something new, something interesting. This little rivalry had been fun to entertain for a while but now it was becoming tedious. He called his powers up, about to strike the final blow, when the sudden feeling of a pull at his throat made him freeze.

No...

No no no, not now!

She never called for him while he was in public! Panicked, he called his shadows to cover him, to hide the rapidly solidifying collar around his neck. He sensed another person entering the rubble-strewn area where he and Vox had been fighting. Just as the path to her prison opened behind him, a chain pulling him toward it, Vox’s ally, that foul-smelling moth, fired a gun. The angelic bullet came straight for where his skull had been a fraction of a second before.

They would likely think he had either fled or been grievously injured while attempting his escape! Just as he had been about to dispatch that idiot, she just had to interfere!

When he materialized in the prison that held his loathed Master, he snarled despite his instinctive fear of her making his muscles tremble.

"Aw, don't be so mad at me, little beast!" Mocking pity clear in her tone, Roo approached him with a pout that did nothing to hide her amusement or the mad light in her eyes.

In dreams, it was safe to recall her name, the one that he had long suspected was something chosen rather than the one she had been born with. Dreams did not call her attention the way active thought and speech did. Alastor blinked as he realized he was not trapped within the dream/memory any longer. He was outside of it, watching from a distance as the awful woman delighted in tormenting his past self.

Her fingers traced over the collar now visible around his neck. Alastor forced himself to calm down, to steady himself before she took offense. She loved getting a reaction from him, taking glee in any chance to remind him of the fact that he had to bow to her whims. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction ever again if he could help it. Schooling his expression to one of polite curiosity, the deer demon shifted his ears to mimic interest, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? I was rather preoccupied, you know."

"Oh, I am well aware! But things have changed now!" Roo looked far too delighted for his liking, "The bitch is gone now! One of my sources says she has fled to Heaven and is never coming back!"

The sinner felt his stomach drop. 'The bitch' in question was the Queen of Hell. The main reason Roo kept his visits to her brief was because Lilith had some way of checking in on her prison. If she was gone, then...

Eugh, he hated what followed this. Alastor knew well that she had taken advantage of his lack of knowledge of Hell and contracts back when he first fell to get him to agree to terms he never should have. The only truly intelligent thing he had done was ensure that she give him a sizeable boost to his natural power that would remain his no matter what rather than grant him something that she could take away from him at a whim. For seven years following this particular conversation, he had 'eased her loneliness' until she received word that the other pieces were in place and ready for him to take up his part in her plans.

"I cannot save Queen Lilith Morningstar. However, I can save Lilith, when this is done."

Alastor jolted, looking around for the source of that voice. That wasn't part of this memory. He had no idea who that was.

"I am sorry that I could not save you from my sister’s cruelties."

That one was only slightly more familiar, the feminine voice sounding truly sad. His only experience with the Queen's voice was from broadcasts she had made long ago, unless this was from-

“My brother bears the weight of greater chains than you can imagine. I and the few who remain in Heaven that wish to see him freed do not have the power to do so on our own yet."

There! He could see a hazy image of someone tall and slender with wavy red hair cascading down his back. The six wings around him were loose and relaxed despite the way he was gripping the long wooden staff in his hands as though he wished nothing more than to use it to smash apart the chains he spoke of.

That was Raphael, the other one named by Samael as being part of the block on his memory, Alastor was sure of it though he couldn't remember seeing him before. The leaks must be coming through even more now! He had to do something to stop it!

Unsure but determined, he focused on the Harmony within him, surprised when he found it was already connected to his conscious mind. Perhaps that is what pulled him out of the dream in response to his subconscious fear? No matter, for now he tried to seek out that space he had found before, the cracking block keeping something important hidden from himself as well as others looking into his mind. Once he did, he envisioned the golden light being held in his hands, shaping it into a spool of thread as Rosie had shown him. Picking up one end, he willed the thread to become sharp and hardened. It wasn't easy but she had said that much of controlling Song magic was about resolve and strength of will, envisioning what you wanted it to do so clearly that it simply did it like that was the only possibility.

What he wanted right now was for the line in his hands to sew up the cracks, bind them together tightly so that nothing more would come through until it was the right time.

"If you pull this off, Alastor, you will right the wrongs done by another to the two First Women of humanity and I will consider myself in your debt. You sinners like that sort of thing, right?"

Fuck, he had to move fast. He focused on nothing else but the Harmony, refusing to allow himself to remember anything more. At first the movement was slow but it quickly gained momentum, the string flowing out from his imaginary grasp and looping into the block, forming neat stitches that pulled the broken pieces together. Once the final crack was sealed, he felt relief as the flow of disjointed memories eased off.

That had been far too close for his liking.

'What now, though?' He felt a bit like he had when he traveled to see Lucifer's core self, disembodied but this time only half a step outside of himself. He couldn't really see anything the way the fallen angel seemed to when he pulled away from his own physical form but he could still feel his sleeping body. Rather than go back to where he had been before in his dreams, perhaps he could find a way to make use of this time. It was his body that had needed rest, not his mind after all!

Carefully, he pulled the energy back into his grasp and dispersed it out. First things first, he needed to find that tether!

Notes:

Im playing a little loose on timelines before the official start of the show. I don't know how long Al has officially had Husk and I know Niffty being on contract has never been confirmed but this just sounded fun to me. Hope everyone else liked it!

Also, I'm being purposely vague with both what Al went through those seven years and what the group wanted from Niffty. There are certain subjects I don't like to touch so I'm just going to let you guys as the readers decide how far things went.

Chapter 54: Lunch for Three

Summary:

Things...were getting weird, and that was saying something, considering the last few weeks. Charlie would have been thrilled by the past few days if it weren't for the sense that something was being kept from her. Several somethings, in fact.

Things...were getting weird, and that was saying something, considering the last few weeks. Charlie would have been thrilled by the past few days if it weren't for the sense that something was being kept from her. Several somethings, in fact.

First, there was the new guests checking in. They'd gotten a couple here and there after that initial rush that had turned out to be mostly people wanting an easy way out. She tried not to be disheartened whenever someone left but that first month after the hotel reopened had been really depressing. These new sinners were different though! They all seemed to be people Angel Dust knew and when she asked them what made them want to come to the hotel, the spider would inevitably interrupt and whisk them away to 'catch up.' Then, when Charlie found them again, they'd all give her some line about how Angel had talked the place up so much that they felt they had to try.

Which would have been great, if it was actually true.

Charlie sighed, tapping her pen on the notebook in her lap. No, she wasn't being fair to them. Even if they weren't telling the whole truth about why they were here, every one of the new guests were actually giving this a shot. They seemed to be genuine about putting in the effort.

Then there was Al. He was always there when they really needed him but he would randomly disappear at all hours of the day! Whatever he was doing was making him really happy though! He was almost always humming or playing some sort of upbeat song that he would be half dancing to as he walked the halls. Heck, one time when Angel Dust nearly crashed into him, Al just caught his arm and made him do a neat little spin instead of getting all huffy! Plus, it felt like he wasn't wearing his fake smiles as much anymore! Which was great! It was just getting really weird and a little creepy. Could someone be too happy? It almost seemed manic, which, when combined with her dad suddenly trying to avoid him on his last visit, had resulted in the dining room catching on fire somehow!

Dad had repaired it quickly and had been very apologetic about their fight going that far but still, it should have never happened in the first place, jeez!

Speaking of her dad...

She looked at the books on her desk, all of them based on psychology and general mental health. One thing these past few weeks had made her realize was that her dad was a complete and utter mess of mental health problems. Charlie wasn't an expert at all but she had done a lot of reading to try to prepare herself for the hurdles she might face at the hotel. She was so glad her mom had encouraged her to learn about these sorts of things. Some of the older books she had were even filled with notes from Mom in the margins, though some were practically unreadable. Strange considering the elegant writing on other pages.

Then again, her mom hadn't been well in the last few years before she went away, had she?

It made Charlie sad to think about how her mother just suddenly left one day but, despite maintaining the image of the Queen in public, she had been mentally declining for a while. That combined with the years without communication made her pretty sure she wasn't coming back. It had something to do with what her dad couldn't talk to her about, something likely to do with the nightmares that made Mom wake up screaming when they had still lived together in the house on the other side of the city from the palace.

When they had moved in there, that's when she had felt like her dad had shut her out completely. She'd been so angry,  thinking it was unfair of him to take it out on her that he and Mom couldn't make their relationship work anymore. Before her mother had stopped talking about her father at all, she tried to tell Charlie that the reason they split up wasn't Dad's fault but that he felt guilty anyway. That he loved them both so much that he stayed away because he was terrified he was going to hurt them. Charlie had tried to believe that...but it had hurt, that he forgot her birthday, wouldn't answer her calls, would only reach out when he needed her to do something.

Of course, Mom had been right that Dad didn't really forget them. In fact, from what he was able to make himself tell her so far, he thought about them so much that he put himself right into panic attacks. Apparently he also had periods where he wasn't aware of time passing him, wasn't always here in the present. To her, it sounded a lot like disassociation but in a slightly more literal sense seeing as his consciousness would actually get kicked out of his body. How much time had he spent like that when he refused to leave the palace?

It was frustrating, knowing she was still being kept in the dark, but her experiences at the hotel had taught her a lot about boundaries and understanding that some things just hurt too much to say out loud. So, Charlie turned to her books and started making plans, laying out ideas to help him out when he was ready! There were so many suggestions for ways to cope with complex trauma and her dad might not really be human but the symptoms looked similar to her, so maybe human coping techniques would still work!

Charlie smiled a bit as she doodled a little stick figure of herself cheering next to one of the goals. She hoped to have enough of a game plan that after lunch today, she and Dad could sit and talk about it. She had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate her bringing it up in front of Rosie, even though she was pretty sure the Overlord could help too. She was so smart about people that Charlie was almost, maybe, kinda a liiiittle jealous.

Wait. Had she told her father that Rosie was coming over for lunch too?

After thinking for a moment, she shrugged. Even if she hadn't, she was pretty sure Dad would love meeting Rosie! Despite their similarities, she would be a lot easier for him to get along with than Al, that was for sure!

***

Lucifer was restless, his body full of anxious energy that wouldn't settle. Even with the recording Al made of his Harmony, last night had been rough. He'd ended up forced to detach from the body a bit and control the dreams it had so at least it would get some rest. It was probably his fault for staying awake so long, but the duck he was working on was frustrating him, much like the sinner it was modeled after. Nothing he made seemed right!

Of course, it wasn't ideal he'd allowed his temper to get the best of him and destroyed the whole first batch a couple days ago. But it was that or murder Alastor and while that was tempting...

Anyway!

When he arrived at the hotel, he found Charlie talking with a very tall lady that seemed familiar. Her name was, uh, Posie? Rosette? Whatever it was, he knew she was one of the few Fallen that had chosen to stay in the Pride Ring. The most recent one too, if he remembered right. What was she doing here?

"Good afternoon, your Majesty! It's been a while!"

Lucifer waved his hands a bit as she gave him a curtsy, "No, no, don't bother with all that, please! I'm not the King when I'm here, just treat me like Charlie's dad, ok?"

"You two know each other?" Charlie looked really confused, "But I thought you didn't deal with sinners and Overlords much, Dad?"

She...had become an Overlord?! Why?! His bewilderment must have shown on his face because she gave a very sharp, amused grin and nodded, "Ah, but I'm not just any ol' Overlord, Charlie dear! Why don't we talk about this over lunch, hm?"

"Oh yeah! Dad, I think I forgot to tell you Rosie was coming over for lunch too. Sorry!"

Rosie! That was it! Thank fuck for his daughter saving him from another social blunder, "It's ok, Charlie! I, uh, don't mind if your friend joins us at all!"

Charlie took them out behind the hotel to where she had apparently set up a small table and chairs for them to eat outside. Lucifer had to smile as he noticed she had tried to pretty up the back area with string lights and some of Hell's nicer plants, "This looks great, Char!"

Charlie grinned, "Thanks, Dad, but actually it wasn't me! We have a couple new guests here, twin sisters, Masie and Mia, they found out gardening and focusing on soil in their hands helps them when the withdrawals get bad. It was so nice that they trusted me enough to tell me that and I, uh, miiiight have gone a little overboard buying more because there's a whole lot coming in later today!" She laughed nervously as she motioned for them to sit down, "I'll go get lunch from the kitchen, be right back!"

He watched her run off before turning back towards Rosie only to find her giving him a look, "Uh, it's been a while?" Why did he distinctly feel like a mouse in front of a very hungry cat? He grasped for anything to talk about, "So...you decided to become an Overlord?"

"That's right! Sinners down here are so much fun! You can almost never guess what they'll do next! Alastor is a prime example of that, right?"

Lucifer blinked before finally making the connection, "Oh! Right! You would know him since he's an Overlord too, right?"

"Mhmm," Rosie agreed, "but I've known him since before he was one. In fact, I got to see him land in Hell on his first day! Knew there was somethin' special 'bout him right from the start!"

He huffed and folded his arms over his chest, remembering the last time he'd been around the Radio Demon, "Special pain in the ass, more like!"

She nodded, tilting her head as she studied him more, "He can be, until you figure out how to work with his quirks."

"Can you help me figure out how to put the jackass on a leash then?!" He knew he sounded petulant but dammit, the sinner had stolen his hat and tried to set it on fire!

Of course she just cackled at that, "Let me guess, you told him not to do something and the second you looked away, he did it anyway?" He nodded and she tapped a finger on the table, "Trust me, sire, you try to put any sort of leash on Alastor then you're just askin' to get bit! It's better to-" She cut off when the door opened again.

They both looked up as Charlie came back with a tray full of sandwiches and glasses of water, setting it in the middle of the table, "So, how do you guys know each other?"

"Just one second, dear," Rosie twisted her fingers together and Lucifer tensed up, seeing her manipulating some sort of energy before she cast it out. What... Oh! Now he remembered! She was the one that specialized in Song-based barriers! Her work had been a very helpful addition to the wards of the palace. He was tempted to pull back a bit so he could See it properly since he couldn't hear it, but that would invite way too many questions. What was her Gift again? He remembered her telling him she had one that she kept...

Apparently Charlie could sense the barrier too because she was looking around curiously, "What was that?"

Rosie gave her a wink, "A little specialty of mine. A lady has to keep her secrets from eavesdroppers somehow, after all! I'm not too keen on all of Hell knowin' I'm a Fallen."

"What?! Really?!" Charlie nearly bounced out of her chair in excitement, her sandwich falling apart everywhere, "That so cool! Do you know the other Sins too?! Wait, does Alastor know?"

She nodded, taking a dainty bite from her own food, "He only found out a few days ago. Imagine my surprise when he walked into my territory and then sounded just like your father for a minute!" Rosie glanced over at Lucifer, "Neat trick you taught him, hidin' it away like that! I never woulda thought of that myself!"

He wasn't sure how to explain he hadn't taught Alastor anything to do with Song manipulations without revealing too much. Thankfully Charlie was all too happy to step in, "Aunt Bee said Al did that all by himself! She thought it was really weird that his soul, er, Song did that instinctively."

"Why am I not surprised? That guy, I swear," Rosie giggled and shook her head. She then took a deep breath and her smile faded to a concerned frown, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you both about him, if that's alright with you."

Oh look, his daughter had the same look of wary confusion as him! At this rate, he was going to end up chucking the Radio Demon into the Void and let his core deal with him for the next year or two.

Notes:

Ive tried several times to draw Michael but its just not working. Uriel and Azrael, however, I'm actually getting some solid ideas! So those two should have sketches sometime soon!

Also, due to mental health things, I may be posting a little less frequently for the next week or so. Promise its nothing too bad! And its only a maybe! We'll see how it goes.

And I'm sure you guys have probably noticed, but I adore all your comments and it really does affect the story. Sometimes your ideas work so well in places that I didn't even realize I wanted to explore.

Chapter 55: Shared Frustrations

Summary:

Lucifer and Charlie get more information on what Alastor is currently up to and Rosie gets some very unexpected Insight into the King of Hell.

*"Why am I not surprised? That guy, I swear," Rosie giggled and shook her head. She then took a deep breath and her smile faded to a concerned frown, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you both about him, if that's alright with you."*

"Okay? Does it have anything to do with the way Al has been so...weirdly happy lately, Aunt Rosie?"

Lucifer looked over at Charlie curiously, "Aunt Rosie?"

"Yep!" Charlie chirped, nodding like it really was that simple for her to declare someone a part of her family, "Why wouldn't I call her that? She's felt like another Aunt for a while to me, her being Fallen like you and the Sins just seals it!"

It made something deep in Lucifer ache with the memory of how it had once been that easy for him too. He hoped she never lost that ability, no matter what life threw her way.

"Well, I'm terribly honored, thank you!" Rosie gave her a warm smile and reached over to pat her on the hand, "Would you mind tellin' me what you mean about him bein' 'weirdly happy?'"

"I...I don't know?" Charlie blew out a frustrated breath, "Like, is it even possible for someone to be too happy? Because if so, then that's what Alastor feels like to me lately."

"Trust me, it's better to assume anything's possible with him!" The Overlord put her elbows on the table and propped her chin up in her hands, "Tell me what he's doin' and maybe I can help you figure it out."

She sighed and looked up as she thought, "His radio stuff is more music than static and I don't think he's doing his fake smiling much anymore? And, well, this might sound funny, but he isn't really walking so much as dancing towards wherever he's going?"

Rosie giggled, "You're right, it does sound like he's really pleased as punch!"

Lucifer scoffed, "If he's so happy, then why the hell did he decide to make it his personal mission to piss me off and fight with me the other day?"

The Overlord raised her brow at him, "Hmmm, what did you do before he started doin' that?"

"Nothing!"

Charlie raised a hand to get his attention, "Uh, you were kinda avoiding him, Dad? It was pretty obvious that whenever he got close to you, you would move away. Everyone in the hotel knows ignoring him is just... not a good idea."

"Ah! Then you committed a very heinous crime indeed," Rosie said, her tone all dry sarcasm. When Lucifer looked at them both with confusion, she explained, "He wanted your attention, dear. Probably wanted you to see something he did that he was proud of and when you didn't, he forced you to notice him."

Charlie nodded in agreement as he squawked, "Is he a giant child?! I mean, seriously, what the fuck?!"

Rosie shrugged, "My dear friend is many things, but emotionally mature is not one of them."

Lucifer rolled his eyes and grumbled, "What the hell could he have wanted to show me so bad that he felt it was worth trying to set my hat on fire?!"

The Overlord outright cackled at that, "Oh my stars! Really?! He can be such a petty thing!" Rosie looked over to Charlie again, "To answer your original question, dear, with the rumors I've been hearing, I think I know what he's been up to! You two might not like the answer though!"

Lucifer decided he was going to be the brave one and ask, "What's that asshole doing that we wouldn't like?"

She raised a prim brow, her dark eyes studying them both, "Hmmm, I'll tell you, but keep in mind, it's actually better than it sounds. Kinda a thing of him doin' somethin' you think is bad but it's aimed at the people that really deserve it!"

Charlie dropped her head in her hands and sighed, "He's killing people, isn't he?"

"Probably! But the ones he's takin' out really are the worst sorts!" She had a chilling grin now, "Rapists, pedophiles, and pretty much anyone else that forces themselves on others that are weaker than they are! Mostly men but he won't turn a blind eye if he sees anyone doin' that sort of thing."

Lucifer gaped at her for a moment before he finally choked out, "How the hell does he manage to make everything so fucking complicated?! Like, really?! He's going on a random murder spree but I can't even be mad at him for it!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration and Charlie looked like she felt just as exasperated with the whole situation too.

"Oh, it's not random! He's probably practicin' what he's figured out from that Knowledge you Gifted him!"

He froze, looking at her with wide eyes, "Knowledge?! What Knowledge?! I didn't-" Lucifer cut himself off as he realized that must have been part of the pseudo-deal with his core that Alastor had mentioned but refused to give details about, "Oh sweet unholy fuck, what did my other Self give him..."

Rosie blinked, "Your...other Self?" She thought on that for a moment, her gaze moving all over him before she went wide-eyed, "Wait a minute, hold up! Are you tellin' me they divided you?!"

'What was I thinking? Why would I do that?'

Charlie nodded, her tone angry, "Yeah, they did a lot of awful things to him! I mean, what's even the point of-"

'Didn't I learn my lesson with Eve?! Oh god, what if they find out?! What will they do to him?! Whatmorewillthey-'

"Dad! Hey, come on, breathe with me! Nice and slow, okay?"

Warm hands were touching the body's wrists, holding them tight. He forced the eyes to look up, to meet Charlie's worried gaze as he tried so hard to stay in control. Something beyond her glimmered, solidifying before another calm voice came through the ringing in the ears, "Charlie, let him know he can let go for a second if he needs to. The barrier should be able to hold his energy in right now."

He didn't wait for her to repeat what Rosie said, forcing the eyes to close before he rose up and out of it, the feeling of panic and distress reducing with distance from the body's reactions. Charlie kept looking at his physical form worriedly while the other Fallen looked up to where he was above it, her black eyes still making him feel like she could See more than he wanted her to, "Ì rêmêmßêr ñðw. ¥ðµr G ï§ Ìñ§ïgh†, ï§ñ'† ï†?"

She nodded, her expression solemn, "Yes. I had wondered why you were doin' nothin' to hide from my Gift, your Majesty. I didn't realize you had forgotten, so you have my sincere apologies."

His daughter looked at the Overlord for a minute before searching the air around her, "I wish I could do the seeing thing as easy as you guys. I don't like looking where my mind says Dad should be and then feeling that he isn't there."

"You can feel that? Sounds to me like you might be developing your own Gift of Insight too, dear," Rosie gave her a small smile, "And I'm sure you'll get the hang of angelic Sight soon."

Hearing that Charlie might have an actual Gift was a pleasant enough surprise to break through the remaining feelings of dread and he slipped back into his body, breathing deep to try to get the trembling to ease, "S-sorry about that."

"Dad, you don't need to apologize for anything! Just be honest. Are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help?"

Lucifer pulled one hand out of her grip to wipe away the tears in his eyes before they could fall, "I'll be okay, I promise. I've been dealing with this for centuries, Char. This body wasn't made to deal with everything it has, so it's no surprise it's a bit broken at this point."

"Sire, your body is workin' fine from what I can See. A little shaken up right now but overall, there isn't anythin' really wrong with it. The strain is on your consciousness, not your physical Being."

Well, wasn't that just dandy to know. How much more messed up could he get at this point? Lucifer took another deep breath, steadying himself as he squeezed Charlie's hand that was still on his wrist, "What Knowledge did my other Self give him?"

Rosie was silent for a long moment, long enough that he thought she might just avoid answering him. He was nearly about to snap at her when she finally spoke, her voice still soft and serious, "I'm not really sure. When he saw I could make my Song take on a physical form, he asked me to teach him how to do it. Picked it up pretty quick too, so I'm pretty sure he already Knew, he just didn't understand what it meant right away." Her sharp smile grew again as she turned her eyes towards the hotel, "I swear, I'm gonna tell him off for stuffin' feathers in my ears!"

Lucifer couldn't help but laugh at that, "I haven't heard that one in a long time!"

Charlie looked between the two of them, staying where she was crouched next to his chair, "Uh, what does that mean?"

"It's an old sayin' from before we Fell. There's two ways it can be said. If you're stuffin' feathers in your own ears, that means you're either ignorin' or purposely mishearin' somethin' that's been said to you. Stuffin' feathers in someone else's ears means you mislead them by sayin' somethin' true but in a way that makes them come to the wrong conclusion," Rosie explained.

Lucifer nodded, sighing, "And the damned Radio Demon just loves doing both of those, doesn't he?" He gave Charlie reassuring smile, "You can go sit back down, duckling. I'll be okay."

She gave him a doubtful look but went back to her seat, "I was going to wait until Aunt Rosie left to talk to you about this stuff but I have some books that might help you, if you want them? They're about mental health stuff and coping with trauma."

He blinked, feeling his body warm up with the thought that she cared that much, even with how messed up he was, "Thanks, Char. I mean it. I just...can we talk about something else for a little bit?" Lucifer looked at Rosie, motioning toward the barrier, "You can take that down now. Don't keep draining yourself over me."

She waved a hand, "Psh! I got my own way of replenishin' my Song. Don't worry your pretty head over little ol' me." The Overlord gave them a mischievious smirk, "And if you want somethin' else to talk about, I could always answer your earlier question about how to best keep a certain idiot from gettin' his fluffy Self killed?"

Both he and Charlie pleaded at the same time, "Please?!"

Notes:

Angelic Plain Text:
I remember now. Your Gift is Insight, isn't it?

I had this one mostly written out already so it was easy to turn this one into text! Promise I'm still taking care of myself! Love you guys!

Chapter 56: To Herd a Deer Demon

Summary:

Rosie gives Charlie and Lucifer an explanation on what her Insight and long friendship with Alastor has made her learn about him.

"First things first, don't think of Alastor's motives as bein' as clear cut as most sinners! There's always somethin' hidden underneath! Possibly three or four things, knowin' him. You try to stop him from doin' somethin', he's just goin' to do it anyway behind your back where you can't keep an eye on him. He's already weighed out the pros and cons and decided that the path he's on is the right one. Changin' his mind at that point would be like changin' the path of a tornado!" Rosie waited for them to nod in understanding before she continued, "So what you do is you get yourself involved in the plan! You stop tryin' to stop him and offer to help instead! Be genuine about it and he'll trust you enough that you can learn the signs so you can be there to yank his fuzzy tail out of the fire before it catches! Work with him, not against him. That's how you get a better chance of maneuverin' Alastor to where you want him to end up!"

She pointedly tapped on the table, "Take right now, for example. I know for sure he isn't here and that I can talk to you two without him meddlin' because I made sure he would be occupied elsewhere! I already suspected he's been on the hunt 'cause of the rumors of who's been disappearin'. The fact that its so many of them in such a short amount of time tells me he's got a source he's usin' to help pick his targets!" It sounded like she approved of that, "So, I added in a bit of information of my own by tellin' him where and when he could find a real unsavory character today and emphasized that the guy would be alone at a certain time to make him more keen on doin' it when I wanted him to! He trusts my judgement enough nowadays to not need to do so much checkin' that I'm right."

Lucifer could probably catch flies at this point with how much his mouth kept hanging open, "Madam, I don't know whether to applaud you or be terrified of you right now. I get the feeling you are the reason he's so good at picking apart everything around him."

Rosie preened a bit, "Thank you! He had a natural talent for it anyway, I just gave him a little more fine tunin'."

Charlie suddenly jolted, "Oh...Ohmygosh! I think I know who his source is!" They both looked at her expectantly, "We've been getting new guests at the hotel all of a sudden! Eight in one week! They all know Angel Dust, and he used to work for Valentino! What if they've been the ones telling Al who to go after through Angel?"

Rosie thought about that for a second before nodding, "Makes perfect sense to me! I wasn't surprised to hear that it was that particular Vee that Alastor took out. He was a prime example of the sort of scumbag that Al likes to tear apart."

Lucifer shuddered as he remembered what happened at the tower that day, "Literally. Ugh."

Charlie looked torn. "I...don't know if I should be mad at Angel or not? Like, yeah, it's not great that he's been giving Al a list of people to go after but...his friends that are here now seem to really feel safe and happy. And I guess it's because of what Al's doing. They must feel like they can trust the hotel is protected so they can come here and actually be safe enough to give redemption a shot."

Rosie gave her a reassuring nod, "Yep! That sounds reasonable to assume. Only odd thing I see about this is that he isn't broadcastin' his work. Used to do that all the time to draw out the thrill of the chase by makin' them all scared of him. But if he is practicin', then he's probably trying to keep his new abilities a secret for the moment."

Lucifer ran a hand through his hair, still feeling on the edge about this whole thing, "I just want to know what he could possibly Know because of my core Self! We never used our abilities to kill others before! Even with everything else they've done to me, they won't even force rewriting me against my will because its completely against our nature as Seraphim!"

"...Dad, what do you mean by rewriting you?"

Crap. There he went speaking without thinking again. Oh god, how could he even begin to-

A pale hand reached over to pat his arm reassuringly, "Take a deep breath, dear. I can explain it to her if you want. They wanted to do the same to me before I chose to Fall instead." When he nodded gratefully, Rosie turned her gaze to Charlie again, "You see, until that failed Extermination, the idea that angels could be killed by someone else was unheard of! The only way angels have died before is because of Universal scale disasters or because they chose to unravel themselves and return their energy to Creation. Usually the ones unravelin' themselves had some big trauma happen that they couldn't carry anymore. Rewritin' was first figured out as an option to help avoid deaths like those. Its a way of takin' out a person's entire Self from a certain point until the current time and releasin' only that part of them back into Creation. Its like erasing someone's memory but it goes even deeper, right down to their Song. And yeah, the one being rewritten has to agree to it. No angel could even think of doing that without their consent!" Her face darkened as she muttered, "though I get the feelin' one or more of the bigshots upstairs has been tryin' to force the consent part."

Fuck, it just made it worse, hearing someone else say it out loud. His heart felt like it was in his ears.

"Why in the world would they-whoa, no, calm down, Dad! It's okay! You'll explain it when you can, right? Just focus on breathing!" Charlie flailed in a way that was so ridiculous that he had to laugh, the anxious feeling dying down.

Rosie was watching him again, though this time it didn't feel like she was using her Gift, "I think I see the purpose of the duck game Alastor was tellin' me about. He made it sound like it was just somethin' he was doin' to get under your skin but that's not the main reason, is it?"

"Duck game?" Charlie glanced at him curiously before she went wide-eyed with a realization, "Is Al the one that keeps throwing rubber ducks at you?!

Lucifer gave another weak laugh, "Yeah, I...I can't really explain why but it distracts me enough to calm down? I mean, who can freak out when they're having to deal with being pelted with such a silly thing?"

A slap on the table made both father and daughter jump, "Well! That answers that question! What else has he been doin' to keep you afloat?" Rosie was looking at him with bright eyes and an even brighter grin.

"Huh?"

She held up a hand, "I'll explain in a minute, but the ducks aren't the only thing, right?" She pointed up towards Alastor's radio tower, "He's been doin' other things to mess with Heaven's Judgements on you, I'll bet.

"Yeah...they, uh," he hesitated before he decided to tell her, "They Silenced me."

The barrier dropped suddenly, the energy rushing back into the Overlord as her limbs started to shift and she growled, "Why those no good, rat bastard, sons of-"

"Easy, Aunt Rosie!" Charlie cut her off before Lucifer even registered how nervous the other Fallen was making him feel, "Dad, she's angry for you, not at you, okay?"

Rosie settled herself back in, embarrasment clear on her face, "Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to lose my temper there." She patted her hair to make sure it was still perfectly styled before she gave him a friendly smile again, "What's my dear friend been doin' to help you with that?"

"Uh, well after something bad happened, he learned a way of tapping into me to broadcast my Harmony into the physical plane. He made a recording of it for me, it helps me sleep," He could feel his cheeks warming with embarrasment and a strange sort of happiness, "He also spent that whole night awake, broadcasting it live the entire time. I'm still able to mess with the flow of time so that's the only reason I know he did it since he snuck out just a few minutes before I woke up."

"Oh my stars, Alastor, you big ol' softie!" Rosie looked terribly delighted as she cooed, "Okay, with Charlie I had already figured she was going to end up in there but you're a lot farther along than I expected you to be, sire, all things considered."

Both he and Charlie were completely lost, "In where, Aunt Rosie? And considering what?"

"Considerin' your dad presents himself as a guy and he's in such a high up position of power and authority!" Rosie exclaimed like it was obvious, "One thing you gotta know about Alastor is it's not just his mind thats all twisted up weird. His bonds with others are too. People generally fall into two categories for him. You're his or you're not, simple as that! Sometimes people can straddle the line but far as I can tell there's only one person there right now. The people you know that he considers 'his' are me and that darlin' Niffty. Everyone in the 'not his' box goes into little subcategories dependin' on if they're fun or annoyin' or whatever. But if you've got the rare honor of being one of his people? You've basically become a part of his Self. He lets most of the walls down and is his most honest, though he'll still be stupid about tryin' to keep anyone else but him outta danger if he even remotely thinks they aren't strong enough," she sighed, smiling fondly. "You two are startin' to get youselves in the same box as me, I think! It's how he feels love for someone far as I can See, possessive little brat that he is!"

...

Both Morningstars just stared at her in silent disbelief. Lucifer wasn't sure what he felt as he remembered what Alastor had said when he spent the night in the palace.

"I suppose if you are going to be my King, we’ll have some work to do, won't we?”

Notes:

Somewhere in the ctiy, Al's ears are burning and he's getting the distinct feeling someone is talking about him lol

Guess who had an insomnia night? Weeeeeeee!

Edit: Writing this while I was dealing with insomnia means that I've had to go back through and adjust some things due to lack of clearness. So if you read it again and things looked different that's why

Chapter 57: Forging Alliances

Summary:

With both Morningstars understanding Alastor better, Rosie decides it's time to see what's going on with the Radio Demon for herself.

"Wait, wait," Charlie finally blurted out, "He always seems like he's joking or teasing when he says he's my other dad! Are you saying he actually thinks that?"

Rosie shook her head, snickering, "In the traditional sense, no! Have you noticed how he tends to hide a truth in a lie to make it more believable?" She waited for Charlie to nod, "Good! It's one of those things. He was more honest with me about what you are to him. While you were leadin' my darlings to your hotel, he told me he thought you had potential he could guide. He doesn't see you as a child but like someone that could be so much more than you are right now. He wants, no, needs to see it so badly that he'll push and prod and manipulate things around you to get you there!"

"Your daughter has started to find hers. I think she will truly be a force to be reckoned with one day. I just hope I will be there to see it.”

Lucifer sighed, letting his head fall back as he remembered, "She's right, Char. He said something similar when he thought I couldn't hear him."

"Mhmm. Now as for you, mister," Rosie pointed at him, to his consternation, "He finds you all shiny and fascinatin' and it lights his brain up like nothin' else! But he's still figurin' out where you fit so there's still a chance for him not gettin' too bad off if you back away. That's why I'm tellin' you all of this now. I can already See Charlie is gonna be ok with Alastor bein' who he is overall, even if she doesn't like it sometimes. What I don't know for sure is whether or not you will be too. So I want to make sure you're lookin' at him with full Clarity before he gets set on you bein' in his little circle."

Lucifer felt like he was starting to get a read on her. There was something under her tone, an anger that told him somebody else had done that. That she was making sure it didn't happen again, even if she had to fight the King of Hell to do it. So, he did as she asked and thought about it, about all the stress and anger and fear he'd felt over that damned deer...

And then he thought about the insane, fearless way Alastor not only faced what Lucifer was, but kept pushing for more. The way he was still fighting to Know everything about a broken and shackled Seraphim in a way Lilith simply couldn't, even after hearing what had happened to her, "...I'm still going to want to strangle him when I see him next."

Rosie snorted, "Join the club! If my hair wasn't already white, I'd have gone gray 'cause of that man! Look, I'm goin' to be level with you. I've got a lot of power stored up but its mostly kept in my territory. I'm not stupid enough to try to trap him and keep him safe that way. You got the best chance out of the three of us of keepin' up with him. You've got his attention and enough of his respect he might actually listen to you! If what he's doin' is as big as I suspect, you really do need a hand gettin' steady enough to tackle him when he's about to get himself killed, if you're willin' to trust me enough to let me help you."

Lucifer thought that over, "I think I can try? Why? What do you think he's doing?"

Rosie got to her feet and brushed off her skirt, "I think I'll confirm it first. No need to cause any more panic unnecessarily, right? I'm goin' to see Husk about callin' him."

Charlie blinked, "How? He doesn't have a phone?"

"You don't need a phone to get in touch with the Radio Demon, sweetie! I'll show you how it works but you can't do it too much without good reason or he'll shut it off."

As they followed her inside, Lucifer eyed her with open curiosity, "So, when you say you've got a lot of power stored up, how much are we talking about? I only ask because I haven't sensed anything in the Ring, but with you being what you are, you have a different scale on power levels than most other residents."

Rosie gave him a sly smile, "You'll have to come See for yourself! I know I wouldn't win even with how much they've got you disabled. But I could probably handle full on fightin' it out with you as you are in this Self for about ten full minutes before I'd be worried about drainin' my supply."

Both of Lucifer's eyebrows shot up at that, "Ok, it's official. You are one scary lady."

"Quit makin' me wanna keep you, little King! Alastor's even more territorial than me."

When they got to the lobby, Husk eyed Rosie warily as she made a beeline for him, "Ah, crap. Am I allowed to leave before you call him this time?"

Rosie nodded, much to his obvious relief, "Actually, I was hopin' you would keep everybody out of the lobby area for me? I'm not sure how far over his head he's gotten this time and it might get a little...messy."

He grimaced as he nodded and went to the middle of the room, calling out over the general chatter and activity, "Alright, everybody, you need to clear out! Unless you wanna be in the middle of a showdown between two cannibal Overlords, the King of Hell, and Charlie trying to make them all get along, get your asses out now!"

The ones who didn't immediately start leaving at 'cannibal Overlords' definitely took off with the involvement of Charlie and her father. Lucifer wasn't sure if he should laugh or not but Rosie seemed to find it pretty funny as she went to grab the old wooden radio at the bar, "So, you can actually get in touch with him through a radio?"

"Mhmm. He can tap into most of them if he wants to but he gets the clearest messages comin' towards him from one of his radios. You just gotta know the right frequency aaaaand," She set the dial and spoke towards the device, "Alastor, dearest! It's Rosie!"

There was a faint crackle of static before the radio started emitting some muffled sounds and then Alastor's voice came through, "Rosie, darling! It's good to hear from you, though your timing leaves a bit to be desired!" His voice turned faint, like he wasn't speaking into whatever he was using to answer anymore, "Oh do be quiet! Be grateful I've got something better to focus on right now, you wretched little parasite!"

Rosie blinked, her eyebrows raising, "You're still not done with that?"

"Not at all! In fact, you found me a rather resilient one, thank you! Now, that isn't the Cannibal Town radio you're calling me from! What seems to be the trouble at the hotel?"

Charlie was pale as she leaned in to whisper to Lucifer, "Dad? Is he really..."

"Probably, yeah. You need to go? I can let you know what he says later."

She shook her head, "No! I'm not going to hide from this. Kinda glad Vaggie is out training with Ms. Carmine today though."

He nodded his agreement, turning his attention back to Rosie and the radio, "Well, that's the thing! I've been havin' a lovely little chat with his Majesty and dear Charlotte this afternoon."

Somehow, the brief static that followed that felt wary but resigned, "...ah, I see. I suppose I should have suspected you were meddling. Touché, my dear." There was a loud crack and the background noises stopped, "I'll be there in a couple minutes."

"You better be, mister! Or else I'm havin' Susan deliver all your orders to you from here on out!" She had a vicious grin on her face as she turned off the radio right in the middle of Alastor's offended noise in response to her threat, "There, that oughta keep him from draggin' his feet!"

Charlie had a look of dismay as she spoke up, "Aunt Rosie? Don't you think that falls under cruel and unusual punishment?"

Lucifer wondered who in the world this Susan person was if his soft-hearted daughter felt that way about her.

"Maybe. But he knows I'll do it if he doesn't get his sorry hide over here right quick! You gotta use anythin' you got if you want him to listen sometimes!" Rosie sighed. "Be ready for anythin' when he gets here. 'Cause if I'm right? He's preparin' to really stir things up and come out on top with a bloody grin!"

Lucifer snorted. Yeah, that sounded about right.

***

It wasn't hard to tell that something was different as soon as Alastor materialized. His grin was overly bright and his eyes even brighter. It made sense now, when Charlie said he seemed too happy. Lucifer glanced at Rosie and she nodded. He threw up a visible barrier first to hide the one she made from anyone looking before he pulled up to use his full Sight while the other Fallen activated her Gift too.

...

Instead of one dormant tether, the sinner had a dozen! Alastor's eyes had followed him up and he Saw as all of the threads lit up bright with his core's energy. Almost immediately after, Lucifer felt the same restless energy that he had been dealing with for the past few days. The King of Hell returned to his body to properly shout, "What the actual fuck, Alastor?!" 

Notes:

You guys have no idea how many times I rewrote this one. It went in so many different directions before I found the one that I liked best.

As far as the mental health thing, is it weird that channeling Rosie's people skills has kinda been helping me get a better view on what's causing my problems irl? Cuz it feels like thats whats happened the last couple days

Chapter 58: Said a Spider to a Fly

Summary:

"What the actual fuck, Alastor?!"

Finally! There was the reaction Alastor had been waiting for!

"What the actual fuck, Alastor?!"

Finally! There was the reaction Alastor had been waiting for! Lucifer had been so set on ignoring him last time that he didn't even notice the strings the sinner had used to snatch his stupid hat! Chances were looking good that this might end up in a fight again so he could really show off what he Knew now! How delightful! He rocked on his feet a bit, his grin unrepentant.

Although, with how he was making his vision focus on Lucifer's energy instead of the physical body right now, he could tell that him drawing out the core energies was causing some spillover into Lucifer. Hm, that was not a calculated side effect... Perhaps it was because he was only pulling it and not actually using it, so it was flooding over? He would need to test that theory now that-

"Alastor."

"Hm?" The sinner blinked, letting the energy taper off and his eyes go back to the way they usually were as he looked at Rosie. He...wasn't as amused by that look in her eyes and his ears fell back a bit, "Yes, my dear?"

Rosie put her hands on her hips, her tone sharp as her teeth, "When someone gives you something to help you sleep, you're supposed to properly sleep! Why does it feel like your mind is only holding together because of Lucifer's energy right now?!"

Oh. That was...less than ideal, "...you only said it was my body that needed the rest. There was so much to be done! Besides, my mind feels perfectly fine to me!"

"Because you're running it on borrowed and concentrated energy!" She bared her teeth at him in a way that she rarely did and hissed something about feathers, oddly enough. He hadn't sprouted angel wings or anything so why-

Alastor felt a shift in pressure and immediately raised a firm wall of his own energy around his mind when Lucifer reached out to try to see what she was talking about. Rosie had earned the right to look as she wished, he trusted her to only do what was necessary by his standards. The squawk of offended disbelief in response to his defensive maneuver went a long way in returning his good mood, "Apologies, sire, however it's only polite to request entry first! I thought you would have at least a tiny grasp of manners but apparently that was optimistic of me!"

"Why you no good, son of a-" The little fallen angel seethed in barely restrained anger.

Maybe if he nudged just a bit more, he could make him snap the right way! The sinners he had been playing with recently really had no way of providing him with a proper challenge, after all.

"Dad, remember what Aunt Rosie said earlier?"

Oh! Charlie was here too! He hadn't even noticed her.

...maybe Rosie had a point.

Also, Aunt Rosie? When had that happened? What sort of meddling had she been doing while she had him distracted? Alastor looked at her suspiciously and she raised an unimpressed brow back at him.

"Which part?"

...how long had they been talking to each other today? He glanced up at the barriers around them. They had done that without verbal communication which implied a level of trust and understanding that he wasn't really surprised she had managed to gain but he just knew she was going to use that leverage somehow! 'Well played, madam,' he thought with reluctant respect.

"About a tornado's path."

Charlie was playing the game! Speaking true without giving anything away to the one being talked about! He wanted to pat her on the head for a job well done but it was also him they were talking about so he didn't.

Whatever the tornado thing meant, it made Lucifer sigh and relax. Oh boo!

It was a surprise then when the King met his gaze with sharp intent, "Since you're so badly wanting to show me what you've learned, how about we play a game?"

That was certainly an interesting offer! "What sort of game do you have in mind, your Majesty?"

"I'll give you a head start. You lay out any tricks or traps you want. The game is over when I manage to get a hand on you."

Tempting! Very tempting! "I'll accept on one condition! I choose the location. I have a private space that I do believe is now fortified enough so long as you don't go beyond the power you used on Adam."

Lucifer looked rather surprised at that and glanced at Rosie, who shook her head, "If you didn't learn that from her, I'm guessing that was also part of the Knowledge I gave you?"

Alastor played a round of applause, "Indeed, my good sir! Come to my tower when you are ready, you will know where to go when you see it!" He waited for the man to nod before he called up his shadows, playfully singing as he vanished, ""Will you walk into my parlour?" said a spider to a fly!"

***

Lucifer watched the dark shape dash away and under Rosie's barrier without even a pause, "Goddammit, he's going to absolutely crash when we're done, isn't he?"

"Make sure he does! I have no idea how he's even coherent at this point, let alone doin' everythin' he's done!" Rosie gave him a look, "You get him down and keep him there by whatever means necessary, got it?! Don't let him go without restin' at least the minimum eight hours!"

Lucifer sighed, "Yes, ma'am."

She then turned to Charlie, "Why don't you show me those books you were talkin' about earlier? You might have some I haven't been able to get! In return, we'll see about gettin' you better acquainted with that growin' Gift of yours!"

Lucifer had to admit, Charlie learning from Rosie wasn't a bad idea but it was a little terrifying. He dropped his own barrier and mentally counted down. He might be on deer-sitting duty but why not have some fun with it? Thinking back to what Alastor last said, he had to snort. 'He really thinks he's the spider in this game? As if!'

Notes:

Alastor has almost no attention span.

I definitely was channeling a cat with the zoomies on catnip here for him

Link to the origin of the spider line: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spider_and_the_Fly_(poem)

P.S. If anyone has suggestions of moves they would like to see Al or Luci use, lemme know. This is going to happen in Al's bayou pocket dimension which has been...upgraded with Seraphim energies

Chapter 59: Setting the Stage

Summary:

Lucifer considers things as he approaches the Radio Demon's tower.

Reaching the top of the stairway that placed him between his own space and the Radio Demon’s private rooms, Lucifer felt a little like he was standing at the edge of a cliff, the terrain at the bottom unable to be seen. He'd spent so very long focusing on keeping everyone and everything around him at a safe enough distance, with the measurement growing larger and larger over the centuries. He'd gotten used to feeling alone, even in a room full of people. Maybe especially in a room full of people, souls with the freedom to Be, able to exist fully present and wholly themselves in a way he simply couldn't. Hell, he probably hadn't been fully free to be himself even before the Fall and the division of his very Self.

Lilith had been both an exception and not. He would always love her, always cherish the time they'd had, but even she had to be placed a few steps away from him, outside of a thick wall for her own safety. She wasn't just merely human, she had been a First. No matter how complex, strong, and fierce her Song had become, her original state of Being had been more complacent and trusting than even a newborn child, no concept of discomfort or fear. She could hold his immense Heart close to her but anything else...

Now the walls that he had built were full of growing cracks, breaking apart under the single-minded stubborness of one insane being so determined to Know who and what Lucifer truly was that he would rather risk his very existence than walk away.

Was this what his core had felt? Was he still attuned enough with his other Self to See the same Potential? To See why Alastor had been granted not only Knowledge, but Trust and Hope as well? No matter how divided he was, he still knew that was precisely what had been placed in those greedy hands that were grabbing anything they could reach, claws sinking in and ripping away millenia of doubt and self-loathing.

Strange that someone so comfortable with living in shadows was the one slowly uncovering the Light within him that had been all but smothered.

Lucifer, who had once Been and in a way still Was Samael, looked over the edge at the unknown Possibilities hidden at the bottom and, this time, he chose to Fall.

***

He felt confused and curious as he approached the open doorway of Alastor’s tower and saw Niffty standing in front of it, looking at him with a sharp grin.

"Hi, Mr. Baddest Boy, sir!" She chirped, bouncing on her toes, "I know you and Alastor are getting ready to play but I wanted to tell you something first!"

"Uh, sure? Go ahead."

"Alastor is really strong and smart but really bad at taking care of himself sometimes! I try to help where I can because I love my King Roach but I think maybe the King of Hell can get to the places I can't reach! So have fun and keep making him use his real smile, okay? But remember," her eye nearly closed with how wide her grin got, "I still have my angel stabbing dagger! Your feathers would look reeeeeally pretty in my collection!"

Lucifer knew he was a lot stronger than Niffty, that he could easily squish her like one of the bugs she gleefully hunted, but...

"Okay! That was everything I wanted to say! Have fun! I'll bring some food up later so you don't have to leave him alone while he sleeps! Buh-bye now!"

The ageless fallen Seraphim watched the little housekeeper scurry away and wondered how in Creation such a tiny being could be so absolutely and utterly terrifying...

***

"Come to my tower when you are ready, you will know where to go when you see it!"

'Well that part definitely wasn't a lie.' Lucifer was faced with a wall of shadows blocking him from seeing through it, even when he peeked just a bit with some of his full Sight. It was like the barricade over the V Tower window that day but this time the radio dial eyes were solidly present, not phasing in and out of the inky black wall. And as he walked up to it, they all focused right on him. 'So he can actively See through them now...' Impressive enough on its own and doubly so knowing the demon's mind was likely so close to burnt out it was ridiculous.

Lucifer reached out a hand and just like last time, the shadows parted, leaving just enough space for him to slip through. 'This is part of how he's fortified the space inside then. With how it contained the reality warping frequencies he was emitting before, I have a feeling he was understating how much power this could handle. He wasn't conscious in his body when I showed up so he probably doesn't realize how much I'm aware of. Clever bastard was laying out tricks to attempt to hobble his opponent immediately after hearing the offer of a game. Okay, smart-ass, I'll play along. For now.'

Stepping inside, he had to stop and stare in amazement. The air around him felt warm and humid in a way the dry heat of the Pentagram never did. The sound of crickets and running water surrounded him as a soft breeze stirred the air. He had heard from the hotel staff that Alastor somehow had a swamp in his room but he had figured it was merely an illusion! This was an actual pocket dimension contained within the hotel tower! There was no way this had only been built in the short time since the Harmony became active in the Radio Demon. No wonder the idea of a layered reality hadn't phased him, the man had already been dabbling at the edges between planes. How had a mere sinner managed to do this?!?!

Lucifer kept his energy as close to him as possible as he opened his Sight again to really understand what this was. A shimmer of gold lay over everything, showing how the power of the Harmony had been used to alter the space further, adding more depth to it, but underneath was a pulse of much darker energies in a twisted fascimile of the lifeforce of the human world. '...this is where he stores and accesses all of his collected souls! No wonder he doesn't need a physical territory in the city.'

"You'll catch flies with your mouth like that."

Lucifer startled and opened his physical eyes again, finding Alastor standing right in front of him, grinning proudly. Why hadn't he Seen him appear? Peering at the red figure, he noticed a slight haze at the edges. Ah, it was a projection, "I'll admit, I'm impressed. How did you manage all of this? I never even sensed this space was here!"

The illusion chuckled, the sound really seeming to come from the figure in front of him, "I might be willing to tell you, if you can catch me!" With a playful wiggle of fingers, Alastor's projection vanished.

Feeling a rare kind of excitement, Lucifer grinned and spread his wings, calling out loudly, "Let's see what you've got, Bambi!" Calling up two copies of himself, he sent them out along the ground while he took to the sky. He could technically make this quick without breaking the false rule of restriction, using his power as King to find the sinner's soul within this landscape. But where would the fun be in that?

Notes:

I am chipping away at the actual game scene but Niffty had something she wanted to say first and I felt like making a little setup before we get to the shenanigans might be good

Chapter 60: Tricks of the Trade

Summary:

So far, aside from the complexity of this space, Lucifer hadn’t seen much to indicate any real traps and that made him extra wary.

Splitting his conscious mind into temporary duplicate forms was always interesting, and with all the eyes of Lucifer's demonic form spread out three ways, it almost felt a bit like being back in his original state. With his main Self in the air and the other two on the ground, he worked to map out this marshy landscape. There were little shapes and shadows that always ran out of sight as soon as one of his bodies got close. So far, aside from the complexity of this space, he hadn’t seen much to indicate any real traps and that made him extra wary.

Lucifer frowned as he felt his connection to one of his copies suddenly vanish and that portion of his mental energy returned to him, the magicked duplicate cut off without warning or any indication of why. While they had been weak compared to his actual Self, their forms still should have been hardy enough to not be destroyed in a single surprise attack. Curiosity had him diving for where it had been last.

When he got there, he landed on the branch of a tree rather than touching the ground, feeling that something wasn’t quite right about the clearing. Snapping his fingers, he created a palm-sized stone and threw it into the grass. Instead of landing, it fell through and disappeared. Ah, another illusion. Rather well done too, considering it was only the fact one of his copies disappeared that he was even aware there was something amiss. What was under there that had managed to move quick enough to cut the connection without him seeing it?

A whisper of displaced air was his only warning before dark tentacles crackling with green energy shot out at him from all sides, phasing into reality rather than coming up from any physical source of shadow. He let out a surprised shout as dodged and wove through them, noting the veins of golden light on their surface. Had Alastor actually merged the Seraphic power with his shadows? He had to have, in order to allow them to phase in and out of the planes parallel to this reality!

Already Lucifer could feel himself intrigued on how that had worked, wanting to pull the method apart and study it. His distraction was enough that one nearly managed to grab his ankle but he quickly shifted into a bird, too small to easily grasp as he deftly slipped away from their reach. The second copy was dealing with the same attack despite their distance apart so apparently Alastor was watching from multiple sources, like the eyes on the wall at the entrance. That required processing a lot of information in real-time, so where...

A movement caught his eye as he shifted back into his default state and he spotted small creatures clinging to the branches of other trees. Lucifer hadn't sensed any animal life here so those were either illusions or-

Dozens of eyes opened on each one, illuminating the stitch-work of Alastor's doll minions before their wide mouths opened and threads of shadow and light shot out, weaving in mid-air to create a net reminiscent of Rosie's barriers. He felt a delighted laugh leaving him as he dropped like a stone towards the ground. Just before he hit the false layer of grass, he spread his wings and pivoted out from under the falling net. Banking hard, he used magic to create an updraft, snatching up one of the creatures as he went back into the more open space over the trees. The little thing flailed in his grip as he looked it over curiously. He couldn't sense anything like tethers or puppet strings, so they likely weren't how Alastor was watching him. Were these things powered by pieces of souls and magic to operate independently like the sinner's Shadow?

Lucifer snorted as the creature snapped its teeth at him and hissed threateningly, "Yeah, you're about as scary as a squirrel so-ACK!"

The stitching of the doll's torso suddenly fell apart at the seams and it inverted itself to wrap around his hand and wrist. The stuffing turned out to be made of shadows, which unraveled into small tentacles that helped tighten the hold while the claws of its hands sank into his skin and drew blood! Okay, he had to know how it could do that, screw playing by Alastor's rules.

Waving his other hand, he froze time around the thing and looked at the creature more closely. Peering between the slight gap in the teeth, he could see a tiny ball of golden coiling scales at the back of it's head, a broken off piece of physical Song energy with little threads going every which way, powering the extra eyes and even running down the stitching to coat the claws in a glow similar to angelic steel. The rest of the thing held an energy like the Shadow's so this, again, looked like a merge of Alastor's powers and Lucifer's Song energies! 'Ugh. 'No rest for the wicked' seems to be this crazy bastard's motto.' If this was what the sinner could manage in so little time and without proper sleep, it was crazy to think what he would be capable of in the future.

The fallen angel could feel that little piece of energy trying to fight the time stop but it was too small to manage it. He plucked the claws out from his skin and extracted his hand before releasing both the power freezing the creature in place and his own grip on it, letting it drop back down towards the trees. The thing quickly righted its body before eye-covered wings sprouted from its back and it began to fly straight up towards him, the others bursting out from the trees and into the air as well.

Okay, no, this was just ridiculous! He had been trying to keep his own actions on defense only but he was not going to be spending the next however long being chased by flying, demented dolls! Lucifer sent out blasts of Hellfire from his hands, knocking them all out of the sky.

Something...shifted and he got the strange sense that Alastor was laughing at him from wherever he was hiding. He momentarily considered igniting the damn trees just to be petty when his other copy came across a cabin at the far end of the marsh.

***

Alastor felt quite pleased so far with how things were going. Lucifer seemed rather surprised at the little tricks, focused enough on those that he failed to recognize the control the Radio Demon had over his bayou, the way every shadow touched another until there was a sprawling network for him to spread his awareness through. His Shadow had rather enjoyed joining in the fun with taking out the first copy and was playfully stalking the second while the sinner himself focused on the original. Now aware that he had been mentally straining himself with all his work without realizing it, he didn't want to risk ending the game too soon by doing everything on his own. This was simply a fun way to show off, a real threat would be getting a very different fight from him indeed.

Michael would be in for a nasty shock once Alastor was ready for him. He doubted that angel had ever known what it was like to be the prey to a very hungry monster. The thought had the Radio Demon's body cackling madly as his Shadow shifted and pounced on Lucifer's other double, much to the King's displeasure when it vanished like the first.

...it was too bad those disappeared when the connection was cut off. He was getting rather peckish and a fresh snack would have been nice! He was curious if the physical body created for a Seraphim tasted any different than an Exterminators...

...

Eugh, his focus was well and truly shot. Much as he adored her, damn Rosie for always being right...

Notes:

Finding a balance between improving Al's skills enough to surprise Lucifer while still maintaining a clear gap in power level is hard. Like, yeah, Alastor is closing the gap but he still has a long way to go to match Lucifer, let alone get within the same playing field as Samael.

Chapter 61: Fowl Plans

Summary:

There were ducks in the pond by the cabin...

Specifically, there were several of his happy yellow rubber ducks bobbing in the pond, floating along amongst the algae.

There were ducks in the pond by the cabin...

Specifically, there were several of his happy yellow rubber ducks bobbing in the pond, floating along amongst the algae.

"No no no. Please tell me he didn't mess with my ducks?!" Lucifer knew he was whining but dammit! Was nothing sacred?!

He stood just shy of where the grass turned to mud, knowing that this had to be a trap. There was no way that grinning asshole would put something like this here just for decoration. The question was if the trap was in the ducks themselves or was there something in the water with them, waiting for him to try to collect the little toys?

While the fallen angel stood there distracted by the bright objects, he initially failed to register movement behind him. By the time he did feel the presence of something barreling out of a small tear in space, it was too late to fully dodge, dark hands gripping one of his wings and his arm as it tackled him into the mud and muck. Sputtering and disgusted, his eyes went fully red as he turned to glare at the Shadow. It waved at him, shoulders shaking in silent laughter as it pulled away.

Lucifer opened his mouth to yell at the damned thing when he noticed symbols gliding over it's dark surface, swirls of green and gold magics illuminating them. As he watched, one flared bright and faded away and a small tear opened next to the Shadow, allowing it to slip through and escape.

That looked like a bastardized mix between the sigils used in summoning circles and old angelic words of power...

What the fuck had his core been thinking, giving Alastor access to those?! One wrong line in the Heavenly script and the sinner would end up scattered in pieces across the planes! And how did it even mesh with summoning magic?!

Lucifer was so thoroughly confused and intrigued by this insanity, he didn't notice the rubber duck floating close to his tail until a sudden sense of pain made him aware of the Harmony sharpened teeth that had been hidden inside the beak. His yelp echoed through the trees before being followed by mad cackling from inside the cabin.

***

Alastor slowly disconnected himself from the farther ends of his bayou, allowing the shadows there to return to normal. The network had been inspired by Rosie's threads in Cannibal Town though he still didn't have her finesse. Lucifer was close enough now that he could hear him in his physical body as well as his awareness outside the cabin. His Shadow returned to him from its dimensional leaps, most of the symbols gone from the power it had to use to do so. He wouldn't replenish those now, it would take time he didn't really have if he wanted to keep toying with the little monarch currently yelling in languages the sinner didn't recognize. From the tone, he imagined they had to be some sort of swears and curses.

So loud for being in such a tiny body! Alastor settled his mind more firmly back into himself and got to his feet. It took a moment to steady himself, which was annoying, but his physical limitations had always been a bit of a chore. He would need to keep Lucifer outside of the cabin. While the Silence left him unable to hear the warped nature of the souls in this room, there was too much physical evidence of Alastor's experiments to be ignored.

He hadn't broken his promise about using his own soul but he was certain there had to be a way to change others to match and restore it, the way the Harmony in him was originally supposed to do. Cannibal Town's residents were practically a hive mind under Rosie's Song and in turn replenishing her energy, this would just be a less spread out method. Temporarily boosting his Song by consuming other sinner's souls like with that nasty moth was unsustainable. And he certainly wasn't going to encourage the Seraphim’s energy to finish it's original task now that he had so many opportunities because of it. However, he refused to be left with such a glaring weak spot. One hit by an angelic blade could easily destroy what remained of the Radio Demon and leave only the Harmony running his empty shell of a body.

The matter turned out to be far more difficult to do in practice than in theory. Maybe once he could be certain he could safely get his consciousness back and forth from the Void on his own, he could see what that side of Lucifer thought of the endeavor. It would likely be an interesting mental exercise for the isolated being at the very least...

A flare of magic from outside brought him out of his musings and Alastor laughed at himself. Right, focus on this now and defy more of the limiting rules of human reality further later! He had a King to attend to, after all!

***

Lucifer stomped towards the cabin, banishing away the mud and muck from his clothing. He needed to knock the crazy bastard out soon so he didn't get tempted to just kill him! Just before he reached the steps, a burst of radio static flared up behind him and he whirled to point a finger up at that cheshire grin, "You!"

"Yes, me! So glad to see your eyes still work, your Majesty! You know, that can be a common problem with old age!"

Lucifer really needed someone to explain why he liked this guy so maybe he could find a cure for the apparently contagious levels of insanity around Alastor!

"Now, much as I would love to continue this lovely discussion, you still have yet to lay a hand on me! So this game is not yet over, sire!" Starbursts flared in those red eyes and the Radio Demon rapidly split into three, then five, then seven copies. "Catch the real one if you can!" They all melted into shadows with echoing laughter.

The fallen angel groaned and dropped his head in his hands. He should have just cast a sleeping spell as soon as he saw Alastor! Damn his curiosity over what the sinner would do next!

Notes:

I had actually intended on wrapping the whole chase up here but Lucifer was too irate to remember to actually grab hold of Alastor and the Radio Demon had at least one more trick he wanted to show before the end

Chapter 62: Interlude: Removing the Veils

Summary:

"Lute?" Sera was surprised to find the Exorcist here at the edge of the Sea of Contemplation.

"Lute?" Sera was surprised to find the Exorcist here at the edge of the Sea of Contemplation. It was a far cry from where the brash young angel usually spent her time. She herself liked to visit this place when she felt a nostalgia for the old days, when everything seemed so much simpler. This was the personal Creation of the sibling she had once been closest to. A space where Uriel could come to embrace and focus their Gift without being completely lost to the Wisdom whispered in the Universe's Song. The Sea granted peace to them in a way that Sera increasingly wished she could find in recent times.

"M-ma'am!" Lute leapt to her feet, standing at respectful attention, her shining prosthetic arm moving as smoothly as her natural one. "I didn't hear you approach!"

Sera could tell the younger angel had been crying and a part of her felt relieved. Lute had been growing increasingly erratic, volatile beyond her usual quick temper. Perhaps she was finally processing her grief. "At ease, Lute. We can speak as equals here, away from the city. What brought you here?"

Lute seemed to struggle with that for a moment before she finally eased her stance, folding her arms over her chest, "I... I needed to get away from everything. Everywhere I turn, I get reminded that he's not here anymore. That...that he won't ever be coming back."

Sera listened to the vengeful notes in Lute's Song begin to rise as those mismatched hands clenched, "Yes, this is true and you are right to feel pain. I know you were his closest companion."

The Exorcist bared her teeth, "Especially after that traitor turned her back on all of us! I should have talked Adam out of-" She jolted and clamped her mouth shut to cut off what she had been about to say.

Sera wasn’t going to let it go, there was a note of fear now in the Song, "What did Adam do, Lute? I will not speak of it beyond this conversation."

"Not even to the Commander?"

"No, not even to Michael." Perhaps especially not to Michael.

Lute looked away, watching the gentle waves of the Sea, "Adam kept her record from the list of Judgements. He always said she was just going through a rebellious phase, that the punishment we gave her and the time in Hell would bring her back to the fold eventually."

Sera blinked. That both did and did not sound like Adam. He had been arrogant and shortsighted, violent in a way that she had always excused as a byproduct of all he had been through because of Samael. But he had been very attentive to 'his girls,' treating the Exorcists as more than just soldiers under his command, "I wondered why she seemed so unchanged by Hell."

"Yeah, well, I don't even know where he put the damn thing or else I would have brought it to you by now so she could be properly brought to Judgement and cast out!" Lute snarled.

Sera felt an urge she had not felt in a long time, a whisper to Seek Truth, the power she once held instead of her current title to Seek Heaven's Justice. Why weren't they intertwined anymore? "What did she do to betray Heaven? Before she fought against you in that last battle, I mean."

The Exorcist spat in disgust, "She rejected our purpose! She chose not to kill a sinner! I saw her do it!"

...when had mercy become a crime? Now, under that chord of vengeance and anger was something off, something familiar and wrong, "Do you know why she did it?"

"Not really but...maybe because it was a child sinner?" Lute looked distinctly uncomfortable suddenly. Like she hadn't really thought about the why so much as the what. The wrongness faded away, along with the blinding fury.

She had a suspicion and turned the conversation to a different angle, "I hear Michael has been getting you ready to take over leadership of the Exorcists."

The younger angel nodded, her expression one of anxiousness rather than pride, "Yeah, he has me in his office twice a week, like he used to with Adam. We go over the old battles with Hell from before the Exterminations began. The Commander seems to think it's going to go back to that and wants me ready as quickly as possible," Lute shuffled her feet, breath quickening, "Emily was the one that recommended I come here. She said she thought it would clear my head. It felt like she was right when she said it, but all I have are more questions! I'm not supposed to doubt!"

Sera went wide-eyed as the proud angel suddenly burst into tears, sitting on the sandy beach and curling up into a tight ball. If only Lute had reached the age of Clarity, she could wrap her up in her Song, let the Harmony of a Seraphim sooth her overwhelmed mind.

Awkwardly, she approached the distraught woman and crouched down, allowing her own wings to act as an extra layer around Lute's. She remained that way throughout the entirety of the emotional torrent but her mind was elsewhere, turning everything over.

Adam met with Michael twice a week. For how long? Did that have something to do with how hateful the First Man had become? Now that she thought about it, Adam was the only human-born angel that had been allowed in the Armies.

Michael had once been the one to restrain overzealousness that would endanger an angel, calm them and bring back rational thought before the fervor to Create had them unraveling themselves by pouring too much into the Creation. Now, it looked like he was Commanding fear and hate and anger into the youngest and most vulnerable of their ranks.

As Lute quieted down, Sera felt a fear grow in herself. Michael had begun to invite Emily to his office to discuss the ways the Courts and the Armies could better align!

"I See you have begun to part the veils placed over your eyes, sister."

Sera blinked as she realized time had been frozen around them, Lute too young to resist the stasis. The Seraphim got to her feet, looking around for the one connected to the familiar voice she hadn't heard in over 5,000 years, "Uriel?! Where in Creation have you been?!"

"Seeking Wisdom and Clarity as you once Sought Truth. If you are finally ready to Listen, meet me in secret where the twin stars have been divided."

Uriel's presence faded, leaving Sera confused with an exhausted young Exorcist at her feet.

Notes:

Plot needed to happen so we are back to see what is going on in Heaven!

Chapter 63: Promise

Summary:

Alastor's sleep-deprived mind takes a slightly darker turn as he watches Lucifer chase after his decoys.

Alastor sighed in fond amusement, watching Lucifer chase after the multiple decoys he had sent out. Using his adjusted eyesight to learn how the duplicating magic worked and then reviewing the Knowledge connected was an efficient manner of gaining new techniques but mastery still took time. Time that he wasn't sure they all had.

Logically, the paranoia and sense of dread driving him to further levels of eccentricity were probably due the strain on his mind that Rosie had pointed out. Funny how such things were so unnoticeable until one is made aware of them. He was fairly certain his kills these last few days had been a touch more vicious than educational to release the building pressure too. Not that those vermin deserved any less. But it had allowed him to maintain his composure and overall enjoyment of his accomplishments around the others at least.

Of course, those feelings of impending doom were also likely adding to the nightmares. At this point, it was actually not his own choice that he kept ending up awake outside of himself and he was not really sure how to stop it from happening.

He was enjoying this though, playing this nonsensical game with no real consequences for either side. Watching Lucifer flail and shout and indulge his curiosity, unburdened by everything Heaven had done to him for just a few moments. Alastor idly wondered how much more often these moments would happen when he finally found a way to reconnect both sides of the Seraphim. To make Samael and Lucifer whole and even stronger than Heaven had originally feared. To make him a greater being than Michael had ever dreamed of possessing...

The Radio Demon would not be the only one free of his chains.

After all, no one but his King would be worthy to show him the rest of the Universe. Any who tried to stop it would find out what sort of ni̥͇g̢̰̑h̄t̃m͌ả̳r͂̀e͇ Alastor was all too willing to become.

It was good that he was keeping himself out of sight, the wide, hungry grin on his face would be difficult to get Lucifer to ignore otherwise.

***

This was now beyond ridiculous!

Lucifer was nearly at his wits end. Sure, he had the energy to keep this up for hours still. His body was long used to being supplemented with angelic power to keep it running, though it had limits. There was no way Alastor's was even remotely the same.

And yet, the sinner just. kept. Going! Why?! There was nothing here to prove and Lucifer was pretty sure that the Radio Demon had shown most of what he was willing to reveal of his new abilities. There was no way that these tricks had been what he was using to kill those other sinners.

Well, maybe the creepy doll things...

'No! Not going there!'

Alastor was being preposterous, seeming to be having too much fun with his taunts and pranks to realize his idiocy. It was dumb, especially for someone Lucifer knew was generally pretty intelligent. Sure, some of it was probably sleep-deprived mania, Creation knows Lucifer had been there plenty of times himself. Usually when he was trying to wear out the body and mind due to...

'Nightmares. Memories that felt more real than present reality.' Human minds generally weren't able to partition and stop their dreaming while also forcing the body to cycle properly through the sleep stages. Even if Alastor had found a way to avoid them by keeping his conscious mind actively working, his body would still be strained as well.

Huh. The sinner's current behavior wasn't anything like his own methods of escaping but the reasons might be. For all that the Radio Demon had been asking about his past, Lucifer realized that he knew almost nothing about Alastor's, aside from what he had just learned from the other Fallen.

...he had never even thought to ask.

Now he felt like a self-centered jerk. Of course, just as his mood started to turn sour, he heard an exasperated sigh from somewhere nearby. Looking around, he didn't see anything right away but that meant nothing when one was dealing with a sneaky bastard that walked through shadows like doorways.

"How do you always know?" Lucifer called out to the seemingly empty air.

A static-filled chuckle came from one of the lower branches of a nearby tree and the air shimmered before revealing Alastor crouched on it, microphone dangling loosely from one hand. Aha! The one he had seen outside the cabin before hadn't had that! So, Alastor had likely already copied himself even before Lucifer laid eyes on him, "You haven't figured it out yet?" The tone said the Radio Demon thought he was being particularly slow.

Lucifer breathed deep, fighting down the urge to automatically rise to the taunt, "I get that it probably has to do with the shared Harmony, smart-ass. But I doubt you actually feel everything I do. That would probably have driven you more insane than you already are by this point."

"Likely true, yes!" Alastor waved a hand, dismissing the decoys from what Lucifer's copies showed him, "The pressure in the air changes with your moods. I've gotten pretty good at determining what the different types indicate." His voice was slower than normal, sounding far less showy despite the radio tuning still crackling through.

"Huh, so you have your own personal Insight on me..." Lucifer mulled that over for a moment before shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging, "Alright, be honest with me. How close are you to passing out right now?"

"Hmmm," the sinner closed his eyes, his ears swiveling, "Considering I'm pretty sure the sound of baying hounds is an auditory hallucination?"

Swearing under his breath, Lucifer leapt up to hover in front of him, "You going to actually stop fighting it now?" He was pretty sure Alastor was using his shadows to actually hold him steady on that branch. Stupid prideful bastard.

And yes, he was absolutely aware that was hypocritical coming from the Sin of Pride.

One red eye cracked open to look at him, "Rosie ordered you to make me sleep, didn't she?"

Lucifer snorted, "Yep! Minimum of eight hours even! And she's more scary than you, so I'm not going to go against her wishes here."

Alastor sighed and cracked his neck in sharp motions, muttering, "Tell that woman one time that she reminded me of my maman and she takes it as an allowance to act like one." Reaching up to grasp a branch above him as he stood, the demon leaned out towards Lucifer, grinning at him in challenge mere inches away from his face, "So, what will you do?"

The sudden closeness was making it hard for him to focus on what had been said, "Uh, what?"

"Hmm," Alastor let go of the branch, nearly giving Lucifer a heart attack when he fell but the deer somehow landed gracefully on his feet, staff planted firmly in front of him. Impossible bastard, "You have been ordered to make me fully sleep. I am aware of the necessity but doubt I will be capable of doing so for the full period without assistance."

"Nightmares?" Lucifer asked, watching as those large ears folded back. Likely a yes, though there was no verbal response, "Right. I can help with that. You able to walk back?"

A slow blink, "You promise you'll help? Without digging into my mind?"

Uh oh. He landed in front of the sinner, watching closely, "Promise." No sooner than the word had left him, Alastor's eyes slid shut and he crumpled. Lucifer was barely quick enough to keep him from hitting his head on the ground.

Notes:

Don't ask me where that beginning came from. Alastor's brand of possessiveness reared its head and it just really felt good to get out after an extremely stressful day

Guess who accidently hit post chapter again for 64. Ugh

Chapter 64: Momentary Calm Pt 1

Summary:

Lucifer debates how to best get Alastor somewhere more comfortable without waking him

Rosie has a little fun letting Charlie and Vaggie in on a bit of gossip about Alastor.

Lucifer sighed, debating what he should do. Currently he was sitting against one of the trees, Alastor’s head in his lap. Staying here wasn’t really an option, even if he did appreciate the landscape. It was so different from Hell, almost like seeing the Garden again. He wondered what this particular place was to Alastor; after all, it was too detailed and natural looking to be something made up.

A motion caught his eye and he raised a brow as the Shadow came into view. Alastor had said the creature pretty much thought like him, so maybe it-

A dark hand lashed out, startling the hell out of Lucifer before he realized it wasn’t aiming for him, but had snatched up one of those doll things that had apparently been hiding just above him. The Shadow seemed to be silently scolding the thing, shaking it before tossing it away out of view, a splash following soon after. The fallen angel had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep from cackling at the way the opaque creature had its hands where hips would be and was glaring in the direction it had thrown the doll. That was the exact same look Rosie had given Alastor!

Hollow eyes turned toward him and that frown turned into a delighted grin when it saw how hard Lucifer was having to fight laughing out loud lest he risk waking Alastor. It slid closer, visibly pleased with itself which just made the whole thing even more ridiculous!

‘I think I’ve honestly been laughing more these days than I have in over a century.’ It was a bit pathetic really, but hey, at least it was going in the right direction for now! Once he finally felt like he had his breathing under control, he let his hand drop and asked, “Does he have a bed in that cabin or do I need to take him out of here?” When the Shadow pointed away from the cabin in response, he sighed, “Think he’ll wake up if I teleport us?” The shrug was unhelpful but then again, he had a feeling not many people ended up in this sort of situation with the Radio Demon.

Honestly, Lucifer was a bit surprised that he was in this position. It almost seemed like Alastor had actually chosen to give in to the exhaustion in that moment. Which...was something to think on but first he had figure out how to get the man somewhere more comfortable than damp grass. Hopefully without waking him up now that he had finally gone down.

***

Charlie was so happy to have someone assisting her with all of her ideas for helping the residents of the hotel and her dad in particular! Rosie had so much more experience with this sort of thing! "-and here I was thinking maybe some sort of scheduled music therapy days 'cause Dad said that can really help him on bad days and-"

"Charlie, dear, slow down and breathe! You're gonna work yourself into your own little panic attack," Rosie looked both amused and mildly concerned. "You have some very good ideas here. I can tell you've been spending a lot of time thinkin' about these things for everyone. What about for you though?"

"Thank you!" A fond but exasperated voice said from the office doorway, "That's what I keep trying to tell her!"

"Vaggie!! You're back!" Charlie bounced over to wrap her girlfriend up in a hug, "I have so much to tell you, today has been crazy!"

"I don't think we've had a boring day in months, Charlie. Crazy is our new normal," Vaggie gave her a smile before nodding to Rosie, "Hello, Mrs. Rosie. Has she roped you into helping at the hotel too?"

The Overlord shook her head, "No, sorry. I'm goin' to be focusin' mostly on gettin' our King a bit more clear-headed. All things considered, it might be best to have those meetings at the palace, not here. Might check up on the wards while I'm there."

Vaggie raised a brow, "Oh? I didn't think he met up with sinners much. Did you used to know the Queen or something?"

Charlie had to bite her lip hard to not say anything. It was Rosie's secret to tell.

"Well, not exactly. This is my third time meetin’ him and I only met the Queen once." She gave wistful sigh, "Lovely lady, definitely would not have minded havin’ her over for tea sometime!”

...Charlie was going to pretend she did not hear what she thought she heard in that tone.

"On that note!" Rosie leaned forward, her eyes full of mischief as she mock-whispered conspiratorially, "I think we're all gonna have our hands full, especially since I think Alastor's been real keen your dad in his own funny way!"

...

"What?!"

'That wasn't just Vaggie.' Charlie thought as she looked out of the doorway to find Husk holding a large covered tray and looking horrified. Niffty giggled madly into her hands, "See?! I told you I made them dinner for after their date!"

Okay, Vaggie was right. Crazy was their new normal.

Notes:

Guess who accidently hit post with a section missing. Me! Sorry to anyone that saw the first bit. I was actually going to have more to this but since it had already had most of it posted, I figure its best to get it back out.

Edit: realized a key piece was needed at the end! Added a couple lines. Will also mention this in the next chap for anyone who already read this one

Chapter 65: Momentary Calm Pt 2

Summary:

Alastor grumbled as he found himself slowly waking up. He felt far too comfortable and relaxed to want to do more than burrow under the blankets and ignore the world for a few more hours. Surely Charlie would be fine handling things without-

Wait... When did he get to bed?

Notes:

A couple lines have been added at the end of chap 64. If you read it early on, please check!

Turned out Lucifer didn't need to worry at all. Alastor showed no signs of waking even when the fallen angel scooped him up to teleport them back to the entrance. Despite having carried the sinner to the palace all those months ago, he was still surprised by how light Alastor was. Sure, he was tall, but he wasn't built for brute force. It was mostly his larger than life personality that made it feel like he took up more space than he physically did.

'That first time I guess I didn't really care enough to notice.' Funny, how much things could change in a matter of months.

The wall that had blocked the entrance was down and the Shadow pointedly moved in front of him, taking the lead over to Alastor's bed and pulling back the sheets. Lucifer set the sinner down, gently removing the monocle and placing it on the table nearby before asking, "Should I summon up some night clothes for him?"

The Shadow shook its head and pointed at two particular items.

"So, remove the shoes and jacket but nothing else?" Lucifer waited for a nod and then snapped his fingers, magically removing the articles of clothing before pulling the sheets back up to cover Alastor. He studied the sleeping figure for a moment, then closed his physical eyes, focusing his Sight on the energies flowing through the sinner. He waited patiently for any sign of disturbances. It didn't take long before he noticed the angelic energy getting agitated, trying to shield Alastor from something unseen. 'Looks like the Harmony is treating his emotional state in his dreams as a real threat. Okay, that shouldn't take too much to settle.'

Slipping back into himself, he decided the smartest thing would be to set himself up by the bed for the night. And since the Shadow was still hovering nearby, he might as well ask it what would work best, "If I'm going to help him stay asleep, physical contact would be best. What would he be most comfortable with?"

The way the Shadow perked up and grinned in approval told him he'd made the right choice there. It reached down and pulled Alastor's arm from under the cover, motioning for Lucifer to sit somewhere close. The fallen angel created a comfortable chair that would allow him to lay his hand on the bed. Alastor's glove was removed before his dark hand was placed on top of the back of Lucifer's, "Alright, I can work with that."

The Shadow gave him one of Alastor's more playful bows before it dove under it's Creator's body and vanished. For his part, Lucifer focused on creating a gentle flow of calming magics before slowly feeding the energy into the sleeping demon. All in all, he supposed this wasn't the worst way to spend his evening.

***

Alastor grumbled as he found himself slowly waking up. He felt far too comfortable and relaxed to want to do more than burrow under the blankets and ignore the world for a few more hours. Surely Charlie would be fine handling things without-

Wait... When did he get to bed?

Confusion broke through the haze of sleep and he became more aware of his surroundings. Someone was humming nearby and it felt like he was holding onto... Peculiar. He finally opened his eyes to see Lucifer was sitting next to his bed, playing with a golden light that kept changing shapes.

Why was he holding onto the King's hand?

Lucifer seemed to notice he was awake, looking over to meet his gaze, "Hey, feeling better?"

Better? Better than... oh. Well, that was embarrassing. Alastor gave a long sigh, "Have you really been here all night?"

"Yup! I didn't know you played music in your sleep." The fallen angel gave him a teasing smile, "It's cute!"

He wasn't sure what he felt about being called cute by two Sins now. He was the Radio Demon, feared by almost every sinner in Pentagram City! He'd worked hard to ensure that despite the features he'd been given, no one would mistake him for anything less than the threat he was.

Whatever expression he was making, it caused Lucifer to laugh, "There goes the offended ears again!"

'Maybe I will allow it with him.' He huffed and pulled his hand back, "Don't be ridiculous. Are you quite finished laughing at me, sire?"

"Nope!"

Alastor grabbed a pillow and threw it right at that stupid white face. 'Good. I'm not done entertaining you yet, my King.'

Notes:

This was supposed to be the other half of chapter 64. Sorry about posting two shorter parts. I need to not leave Ao3 open on my phone when I put it in my pocket.

Now let's see where this goes from here!

Chapter 66: Stockpiling

Summary:

It was getting harder to find strong enough prey without causing a scene. Lucky for him, the perfect opportunity presented itself on a neon blue platter only two days after his little game with the King.

It was getting harder to find strong enough prey without causing a scene. Not that he would stop crossing all of the names off of Angel Dust's lists! No, the weak ones had their uses still. He would just have to look for another avenue for quietly getting access to the ones of greater constitution and even more importantly, strong minds and wills. Lucky for him, the perfect opportunity presented itself on a neon blue platter only two days after his little game with the King.

Alastor was waiting for his next target to exit the shop across the street when he had a very familiar sense that he was being watched, "You know, I really had thought you would give up on this pitiful behavior of yours, old friend."

"Don't call *ኡጊነⶴፕ* me that! What *ዪነኡጊፕ* did you do to us?!"

That was different. He looked over his shoulder, raising a brow when he saw that Vox was physically present, likely having used the security camera nearby to travel here, "Well now, don't I feel special! You actually came out of your precious little tower!" Alastor turned to face his old rival, eyeing him, "Oh my! Aren't you a dreadful sight? And here I thought you prided yourself on your impeccable appearance!"

Vox looked rather worn out for someone made of more machine than man these days. He had his hand on the brick wall next to him, fingers digging into it as he twitched. It almost looked like he was forcing himself to stand here and not run back the way he came, "Bastard! What did you *ህነነⶴቹኡ* do? *ዪነኡጊፕ* Tell me!"

"I truly do not know what you mean!" Alastor grinned wide, nearly tasting the fear radiating off of the other Overlord. Perhaps the man could still be worthy entertainment after all! How delicious! "What are you talking about?"

"I keep seeing *ኡጊነⶴፕ* Val everywhere! His screams won't *ህነነⶴቹኡ* go away!" Vox clenched his hand, crushing the brick under his grip, "Vel can't even *ዪነኡጊፕ* raise her voice or *ህነኡጊፕ* she starts tearing at her own throat! Make it stop!"

Why, it almost looked like he was on the verge of begging! The Radio Demon felt a growing hunger as he took a step closer, watching the other man's legs buckle as his antlers began to spread wide and the air around them warped with unseen energies, "Now why would I do that? You know I don't take kindly to demands, Vox," His voice was low, almost crooning as he fed the terrified sinner rope to hang himself with, "Even if it is in my power to do so, you haven't offered me anything to make it worth my time!"

"W-*ዪነኡጊፕ*-what do you want? Please, Al, just *ኡጊነⶴፕ*-" Vox was glitching to the point of insensibility and that wouldn't do at all! He wanted to see just how desperate the man was! His Shadow rose up behind Vox, veins of golden light in it's hands that it pressed against his back. Almost immediately, the flickers and feedback on the screen stopped and there was a dazed look on that blue-lit face. It almost looked like he was going to cry with relief! How adorably pathetic! "The...the eyes are gone. What did you-"

"Oh Vox, you know I never give away my secrets for free," Alastor ran a claw along the bottom of the screen, "Sadly, this is only temporary. But I can make it all go away permanently, if you get me what I need. How about it, old friend? Want to make a d̸̞̘ͣ̑e̷͕͒a͇̿lͩ?"

He watched as Vox struggled to think past the intoxicating waves of bliss and contentment his Shadow was feeding into him. The media Overlord was made of much stronger stuff than the little pests he had been hunting. The ones he had practiced this on had almost immediately begged to do whatever he wished of them under the sway of this particular power. No matter his choice today, Vox had already lost. It would only be a matter of time before the madness made him desperate enough.

"Swear you'll help Vel without involving her in this. She's not part of everything that's happened between us, not the way Val was."

"Not a problem! I won't need her for what I seek, so long as I have you by my side again, my old friend." Those words played upon the desire Vox had allowed to come between their former friendship. The poison that drove him to try to demand that Alastor change, to become someone willing to forgo all other bonds he had and belong to Vox alone. He had even sought help from that damned moth in trying to drug and brainwash the Radio Demon into compliance. The time it had taken to kill every bit of trust and care he once had for the man was the only thing that saved him for long enough that Alastor could find their battles entertaining and exciting, to allow their rivalry to continue on for as long as he had.

Considering he had spared Vox even while on the verge of dying from spiritual destruction, perhaps the memory of those damned feelings had continued to save him for longer than Alastor realized. Disgustingly sentimental, but it meant he had the benefit of manipulating the man now. Between the facade of relief the deer demon was weaving around Vox's mind and the obsessive desire he had in that mechanical heart, there was only one way this would end.

"What do you want?"

And just like that, the powerful media Overlord was under his sway! "Good choice! Remember how we used to hunt together? You were so very good at it back then," he let the nostalgia leak into his tone, watching as any remaining resistance began to crumble under the pathetic hope Vox had of regaining his favor, "I have need of that eye of yours once again! It will be just like old times! You can even keep up your little media games, let all of Hell think you are untouchable. And once I have what I need, I will offer you a choice of how you wish to forget the screams, the unblinking eyes that watch your every move. I could even make you forget the awful pain of watching your dearly departed partner die while you were too helpless to even lift a finger to save him!"

The Knowledge of how to do it was there, tantalizing and begging to be used. A beautiful, powerful technique that Alastor needed to be capable of wielding as easily as he did his shadows and radio waves, "Do everything I ask of you until I offer you that choice, and I will ensure that you and Velvette both will have no memory of that day! It will forever be gone, no longer capable of haunting your existence! D̶̨̙͓̲̒o̿͞ w͍e̗̱̊͛͜ h̲̦̠av̸̼e a̜ͤ d̛͓̊͜e̹̬̖ͤͩ͞ą̘ͨ̅l?̓͂ͮͨ"

Notes:

I woke up at midnight with this chapter screaming to be written.

Chapter 67: Interlude: Sanity and Insanity

Summary:

Vox returns to the tower hours later

He wanted to hate him.

Everything would be so much easier if he could just hate him!

It was hours and a great deal of negotiations later that Vox returned to the tower, feeling far more stable than he had since that awful day. He could look at people and not see Valentino's unseeing gaze staring back at him. The walls were no longer full of radio dial eyes that watched everything he did. The screams of horror from Vel and Val and countless others weren't making it impossible to hear others talk. Standing tall and proud, he snapped out orders and numbers and goals as fast as the data flowing through his mind. His employees scurried around, anxious to get to work under his watchful gaze, their wagging tongues falling still once they saw he was back to his former self.

Good. At least his empire would no longer be on the verge of imploding anytime soon. Hopefully he could come out of this without losing too much more than he already had.

As soon as he was certain things were running smoothly once again, he traveled up the cables to the penthouse suite. Every light in the place was on, bright and almost searing but they had been that way ever since...

It was all that fossil's fault! All of this! Why couldn't he hate him?

All signs of Val were gone, packed away or destroyed in a fit of panic. His guns were locked up in a safe requiring a key from both him and Vel to get access. It wasn't perfect but it had been the best way to ensure one of them wouldn't kill themself while the other wasn't looking. Seeing it all with clear eyes now, it was truly terrifying how close things had come to being over for them.

Vark came scrambling over, wriggling with excitement when he saw Vox kneel down to scoop him up, "Hey there buddy! Daddy's home! Did you miss me?"

"V?"

He looked up to see Velvette staring at him in disbelief from one of the couches. She had fresh bandages on her neck, so she must have fallen asleep and had a nightmare while he was away, "Hey Vel. Sorry I was gone so long."

He had once hated how shrill and loud she could get. Now he wanted nothing more than to hear her tear him apart verbally for being a colossal moron and agreeing to one of the Radio Demon’s deals.

"How are you-" She stopped, eyes narrowing as she looked him over. After a second, she hissed, "What the bloody fuck did you do?!"

"What I needed to," Vox set Vark down, moving over to her side, "Here, let me at least make it so you can yell at me properly."

"What-" Velvette froze, eyes wide with panic as Vox reached out and the shadow of his hand grabbed hold of her wrist. Veins of golden light flared bright before she could scream and she fell almost completely limp as all the tension and fear left her for the first time in far too many days.

"It should last a couple days. Let me know as soon as it starts to wear off so I can better schedule meetings to recharge it."

He shouldn't be looking forward to it. He should hate him with every fiber of his being for what he did to them, to Val! He knew Valentino would never have forgiven him for this. Hopefully Vel would.

Velvette blinked several times, the haze clearing quickly. Good, Alastor hadn't lied about the acclimation time. The fucker had just enjoyed watching him fight against a stronger dose.

He had fought hard for everything he could in that contract. And every time, he kept hoping he would look up and see...

Vox waited for his remaining partner to get herself together enough that they could talk about the future of the company. About the fact that they actually had a future for the company.

Some small part of him that he had never been able to kill wanted nothing more than to see Alastor smile proudly at him and tell him he'd done well. He wanted to claim a part of that crazy, grinning fossil for himself again. He was too scared of the monster under that smile to want all of him anymore. Fuck! Insanity was not contagious but some days he wished it was so he could blame the Radio Demon for this too.

Notes:

I probably won't do much more with Vox POV (although Ive said THAT before with Charlie and Sera so...)

I just needed to get Vox's side out for this. Show what they had been dealing with and why he was so desperate. Also, his thoughts on Alastor were kinda neat

Chapter 68: The Difference in Similarities

Summary:

“So, what you’re tellin’ me is you went easy on him,” Rosie gave him an unamused look. The fact that he had managed to take her own ability to control her darling cannibals and use it to regain the loyalty of the media Overlord was unsurprising but still impressive. He always did learn quickly.

“So, what you’re tellin’ me is you went easy on him,” Rosie gave him an unamused look. The fact that he had managed to take her own ability to control her darling cannibals and use it to regain the loyalty of the media Overlord was unsurprising but still impressive. He always did learn quickly.

"Nonsense!" Alastor gave her a challenging grin, "I am merely laying the groundwork for future usefulness from him!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "No, you're not. You are givin' Vox a great deal of his Self back and you didn't even ask for much in return! Velvette I can kind of understand 'cause she was collateral damage. But why give him so much..." Rosie sighed and looked up at the ceiling of her Emporium as she finally realized the answer, "Oh you little- You don't like what happened! The fact that he woulda died because of you losin' control rather than by your choice."

"And what's so wrong with that? If he is to die by my hand, then it will be with me watching every second of it! Not while my mind is gone from me!" Alastor grumbled, fiddling with his staff as his ears fell back.

The Fallen Overlord gave him a long, considering look, "Alright. That makes sense, knowin' you. But that still doesn't explain you not bindin' him in a soul contract. From what you say, he woulda done it without much effort. You had him pretty well set up to want you to take him back again. So why didn't you?"

He stared at her for a long moment, considering. She knew to wait patiently, pushing would only make him discard the subject completely. Finally, the air around them shifted as he let down some of the walls further, revealing more of the teeth she knew lay hidden under the deepest layers of his Song. The edges of his form going hazy, Alastor's eyes flickered several times as he spoke, "You don't know what is coming, my dear. I͍ͧ͆͡ d̨o̸͒͒̑. Soul contracts are no longer enough. I must become capable of doing more than I can right now if I am to accomplish several of my goals. For that, I need worthy prey to build upon what I know."

Rosie kept herself seated, calmly watching him closely for signs of loss of control, "I can See that you won't tell me what's comin'. Not yet anyway. But will you tell me what you need to become capable of?"

The Radio Demon had a hunger deeper than anything she had ever felt before as he spoke with the Harmony's energy to call the universal meaning of his words into Being, "I plan to Break and Devour the very essence of a Seraphim! Would you honestly expect anything less of me?"

The Overlord that had once been an angel used her Gift to look deep into the Self of the man in front of her and cackled with mad delight, "If there is anyone in the Universe that will be capable of it, it's gonna be you, Alastor!"

Alastor settled back in, looking for all the world like he hadn't just declared that he intended to do something never even dreamed of before, "Soon, yes, but not yet! That is why I need Vox to be a free agent. I need him to go places where I can't be right now. To gather those I can't reach on my own without attracting attention that I cannot afford. If anyone sees my mark on him, they will look deeper than I wish them to."

Rosie wiped the tears of humor from her eyes before she hummed in thought, "Alright but he's not going to be enough. What can I do to help?"

"You already have! Keep focusing on Lucifer, my dearest friend. He needs to be ready to fight back." Alastor chuckled, "Who knows? He might even ask to tear out a chunk himself, for all that has been done to him. That would be very entertaining to see."

***

Things had been going so well.

Apparently too well...

The screams and pain and wails of those falling into the Ring had suddenly increased like a tidal wave through him.

Perhaps a world encompassing war had broken out among the humans again...

The worst was the children. So many little souls that never should have died so young...

Why were children sent to Hell? What could they have done to deserve this?

Lucifer could barely summon the will to pull the body out of bed long enough to text Charlie that he wouldn't be able to make it over for a while before he dropped the phone and curled up into a ball on top of his sheets, his wings adding a useless layer between him and the rest of Hell.

Even detaching wouldn't let him escape this part of his Judgement. At least inside the body, he could cry until exhaustion numbed him.

***

On the surface world, war was raging and Michael walked among them, unseen but still felt as he surveyed the destruction. These weak beings needed so little provocation to turn on each other. If only it were possible to get them all like this without his peers catching on. Then these wretches would take care of themselves and it would only take one good cleansing of Hell to really weaken Samael. After all, why protect a dead kingdom?

He watched several souls resist his aura, instead protecting and aiding the escape of civilians. These were the type that always survived, letting the curse of humanity grow strong again. If only he could touch their minds. It wouldn't take much to reach out and twist their hearts. But doing so would leave a permanent mark. Evidence of his being here that Sera and the others would See. Eve's changes upon death had come far too close to revealing what he had done before.

Thankfully, Samael assumed Michael's work on her had been done with the approval of the others, just as they assumed it was only the Fruit of Knowledge that had warped her so completely. Her imprisonment was necessary and he gladly took care of it. How Lilith had managed to find where she was still eluded him, but she never found a way in and he managed to get the Queen out of the picture rather handily using Samael himself. If only that abomination of a child had broken along with her mother.

He had to keep his actions subtle, remain Patient so he could reclaim what was rightfully his! What had always been his! Samael would return to his side and maybe then Michael would feel the warmth of true Joy again. Humanity had stolen that from him, so they deserved every bit of Hate he felt for them in return.

Notes:

The way that Alastor and Michael think so similarly is kinda cool to me. The key difference is Alastor wants to see Lucifer free to do what he wants to do. To earn the King's favor by showing himself capable of withstanding anything Lucifer fears will break him.

Michael just wants the ideal he has built in his head that humans stole from him.

Chapter 69: A Comforting Hold

Summary:

Why weren’t they slowing down? Why did so many keep falling? Lucifer couldn’t hear anything but the screams, feel the waves of hate and rage and pain and why weren’t they slowing down?!

‘I’m so sorry.’

Why weren’t they slowing down? Why did so many keep falling? Lucifer couldn’t hear anything but the screams, feel the waves of hate and rage and pain and why weren’t they slowing down?!

‘Adam, Eve, Lilith. Please…’

The body was trembling, arms wrapped around it and clawed hands digging into itself. The only thing that had ever eased the screams was gone, her singing forever Silenced because of his inability to protect her from himself.

‘All this suffering is my fault. I don’t deserve it but...’

If only he could have saved her! Charlie would be so much better off with her mother than this broken thing that he had become. If he could have given his life for Lilith’s, he would have, a thousand times over.

‘Wherever you are, please forgive me.’

***

Charlie chewed on her lip as she checked her phone again, barely able to go a minute without looking at the screen, hoping to see a new message pop up from her dad. At first, she had assumed his text meant he was busy with his duties, maybe that he even had to go to the other Rings. She had told the others as much so they wouldn’t worry when he didn’t join them like usual.

As days passed without word, she had messaged the other Sins to see if he had just gotten distracted with things and forgot to check his phone. She knew now that it was one of the issues he had, so she was trying to be patient with him. None of the Sins had heard from him though, which meant he wasn’t out on business. Why would he say he couldn’t come over for a while then? Was he having one of his bad moments? If he was, shouldn’t she try to go find him? Or would her presence make it worse?

It had now been four days since his message and still she had no word from him. Charlie took a shaky breath, doing everything she could to keep herself from simply storming over there and demanding answers from him. If she did visit, she needed to be calm and able to handle whatever condition she found him in.

“Well! I don’t think I’ve seen you this much of a mess since the failed Extermination! What has you so worried, my dear?”

She momentarily brightened when she saw Alastor’s grinning face in her office doorway, “Hey Al! I was actually thinking about going and visiting Dad! He’s...not answering my messages. His last one kinda has me worried.”

He tilted his head, one ear up and the other cocked to the side. She’d never say it out loud, but that particular gesture of his was adorable and one of her favorites. “What did his message say?”

Her smile faded as she looked down to read from the screen, “Not much. ‘Hey, Char. I can’t visit for a while. Sorry.’ That’s it! It’s only been four days but...I’m worried,” Charlie looked back up at Alastor, her eyes watery, “I know it’s stupid but I can’t help feeling like something isn’t right. I just don't know what to do and I have things I promised to get done here but its Dad and-”

"Charlie," The deer demon reached out to pat her on the head. The familiar gesture was comforting coming from him, “You are absolutely right to feel concern, my dear! I'll go see what he's gotten himself into for you!

She blinked, “What?”

Alastor tilted his head towards the door, “Since you have obligations here right now, I will go ensure your father is in good health!”

Charlie blinked again before she finally felt a real smile on her face, “Alright, thanks Al!”

“Not a problem at all, dear girl! As your business partner, it is simply my duty to ensure your mental health is in tip-top shape!” They walked together to the main doors of the hotel, Alastor pausing to call out to Vaggie, “I am going to visit Charlie's father! Be a dear and ensure she doesn't worry so much that she burns the hotel down, Vagatha!”

“That’s not my damn name, you entitled ass!”

Charlie had to giggle as she and Alastor walked out into the front yard. Her life was ridiculous! She caught the proud glint in those red eyes and came to a realization. ‘He did that on purpose just to make me laugh…’ She could feel some of her anxiety melting away. Al would be there to help handle whatever was going on with her dad. Before he called up his shadows, she remembered something and couldn’t help but tease him a bit herself, “Just as my business partner? Hmm, tell me, when you and Dad had that game, was it really a date like Niffty said?”

The record scratch he emitted was just as funny as the wide-eyed and startled look he had on his face. Score one point for her! Maybe she’d eventually catch up with all the times he’d tripped her up!

***

The body was hungry. He knew he should do something about it but he just didn’t care. It would survive for a bit longer. Hopefully the screams would ease by then. If not, he would magic something up. It never tasted right and the texture was always off but it would keep the body going until the pain eased.

***

As Alastor materialized at the front steps, he got the sense that the air felt heavy, even outside the walls. The wards were still the simple ones used to keep anyone not keyed in from getting into the palace without being noticed, so this wasn’t a matter of Lucifer’s core energies going wild this time. Slipping inside was no trouble for him even though he had never been granted access. These were made from Lucifer's magic only and it seemed they thought Alastor was the King himself because of the energy inside him. The thicker ones around certain rooms were a little trickier but manageable if he had the time.

It was interesting that Lucifer never did anything about that, even after figuring out how the Radio Demon kept getting in.

Brushing aside the thought, Alastor adjusted his Sight to locate the fallen angel quickly. This was not the time to dally, not with how the sheer amount of guilt and pain in the air were making it feel like he couldn't breathe properly.

***

Gradually the number of new souls eased but he was too raw, too worn out to muffle the weight and pain of the entire Ring of sinners as he usually did. Awareness of anything outside the body came and went. Something wet and warm was brushing over the face and arms, washing away the dried tears and blood. Later, soft touches to the wings were righting the feathers that were bent and turned crooked with how tightly they had been wrapped around the body. Cool water slowly trickled into the mouth until the body reacted instinctively, drinking from a cup that was refilled several times before his consciousness faded back again along with the energy to move.

However many hours or days later, he realized the screams were quieter. That they had been for a little while now, not gone but unable to be heard as clearly as before. They were being drowned out by a crackling but familiar broadcast of his Song. At first he thought it was the recording he had used to help him sleep before, but the subtleties of the tune kept shifting slightly as his thoughts became clear. He could hear his present confusion and curiousity breaking through the sounds of exhausted guilt and grief in the hummed notes.

His wings had receded yet there was still something around him, tightly holding him in a way that made him feel grounded, not trapped. It was strangely familiar, like he was wrapped up in something that was more made of air than actually solid. His head was on something warm and it felt like there were fingers running through his hair, gently undoing the tangled strands. He tried to open his eyes, to figure out what was going on, when a soft voice came through the Song, "Rest, Lucifer. I will stay for a while longer."

Oh. That sounded like Alastor. Okay, he could do that. He relaxed and his awareness fell back again, this time in a restful sleep.

***

Lucifer finally cracked open his eyes, wincing at the ache of doing so. The room was dark and it was hard to tell what time it was. How long had he been asleep?

Wait, how long had he been in his room?

His eyes quickly adjusted and he glanced down to find the tight blanket was actually a cocoon of shadows. Or, more accurately, it was Alastor's Shadow creature wrapped around him, though he couldn't quite say why he knew the difference when he couldn't see any of it's distinguishing features. One of his arms was free of the strange hold it had on him, but his hand was gripping someone else's, their thumb making gentle, comforting motions over the back of his fingers.

"Finally awake, your Majesty?"

Lucifer barely managed to stifle a surprised yelp as he looked up to find Alastor sitting against the headboard of his bed. It was then that he realized his head was in the demon's lap!

...what alternate universe had he woken up in? Or maybe he wasn't awake and this was still a dream?

That small smile morphed into a toothy grin as he kept looking up at Alastor in clear confusion, "Have my good looks and charm finally rendered you speechless, sire? Or have you simply lost what few brain cells you had left?"

Lucifer glared up at him, still too off-balance to really feel up for talking. Well at least that proved this wasn't a completely different universe. Alastor was still a jerk.

The teasing grin softened a bit before the sinner reached over with his free hand for something out of sight. Lucifer felt more aware of his dry throat when a cup was offered to him. He reluctantly let go of Alastor's hand and took the drink, surprised but grateful when he found it was a warm broth. His body did need the nutrients but something solid would have probably made his stomach cramp up right now. While he could use his powers to fix that, it took longer to get his body to feel right if he didn't just let it adjust naturally. Drinking was a bit awkward at this angle but he wasn't ready to sit up yet so he just used a bit of magic to ensure he didn't spill anything onto Alastor.

Once the cup was empty, it was taken from him and set aside again. His thoughts were all foggy and disjointed but he had no desire to go back to sleep. The soothing sound of his Song was making it easier to rebuild the mental walls that buried away this part of his Judgement but it still felt too quiet. Lucifer took a deep breath before speaking softly, "Tell me about the place your forest is based on?"

Alastor didn't respond right away and the fallen angel worried that maybe he wouldn't but then, "I grew up in a place called Lousiana. The cabin you saw is the same as the one I spent most of my childhood in."

Lucifer listened, letting the fondness in the sinner's voice wash over him, the genuine emotion helping add another layer between him and Hell so he could regain his footing. Eventually, he found himself smiling and laughing at the misadventures of a free-spirited child who had grown up to become this strangely charming being that somehow kept worming his way further into Lucifer's heart.

***

"Dad!"

Lucifer braced himself as he saw Charlie racing toward him, anticipating the hug he was swept up in and laughing as she spun around with him in her arms, "Hey, duckling! Come on! Put me down!"

"Nope! You worried me so now you get to deal with the consequences!" Charlie teased, her eyes shining bright. After a few seconds, she did set him back on his feet and looked him over, "Are you okay now? Alastor sent a message through the radio that he was helping you out."

He gave his daughter an honest smile, "I'm not sure I'm okay, but I'm doing better. Let's go somewhere a bit less public. I think I'm ready to tell you more about what's been going on."

Charlie deserved to know about everything. About Michael and her mom, about how close she herself had come to never existing. For now, he still felt like his broken pieces were being held together by unseen hands, shadows mending the cracks so that he could be strong enough to say the things she should have been told long ago.

Hopefully, when he was done, she would still look at him with the same amount of love and care as she did right now.

Notes:

Next up should be Sera!

Now up to chapter 69. Nice.

I fear I’m losing momentum on this so I am trying to push through to get to the ending. Or at least, to get to the point where my brain lights up with ideas for it again. Right now, we are kind of just paddling along to keep my fingers typing

Also, if I ever discuss things in comments about future plot ideas and then when they come up, they are diff from what I said, I apologize! The story keeps changing as I go and ideas I had before end up either being counterproductive or just not quite the same as I originally intended. So if anyone gets confused about that, please remember I am making this all up as I go and have little control over what happens at this point 😅

Chapter 70: Interlude: Plans Made in Secret

Summary:

The mantle of self-assured conviction in their Judgements and cause was heavy but it still fit all too comfortably on Sera's shoulders.

'I must do this for Emily. She has already begun to show signs of change. She needs to be away from Michael.'

Sera had felt sick when she saw Emily express irritation and annoyance at receiving a letter from Sir Pentious that he wished her to relay to Hell for him. She knew her younger sister had been getting mild headaches she believed were from stress but this only confirmed what she suspected. Michael's energies were beginning to take effect.

For the sake of her most treasured person, she had to convincingly create her own veils over her brother's eyes while letting him believe the ones he had put upon her still remained in place.

The one once called the Seeker of Truth had to lie to the Commander of Heaven's Armies who was also the Wielder of Heaven's Greatest Judgements.

Sera took a deep breath, forcing herself to remember how she had thought and felt for ages. How she had enjoyed the power and prestige of being the Seeker of Heaven's Justice. How righteous it had felt to Witness year after year of Exterminations. She held tight to that mindset, letting all the doubt and questions become buried deep enough to not touch her thoughts or her Song. It would not do to let her Self show anything amiss now. The mantle of self-assured conviction in their Judgements and cause was heavy but it still fit all too comfortably on her shoulders.

Sera opened all of the eyes of this form before taking long strides to the office of her brother, her equal in authority in so much of Heaven. She did not knock before she opened the door, he would have known she was approaching from the moment she entered the hall. He was always Watching the movements of those in this building.

The Commander looked over his shoulder as she entered his office, "We do not have a scheduled meeting, Seraphiel. Has something happened?"

"Not yet, but I fear that it will. I believe two of our subordinates are losing Faith in our cause. I would like to take Emily and Lute on an inspection of the cracks that our former brother made in the Universe. I think being faced with the reality of the consequences of his treachery will cement their Trust in what is necessary for the future of our kind."

Michael expressed a rare emotion of surprise before turning his gaze back out of the large window, "Emily I could understand. She has always been too willing to mingle with the human-born. You are certain that there is concerning problems in Lute's behaviors as well?"

Sera gave a nod, clasping her hands in front of her and standing firm even as she felt his Harmony brushing over hers. It could be simply taken as the usual way of two Seraphim conversing with every part of their Self but he hadn't done so with her since humans were proposed as an idea. She was certain he was checking her Faith as well, "I do not believe it is as deeply ingrained in her but the shock of losing Adam as well as a portion of her Being is likely the source. It would be easy to remind her there is more than just revenge for him to be gained in continuing as we are. Her presence would also likely help with swaying Emily. Seeing someone younger than her show such passion and devotion to what is right for Heaven will make it easier to reinforce her compliance to our Great Works."

Michael thought on her words for a long time but she waited with easy patience. She could now See the action for the test that it was. She had never rushed him or become nervous when he did this before and she would not now either, "How long do you believe the inspection will take?"

"With the expansion of the cracks? I imagine it will be one month. This will still have us back in time for your Plan so they can take on their roles." He had never revealed the entirety of it to her, she was almost certain that what she did know of it was only partially true, "That is why I wish to get this done now. If they do not have full Faith, they will be unable to do as you require," Sera let her eyes and Song burn bright with the conviction that had once been so true.

He turned to fully face her, a cold mockery of a smile on his face, "I have always admired your passion and strong will to do what needs to be done. If this is what you See as necessary so that we do not lose two angels with so much Potential, I will grant it. Lute will be relieved of her duties and report to you tomorrow."

She gave him a nod of respect, "You have my sincere Gratitude, Michael. We will take our leave soon after she arrives."

They did not bother with farewells, they never had. She kept her composure until she was safely behind the wards of her own office, the facade falling away and leaving her shaken. Somehow she had managed to pull that off. She would need to bring them back with her at the end of the month but Emily should be able to help Lute See more clearly in that amount of time. Now she simply had to find a way to get them somewhere they could be safe and have time to recover from Michael unseen while she met with Uriel...

A memory struck her, her younger sister standing side by side with Charlotte Morningstar and Resonating with her so strongly that one could imagine they were formed from the same wave of Creation.

Sera, who had come into Being as Seraphiel, truly understood the depths of Guilt and Remorse in that moment. It was long past time to reach out to the ones she feared she had done the greatest wrongs to. She only hoped they would listen to her...

Notes:

Lute will always be brash and hot-tempered. I wont be messing with her character too much. But I do plan to challenge her prejudices and hatred. The only reason she was so unlike herself before was because she was at a breaking point of misery, grief, and Knowing that something was affecting her but not being able to See what it was.

Chapter 71: New Awakening

Summary:

Lucifer readies himself to finally tell Charlie everything.

Charlie is appalled by what is revealed to her

Deep down, Lucifer was terrified of doing this, of saying these things to his daughter, but there was a layer of calm over it. Something about the quiet evening he had spent in the Radio Demon’s company kept the terror from overwhelming him. Maybe it had to do with the trust Alastor had given him recently, or even the fact that both of them were really beginning to let the walls down with each other. Looking into the curious but worried eyes of his daughter, he chose to pay forward that trust and vulnerability with her.

***

Charlie led her father to one of the activity rooms. They all had signs for the doors in case someone needed some private therapy so it wouldn't be as likely that they would be disturbed, unlike the visits she often received to her office. As soon as she shut the door, her dad had thrown up a barrier that sealed the room more completely. That had only made her concern and anxiousness skyrocket. She knew whatever he was going to tell her was bad, that just made it more real. She was finally going to learn why her parents had fallen apart, both as a couple and individually.

"This...is going to be difficult for me to get out, Charlie. So please be patient with me."

He hadn't even started and he was already sounding so small and apologetic. She had a feeling 'difficult' was a massive understatement so she did her best to offer comfort, "Of course, Dad! Take your time! We have some pretty great bean bag chairs and stress aids to hold and fiddle with in here if that will make it any easier?"

Lucifer shook his head, tugging his overcoat nervously, "Thanks, duckling, but no, I'm fine like this."

Charlie chose to take a seat before giving him her full attention, "Go ahead, Dad. I'm listening."

What came next was even worse than she had feared. It took everything she had to not interrupt, to let him finish. The idea that there was someone out there who would attack her dad while he was alone at the palace, basically beat him into complying with the Exterminations...

It explained a lot about why he had always hid on that day each year, even when she was little and her parents seemed unbreakable to her.

"Dad-"

"N-not yet, Charlie. I'm not done."

Tears streamed down her face as she fought the urge to wrap him up in her arms. He was keeping space between them for a reason and she was trying so very hard to respect that.

Then, her dad told her about what happened four months before she was born...

Charlie was...

What her father had just said...

She thought she had felt the depths of her capacity for anger, when she had witnessed Dazzle's death, when Sir Pentious was so completely vaporized, when she learned of the Judgements Heaven deemed necessary for her father to bear. No. Her mind was howling with pain, wrath, fury in a way she had never known was possible before. She felt her tail and horns make their appearance as her eyes went bright red, her vision hazy and spreading as wide as her anger.

A side of her that had truly awoken during the fight with Adam, one that she had been fighting hard to deny was there, was demanding blood be spilled. Her growing rage was so strong that she almost missed the way her father flinched when she suddenly stood up. Charlie froze, her mind reeling as she realized something. 'He expects me to blame him?!'

Almost immediately after she had that thought, Alastor materialized between her and her dad. She had never seen that look in his eyes aimed at her before, her current range of sight catching things coiling around him that she couldn't quite understand, and for the first time she understood why so much of Hell was terrified of even speaking his name. It was only there for a heartbeat before he blinked and everything about him went back to normal as he registered who she was. His sudden appearance also seemed to break through those feelings of terror and guilt she had been getting from her dad.

"Alastor?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Ah! My apologies to you both! I felt something rather amiss in here and acted without thinking!" Alastor was still watching her, even with her dad coming around and flailing at him. "Charlotte, you may wish to pull yourself back in. Your energies are starting to leak outside this room as well."

Charlie blinked in confusion, feeling like the motion happened at different times across this strangely wide field of vision she had, "𝘐̰̾ 𝘥̰̾𝘰̰̾𝘯̰̾'̰̾𝘵̰̾ 𝘬̰̾𝘯̰̾𝘰̰̾𝘸̰̾ 𝘩̰̾𝘰̰̾𝘸̰̾ 𝘵̰̾𝘰̰̾.̾"

***

Lucifer still felt an overwhelming amount worry about what his daughter's earlier reaction meant but he put it aside, recognizing that she needed his help right now. He glanced at Alastor, "Strengthen the barriers." He didn't bother waiting to see if the sinner complied. He trusted that he would, "Alright, Char, this is probably going to feel a little strange."

He pulled back completely from his physical body, spreading his reach all around the room while remaining focused on Charlie. He could See that her angelic energies were whirling about the room, coalescing into the vague shape of wings around her that were hazy and not yet fully formed. The eyes of her Sight on the translucent appendages were barely opened but already bright with power. "£ð¢µ§ ðñ mê. W冢h whå† Ì Ðð åñÐ †r¥ †ð Ðð †hê §åmê."

When he could feel her attention was as focused as he was sure it could get right now, Lucifer began to fold himself down. It was odd making the movement so slow but he needed to be certain she could See how it worked. He waited at each step while she copied it until they were both fully back in their physical bodies, her legs buckling when it was done. Lucifer wasn't sure if he or Alastor's Shadow got to her first but either way, they managed to keep her from completely hitting the floor.

Charlie blinked several times before she could finally focus on him, "Dad?"

He brushed her hair out of her eyes, "Yeah, duckling?"

"None of what happened with Mom was your fault. You know that, right?"

Lucifer could feel the way that Alastor was staring at his back right now, "I...I'm trying to." Even though others had said as much, hearing her say that went a long way in helping.

Charlie reached up and wiped the half-dried tears off of his cheeks, "Good. Keep trying." Her serious expression faded as she smiled, "Oh, and Dad? That was so cool! You looked kinda like a huge snake with lotsa wings and eyes! Can we do that again sometime?!"

Lucifer gave her a wobbly, small smile as Alastor cackled. Before he could answer her, there was a pair of bright flashes and two golden scrolls appeared next to them.

Dammit, what now?!

Notes:

I figure baby's first steps into the metaphysical stuff can be a little exhausting and overwhelming.

How many of you think Charlie would want in on Alastor's plans against Michael?

Also, I kinda feel like Lucifer is probably thinking Charlie is reacting a bit like Al at the end with the whole "can we do that again" thing

https://www.tumblr.com/frizzycrls/763708674290171905/rough-outline-of-how-i-view-raphael-in-my-hazbin?source=share <- Managed to complete a rough sketch of Raphael

Chapter 72: Heavenly invitations and devilish flirtations

Summary:

Well that was unsettling. Lucifer knew Michael had a personal vendetta against him. Was Sera involved in it now? Was this some sort of trap?

Lucifer felt more than heard Alastor moving closer as he reached for both scrolls. One was addressed to him as the King of Hell and the other to Charlie as the Princess of Hell, both in the standard scribe writings of official Heavenly correspondence, which made little sense to him and added to his unease. Why had these come to them directly rather than to his office? The oddity was too similar to the last scroll he had received that contained a personal message from Michael in addition to the official text.

Sitting up next to him, Charlie opened hers, raising a brow as she read it, "They want a meeting with you and me at noon tomorrow at the Embassy? It doesn't say why."

Lucifer opened his and saw that it said the same but... "Charlie, does yours have symbols at the bottom?"

She leaned over to look at his curiously, "No. What are those?"

He narrowed his eyes, grasping for the memory, "They're old, from before this galaxy was even formed... I can't quite...Oh!" Lucifer sat upright as it came to him, bumping into Alastor's chin since the nosy jerk was apparently reading right over top of him, "Hey! Invasion of personal space much?!"

The sinner just looked down at him with a raised brow and toothy grin, "You didn't mind last night!"

Oh, that little shit knew exactly how that was going to be heard and, sure enough, Charlie spluttered and flailed, "What?!"

"Don't listen to him, Char. He's purposely being an ass," Lucifer grumbled, trying to force the blush on his cheeks to go way before turning his attention back to the scroll, "Why would Seraphiel of all people be referring to that old joke?"

"Seraphiel?" Alastor asked just before Charlie also spoke up, "What joke, Dad?"

"Oh, uh, I think Charlie said she goes by Sera now, though I'm shocked she changed to the informal version of her name. She's one of the other Firsts and presides over the courts from what I've heard," he explained, "And this says 'Truth Seeks Creation's Light.' Azrael once joked that I found so much Joy in Creation that he wouldn't be surprised if one day I Became the Wielder of Creation's Light rather than simply the Bearer of Light. Some of the others, mainly Gabriel, overheard and teased me mercilessly for ages about it, talking about how big of an ego I would get if that happened."

Lucifer frowned, "Seraphiel never did though. Hell, I didn't think she knew what a joke was! She was so serious all the time," he tilted the scroll, bothered by something before he realized, "Why is there a piece missing from the symbol for Light? She's too much of a perfectionist to have messed that up on accident."

Alastor hummed, "I'd be willing to bet there's a trigger in that symbol for something when it's finished."

Well that was unsettling. He knew Michael had a personal vendetta against him. Was she involved in it now? Was this some sort of trap? Lucifer wavered, curiosity and wariness warring within him. He glanced up at Alastor who met his gaze and shrugged. No help from him, then.

Fuck it.

Lucifer created a pen, infusing the ink with a bit of energy the same way the rest of the symbols had been written. As soon as he completed the missing line, the entirety of the scroll changed from the official scribe writing to elegant, hand-written text. Though it was still in angelic, this was one of the newer ones that he remembered a little easier.

Lucifer,

I would say I hope this finds you well but I Know you would take that as a falsehood. I cannot include everything I wish to in this letter due to the risk of interception. Things are becoming more uncertain in my mind to the point that I am questioning many things I once thought Truth.

Though I understand you cannot trust my word, I beseech you to find it in your Heart's Song to come with your child to the meeting requested tomorrow. If you do, do not place your name on the scroll. I will already be waiting in the first room with two others. I will grant as much Clarity as I can at that time.

Do not reply to this letter. If you do not arrive within 10 minutes of the appointed time, I will assume my request has been rejected and will harbor no ill will against you or any other of Hell for it.

Sera,

Seeker of Truth

That was... something? Now his curiosity was well and truly piqued. Lucifer could feel two sets of eyes practically burning holes in his head with their desire to know what the letter said. He relayed the gist of it to them as he thought. She was using both of their current names, acknowledging that neither of them were who they had Been anymore, however, "I thought her title had changed from Seeker of Truth to Seeker of Heaven's Justice?"

Alastor straightened back up as he scoffed, "Heaven's so-called 'justice' is as bad as any court system on Earth or Hell with twice the hypocrisy from what I've heard."

"Maybe that's why she used her old title?" Charlie suggested. "I mean, if she's really questioning things like she says, wouldn't she want to show that she knows her current job isn't doing things right?"

"You're pretty smart, you know that, duckling?" Lucifer reached over to ruffle her hair, making her squawk in protest. He wasn't sure he could trust any of it but...

"I assume you will both be attending this meeting then?" Alastor said nonchalantly, twirling his cane at his side.

A little too nonchalantly, in Lucifer's opinion. His rapidly developing 'Alastor fuckery' alarm was starting up. That habit with his microphone generally was an indication of something going on in his mind, though he hadn't quite figured out what kind of something yet.

"I think we should, Dad! I mean, if you're really worried, there's strength in numbers so we could always bring Al and-"

"No!" Lucifer was a bit relieved at the matching vehemence when he and the demon interrupted her at the same time. Hell must have frozen over if the Radio Demon was going to actually keep himself out of trouble this time! His relief was short lived as he remembered this was Alastor he was referring to. The alarm in his head got louder.

"While I would absolutely love to have the chance to meet another Seraphim face-to-face, it would be far too risky, my dear! Why, if they heard your father's Harmony in me, that would certainly draw attention that I do not wish to have!" he waved a hand in the air to emphasize his words. "So no, I will not be stepping one foot into that garish eyesore they call an Embassy!"

For a moment, he thought maybe it was a false alarm. Then he caught an almost undetectable flare of gold in the sinner's eyes. Yeah, no, the jackass was up to something and he was going to figure out what before it made more of a potential catastrophe of this situation! Alastor caught him staring and the ear facing Charlie flicked in a way that seemed completely natural but...

Ugh! It was maddening trying to keep up with what the bastard was thinking! He had to give credit to Rosie for managing it for so long, though he had a feeling it was because they both were the same kind of crazy. He kept second-guessing himself and it was threatening to give him a headache. Alright, for now Lucifer was just going to assume he was reading things right and Alastor was going to let him in on what he was planning when Charlie wasn't around. If he was wrong, he'd track the fucker down and find another way to get him to talk.

***

Lucifer dropped Charlie off at her personal suite, urging her to get in a nap since it seemed her first attempt at manifesting her angelic state had left her tired. She had shooed him off when he offered to stay to help her get to sleep, reassuring him again that she was fine and that she still loved him, even after everything.

...it made him so happy to hear, no matter how many times she said it.

"Are you going to stare at her door until she wakes up, your Majesty? Seems a bit pathetic, even for you."

Of course, he could always count on Alastor to be an absolute ass at the drop of a hat, "Yeah, well it's either that or deal with whatever you're plotting and I'm honestly not sure which one I would prefer right now."

The sinner dramatically gasped, "Plotting? Me? Perish the thought!"

Lucifer rolled his eyes and started walking down the hall, confident the Radio Demon would tag along, "Oh sure, you're such an innocent soul! I'm sure they'll be calling you up to the pearly gates any day now."

Alastor made such a noise of disgust that the fallen angel had to laugh at it. They walked along for a moment before the sinner spoke up, "I do have to wonder, why is it that you react so little to Angel Dust's flirtations and yet just a small bit of wordplay from me has you so very flustered?"

That...was a random subject change...

Then he remembered Alastor's comment in front of Charlie and that blush returned, "It's-dammit, I don't know! It's just different!"

"Oh my!" That stupid smile was full of mischief, "Perhaps I should fear the Devil has wicked intentions for me!"

"Oh for the love of-" Lucifer stopped in front of him, glaring, "Look, sure, sex is fun and all but the only thing I really miss is the intimacy! So you can just-just-gah!" He gave a wordless shout of frustration. Why were they talking about this in the damn hallway?!

All Alastor did was lean closer, his eyes bright, "Hmm, well considering I have a piece of you in me, I'd say we've already gotten pretty intimate, sire."

Lucifer was nearly ready to throttle the Radio Demon (he certainly wasn't blushing even brighter at the insinuation and the closeness and-) when he heard shocked noises from behind a closed door. Almost immediately, the door was yanked open to reveal Angel Dust looking like he heard he'd won the lottery with a far less thrilled Husk behind him. Alastor gave them all a playful wiggle of his fingers as he melted into the shadows, "Tah tah! Come find me later, sire!"

...that bastard set that whole thing up on purpose! Lucifer was going to set his damn ears on fire the next time he saw the deer demon.

Notes:

Alastor is a complete and utter brat. I think he wants to see if Lucifer even remembers to confront him after this.

Color Raphael Art <- If anyone wants to see what I imagine Raphael looks like. Only part you can't see is that his other eye is brown.

WIP Uriel Art <- Still working on how I want their Halo and a few other details

Chapter 73: Of Life and Death

Summary:

Angel Dust decides he's going to help Husk in any way he can.

Alastor has questions for Lucifer regarding the letter from Sera.

Angel Dust could admit he was weirdly enthusiastic about other people’s relationships but hey, you don’t exist in Hell as long as he had without gaining a few quirks. It was safer to have hope for other people's love lives rather than focus on his own misery while working for someone like Valentino. He still found it rather odd that Husk seemed so worked up over what they had overheard in the hallway. So far, the cat demon had been pacing in Angel’s bedroom and swearing up a storm for the last several minutes.

In multiple languages.

Without repeating a single one as far as the former porn star could tell!

It was impressive.

It was also kind of hot, “C’mon, pretty kitty! Iffin yer gonna talk dirty, bring that energy this way! I can think ova few better ways of usin’ that mouth a’ yers.” He waggled his eyebrows, knowing the bartender found it ridiculous.

Husk stopped his pacing, giving him an annoyed look that did nothing to hide the way his mouth kept trying to twitch up into a smile. Eventually he broke, giving a small snort and rolling his eyes, “You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

“Yep! Now, tell me whats gotcha so worked up, Whiskers! I mean, didya see how bright the King was blushin’?! How can someone like him be so fuckin’ adorable?”

Husk groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face, “This is why I try to not know shit about Alastor’s personal business! Now I gotta do what he’s expecting me to do about it!”

Angel blinked in confusion, “Huh? He expects ya ta do somethin’?”

“You think we overheard that conversation by sheer dumb luck? No, Boss did that on purpose.”

“Really? Why?”

Husk snorted, “He wants me to warn anyone off of having anything more than a friendly interest in the King.”

Angel Dust frowned, looking in the direction of the hall, “Luci said Smiles was jus’ yankin’ his chain. Yer tellin’ me he was what? Stakin’ his claim?”

“Yeeeep,” Husk moved over to the bed, flopping back onto it with his wings wide, “Part of why I was able to make it up to being an Overlord is because I can read tells most people don’t realize they’re showing. Took a bit to figure out the Boss’s but the reason I’ve survived is by knowing what he wants without him having to say it. Otherwise my soul would have been collected years ago like the rest of the poor bastards that sign his contracts.”

Angel felt a chill at that. The Radio Demon was good at making people trust him when they really shouldn’t. Sometimes he almost forgot there was a murderous Overlord under Alastor’s goofiness and charm.

“He was also warning you off, baby.”

Mismatched eyes wide, the spider demon looked down at his boyfriend, “Shit. He’s serious? I didn’t think Smiles was inta alla that.”

Husk lifted an arm, coaxing Angel into laying down and cuddling up to him, “He isn't, not in the way you're thinking. But what he does want, he will do just about anything to get. Don’t worry, you’re safe for now.”

“How d’ya know fer sure?”

Gold cat-eyes looked up at the ceiling, thinking for a long moment. One thing they had both agreed on was that they would take this slow but they would be as honest about everything they felt they safely could with each other. Husk had a lot of things he couldn’t tell Angel because of his contract, but some things were simply hard to admit because he feared it would scare the spider away, “Long as he sees you as useful, you’re good. Between what you’ve been doing for him with the lists and the fact that you make good leverage if I fuck up, you’re safe.”

Angel Dust lifted his head up quickly, staring at him in disbelief, “Leverage?! He’s usin’ me ta threaten ya, Husky?!”

There was a small smile as Husk shook his head, “Not yet but he would. He knows how much I like you, Legs. No matter how good he is at making others around him think they’re safe, he’s always looking for weak spots.”

Angel bit his lip, feeling both happy with the easy admittance of the feline’s affection and dread over the fact that he could be dangled over Husk’s head as a way of keeping control of him, “Are ya sure ya still wanna be around me then?”

“Yeah, I do. If I let everything that asshole could do to me in the future keep me from doing anything, I might as well just tell him to collect me now. Boss is terrifying but I know how to toe the line and when pushing him is more funny to him than not. I mess up occasionally, the guy’s got some pretty bad triggers and my mouth gets away from me sometimes, but I don’t want you pulling away from me, okay? Not just because of what he might do.”

He couldn’t deny that his eyes stung with tears as he sniffled and burrowed in closer to Husk’s side, “Alright. But promise me ya won’t do anythin’ stupid enough ta have him callin’ in yer debt to him?”

“I promise, baby.”

Angel smiled a bit at that. Mentally, he was making a list of people he would need to talk to. He wouldn’t let Husk be the only one acting as a warning to keep people from getting killed by a territorial Radio Demon. He had plenty of practice keeping a volatile Overlord placated, after all. Alastor was a pretty likeable guy and while he wouldn't be making a contract with him anytime soon, Angel was pretty sure he could keep himself high enough in the deer's good graces to make sure that using him as leverage against Husk wouldn't be his first choice.

Hopefully.

***

Lucifer was starting to really think he had been wrong. Alastor had never reappeared after leaving him to deal with Angel's myriad questions about what he and the Radio Demon were. Part of him was a little disappointed when the rest of the day passed by without sign of the sinner. He hated that he was growing so fond of the man's presence to the point of missing him already!

He really was getting hopelessly attached wasn't he?

The acknowledgement of that settled like a lead weight in his chest. Knowing that he was going to be facing one of his siblings for the first time in so long, one that had pushed so heavily for his exile and Judgements, only made him aware once again of how dangerous it was for others to be around him. But what if she really was reexamining her position on things? It was alarming to have that tiny bit of hope dangling in front of him. If Sera could change her mind, there was a chance the others could too. Not Michael though. Lucifer wasn't as naive as he had once been. That sort of hatred ran deep, too deep to leave a being untainted. The brother he had traveled the universe with was as good as dead and the person he had Become was a threat to everything the King of Hell held dear.

The fallen angel stopped mid-step on his way to the top floor of the hotel. When had his view of Michael shifted so much? Yes, he still found the other Seraphim intimidating, terrifying when considering what he could do to those Lucifer cared about. But...it wasn't an all-consuming fear anymore. There was an undercurrent of something like resentment and anger in there now. He stepped over to one of the windows, looking out over Pentagram City as he thought.

If he was willing to let himself believe what everyone had been telling him, that what had happened wasn't a result of his own personal failures...

“They may have dimmed your light, but I’m sure soon enough we can remind them chaos can’t really be tamed. We’ll just have to resharpen your fangs and claws first!"

Lucifer felt a small laugh escape him when he remembered Alastor's words. The Radio Demon remained unaware that he knew what had been said that night but as the fallen angel looked back on things between then and now, he could see the shape of what the sinner had been doing. Alastor kept challenging him, refusing to let him remain as he had been for so long. Made him laugh when it seemed impossible to do, helped him reconnect with Charlie, kept drawing him into fights when others would have backed off at the first sign of his displeasure.

That last one was probably just a bonus for the crazy asshole.

Now that he was thinking about it though, Bee had been right. When it came to arguing with others in the past, Lucifer didn't tolerate it for long. The number of times Mammon had been forcefully ejected from meetings attested to that. From day one with Alastor, the King of Hell had met him quip for quip, continually permitting the sinner to insult him and enrage him beyond reason. A single snap would have sent the Radio Demon flying into the border of the Ring and out of his way. The fearless and reckless nature of the demon who refused to cower, even when he clearly knew how much more powerful than him the King was, had captured Lucifer's attention and interest from the start.

He really had been flirting with the damned deer this whole time, hadn't he? Even when he thought he hated him...

Bee and Oz were going to be insufferable when he talked to them next.

***

That evening, Lucifer found Alastor in the last place he would have thought to look for the man. Half of him thought he was hallucinating when he entered his bedroom in the hotel to find the sinner lounging on his bed, carefully weaving lines of magic with the sort of finesse and care that most didn't bother with. It was almost like watching an artist at work, the way that he created the strange mix of symbols with graceful movements then implanted them into the waiting Shadow at his side.

"Staring is generally considered to be rude, you know."

Lucifer blinked, coming out of his mild daze to find both the demon and his creature looking at him with matching amused expressions, "Well it's also considered rude to invite yourself into someone else's bedroom without permission. Why are you here?"

Alastor shrugged, returning to his task, "It seemed like the best option. We both have questions for each other and I am certain you are going to need help sleeping if you are going to be attending that meeting tomorrow."

He considered that for a moment before sighing, "You know, most people would discuss that first. You could let me at least pretend I had a part in making the decision."

"Since when are we like most people?"

"Alright, you have a point there," Lucifer decided to just go with it, moving closer to watch with open curiosity.

Seemingly unbothered by his audience, Alastor asked, "I've been wondering, what does being the Bearer of Light actually mean?"

"Hm? Oh, my title? Basically it refers to my Gift," When that got him a blank look, he realized he had never talked about that, "I have the strongest Gift of Inspiration. Creativity, art, music, basically anything that someone can make that brings joy and delight to the universe, it all falls under my purview and Inspiration is one of the bigger aspects of Light. Being the Bearer of Light...well, it's why I can create Fruits of Knowledge. I don't just Inspire, I can literally take things from within myself and Gift them to others," Lucifer looked down at his hands with a humorless smile, "They... they cast me out and punished me for essentially doing what I was made to do. Ironic, huh?"

***

Alastor gave a noncommittal hum in response. Ironic wasn't the word he would have used. Lucifer's answer did explain a lot of things though. The drive to make all those silly rubber ducks, how music helped stabilize him, even the way he could get so hung up on Charlie's attentions. Her joy and delight in everything was one of the most pure things that could be found in Hell. Rather than say so, he made sure to continue looking preoccupied with his work, his tone casual, "Then what does being a Wielder mean?"

Lucifer blinked and looked up at him again, "This is about the old joke?"

Alastor had a suspicion it was less of a joke than the fallen angel thought. He'd been thinking hard about everything he'd learned about the Seraphim of Death and his Gifts in recent days. Knowledge of the Death of All implied a great deal more Knowledge than everyone seemed to think. To know when and how someone will die, one would also need to know their life that would lead up to that death as well as the life of everything around them. It was a daunting thought, that someone could know what he would most likely do before he did, "Consider it a curiosity. I don't really know anything about titles so I was wondering why a Wielder would seem so much more powerful than a Bearer."

Lucifer seemed to accept that and flopped back onto the bed with a sigh, "To be able to wield something, you have to have a true understanding of it, know it as intimately as you know your own Self. To carry Creation's Light is to love and be loved by Creation itself so fully that you have the power to bring to Life anything you can dream of, no other assistance needed." Raising a hand, he called up a golden light, letting it shape into a mighty, multi-winged bird, "If someone Became the Wielder of Creation's Light, it means they literally have the full power of Creation at their command, not just the wells Seraphim carry. Those have to be refilled occasionally at the Heart of Creation, especially after a Great Work, like when we all came together to Create humanity."

Alastor had stopped what he was doing before the explanation was done, his mind going wild with the sheer potential of such a power! It was a fight to keep his teeth from growing too large for his mouth as his hunger surged. If Azrael really had Seen that as a Potential for his King, then it was simply going to be his duty to ensure the obstacles in that path were swiftly removed!

***

Somewhere at the center of Creation, a hidden face held a grim smile. What was to come would bring him no joy; such things could never be celebrated, no matter the necessity. What was to be gained, however...

Bells chimed as dark wings spread wide. It would be interesting to truly meet the one who could Become the Nightmare of Stagnation.

Notes:

First hint of Azrael perspective!

I have created a rough idea of Full Eldritch Alastor. I think I'm going to change the arms but everything else is what I am aiming for so far. If anyone has any suggestion of additions they would like to see, lemme know!

Chapter 74: Preparations to be Made

Summary:

Lucifer asks about Alastor's plans for the meeting at the Embassy.

He gets a lot more answers than he thought he would.

Things were quiet for a moment before Lucifer couldn’t take it anymore and pointed at the powered symbols floating through the Shadow, "Soooo, you wanna tell me why it looks like you're planning to wage a one-man war?"

Alastor grinned eagerly, "Because for all I know, we might very well be dealing with a fight tomorrow! Don't worry though, Rosie has shown me how to hide the energy even from angelic Sight."

...that was so reassuring to hear. "We? I thought you said you weren't coming to the Embassy."

"I'm not. However, that does not mean I will simply sit idly by when I have other options!" The Shadow waved as it shook with silent giggles. "I almost hope one of them is stupid enough to try something."

Lucifer sat back up quickly, "Wait, you're serious? You actually expect to be able to get that into the Embassy undetected?!"

The sinner looked at him with a raised brow, "Yes? I've done it once before."

"When?!"

Alastor sighed and gave him a flat look, "Do you seriously believe Charlotte went into that first meeting with Adam completely alone? You gave us very little information on what to expect and I am not one to leave things to chance."

Lucifer winced, realizing he had in fact done that. Extermination days were never easy to keep himself contained. Adding a sudden meeting with Adam on top of that? He could admit now that he hadn't handled that well at all. He set that aside as something to apologize to Charlie for when he next saw her, "Look, can you just tell me what you're planning? Otherwise my imagination is going to keep running in circles."

"That poor hamster in there must be so exhausted!" A laugh track just added to the annoyance before Alastor continued, "Tell me, how good is your acting?"

Well wasn't that great. Answering a question with a question meant there were stipulations on getting an actual answer. "...it depends. Why?"

"Because Heaven expects you to have few to no allies and I do not trust the angel you are meeting to not tell the rest of them about what occurs." Alastor motioned at himself, "If it appears I have acted without your knowledge and in a manner that upsets you, it will seem like I am solely focused on Charlie. Her being surprised as well will make it look like I am acting on my own as a bit of a wild card, making my motives and loyalties suspect."

Even without meeting Sera, the demon was plotting how to manipulate her, "You do realize I am perfectly capable of keeping Charlie safe, right?"

A red claw pointed at him, "That's the exact mindset you need to have tomorrow if things go downhill and my Shadow appears! Use that, make a show of taking complete offense and my actions bruising your precious pride! If you think you can do that, I will tell you what it is capable of."

"Well that's easy enough. Just looking at your stupid face makes me feel like that some days."

There was a short laugh in response to that, "Ha! Alright then, let's see if you can pull it off, your Majesty!"

As Alastor launched into an explanation of each of the symbols, Lucifer could feel his jaw dropping, "...you are actually, factually insane, you know that right? I mean, come on! You're playing with seriously temperamental magic like it's nothing!"

Red ears flicked forward as the Radio Demon grinned in open delight, "I know! It's so much fun! It's simply too bad that the more deadly ones would show far more than I'd rather reveal. Those will have to be a last resort if restraining them isn't enough."

Lucifer almost regretted asking, but he really would rather be prepared for what- He froze, looking at one particular Space/Time combination, "Wait, is that how you took out my copies?!"

The sinner cackled, "You didn't even notice my Shadow placing them on you! Yes! Once activated, any mortal Song energy in the lines gets burned through almost instantly, leaving the sigil improperly balanced with purely angelic ones."

And then it would immediately implode into a temporary, minuscule black hole. Alastor was purposely setting up the symbols to scatter pieces of a physical body across multiple planes...

Lucifer shuddered. Sure, his body would likely survive that, but it wouldn't be pretty and it would fucking hurt! It would definitely have been the sort of thing that could have taken out Adam if placed properly. Holy shit!

"You're thinking too hard, sire. Your poor brain might catch fire."

"Oh fuck off," He huffed before deciding he might as well lay out the big questions too, "Look, why are you doing all of this? Really, you've invested an awful lot of time and energy into helping me and it just...why?! Why me? Why go through all this trouble? Sure, you've gained a ridiculous amount of power, I still seriously wonder what my core was thinking in giving you all of that, but there is no way you knew that would happen at the start of all this."

"Would you prefer the prettier, more acceptable answer or an honest truth you'll probably find disturbing?" Alastor almost looked...nervous, uncertain in a way that made Lucifer feel like this was even more important than he thought.

"I'm probably going to regret it but I would rather you be completely honest with me on this."

"At the beginning, you simply fascinated me. You were something so completely new, I had never even imagined it possible! Now?" The sinner leaned toward him, watching him closely, "You're starting to come alive in a way that makes me dislike the idea of watching you die."

...what?

His expression must have spoken for him because Alastor shrugged as he sat back up, "Everyone seems to forget I'm not some poor, lost soul looking for a chance to redeem myself. Perhaps knowing the particulars of my more recent targets has led you to believe I'm some sort of misunderstood hero like some of Angel Dust's friends do. I'm not. I generally enjoy watching the life drain away from others, no matter who they are or what they've done. Even better if it is by my own hand!" His tone went soft, almost dream-like, "I just take a particular amount of pleasure from drawing out the kill with the most vile ones."

Lucifer...he knew that. He'd held the demon's soul, felt the particular weight of this man's sins when this all started. So no, this really wasn't a surprise. There was just something about hearing it stated so casually with no signs of regret or remorse.

"So I want to make sure you're lookin' at him with full Clarity before he gets set on you bein' in his little circle."

Rosie had wanted him to understand, to Know what it meant to fully accept this strange soul. He thought he had been doing that, looking at Alastor's full Self without any veils covering the parts he didn't want to see. The Radio Demon wasn't the first murderous human Lucifer had ever met in the Rings, not by a long shot. But he was the first one the King actually liked, in spite of everything he knew about the man's dark soul. Even now with the truth being so clearly laid out for him again, he felt no real disgust or revulsion towards Alastor anymore. Maybe the Fall and all these years in Hell had changed more than his physical form and he just never noticed...

The sinner continued when it was apparent there would be no response to that yet, "The thing is, you need me, more than just to keep you from falling under the burdens you bear. Your other Self recognized that, I think. You weren't made to kill in cold blood, though you are certainly capable of it. Tell me, if it was only your own life at risk and no one else's, would you be willing to kill one of your siblings?"

That diverted his thoughts rather quickly! The fallen angel swallowed hard as he considered that, "A Seraphim wouldn't kill another Seraphim. We can't, not without breaking the symphony even further!"

Alastor gave him a slow blink, a dark grin spreading over his face, "I assure you that you can, Lucifer. One method I'm almost sure of, another is only a theory of mine for now. None of you seem capable of comprehending it and that is the only thing that has kept you safe for all these years. It's also the only thing keeping Charlie safe as well, now that she has done the impossible."

Well there went just about any chance of him sleeping tonight. What the actual fuck?!

Notes:

Rosie did try to explain Al to Lucifer, but between not really knowing the King terribly well yet and the surprises she kept getting about wtf had been going on with the King's Judgements...

Also, had someone ask and figured everyone might like a little clarification. No, Alastor isn't completely right about his guesses with Azrael's powers. More right than most but the Seraphim of Death is not omniscient

Chapter 75: Finding True Understanding

Summary:

"How could... how would you-" Lucifer cut himself off, looking down at his hands. Probably considering whether or not he wanted to know the answer.

Alastor found a great deal of amusement in the expression on Lucifer's face. These Seraphim really had no concept of death when it came to themselves, did they? Although that was perhaps a good thing in the little King's case. Who knew what actions would have been taken in moments of desperation before now if he had known of the possibility?

"How could... how would you-" Lucifer cut himself off, looking down at his hands. Probably considering whether or not he wanted to know the answer.

Normally, Alastor would have gleefully gone ahead and started giving graphic details and specifics just to watch the discomfort and horror overtake any idea that the Radio Demon was anything but the monster that he was. This was different. He wanted Lucifer to choose to understand, to meet him halfway on this. If there was any chance of the fallen angel taking a stand against Heaven for his own sake and not just his daughter's, it would have to start with accepting the reality of the fact that he and his brethren were not as immune to death as they thought.

It would also answer the question of if Lucifer would be capable of accepting a remorseless killer at his side. Alastor was perfectly willing to sink his teeth into Michael and any other that would threaten Hell without aid or permission. However...

He hungered for the King of Hell to see him the way Samael had, like he was dangerous and deadly, but still could be trusted not to bite the hand that aimed him at others. The consciousness trapped and isolated in the Void had known precisely what he was giving the Radio Demon, that this information could very well be used against him and Lucifer. Yet he had still given the Knowledge anyway, choosing to trust someone that very few would.

Alastor would never accept another Master, he would never let himself be trapped again, literally or figuratively. The collar on him now was no longer the threat it had once been. Instead, it was a leash to ensure his prey couldn't escape him when the time came to get his revenge. That was all thanks to the damaged and divided Seraphim who still remained only inches away from him despite his plain admittance that he knew how to kill him.

Lucifer kept glancing at him, not with fear, but a growing morbid curiosity.

Alastor never wanted anyone else to own his soul, but he thought he might like to choose to serve as the weapon of the Morning Star beyond just getting rid of Michael. The brightest lights cast the darkest and farthest reaching shadows after all.

***

Lucifer didn't know what to think. Alastor was patiently sitting there, looking for all the world like he hadn't just threatened one of the very foundations of Heaven. Seraphim could be killed?! Without bringing Silence to the symphony?! Part of him wanted to completely reject the idea, put it down as deranged babbling from a madman. But he knew the sinner well enough to know that such a statement wouldn't be made unless it was almost an absolute certainty. Which meant not only did Alastor know it was possible, he had a plan to try to make it happen...

And that plan had to have been built on the Knowledge his other Self had given to the Radio Demon.

Did his core Self not only want freedom but revenge as well?! At one time, such a thought would have seemed ridiculous to Lucifer. Sure, he could fight and even kill in defense of those he loved but when it came to what had been done to him? It...had always seemed pointless to dwell on it. He couldn't change it and instead he had focused on making Lilith as happy as possible in this prison he had trapped her in. He Created anything she asked for so she could provide for the sinners and other Fallen when they came. He had laid the groundwork for the other Rings for the Sins so they could have a home here too, a gift for the loyalty they had shown to his dream. And as Hell became more defined by those living in it, he had stepped back to allow Lilith to be the Queen she was always meant to be, watching her shine with pride and love. She was so much stronger than him in every way that didn't rely on magical power.

His core had been sealed away for ten thousand years without those experiences and memories. If he hadn't had Lilith and the Sins to focus on in the beginning, would he have turned to dreams of revenge?

Yes. He would have, and it seemed a part of him had. That side of him had nothing else to keep him going, nothing to keep him looking forward and finding ways to not only survive but live in spite of Heaven's punishments.

Lucifer looked at Alastor again but this time, it was with far more understanding than he had before. Here was someone not only unafraid of him but actively seeking ways to get closer. Someone willing to face what a Seraphim truly was and came back from it with gold in his red eyes, a mark of his promise to spill angelic blood just as readily as he did human blood...

"I asked you to kill Michael, didn't I?" His voice was strangely calm. The eager, hungry grin he got in response was a clear enough answer even before Alastor spoke.

"Those weren't the specific words used but in the end the result will be the same, yes!"

Lucifer narrowed his eyes, turning over that sentence a few times. Specific wording was very important in deals in Hell, "Okay, what was it I said then?"

Starburst pupil briefly appeared and the sound of static rose before a booming, layered voice filled the air, "Ì wðµlÐ lïkê £ðr ¥ðµ †ð ßê †hê Ðï§ðrÐêr †hå† m¥ Çhåð§ wïêlЧ ågåïñ§† Mï¢håêl ïñ †hê ¢ðmïñg Ð奧."

Lucifer wasn't sure how much more shock his system could handle. That voice, his full voice, with all of its layers and complexities conveyed so much more than just spoken words. There was a resonating call within this Self, that new feeling of anger and resentment towards Michael taking a stronger hold and weakening the fear that had become instinctive when it came to the thought of his former brother. He blinked several times, his voice dazed, "Oh..."

Alastor was giving him one of those studying looks again, like he was picking apart every microscopic piece of Lucifer's reactions to find an answer he was seeking. Hopefully the sinner would share what he found because Lucifer had no idea what his own thoughts or feelings were right now. A chuckle broke the quiet, "If I had known that would have that much of an effect, I would have shared it sooner."

He wasn't sure he would have been willing to really listen before now. How could a person's perspective on reality change so much so quickly? Only two days ago, Lucifer would have taken the idea that there was a way to kill a Seraphim without destroying everything and seriously considered it for himself if not for how it would affect Charlie.

Now he was starting to wonder if maybe he could find the strength to stand beside Alastor and do all he could to ensure the Radio Demon didn't take too much damage or die to complete his end of the deal...

Notes:

We're getting deep into a pivotal point in Lucifer's character development! FINALLY!

Its taken nearly the same amount of chapters to have Lucifer hear what Samael said as it did to have Samael say them in the first place! Ugh!

Now, is he ready to actually hear how a Seraphim can be killed? Let alone what Alastor specifically wants to do to Michael?

I think he's going to need time to come to terms with the fact that both things are possible and that he might actually want Michael to die in the first place. But what do you guys think?

Also!!! Someone made FANART for this story!!!! EEEEEEEEE!!!!

Chapter 76: Nightfall for All

Summary:

A look at various moments as night falls before the day of the meeting at the Embassy.

Alastor could almost see Lucifer's mind running circles with what ifs and hows. Dismissing his Shadow, he decided to have a little fun by poking at him verbally, "You really should be thinking about getting some sleep, sire. You have a busy day tomorrow!"

That brought a hilarious incredulous noise not unlike a squawking bird before Lucifer flailed at him, "Really?! How the Hell do you expect me to sleep after all of that?! I mean, you just went and took one of the absolute Truths of the universe and claimed to be capable of completely shattering it!"

"Oh, I'm not capable of it yet!" Alastor hummed, "There are still a few things I need to figure out and I do need to get a chance to revisit your other Self on a couple matters!"

The fallen angel huffed, muttering, "I'm kind of shocked to hear you haven't done that already."

"Well I would have, but for some reason I can't seem to get past the junction where my lines meet the main tether! It has been rather vexing!"

"Okay, I was being sarcastic! Please tell me you were joking about trying to do that by yourself!" When Alastor just gave him a stare, he groaned, "Of course you weren't. I swear, you are the most reckless soul with a serious lack of self-preservation I've ever known! And that's counting the fact that Uriel once tried to physically find out what was at the center of a black hole!"

Well now Alastor wanted to know how far this Uriel angel got! Just as he was about to ask, Lucifer cut him off, "Look, I get that you are going to do insane shit whether I like it or not. Can you just at least tell me before you do so you have something resembling a safety net?!"

That...was a reasonable request, "Does this mean you are going to aid me then? I expected a bit more of a fuss and fluffed up feathers to be honest!"

Lucifer's wings appeared and hit him hard enough to knock him off the bed, "I'll show you fluffed up feathers, smart ass!"

Alastor merged with his shadows rather than letting himself hit the floor, cackling delightedly. He reappeared on the other side of the bed, grinning wide as he taunted, "Better a smart one than a royal one, your Majesty!"

***

Charlie was doing a final round on the main floor before turning in for the night when she saw Niffty practically bouncing down the stairs, giggling gleefully as she clutched a small notebook close to her chest. The little cyclops squealed as she scurried over to the bar, "Eeeeee! Husk! Husk! You'll never guess what I heard!"

"Niff, no! I don't want to know what has you grinning like that and I especially don't want to know whatever story you're writing! I've told you before, it's creepy as hell!"

"But Huuuusk!" Suddenly Niffty was on top of the bar and had a hold of him by the suspenders, "Alastor and Lucifer are sharing a bed tonight!!! Isn't it great?!"

"Goddammit, Niff! I said I didn't want to know!"

Charlie wasn't sure what her own expression was but Vaggie kinda looked like she had just taken a bite out of a lemon and that was too funny not to laugh! Her family was absolutely insane but that was ok, she loved them all anyway.

***

Somewhere in Heaven

Sera looked at Emily with concern as she took a seat next to her, "Headache again?"

The younger angel nodded, rubbing her forehead with a frown, "I just wish I knew why they keep happening! The healers all say they don't feel anything is wrong and I'm probably working too hard but I just-"

"Hush," Sera wrapped a wing around her younger sister as well as her own Song, "Let's sit quietly here for a moment and see if that helps, okay?"

Emily nodded, tears of frustration in her eyes as she leaned in close. Sera wasn't good with physical affection, it didn't come naturally to her, but for the sake of her little sister she tried. She also took the moment as a chance to Listen for if there was any sign of those hidden wrong notes in Emily's Song yet. Hopefully she was getting her and Lute out before anything got stuck too deep to fix itself naturally. She had a feeling the Exorcist was going to be the harder one, both in getting her to agree to her 'mission' and in getting her free of Michael's influence. Sera was almost certain now that much of the Exorcists and other legions were at least lightly touched by whatever madness he was emitting, but she didn't have enough proof to bring to the others yet. Hopefully whatever Uriel wanted to speak with her about would help to get evidence. Otherwise, she didn't know what else could be done to make their brethren See with Clarity that Michael was corrupting Heaven more and more each day.

Damn him and damn herself for remaining blinded for so long!

Emily shifted a bit and Sera looked down, her expression softening when she found her little sister fast asleep with her small hands buried deep in the elder Seraphim's feathers. Taking a steadying breath, she swept Emily up with her wings, carrying her as she walked. The extra time it took to travel this way gave her a chance to regain her inner Peace, her even steps taking a winding path out of the city and to the quiet beach of Uriel's Sea. Tonight, she would keep watch over her Heart's little Love in this place of soothing calmness and tomorrow she would take her to Hell, where she would be safe.

Looking out on the gentle waves, Sera found herself sending a prayer out into Creation for the first time in centuries, 'Please let Lucifer and his daughter Hear me clearly and do this for Emily, despite my own wrongs.'

Notes:

So yeah, I'm a little sorry that it went from funny to heart-tugging but it had to happen.

On a lighter note, I did more drawing! This time it's WIP Azrael!

Chapter 77: Building Strength

Summary:

Lucifer blinked in confusion as he slowly woke up. He didn't even remember falling asleep.

Lucifer blinked in confusion as he slowly woke up. He didn't even remember falling asleep. Alastor had spent much of the evening thoroughly antagonizing him, making him laugh and want to knock his teeth out of his dumb grin in equal measure. 'Well, at least that means I didn't spend the whole night pacing and stressed about Sera...' He sighed as he sat up, looking around. There was no sign of the Radio Demon, which he felt strangely disappointed by. He shoved that aside to think about later, getting to his feet when he noticed something new on the bedside table, "What in the-"

Sitting atop a folded piece of paper was a rubber duck, which wouldn't be unusual but it wasn't one of his rubber ducks! Curious, he picked up the little white duck. The lines were a bit uneven but it was clearly meant to be a duck of him, his top hat and pink striped vest on the toy. There was even a little apple topped staff attached to one of the wings!

...had Alastor made this for him?! He eagerly grabbed the note and opened it, snorting at the messy writing. 'The man can weave fine lines of magic like its nothing but his handwriting is atrocious!'

Since it will be impossible for my Shadow to throw one of these silly things at you today, I believe having this in your pocket will help should you find yourself in need of a stress reducer. I have a meeting with another Overlord at 7 sharp that will take much of the day so I will be unable to see you off. Do try to not be beside yourself with grief over missing my handsome face this morning!

A.

P.S. It has Harmony infused teeth. If your sibling is being foolish, imagine it biting off her finger. Or perhaps actually use it to do that! If you do, bring the finger back for me?

Lucifer read the note twice before he ended up clutching his sides as he laughed at the mental image of Sera's ever-serious expression turning to shock with a toy duck biting into her hand. Tears were streaming down his face by the time he managed to regain control of his breathing. He snapped his fingers to dress himself in his preferred outfit before putting both the duck and the note in his coat pocket.

Well at least the day was starting off on a decent note. Knowing his luck, that wouldn't last.

***

Alastor hummed to himself as he stepped out of the shadows into one of the warehouses owned by VoxTek. While he would prefer to be doing this on more neutral ground, it was easier this way. People were less likely to question the Media Overlord being here if they happened to see him travel this way with others.

Immediately, he realized this was not going to be like the last few meetings. Vox was waiting for him, leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets and shoulders stiff with wariness. However, what was truly different was that Velvette was seated next to him, flicking through her phone. Alastor felt a sharp amusement as he took in her appearance as they both looked up at him. Though her clothing was still more modern, it was apparent that she had taken effort to incorporate a style evoking a flapper dress and hairdo. 'Attempting manipulation through using my fondness for the 20s and 30s. Clever lady.' "Good morning to you both! I must admit, I am quite surprised to see you here, my dear! To what do I owe the distinct honor?" He gave her a playful bow, not taking his eyes off of her.

Velvette scoffed, looking at him with narrowed eyes, "Cut the bullshit, you dodgy bastard! You've been messing with my V and I refuse to stand by while you do!"

Alastor chuckled, standing straight and tilting his head, twirling his microphone as he began to adjust his plans, "And why should I be concerned with that? Is he not happy as he is? It has been rather lovely seeing my old friend as he was before that moth caught his attentions."

She got to her feet, making a show of not fearing him by coming close and looking up at him unflinchingly, "I heard what they did to you and I get why you'd think they were right tossers for it, I'll admit. That doesn't change the fact that you're being a fucking rotter to my mate for doing the same back to him! So, let's have a little chat and see if we can come to an agreement."

The Radio Demon matched her sharp grin with one of his own. 'Another pawn for my game? This one actually has some moxy and intelligence! Ho͕̩̍́w͌̈ l̫̮̅ͩo̫͆̆v̵̫͑̀̌è̽͂l͉̆̓̄͝y!'

***

Vox watched his business partner and Alastor verbally spar, testing each other's defenses. It was apparent to him that the Radio Demon was allowing her a great deal of leeway, amused by her tenacity. It made him breathe easier, knowing that she had listened to him about baring her teeth and possessiveness. It would give her a foothold in Alastor's respect to see she had something of a similar nature as his. He may not be able to hate the deer right now, that didn't mean he couldn't do everything in his power to ensure he and Velvette would be in the best position possible when the time came that Alastor made good on his side of the deal. Wanting the Radio Demon's favor did not automatically instill trust in the man. Vel would help make sure Alastor didn't fuck with his head so far that he couldn't make the right choice in the end.

***

Charlie chewed on her bottom lip, looking up at the giant golden building with worry clear in her eyes. Lucifer reached up to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You're not alone this time, duckling. I promise, we'll face this together, okay?"

She covered his hand with her own, "I know, Dad. It's not me that I'm worried about right now."

He blinked and put his free hand in his pocket, brushing his fingers over the duck and the folded note there, "I'll be okay, Charlie. Let's go See what Sera wants."

Notes:

Up next, the meeting at the Embassy! Woot!

Chapter 78: The Corrupter of Songs

Summary:

Lucifer cut himself off as he saw tears in Sera's eyes. She stood, giving him a low bow with her wings spread wide in prostration, "What are you-"

"Lucifer Morningstar, who was once Samael, I beg of you to help me keep Emily, who is my Heart's little Love, safe from our brother Michael, who has Become the Corrupter of Songs."

Notes:

Cliffhanger warning

Sera looked at Emily and Lute for a long moment, her sister looking at her in open curiosity and the Exorcist giving her a wary but respectful stance, "Right, as you are both aware, there have been some changes in recent plans requiring that I pull you from your respective duties. I do regret the hasty nature of this."

"It's not a problem, Sera! What are we going to be doing?" Emily was already nearly bouncing on her toes. Sleeping through the night wrapped up in the elder Seraphim's Song seemed to have done a great deal of good.

Sera looked at the papers on her desk, steeling herself to lay out even more untruths. Lute needed to not suspect this was going to be anything Michael was unaware of, "As far as official records are aware, the three of us will be going out and inspecting the torn and cracked spaces in the Universe." She could tell the Exorcist caught on quickly, giving her a shrewd look. Lute was intelligent when not overtaken by her anger, "But there is another task that will be carried out by you two instead. It must be done in secret for now, given that we have not made the announcement of a Redeemed yet. In preparation for the upcoming treaty negotiations in three months, we need to do a test run of the Ambassador program."

Emily's eyes went wide and she squealed at a pitch that had Lute wincing, "Are you serious?! I get to be the first Ambassador to Princess Morningstar's hotel?!"

Sera nodded, glad to see her sister's excitement. It eased her mind that Emily's true nature was still there in full. That just left the youngest angel, who was getting more and more tense, "Lute, I need you to set aside your anger for a moment and listen. Understand?

The Exorcist took a deep breath, her mismatched hands clenching as she nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

"Your duty in this is ensuring that my sister remains safe. You are to guard her but I want no unnecessary bloodshed. If anyone attacks, you are to immobilize and restrain them. If there is further resistance to the point you fear for your life or Emily's, you are free to take whatever actions necessary."

Lute had her teeth clenched so hard it was a surprise they weren't cracking. Emily leaned to look up at her down-turned face, "Don't worry, Lute! I'm sure everything will be fine and we can learn a lot while we are there!"

Sera quickly stood as she started to catch warped notes, "Emily, give us a moment in private, if you would."

Her sister looked at her with wide-eyed confusion but nodded, "Of course! I'll be just outside."

Once the door closed, Lute lashed out, her gray wings flared wide in threat, "What do you mean I have to be down there amongst those sinner scum?! And with that traitor, too! What are you even thinking?!"

Sera kept her stance firm and her eyes cool, her energy thickening the barrier around her office as she waited for the Exorcist to finish venting.

"You expect me to live for a month with the people who killed Adam?! How cruel can you be?! I-I-" The crazed light in Lute's gold eyes flickered as she began to breathe erratically.

Sera opened all of her eyes, violet and white glowing bright as she Spoke, "Lµ†ê. Çålm ¥ðµr§êl£."

The young angel winced, not yet old enough to fully withstand the power of High Angelic. Her physical form obeyed the command, even as her mind still struggled, "I just... I can't, ma'am! How can you-"

Sera came around her desk to stand in front of Lute, waiting for her to look up before speaking again, "You are the one I can trust most with my sister's safety. She is not aware of the war preparations yet. I want you to take this time and truly get to know your enemy. Study them, learn what you can. That way, should you face them in battle, you will have what you need to easily defeat them and come back to us."

The words had the intended effect, stoking the young angel's pride and determination. Sera did not like feeding the inclination for violence as she once had, even with half-truths. Her hope was that the time with Emily would help open her mind, perhaps soften her enough to give her a chance to heal. Sera doubted Lute would ever be gentle, she had spent too many of her foundational years steeped in violence and anger. But the First could clearly see now that the Armies were all far too willing to shed blood for those of angelic nature. If things continued as they were, Heaven would either lose them to a great Fall or would become as divided and cracked as much of the rest of the universe.

And if the Armies were Commanded to turn on the unaware masses of Heaven with their angelic steel weapons now that it was known the lowest classes were also susceptible to death by their blades..

No! Sera would not allow that to happen!

***

Lucifer and Charlie bypassed the desk, taking matching deep breaths as they stood in front of the door and then had to fight against laughing nervously over the fact that they had just copied each other. Charlie shook her head and knocked on the door. There was a muffled call for them to enter and Lucifer was very aware of his body, focusing on keeping his breathing even as the door opened. He barely caught sight of Sera when suddenly matching screeches had him jolting. He watched with wide eyes as his daughter raced over and tightly embraced a young angel with long white hair.

"EMILY!"

"CHARLIE!"

Lucifer studied the unfamiliar angel. 'Emily, huh? Her Being's wings are small still, so she's young but...she already has six?!' He looked over at Sera, intending to request an introduction but his words faded away at seeing the soft, warm look the other First was giving the young Seraphim. 'Who is this Emily to her?!'

Charlie kept hold of her friend's hand and dragged her over, "Dad! This is Emily, the angel I've been telling you about!"

Wide blue eyes looked at him with excitement, which, what?! He thought all angels hated him?!

"Hi, sir, Lucifer, your Majesty, sir! Charlie writes about you a lot! I'm so happy to meet you finally!"

"Uhh..." Lucifer's mind was blank with shock. He vaguely caught Charlie rolling her eyes and grabbing his wrist, moving his hand to meet Emily's. He blinked, remembering himself and nodding as he shook her hand, "My daughter speaks well of you too. Thank you for standing at her side at the trial."

A soft noise had them all stopping and looking over at Sera, who had a brow raised expectantly. 'There's the serious nature I remember.'

"Pleasantries should wait until after our business is conducted. If you would all take your seats?"

It was then that Lucifer saw the other angel that had been standing just behind Sera and his entire body tensed, his eyes flashing red, "What is she doing here?!"

The Exorcist gave him a matching glare, opening her mouth to speak but stopped when Sera gripped her shoulder, "Sit, Lute. I will handle this." The gray angel visibly clenched her teeth but obeyed without argument.

Charlie came forward to get his attention too, "Remember, Dad. We came to hear them out. I doubt Lute will attack us right now."

A part of him wished she would. It would be satisfying to see Alastor's Shadow humble her. However... Charlie was right. He took a deep breath, cooling the fire in his veins and pulling back his demonic features, "Right. Business first." He took a seat, watching his sister settle in. He was surprised she was wearing her more human form but perhaps it was for Charlie's sake since she was unaware of his daughter's awakening angelic powers...

Then he felt Sera taking hold of the flow of time, intent on stopping it and he quickly cancelled her out, watching as Charlie swayed in her seat, blinking dazedly, "If you wish to speak with me in private, First Seeker, it will have to be in a physical state so as to not distress my daughter and her growing abilities."

The look of wide-eyed shock on his sister's face was both amusing and intriguing. When had she become so physically expressive? "I apologize. I was unaware that Princess Morningstar had grown so far into her angelic lineage."

Charlie shook off her vertigo, looking confused, "Uh, just call me Charlie, please? And what was that?"

Lute and Emily both looked at Charlie in confusion but Lucifer spoke up, "Firsts have a natural talent for stopping the flow of time. We can rewind it slightly too but we cannot interact with the past, simply view it."

Emily looked over at Charlie, clapping her hands together and bouncing, "You could feel the flow of time being altered?! Oh wow!"

"I...guess?"

Sera held up a hand, calling attention again, "Given this new information, I would request a moment of your time before we officially begin this meeting, Morning's Star. It is about your former counterpart."

'Something involving Michael that these younger angels can't hear...' He looked at Charlie and nodded, "Give us a moment, Char."

His perfect little daughter looked at him for a long moment, seemingly sliding her finger over the table as she thought but she was motioning the letter M as she raised a brow. He gave her a nod, confirming her suspicion and she stiffened, "Call me back the second you need me, okay?"

Lucifer gave her a grateful nod and waited as Emily and Lute followed her out. The moment the door closed, Sera visibly slumped, her wings going limp and her eyes dull with exhaustion. This did not bode well for his peace of mind.

"I...I fear I must beg for your aid and for your forgiveness, brother. Clarity has been returned to my mind and my Sight of late and...I am greatly troubled by what I am becoming aware of."

Lucifer clenched his fist, "You ask for forgiveness now?! After everything you all-" He cut himself off as he saw tears in Sera's eyes. She stood, giving him a low bow with her wings spread wide in prostration, "What are you-"

"Lucifer Morningstar, who was once my brother Samael, I beg of you to help me keep Emily, who is my Heart's little Love, safe from our brother Michael, who has Become the Corrupter of Songs."

It felt like his heart stopped in his chest, "...he's...Become...what."

***

More than twenty minutes had passed in tense silence, Charlie pacing nervously outside the door and chewing on her thumbnail. Her dad was alone with Sera. One of his siblings that had Judged him. The one who had looked upon the flames of Exterminations with far too much pride. What if he had a panic attack and lost it without anyone there to help him?! Her heart felt like it was in her throat and then...

Emily's concerned voice reached her, "Charlie? Hey, Char-" A feeling of something cold and empty flared up from somewhere to her left and the voice turned panicked, "Wait, Lute! What are you-"

She turned in the direction of that wretched feeling, barely catching sight of Lute rushing at her, angelic dagger in her prosthetic hand and a feral light in her eyes. Before Charlie could do more than raise her arms, darkness surrounded her with a feeling of protective wrath.

Notes:

Sooooo, yeah. Official part of the meeting hasn't started yet but big moments! Weeeee!

Chapter 79: What Lies Within

Summary:

The Firsts had been Gifted with a great many concepts, that was how the potential Silence of the universe was known to them despite never having experienced it. The title Sera had spoken was one that was never thrown around in jest, "Are you absolutely certain?"

*"Lucifer Morningstar, who was once my brother Samael, I beg of you to help me keep Emily, who is my Heart's little Love, safe from our brother Michael, who has Become the Corrupter of Songs."

It felt like his heart stopped in his chest, "...he's...Become...what."*

Lucifer stared at Sera, his mind full of an instinctive horror and revulsion that ran so deep, he would not be surprised if it was felt all the way to his core Self. All angels were formed with an instinctive Knowledge, a base understanding of their own Self and key things that Creation found necessary, even if they didn't know why. The Firsts had been Gifted with a great many concepts, that was how the potential Silence of the universe was known to them despite never having experienced it. The title Sera had spoken was one that was never thrown around in jest, "Are you absolutely certain?"

Sera straightened, meeting his gaze with conviction, "He hides it well but I have begun to Hear something within him that is simply wrong. I have caught signs of the same notes starting to appear in Lute, which is what has led me to truly believe that is what he has Become."

The Corrupter of Songs was a Being to be feared, one who had the power to twist others in frightening ways. Their mere presence would be capable of warping those without a strong sense of Self. The Corrupted would all eventually be filled with such disdain for Creation itself that they would not only Seek to Bring Silence to the symphony, they would threaten all beings in existence with a slow, cruel death of such agony that it would echo even beyond the end of this universe and into the next. Several of his siblings had accused Lucifer of being on the path to that Potential during his Judgement, another wound upon this smaller Self that they would think him even capable of that, "I take it you have not spoken of this to the others."

Sera shook her head, "No. I suspect even he is not aware of what he has Become. If I try anything without enough support behind me, I fear I will only end up aiding his cause more than I already have. I am Seeking a way to ensure his actions will be Seen by our brethren before it is too late."

"If it's not already," Lucifer eyed her, weighing his next words carefully. If she had been working closely enough with Michael, he couldn't be certain how deep the Corruption might be in her too. This level of distrust and mental hurdles were not something he enjoyed dealing with. Sighing, he drummed his fingers on the table, "Sera, I hold little love at present for you and most of the others and even less trust. Too much has happened and changed who I Was. However, I will not hold that against one that has done no wrong to me or my family."

There was obvious relief in his sister's expression, "That is all I can ask for. There are more that he has affected but these two are the only ones I can safely get out without suspicion for now. Emily is still mostly unaffected it seems, but he has been giving her more attention of late. Lute...she will need the most aid. Her Song has been directly exposed to him for longer than I likely know."

Lucifer wanted to scoff, to dismiss the idea of aiding one who had been a part of an attempt on his daughter's life... but he couldn't deny that if her Song was being touched by Corruption, it was possible that she was not fully her Self in the choices she had made, "She attacked my daughter's hotel with the intent to destroy her and her dream. She also did nearly kill the former Exorcist that Charlie cares deeply for multiple times. How can you guarantee she will not use this as an opportunity to try again?"

She glanced towards the doorway, tugging at her sleeve in a nervous gesture that he knew but could not actually remember seeing, "I will be honest with you, I cannot be certain that she won't try. Her emotions are erratic beyond reason. Asking her to stay here is a risk but I do not know where else to go. I cannot bring her with me while I Seek answers. Emily seems to have a positive effect on her, I have seen her listen to my sister's advice a few times. I can only hope that time with someone closer to her age will help even more while she is away from Michael."

Fuck. He was far too sympathetic for this sort of decision making. If Michael really was a source of Corruption, there was no way he would send an angel who obviously hadn't even reached the age of Clarity back into his reach, "I will do what I can, but I will need to do something to ensure she is never left alone with anyone that cannot defend themselves."

"I understand, thank you," Sera stepped closer to him and he automatically tensed, watching her warily. She blinked and immediately took a couple of paces back, her voice strained, "We...we truly have caused you a large amount of pain and mistrust, haven't we?"

He gave a bitter laugh in response. She seriously felt like she needed to ask that?! He gave her a hard look, his eyes bleeding red, "Yes. Those of you that cast me out have no idea of the literal Hell that I and my family have been through because of your damned Judgements. And unless you want to spend the next several days listening as I tell you every. Damned. Thing. that has happened since I Fell, I suggest we move on."

And of course it was just his luck that she was still obstinate when she thought she was doing the right thing, so that wasn't the end of it.

Sera closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again, her eyes bright with her power. Lucifer nearly left his physical form to better See how to defend himself if needed when she spoke, her voice remaining of this plane, "I swear upon my place within Creation that should we succeed in stopping the Corruption, I will share the burden of your Judg-"

"NO!" Lucifer shouted, his wings manifesting and flaring wide. "Do not Speak that into Being, Seraphiel! I will not allow it!"

His angry denial of her unfinished oath shocked her into dropping her power, leaving her looking at him in disbelief, "I-"

He snarled, slamming his hand on the table and uncaring of how it cracked under the force, "You do not know what you are speaking of. You might believe you are doing the right thing, that you are deserving of this, but I refuse to see another under this burden. Do not add another weight to my Judgement with this misguided attempt to seek my forgiveness! Do I make myself clear?" When she gave him a nod, her own wings held close to her back, he dropped his gaze to the break in the tabletop, "Sera, if you truly feel Remorse, focus on stopping Michael. After that, when I know you are not among the Corrupted, come find me and maybe then I will trust you enough to let you truly Know what you and the others have done."

It was silent for a long moment, long enough that he looked up at her again to find she had her lowest wings wrapped around her, looking very lost for one that was just as old as him. He was about to suggest that they call the others back in to get this matter over with when a noise had them both clapping their hands over their ears. The sudden shock of it made it hard to think before he realized what it was.

*Alastor highlighted a combined symbol for Sound and Amplification, his grin filled with dark glee, "I was inspired by a rather...disconcerting Song that I had the misfortune of hearing when I last visited Cannibal Town. The recorded screams of those that I have collected are quite the morale draining cacophony when I broadcast them to other demons! So, it stands to reason that the agonized screams of their Songs would do the same to angels! I believe I can even play it on multiple frequencies to really add to the shock!"*

Lucifer really felt he should have asked more questions about what that meant. 'Holy shit! I knew this would be bad but if this is just what I can hear with the Silence...' He looked over at Sera to see that she looked like she was going to be physically ill, her eyes unfocused.

As suddenly as it had begun, the noise vanished, leaving his ears ringing. He was quick to recover, rushing for the door to see why Alastor's Shadow had made it's presence known.

***

Charlie felt her fear drop once she realized what was surrounding her, feeling safer knowing that Alastor had somehow sent his Shadow with them to help her and her dad. Everything sounded oddly muffled, like she was several rooms away instead of right there. There was a shift in the dome only a second later and something was thrown in, a blur of blue and white, "Emily! Are you okay?!"

The angel rubbed her arm as she sat up, looking around in confusion, "Yeah, just...what was that? I was going to stop Lute and then that big thing grabbed me and threw me in here!"

Charlie opened her mouth to answer when the muffled sounds changed into something strange. It was still quiet but...there was something in her that said it was good that they couldn't fully hear it. Emily's eyes went wide as her dark skin turned a bit ashen, "So much pain... So many Songs... what-"

The dome around them dropped and the sound vanished with it. Charlie looked to where she last saw Lute, finding a bundle of grey and white feathers that were being pinned to the floor by a shockingly enormous black hand. 'That's...even bigger than it was at the palace...' She looked up but the Shadow was spread out over the walls, the arm being the only distinct feature she could see.

"Charlie!"

"Dad!" She cried out, running over to him, grateful to see that he seemed okay.

"What happened?!" He was looking at her all over like he was checking for injuries.

Charlie shook her head, wringing her hands as she looked over at the pinned figure, "I-I don't really know, Dad. She just...I felt something just before she attacked me. It felt so cold and not right? Then Al's Shadow came out of nowhere and shielded me and Emily from whatever that noise was!"

Sera appeared in the doorway behind him looking unsteady, but she quickly spotted where Lute was and shoved past them. Her dad reached out like he was going to stop her but Emily got in front of her first, wings wide, "Wait! It's not an enemy, Sera!"

The tall Seraphim stopped short, looking down at her sister in bewilderment, "What? But it's-"

Her dad glared up somewhere along the ceiling, "It's a damned menace that belongs to an insane cannibal Overlord. Even one of my Fallen subjects says he's about as controllable as a tornado," Charlie blinked and looked at him in time to catch him glancing at her, "But he has protected my daughter more than once, which is the only reason it's creator hasn't ended up destroyed before now. Charlie, go tell it to release her, it'll listen to you at least."

She nodded, trying to understand why he was making it sound like he and Al weren't friends...

Sera gave the Shadow's arm a wary look, "You trust this sinner?"

The King of Hell scoffed, "I wouldn't trust the crazy bastard with his own life."

Suddenly it all clicked. Her dad emphasizing Al being a cannibal Overlord, calling Rosie a Fallen subject. It was about making it so Sera couldn't tell Michael about their allies! 'Right. Time to be Princess Morningstar like Vaggie always says!' Charlie marched over to where Lute was trapped, glaring up, "Let her go, Al! The Seraphim will handle her from here!"

She felt a little silly doing this but the Shadow shrank back down, glaring daggers at the bundle of feathers as it did. Once at its usual size, it gave her a very reluctant bow before vanishing. She almost thought she saw its edges shaking in silent laughter just before she couldn't see it anymore.

***

Lucifer watched as both angels rushed to Lute's side immediately, checking her over. Emily spoke first, "Sera, Charlie was right earlier. Lute sounded really wrong just before she attacked."

Sera sighed, "I know. Apparently she has been affected greater than I thought. It seems I cannot leave her here after all." She held her hands over the gray feathers, closing her eyes. After a second, her brow furrowed, "Wait... where did..." She opened her eyes and looked at him in shock, "I will need to wake her to be sure but I can't hear his echo in her anymore!"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or go shake Alastor until he talked. 'Fucker did something impossible again, didn't he?!'

***

Alastor paused as he felt an insistent tug from his Shadow and he knocked the wannabe-Overlord crying at his feet unconscious, "Vox, be a dear and keep an eye on this for me! I will return momentarily!"

"Wait, what?! Ala-"

He didn't bother sticking around, the other Overlord would do as he asked. He melted into the shadows and went towards the Embassy, meeting his Shadow on a vacant rooftop nearby. It had a vicious smile on its face as it pulled something from one of the storage runes. It was a small, writhing thing full of spikes and eyes in glowing reds and blacks. A very, very familiar thing that looked just like a certain chain-holder's vile mockery of a tongue!

'It seems I will need to have a talk with Lucifer about what was said in that meeting room with Sera. For now, let's see if I can figure out some interesting things from this!' He sent the Shadow back to it's post as he took the tiny, physically-manifested Song into his own claws, hoping he could find a bigger piece to play with soon.

Notes:

I agonized over whether all of this came out right but I am posting it and calling it done! Ugh!

Massive plot point accomplished!

Chapter 80: Witness of what is Becoming

Summary:

Sera couldn't understand it. Why wouldn't Lucifer want her to be as he was, to know so truly what she had done? Wrongs were meant to be punished, that's why sinners were sent to Hell, right?!

Sera wasn't sure what was going on anymore. She had come here with a clear plan, a script of what needed to be said, but now? Lute was unconscious with only Creation knows how much damage from Corruption and the impossible removal of it after she attacked Princess Morningstar unprovoked. It wouldn't be surprising if they denied her request to take her and Emily in now. And Lucifer...

Perhaps there was some foolish part of her still clinging to the past. To the brother she had known that worked so hard to make everyone around him laugh and play with him. To see him look at her now like she was a person to be feared, someone who not only could, but would attack him at any time, it had caused an unexpected pain. Logically, she knew their Judgement had hurt him. Had she truly blinded herself so fully to how much he would be harmed by what they had done? Or was she missing something?

She wanted so badly to understand, to bridge that divide between them. She had been fully willing to call into Being an Oath to share his burdens and join him here in Hell when Michael was stopped. And then...Lucifer had denied her, cutting off her words before it could be completed! The strength of his Song had gone from being so strangely small to practically binding her in place with its force of will! Sera couldn't understand it. Why wouldn't he want her to be as he was, to know so truly what she had done? Wrongs were meant to be punished, that's why sinners were sent to Hell, right?!

"Sera."

She blinked, looking over at Emily. Her sister had her eyes on Lute, her energies entirely focused on trying to coax the young Exorcist beneath their hands into waking, but there was a determined expression on her face, "It took me a bit to realize it but, after that creature grabbed me, my headache stopped. And you said Lute doesn't have someone's echoes in her anymore. You've been hiding things from me again, haven't you?"

Sera did not physically flinch from the accusation but from how her sister glanced up at her, the urge to had still been clear, "This...this isn't like before. I-"

"Guys? There's someone else here," Charlie said suddenly, her eyes glowing bright as she looked towards the front door of the Embassy. A ripple appeared in the air in front of it, causing feelings of curiosity and concern in all of them.

"Your Insight is growing strong, child of Morning's Star. Unsurprising, all things considered."

For some reason, Lucifer relaxed at the familiar voice accompanied by the sound of bells, "Hello, Azrael."

"The Death angel?!" Charlie gasped, looking at Lute in clear concern, "He's not here for her, is he?

A rumble rolled through the air with Azrael's amusement, the ripple parting as he stepped through, "No, I am here as a brother now, not as part of my duty anymore. Your compassion for one who just attacked you is something sorely lacking among our brethren. Fear not, the moment for the Potentials here has passed already."

Sera was glad to see his Gift was covered as well as his face. The Foresight in the Witness of Death's chest was a bit much to handle for a lot of the angelic choirs and she wasn't sure how the young ones here would have reacted to direct exposure to it. Even so, from what Azrael said...

Lucifer glanced over at Lute, "She came that close to dying?"

"No, not her." Azrael turned his head toward Emily, "Had the sinner's Song-bound familiar not chosen to also pull our sister's young one away from her though..."

Sera gasped, looking up at him in disbelief, "But... she's not of the lower ranks! How-"

"You remain nearly as blind as most of the others still," He tapped his staff against the floor, the chiming sound somehow chiding, "The time for secrecy has passed, Sera. If you wish to continue avoiding Potentials of Death for them, you will need to leave and join with Uriel's Plan or Michael's suspicions of you will grow stronger than they are now. This is why I have remained after, to ensure they all understand what they need to."

"But-" Sera's protest was cut off as one of the wings over his face twitched, a sharp reminder that he never lied about Potentials of Death, "I...understand, brother. Thank you for choosing to divert it from..." She looked at her sister, her voice small, "From them both, it seems."

"Sera! Wait, I-" Emily reached out towards her but she got to her feet and stepped away.

"Be safe, Emily. That is all I ask."

***

Lucifer frowned as Sera vanished in a whirl of light, leaving her sister staring at empty air, "She still has no idea how to express what she feels, does she, Az?"

"No. I do not know that she ever will," Azrael moved closer, kneeling down and holding one hand over Lute for moment. "This one will require some time to heal. He did remove all traces but it fought him. Emily's was not the only likely Potential I was here for."

"Dad? Um, Azrael, sir?" Charlie moved closer to Emily, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "What in the world is going on?"

Azrael held up a hand, stopping Lucifer from responding first, "You, Charlotte Morningstar, have thrown quite the wrench in one of our sibling's plans. Not only by your own actions but by the strength of what you are Becoming. The ripples carry wide but perhaps the most important one is that you caught the favor of one who even now is taunting Death into dancing with him."

Lucifer and Charlie shared a look before she groaned, "You mean Alastor? What is he up to now?!"

That rumble rolled through the air again, "With how many times I find myself Called to Witness his personal Potentials and his own actions as a Hand of Death, I am tempted to leave a Self permanently in his wake." He tilted his head, the bells in his braids tinkling, "From what the Self following him now has Witnessed, rather than being consumed by what he took from the angel, he has taken the first step down truly Becoming the Devourer of Corruption itself."

Lucifer could feel a headache coming on. The whole damn Universe had gone insane, that was the only way any of what Azrael just said was possible! And with how amused his brother seemed right now, "Are you sure you never had a child? You and Alastor seem to both take way too much delight in trying to kill me just by telling me the sheer level of reality-breaking bullshit he's achieved!"

"Dad!" Uh oh. Charlie looked a bit frustrated, her eyes were going red, "Will one of you please start explaining what any of that means?"

Lucifer winced, "Sorry, duckling. I don't think either of us meant to leave you two in the dark."

Emily gave a sniffle. Ah crap, her sad eyes were almost worse than Charlie's, "It's ok. I can wait. I'll just-"

"Nope! You're Charlie's friend, that makes you very important in my books! Now tell me, how do you feel about ducks?"

***

Charlie felt her frustration fade away as her dad became hyperfocused on cheering up Emily. She still wanted answers but... He was smiling now, and so was she. If she wasn't mistaken, the floor under Lute had been turned into something really soft and cushy looking too. Wait... was he supposed to be able to do that inside the Embassy? Wasn't this technically Heaven's territory, not his?

"Correct."

Charlie startled, looking way up as Azrael stood. He really was almost as tall as Uncle Oz, "I said that out loud?"

"Yes. But how about we leave what you've noticed as a surprise for now? He's not quite ready to Know yet."

She blinked and looked over at where her dad was showing Emily... did that duck have teeth? "Uh, sure. I just have two questions though. What isn't he ready to know? And why doesn't he feel as wary of you as he did of Sera? If I remember right, you voted for him to be cast out too."

One of the metal claws on his gloves tapped on the top of his staff, "Technically, I did. My vote was merely a confirmation of what had already been decided. I spoke last, when two stood at his side and seven against. It still hurt him then, but what he has faced is actually better than what he would have if he had stayed."

Charlie felt her blood run cold at that, 'Worse than-"

"Yes," That one word carried a heavy weight of conviction, "The reason he does not fear me is because I have already given him and your mother a proper apology for what had to be done. While he does not know of the necessity, he also understands my duty binds me in many ways. My gift to them went a very long way to earning their forgiveness, though in reality, it too was a necessity."

Charlie started to ask about that but he spoke again, something under his cloak flashing bright, "To answer your first question, I Witnessed the Bearer of Light die in Michael's Judgement and Samael's Fall. Lucifer just hasn't realized what he has Been and is more strongly Becoming in place of that yet."

Notes:

Author headcanon: Empathy and sympathy are not easy concepts for Sera in this story. Like, she knows what they are but they don't come to her naturally.

This chapter was so hard to make work, I feared it would be where I got stuck and unable to finish. Then I realized I just needed to bring in Azrael way sooner than I originally thought. Sera was the one holding things up. Her character isn't quite ready to be comfortable around everything going on with the Hell characters yet

Chapter 81: Interlude: Changing Forms

Summary:

A moment with Alastor and Vox followed by a conversation between Sera and Uriel.

One moment, Vox was pacing and muttering his frustrations about a certain antiquated jackass in the well-lit warehouse he'd had cleared out for the maniac to work in. The next, there was a tangible pulse through the air and the entire building went dark, no light even coming through the small windows. If it wasn't for the glow of his screen illuminating the floor beneath him, he would have thought maybe he'd been knocked unconscious.

Vox felt his mechanical heart skip a beat as he turned to see Alastor standing behind him, arms folded behind his back and smiling that congenial, bullshit smile he used before he pulled the rug out from under someone. There was something...not right about his appearance, though the Media Overlord couldn't quite put a finger on it. It almost felt like the person in front of him was too flat, a picture rather than the real thing. His screen glitched briefly before he got control of it, "...uh Al, buddy, what's going on?"

Alastor's eyes looked a bit manic and he flashed a hungry grin that almost seemed to appear a few times at the edges of Vox's vision, "Some things have changed! I do believe I have finally figured out why the Harmony never converted over. I'm far more suited to Hell than my King is, but his so-called brother is quite the twisted thing. Tasty too! I look forward to getting a bigger bite!"

Deranged giggling came from all around him and Vox...really wasn't sure he wanted to try to parse any of that.

***

Sera flew as swiftly as she could, bending Space where it was safe to, her mind racing just as fast. A sinner had the power to remove Corruption from an angel. A sinner?! One that had not only protected the Princess of Hell but also chose to protect Emily. They were supposed to be selfish, murderous souls, little better than beasts...

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Where had those feelings come from so suddenly? Was Lucifer right to suspect she carried some notes of Corruption in herself as well?

"Sister, stop!"

Sera released the hold she had just taken on Space, looking around and realizing she had been about to pass her destination. Closing the eyes of this form, she took a moment to still her frantic feelings before opening them once more, searching the area around her, "Uriel? I still do not sense you."

"Of course not. Unlike you, I have allowed myself to follow along with the changes of the universe. There is much Wisdom to be found in Creation when one does not cling tight to the Old Ways." There was a feeling of fond exasperation wrapping around her before an orb full of colors from many of the planes grew in front of her. When it parted to reveal her sibling, they gave her a smile, "Truly, it is good to See that you have begun to Seek Truth once again, Sera. I have missed you. The little Voice you have taken under your wing has my gratitude for opening your Heart again."

Sera was surprised to find that they too were in a more human-like form these days, though they still held to their rings of eyes around their head, "By little Voice, do you mean Emily? I did not think you had met her yet."

"Sera," Uriel spread their wings wide, "I have sent smaller Selfs to Listen to the whispers but for nearly a decade I have been in my Sea, helping to keep secret something of great importance in the coming days. I have watched each time you have visited, waiting with hope that you would begin to remove the veils. She came there many times too, sometimes she would even sing out across the water. Emily may not yet fully Be a Voice, but she grows into it stronger each time I have seen her."

It made sense when she looked back. How many would stop and listen to Emily's words when she spoke with great conviction. Even the most stubborn would open their minds to her words. Once again, she was struck with the memory of Emily standing side by side with Charlotte Morningstar, calling out for everyone there to See the Truth. "Lucifer's daughter is Becoming a Voice as well, isn't she?"

"Mhmm! Now you See," Uriel reached out their hand, "Ironic that the child of the Bearer of Light is Resonating so fully as a Song-Sister with the one Becoming the Voice of Light, isn't it?"

All of Sera's eyes went wide, not hesitating to slip her hand into theirs. The Voice of Light?! Was that why Emily so reminded her of Samael when they had been young? Uriel nodded at her expression, "I do not know what aspect the young Morning Star's Voice will take yet, I have not been given that Knowledge. But I am certain it will not be her only title either. That one has the most Potential I have Witnessed in ages."

"Wait. Uriel, you've seen Charlotte Morningstar yourself to Witness her Potential? Have you been in Hell?!"

They nodded, their energy surrounding her as several of their eyes opened, each a different color, "You will be going there with me as well, once we are done here."

"But I was just there! And I thought-"

"That you were to ensure Michael remained unaware of your true actions? Azrael sent that Self with a more physical form after he spoke with me, so I already know," Their form became surrounded in light before splitting, three more appearing around Sera, "Now I need you to focus on what the Songs of Emily and the Corrupted one I saw with you at my Sea sounded like before you left Heaven."

"I do hope you will start speaking with Clarity soon," She was growing frustrated but she did as she was asked, focusing on what she heard from them, including the wavering notes of Corruption in Lute. The three that had divided from Uriel shifted then, becoming copies of Sera, Emily, and Lute. Even the Songs they emitted were the same as the originals! "What-"

"I told you, I have gained much since we last truly saw one another. I have lost things too, but sacrifice is sometimes necessary for Wisdom. And this is how we will keep the young ones safe. These three will go through the inspection while I take you to see if we can finish removing those bindings on your Sight and Heart. The ones he has watching for you three will not be able to tell these are not you. It will only become a concern if Michael himself comes out, but we do not think he will. His focus is presently elsewhere."

There was something in Uriel's tone that made her worried that whatever Michael was currently doing, it was not good.

Notes:

Alright everyone! I have to go on a trip so I am not likely to post another chapter until Monday evening at the earliest, but more likely Tuesday.

If I get an insomnia night while away, I might still get a chap out though lol

Chapter 82: Cycling Around

Summary:

Alastor could feel the edges of his 'ill-fitting. too small.' physical form blurring, his hold on it slipping a bit. Watching Vox 'so tiny. had he always been that small? even the little king was bigger than that.' fight against the fear making him glitch, there where whispers and urges flowing through him that would be so easy to heed.

"Vaggie's on her way! Thanks for letting me call her in, Azrael. I think getting her on board with Lute staying with us will be easier here than in front of the others at the hotel," Charlie said as she put her phone away.

Lucifer snorted, "Good luck on that, Char. Even knowing what she was being affected by, I'm not thrilled about the idea myself. Think we should give Niffty that dagger back and have her on Exorcist watching duty?"

"Dad! No!" Charlie chided, though she looked like she was fighting a smile, "I know you two want to wait until Vaggie gets here so you don't have to repeat everything, but could you at least explain what you were saying about Al?"

He glanced up at Azrael, who motioned for him to be the one to answer, his covered face watching...something. Lucifer couldn't see anything but, then again, Azrael almost never used his physical form's eyes, "Anything particular you want me to start with?"

***

Alastor could feel the edges of his 'ill-fitting. too small.' physical form blurring, his hold on it slipping a bit. Watching Vox 'so tiny. had he always been that small? even the little king was bigger than that.' fight against the fear making him glitch, there where whispers and urges flowing through him that would be so easy to heed. He could see the edges of the mind within, tempting him to reach in and do just what Velvette 'cute little dress-up doll. she'd make a fantastic gift for Rosie.' had accused him of before.

The truly hilarious thing was that Vox had so little self-awareness, he didn't realize that all Alastor had done different to him was drown out his narcissistic rage over the Radio Demon's past rejections of him. 'silly little picture box. wanted everyone to revolve around him. didn't see how small and unimportant he was.' Otherwise, he'd used the Harmony's energies to give him a false sense of contentment, keeping the hallucinations of his fractured psyche at bay, the exact same thing that he'd sent along to Velvette. Though, he did like to make the initial 'dose' for his friend a bit higher each time just to watch Vox fight to make coherent sentences. Emotions were much safer to meddle with when one didn't want to risk breaking someone beyond usefulness. 'how simple it would be to shatter that screen. but then he wouldn't be able to see those eyes watching everything that moved so fearfully.'

It had been so terribly easy to agree to her terms when he truly was losing nothing. Paranoia really did make people stupid sometimes. 'not really paranoia when one looked like such easy prey, is it?'

Now though, the whispers were drawing his attention to what could be shifted to his liking with how shaken Vox's sense of identity was. How he could let some of his own energy fill in those little holes and take root.  It wouldn't even take much time. Rewriting as the angels did could more aptly be called rewinding as it simply reverted someone back to a former state. While that could make it easier to mold someone, this would be truly rewriting someone to fit his own purposes.

Too bad for the silly little thing trying to take control that Alastor found that particular idea rather dull. What was the fun of getting someone to dance to your tune if you didn't have to work for it? If you didn't have to chip away at them, feel their resistance slowly crumble to dust in your hands?

No, he would file that information away for now and see about forcing that tasty little snack to shift over and fix some of the damage Adam had done to his soul. 'too small to do enough. he needed to find more. there was a veritable feast he ached to go get right now but he needed to get control of this piece first.' It was only fitting since it was likely that Michael was the reason Alastor had ended up in that situation in the first place!

***

Emily raised her hand, "Oh! Is this Al the same Alastor that helps at the hotel even though he doesn't want to get to Heaven? I've been really curious to meet him! I've never known anyone that didn't like Heaven!"

Charlie and Lucifer looked at each other before his daughter tentatively smiled, "Yeah, that's the same Al. He's really funny and smart but maaaaybe you should meet some other sinners first? He can be...a lot, even for someone born here, okay?"

Lucifer saw the open curiosity get stronger in those big blue eyes and had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. 'Think we're going to need to keep an eye on her around him. She's just as likely to be adopted as she is to be bitten.'

Charlie turned her attention back to him, "So, it sounded like those things Azrael was calling Al were important. He was using that emphasis thing you and Aunt Rosie do on some words."

"You mean the titles, like how he called him a Hand of Death?" When she nodded, he continued, "That's one of the easier ones to start with I guess. In the old days, that wasn't a title but a description for angels that felt more inclined to usher in the final days of something in the universe rather than creating something new. Like when a star reaches the end of its life cycle and needs to release all of that energy to make way for the next stage. With humans, it could be another way of talking about murderers so lots of sinners down here could be considered one of the many hands of death. The fact that its being invoked as a full title for a mortal soul is a bit of a new one for me."

"There have been a number of humans over the centuries that are sensitive to the whispers of Death that follow everything. He is simply the only one currently left in Hell that hasn't fallen trying to add an Exorcist to their kills," Azrael added, one of his bony lower wings flexing. He almost seemed confused by whatever had his attention.

Remembering that almost blissful look Alastor had the night before when talking about how much he enjoyed drawing out the kill with his 'favorite types,' Lucifer wondered what it would be like if the Radio Demon ever fully lost control of it. Even being driven mad and dying because of Seraphic energy, the sinner hadn't gone for mindless slaughter. The fallen angel hoped that would never happen. He feared it might be one of the few things Al wouldn't be able come back from.

"Does that mean those hand people knew angels could die? I mean, if they heard whispers like you said," Charlie asked.

'That...was a good question actually!'

"Yes. It was only a matter of time before someone found the way. I half thought it was going to be one of the Hands that discovered it first. Now our kind has to come to terms with the fact that we too are a part of the cycles of Life and Death. They cannot continue to think themselves above it."

Emily looked thoughtful, "So...you knew it was possible? Why not tell anyone, sir?"

"I could not. My title binds me against speaking of things too soon."

Both Charlie and Emily looked like they were starting to understand the weight of what Azrael was. Lucifer was glad to see it. His duty was the most difficult of all his siblings and that was a large part of why Lucifer had believed his apology years ago, even before Az had given him and Lily a chance at having the greatest gift they'd ever had in their long marriage.

The Seraphim of Death was the only reason why Charlie existed at all.

***

A yelp drew his attention back to Vox, who was looking wild-eyed and holding his arm close. His sleeve looked...damp. 'why did it seem like he could taste him? he was keeping himself away so he wouldn't give in to the urge to.'

A ripple in the air beside the twitchy Overlord caught his attention and his ears swiveled as he heard the chiming of bells. The whirling thoughts in his head stopped as he studied the new strangeness, a small piece of his mind urging him to speak, "Vox, leave. Ǹͤo̘w͇͎̿!"

"I would really, really love to, buddy. You have no idea how much! But you've kind of left me blind here and the cables are all dead."

'stupid mortal soul. didn't he know his place?' Ah, there it was! That wasn't one of his own thoughts. Tricky little thing slipped up there. Now it was just a matter of catching it and making it match him, like his Shadow. Speaking of which...

Alastor grabbed hold of the shadows that were going wild with the surges running through him and forced them back under his control, pulling them away from the other demon and exposing the path to the door. Vox didn't need any further prompting. The urge to chase after the fleeing prey was there but he was more interested in the thing behind the ripples.

***

The door to the Embassy cracked open slightly, "Charlie? Are you sure it's ok for me to come in here?"

"Vaggie!" Charlie hurried over, taking hold of her girlfriend's hand and pulling her further in, "Trust me, you're fine! Even Dad's brother said it was okay, see?"

Lucifer wasn't sure if that look on Vaggie's face was awe, terror, or a mix of the two as she craned her neck up to look at the massive Seraphim. He wondered if maybe he should suggest Azrael shrink his form down just to make himself a bit less intimidating. Plus, it was bound to give everyone a crick in the neck if they kept having to tilt their heads that far.

Then Vaggie bowed her head, an arm crossed over her chest, "It is an honor to See the one who has so often Seen my actions, sir."

Charlie looked at her girlfriend in confusion over her formality while that rumble of Azrael's laughter filled the room again, "I am only glad that I did not See you for some time, little warrior. Too many have been forced into a role they do not fit well with. Your more recent fight was far more true to your nature to protect and defend."

Lucifer thought he saw a tear in Vaggie's eye but she wiped it away before he could be sure, looking around and quickly zeroing in on the curled up and wing covered form on the floor, "Is that...is she..."

Charlie stepped between Lute and Vaggie, meeting her gaze, "She's not dead. He's not here for that. But something important happened and I need you to promise to listen, ok?"

Notes:

Hope the whirling thoughts with Alastor weren't too confusing! He could tell the Corruption was trying to find a foothold and was really focused on his random inner commentary on things to track it down.

I found his thought on Velvette a bit funny, hope you guys did too.

Chapter 83: Growing Hunger

Summary:

Lucifer felt something was off. It was like an itch at the back of his mind but he couldn't place it.

Lucifer felt something was off. It was like an itch at the back of his mind but he couldn't place it. He tried to figure it out while the three young women processed everything he told them about the Corruption and who it was that they suspected as the source. Charlie had been easy, she didn't have the background the two angels did and she had readily accepted the idea that the Commander of Heaven's Armies could be such a threat. Vaggie believed him but was skeptical about how much to place on Michael for what she had been through, which Lucifer did not blame her for one bit. Emily...

The young Seraphim looked so completely aghast that he was almost afraid she was going to march straight back up to Heaven and demand answers, which would make everything Sera had done to get them out pointless. Emily had explained to him the story that she had been told, about how most thought they were doing inspections of the torn places in the universe while the supposed reality was that they doing a test run of the Ambassador program being proposed as a part of the treaty negotiations set to begin in a few months. It was clever of his sister to cover her tracks like that but he wondered if she had a plan for getting them back into Heaven without alerting Michael, especially now that Lute was free of the Corruption. There was no way there wouldn't be some difference in her behaviors now, not to mention that her Song would be clear. How much did Michael know of what he was? Sera seemed to think he was unaware but Lucifer remembered the appearance he had taken on that second visit, how it had been so nearly inhuman. There was a high likelihood Michael knew exactly what he had been doing and either didn't care or actively enjoyed it.

Which option would be worse?

Lucifer was pulled from his thoughts as he noticed Emily had stopped just shy of touching him, trying to get his attention, "Sorry! Did I miss a question? I tend to be a bit of a feather-brain!"

She giggled at his poor attempt at a joke, "It's alright, I just wanted to know...um, I mean, are you really okay with me being here?"

"Of course I am! You laugh at my jokes! Even Charlie has gotten sick of some of them," He smiled as his daughter threw him a fond but exasperated look.

There was a shift in the air as Azrael hummed thoughtfully, "Do not fret, little one. He simply cannot return the greeting you are trying to give him."

He winced at Azrael's words, feeling his chest ache as he realized how it must have looked to her. Now that he was aware of it, he could feel the way her energy had been gently pressing at his edges and was now pulling away, "Oh, um, yeah, that's...that's not something I can do anymore, Melony."

"Emily, Dad," Charlie gently corrected.

"Emily! Right, shit, sorry!" Lucifer gave a shaky laugh, "Anyway, yeah, the whole, uh, Judgement thing, you know?"

The sharp feelings of wariness and fear and everything else tied with Heaven that he had been trying to ignore and bury fed into his thoughts. 'Please don't make me spell it out. I'm trying so hard to keep it together here.'

Just his luck, she was giving him a genuinely concerned and curious look, "What do you mean?"

He blinked, "You don't... Isn't my Judgement already something you know? Even if the lower choirs don't, I would have thought they would at least tell other Seraphim as a warning."

She shook her head, frowning, "Not really? Only that you were the first to Fall after Eden and that you became King of Hell. I did try asking about you before because Charlie was so nice and you couldn't be bad if she was so wonderful! Sera got really upset, she seemed scared that just asking was going to make me Fall somehow and the other angels in the Court with access to the records said it wasn't allowed to be viewed by anyone but a First."

That...was odd. Why would the story of Eden be so well known but his Judgement after be hidden...

***

The ripples in the air began to grow weaker, as though whatever had been behind them was leaving. Well now, that just wouldn't do! Alastor reached out, calling to the shadows he had infused with Seraphic energies in an attempt to pierce the space before it could return to normal, "You know, it's terribly rude to stop by without saying hello!"

***

"Lucifer," Azrael looked down towards him, "You may need to intervene. He appears to be capable of sensing the presence of my other Self there currently. I cannot allow him to cross the threshold that leads to my core Self."

Running a hand over his face with a groan, he did not have to ask who his brother was referring to. 'Of course he's doing that. Because why not add another stupid, suicidal thing to his checklist today?!' Lucifer held his tongue, knowing it would do no good to say that out loud. He was almost glad that Alastor was doing something insane, it would give him a good excuse to get away from Emily and the earnest concern in her eyes.

***

Alastor grinned widely when the attempt was successful, the tentacles piercing the air as though there truly was something solid there. Twisting his hands around, he willed the shadows to part and pry open the way through. That little treat earlier had merely whet his appetite, his hunger now a sharp and dangerous thing. Whatever was on the other side smelled deliciously powerful!

***

"Core self?!" Charlie's head turned up sharply, "You mean you're like Dad and Samael?"

Emily looked even more confused now, "Wait, isn't Samael your old name? Why is she-"

A sharp ringing cut her off as Azrael used his staff to draw a portal in the air next to him just big enough for Lucifer to get through, "Go. Tell him he may meet me one day but that is not to be today unless he wishes to fully embrace Death."

Lucifer knew Azrael was perfectly capable of stopping Alastor himself. No one could force the Seraphim of Death to reveal himself, no matter how powerful they were. His core remained at the Heart of Creation so he could constantly access the energy he needed to be the Witness. But his brother was giving him a way out and he was all too glad to take it, "Charlie, I trust your judgement with how much she should know, okay? I will meet you back at the hotel after I'm done pulling your damn bellhop out of whatever stupidity he's gotten himself into."

She nodded at him, "Go on, I've got this!"

***

As soon as her dad was gone, Charlie looked up at Azrael, "You didn't feel all that concerned. You did that on purpose, didn't you?

The Seraphim nodded, sitting down on the floor and folding his wings up smaller. She got the feeling that he had remained standing for her dad's sake. Maybe to make him feel more protected with all that talk about Michael and Corruption? She imagined it would be hard to be scared with a giant angel of Death at your side, after all, "You really do love my dad, don't you?"

"He was one of the few that actively sought me out for nothing more than companionship. Most of the others find me and my Song too off-putting, even before they were aware that Death could find them," Azrael's tone was a bit more soft, touched with nostalgia and sadness.

Charlie grinned up at him and moved closer to give him a hug on his arm, "Well you are more than welcome to visit anytime if you want, Uncle Azrael!" The way he stiffened and the shock she felt from him had her pulling away quickly, "Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry! I should have asked before I did that!"

"It's alright, I just do not remember the last time someone actually made contact with my physical Being like that."

That sounded horrible to Charlie. What was wrong with people?! Really, so what if he was the one that saw death or whatever? It wasn't like he actively went out of his way to kill people or anything! Death was just a natural part of life and someone shouldn't be judged just because his job was a part of it!

"Oh boy, I recognize that look," Vaggie was giving her a fond smile. "Fair warning, sir, you've just been adopted into this crazy family and Charlie will be scolding the next person that says anything bad about you."

A groan from the floor grabbed everyone's attention, Lute's wing finally pulling back. There was small amounts of half-dried blood from her nose and mouth but it was the blood that looked like it had fallen like tears from her eyes that worried Charlie the most. Without opening them, the Exorcist brought her hand up to her head and grimaced, "Vag? That you? Fuck, my head is killing me. What did Adam dare us to drink last night?"

Notes:

Kinda paddling along with this chapter to try to move on to more active chapters. But I hope it's still enjoyable!

WIP Azrael is a little closer to finished now. I had a bit of a breakthrough on how I want Eldritch Al to look so expect to see a WIP update on that soon

Chapter 84: Fractured Memories

Summary:

Lucifer wrangles Alastor away from attempting to hunt the Seraphim of Death.

Lute deals with the aftereffects of the removal of the Corruption in her mind.

As soon as Lucifer stepped through the opening, he knew whatever Alastor had been doing was serious. The darkness around him was shifting and moving, a living thing. There was a crackle of energy in the air that he could almost taste, one that he was familiar with now but not like this. This was definitely purely the Radio Demon's energies but more abundant than he had ever seen, "Alastor!"

Immediately dozens of eyes opened all around him, a mix of radio dials and starburst pupils that glowed bright. His body instinctively broke out in goosebumps as he heard something chilling, like the call of a bull elk echoing unnaturally around him before a delighted voice responded,"͙Hͯe̤̬͌ll̘͐ỡ̄,̟̎ mͬͯy K̫̾in̼g̩̭͡!̡͈ H͊́a͢v̸̋e y͈ò͗u͉ c̟o͈ͦm̨͂͢ě̱ t͍ơ̚ jo̜i̎n̈́͑̎ m̜̠̽e o̶̧̜nͪͯ͢ t̠̭̔h̳e hu̪̔͡nt̷͍̲?̽"̭͆

'Oh sweet unholy fuck, he actually intends to try to hunt Az?! Shit.' He took care to keep himself relaxed. Alastor might have a form of Insight into his emotional state, but Lucifer was starting to get a feel for how the demon worked too. That had him going straight to using the sinner's prideful nature and eagerness to show off, "Actually, I was hoping you could tell me how you managed to pull the Corruption out of that angel earlier! It was impressive that you got it all out like that," Yeesh, even without using his Sight, he could tell there were planar rifts forming around him. The fuck was Al doing?! Pulling away from his body slightly but keeping himself half in to at least keep his own energies from warping things too, he peered at the space around him. Were those mouths?! Yes, yes they were and they were all grinning at him like some group of deranged cheshire cats, "I was told you were going to eat it but did you really do that already?! I mean, come on, weren't you ever taught to not eat random things you find lying around? I'll bet that's why you've gone all hentai monster in here!"

His last statement made a shriek of feedback cut through the air and even more eyes opened to glare at him. 'Huh. Didn't think he would actually know what that was!' Lucifer let his amusement at the reaction show on his body, "Come on, Al! Pack it up into something this plane can handle a bit better and tell me what you've been up to."

'Please let him listen to me. I don't know how he's managed to keep from creating an uncontrollable tear but I seriously hope no one is nearby or they are going to be so screwed up mentally.'

There was a hesitation then, a sense of the focus around him being divided. He followed the feeling until he could See that there was another rift, one of a different sort of energy and being held open by Alastor's shadows. 'Must be where Azrael was Witnessing.' Lucifer sank back fully into his body, choosing to play on the sinner's curiosity next, "If you let that close, I'll tell you all about the meeting, including some new information on Michael."

".̌.̤̑.̟͈fḯ̿n̺͒e̒̎."  

Keeping himself from grinning in victory was difficult but he managed. For some reason, the thought of talking about Michael with Alastor didn't bring anywhere same sense of unease as it had in the Embassy...

***

Vaggie looked very uncomfortable, visibly torn on how to respond to Lute. It went on long enough that Charlie was about to speak up when Emily stepped in, "Lute, it's Emily! Do you mind if I check on you? I might be able to make it feel better!"

The embarrassed grumble and slight blush were at odds with how Charlie thought of Lute. She had never seen anything like it on the angel's face before. The Exorcist sighed, "Em, please tell me we didn't do something fucking stupid and get Sera mad at us again. If we did, I wasn't sober enough to be blamed. Adam can take the hit this time."

Emily bit her lip and put her hands on Lute's face, her tone gentle, "No, you didn't do anything like that. Just relax please."

Watching that normally angry expression so relaxed, so trusting in Emily's hands made Charlie ache. A part of her had seen the angel as a monstrous enemy but this... she seemed so normal . Like a real person with friends and dreams rather than just a vengeful soldier out for blood. Vaggie was trembling beside her, her hand clenching as she took a deep breath, "L-Lute? What's the last thing you remember?"

"You sound as nervous as a rookie on their first Extermination, Vags!" Lute smirked before her eyebrows furrowed, "Ah, shit. Did Adam graffiti the memorial again?! "

Vaggie winced at that for some reason, leaning over to Charlie to whisper, "The last time that happened was about eight years before I met you. The memorial she's talking about...it's the one celebrating the Commander casting out your dad. Adam never cared about it unless he was drunk and then he absolutely hated it for some reason."

Emily pulled her hands away, "You've got some pretty bad damage in your mind. It's mostly bruising though so I think you'll get some or most of your memories back with time."

"My memories?" Lute finally blinked open her eyes, looking around. When she caught sight of Vaggie, she froze, "Vags? Why do you-AH!" She winced, holding her head and clenching her jaw, "Wait, I think I-" She hissed through her teeth before looking up, anger and confusion warring in her eyes, "Right. You...you're not one of us anymore. You betrayed...no, you-gah! What is going on in my head, dammit?!"

"You were being Corrupted," Azrael spoke finally, drawing her attention and from the way her eyes widened, it was obvious she knew who he was. "You will likely experience echoes and dissonance for a time until you can find yourself again."

"Sir, all due respect but what the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Lute wobbled as she tried to get to her feet, pushing away Emily's attempts to help, "I know who the fuck I am! I'm Lute, badass Exorcist and Adam's second...oh. No, that's not right anymore." Her anger wilted as her strength left her and she collapsed back onto her knees, her wings falling limp. She looked at all of them with confusion in her eyes, fighting back tears, "Adam's dead...right? I-"

Emily put her hand on the Exorcist's shoulder, "Yes, Lute, he died. I'm sorry you have to relive that pain."

It was painfully heartbreaking watching the proud angel wrestle with that memory. Her head dropped, hiding her face behind her hair, "I...I never...got to hear his Song. And now...I never will, will I?"

Even as her heart cracked for this angel she had once feared as an enemy and a threat to her dream, Charlie felt the spark of fury deep in her grow stronger. This wasn't right. She knew her dad was telling the truth, that something was wrong and rotten in Heaven. Being faced with the reality of it was still eye-opening and she vowed then and there that she would find a way to save everyone she could from this madness. Even angels like Lute.

Maybe especially angels like Lute. Vaggie had told her how so many angels were often pulled into the Armies almost immediately after they formed, almost like child soldiers. Looking at the Exorcist on the ground, shaking as she tried to pull her sense of identity back together, Charlie wondered if any of them really knew who they were beyond the readiness for violence against people they had never met.

Unseen behind the wings over his face, Azrael watched Charlotte Morningstar closely, listening to her Song swell. The coming days would bring great pain, the Inevitability that had been set in stone ten thousand years ago was fast approaching. But Seeing the young woman before him open her heart to someone she had so feared...

Even he could not be sure how strong the Corrupter of Songs would be when the final day came. Faced with the fury of the daughter of the Morning Star, who was Becoming the Voice of Redemption, Protector of the Lost, and with Potential to Be so much more, Azrael had a feeling it would be a far more difficult fight than Michael expected.

Notes:

I cried for Lute. I will admit that.

I know drinking in excess is viewed negatively in Heaven. But I figure Adam probably wasn't the sort to follow the rules about drinking in moderation. He seemed too much of a party person to me. He and the Exorcists were probably given a lot of leeway and looking the other way when they did stuff like that.

If nothing else, I'm going to wave my hand and say Author's artistic license.

Chapter 85: Hopes and Plans

Notes:

10/23 The prev chap has been edited due to migraine meds having me posting it a bit unfinished lol. Give it a look if you read it earlier. Most of it is just smoothing things out but the end has a few new paragraphs

Alastor knew he was being manipulated, that Lucifer was using his weaknesses against him. Dammit. He really wanted to go explore that new pathway with all the scents and sounds he caught from it before his shadows had released their hold. But his King had left those silly angels just to see him! He had even asked about how he and his Shadow had tricked the little thing out of that bundle of feathers and bones! 'Such a skinny creature. Almost no meat at all there. Still, I want to carve her open and-' He forced himself out of that line of thought. It was only making his hunger worse and Lucifer wanted him to make himself smaller again.

'two wings expendable to make the light-bearer submit' 'No, my King will not be submitting to anyone! You will submit to me, you damned thing!' Knowing that Michael considered the Exorcist expendable made him want to keep her alive out of pure spite! 'Hmmm, I'll have to see what uses she could have...' As he focused on bringing his usual form back to the forefront, he could feel a couple pieces resisting, their eyes locked onto the fallen angel hungrily, proving that some of the blasted thing had likely been attempting to get a foothold there. 'Tsk! You are mine now! You will obey me!'

Eugh, this battle of wills was far too similar to his first days with creating his Shadow. He had not missed the conditioning period and was loathe to repeat it now. 'Perhaps if I feed it through my Shadow, it will impart some of the training and-' The sound of a throat pointedly clearing reminded him of what he was supposed to be working on and he sent several interwoven threads to pierce and bind the disobedient bits. 'I will be dealing with you properly later.'

"Uh, Al? Why the hell are you attacking yourself?"

Alastor could feel himself grinning several times over at the completely baffled expression on Lucifer. The pain from where his threads pierced those sections was a good sign. It meant that he was mostly dealing with mental disturbances rather than any real solid remnants of his earlier snack. He managed to cobble together enough of his usual charming form to speak a bit more clearly, "Don't worry, sire! I am simply dealing with a bit of resistance from that silly thing! It won't be a problem for long!"

"You know, I really wasn't all that worried until you said that!"

Compressing himself down from this was far different from his old shiftings. Before, no matter what, he had felt at home in his own skin. Now it felt like his body was too small and it itched to fit himself into it. After cracking his neck several times, he looked down at one of his hands, flexing his fingers, "Does it always feel like this for you?"

Hands in his pockets, Lucifer looked at him with raised brows, "Hm? What do you mean?"

"Like your skin is too small."

"Ah, that. Yeah, but I can usually ignore it at this point unless someone," he gave Alastor a pointed look, "goes out of their way to make me more aware of just how small this body is."

Hmm, perhaps he would drop that particular line of teasing then. Ears swiveling, he looked around the warehouse to find the walls bubbled and in some places looking like they had started to melt before solidifying in odd colors, "Fascinating!"

A hum drew his attention to where Lucifer was looking at several large streaks of dark sinner's blood, "How many where here when you... changed?"

Alastor tapped his chin as he thought, "There were five this time, I do believe. But do not fret overly much, sire! They were already dying, so really it was practically a mercy at that point!" Though he wasn't quite sure if he had collected all of the souls or not. It could be interesting to see if there were any wild tales coming from regenerated sinners in the next few days!

A long sigh left the fallen angel before a strange expression crossed his face and he barked a sudden laugh. Alastor cocked his head in curiosity and that just made it worse for some reason. After a moment, Lucifer finally managed to calm enough to speak, "I just imagined telling Sera she wouldn't have to worry about overpopulation in Hell anymore with the rate you're going!"

Oh! That was an interesting thought! Perhaps-

"No!" The little King pointed a sharp claw at the Radio Demon, like he really thought that was going to work, "I was not serious with that so put that look away right now, Al! Dammit, I should know better than to put ideas like that in your head."

Alastor twirled his microphone at his side with a chuckle. He leaned in towards that claw, snapping his teeth at it playfully, "Wha~at? You mean ideas like sinners of Hell being sacrificed to my hunger like I was some sort of cruel god of ages past? Why ever would you think something like that would intrigue a humble soul like myself?"

They stared at each other for a long moment before they both had to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.

***

"Lute?" Charlie crouched down in front of the shaken angel, "Do you remember who I am?"

"Charlie, hold on, what if she-" Vaggie cut herself off when Charlie motioned for her to wait.

Piercing gold eyes glared at her, "Yes. You're the brat of Lucifer and that human." There was a pause and a blink, "You were...there was a trial? And you were there when Adam was..." She avoided saying it out loud again, "He had orders concerning you... Fuck! What were they?" Lute growled in frustration, her hand clenched in her hair as she tried to remember.

"Okay, so you know who I am. That's good," Charlie gave her a small smile, ignoring the tone for now. Acting offended would only make the woman more agitated, "Do you remember why Sera brought you here?"

The Exorcist actually raised her head at that, looking up at Emily, "We were brought here by her Highness? To the Embassy in Hell? Are they serious?!"

The young Seraphim nodded, uncertainty clear in her expression, "Yes. Sera talked to us this morning, remember?" When she just continued to look confused, Emily sighed and looked to the other two for help.

"Let's not focus on that right now, okay? You've been through a lot and, well" Charlie stood back up, offering her a hand with a bright smile. "I want to try to help you at my hotel, if you'll let me!"

Vaggie covered her face, not sure if she wanted to smile or groan. This was going to go so bad but if anyone would make it work, it was going to be Charlie.

***

"So, this Corruption is a warped Seraphim's Harmony?" Alastor eyed Lucifer as he thought on that. It made sense, considering everything else he knew. But how much should he reveal? "I wonder why it has taken so long to spread or become noticeable. Even my Shadow could tell something was wrong with a mere touch of that angel! Are they truly so blind in Heaven?"

The fallen angel scoffed, looking at some of the papers and notes that had been scattered on the floor, "Who knows? It could be Michael wasn't really aware of it or consciously utilizing it until recently for some reason."

"Hmm, but you don't think so, do you?"

"Nope!" Lucifer picked up one sheet in particular, his eyes narrowing as he read, "My best guess is either he's been biding his time waiting for something, which would likely be for me to give in. Or..."

Alastor raised a brow, moving closer to see what had his attention, "Or?"

"Or someone's been working against him for a while. Maybe both. Al?" Gold-lit eyes met red, "I'm going to give you one chance to explain. Why does this look like you've been trying to rewrite people?"

Ah. This...was going to be a difficult conversation, wasn't it?

Notes:

Yep, Charlie gave Lute the Hazbin Hotel sales pitch! lol

Lucifer and Alastor in the first half are ridiculous and just what I needed after the last chapter. Now we get to see if Al can actually explain without Lucifer blowing up.

How much will he tell?

Chapter 86: Interlude: Heavy Truths

Summary:

Uriel begins to reveal several things to Sera

Sera looked at the system before her with sad eyes. This had been one of the first ones they had all worked on together. Twin suns balanced in perfect compliment with each other, planets dancing around them in time. Now the whole system was out of sync, a wide crack splitting the stars and even had caught one of them in its branches. The warping effect was rapidly aging the sun, bringing it close to the point of imploding upon itself and likely consuming the rest of the system with it. One of the planets had been turned to little more than dust, it's remnants attempting to form a thin belt in its place but too weak to succeed.

"Sera."

She turned her eyes away to focus on her sibling, "Yes, Uriel?"

"The things I am going to show you, the changes that I have gone through, they will frighten you and challenge much of what you believe to be True. I want you to center your Self and be sure in your Trust in me, sister." That light in their central eye was piercing, their Song sharpening with the seriousness of their words, underlining their meaning.

Sera was not used to such from them. The Uriel she had known was direct and honest but always a bit unfocused with all the whispers they were drawn to. What did they mean by their changes frightening her? "I will do my best but I will admit, your words do cause unease."

They gave her a soft smile, "I appreciate your honesty. That means more than you realize. Keep being honest on your thoughts and feelings, it will help me to know what you are ready for." They moved closer to her, their gold-tinted wings spreading wide, "First, please allow me to Hear your Song in full. I do not believe he has the power to fully Corrupt one of us yet but I must See for certain."

That was something Sera wanted to know as well so it was an easy enough request to grant. Closing her eyes, she reached within herself and called up the deepest parts of her power, waves of Song and Harmony reaching out and enveloping Uriel. They let it surround them for a long moment before gently pushing back with their own Song to signal for her to draw it back in. When she opened her eyes again, she found they had tears of stardust streaming from their eyes and floating around them, "Are you alright?"

Uriel nodded, "Yes, dear sister. I am simply glad to see he has not managed to fully gain hold in you. There are signs of attempts and you do have a few parts of you that are out of tune but it seems you have resisted without knowing."

Sera felt relief at first, but there was pull in her calling her notice to something strange in the way Uriel was holding themself, almost as if they were in pain, "You are not fully speaking Truth to me, are you?"

They turned their focus away, refusing to look at her as they spoke, "Tell me, can you still access your first state of Being?"

That was an unexpected question and Sera wanted to immediately say yes, but the truth was that she hadn't taken on that form in a very long time. As she focused on it, trying to grasp the shape of it, she realized that while she could take on that Being still, it no longer felt as natural or right to her as this one. She said as much to Uriel and they nodded, "I thought so. The Truth is, we all are Becoming something more comprehensible to humans. Creation has chosen to try to bring us all into Harmony with one another, if I am hearing the whispers right."

She felt uneasy at that thought, "But that does not explain why you looked pained."

"Never could get anything past you, sister," They gave her a half-smile, "At least when you aren't stuffing your feathers in your ears. The thing is, I have fully embraced this path. I can no longer Become what I was in the beginning because of this. It has made me more sensitive to the whispers but that sensitivity apparently also means I cannot handle a First's full Song anymore without pain. I likely could be damaged just the same as an angel before they reach Clarity if I tried to Listen for much longer than I did."

Sera felt her own tears forming. That she could hurt them with something like that...

Uriel gave her a look, "Do not pity me. That is the least of my changes and one I am not terribly saddened by. It does mean I have had to take care not to get anywhere near Michael or any others still under his sway. I dread what he would do with the Knowledge that I carry such a weakness when I have so openly opposed him."

She realized then that they were giving her something important, a show of Trust to help her hold true to her own Trust in them. Sera nodded in understanding, "Thank you, Song-Sibling."

They huffed a laugh, "You haven't called me that in a long time! I am glad to hear it again. Now, this next part will be difficult."

She felt herself tense as they led her closer to the crack, the wrongness of the sounds around it making her head spin, "What-" Sera saw them reach a hand closer to it and quickly tried to pull them away, "Are you trying to unravel yourself?!"

Her attempts failed, their strength somehow greater than hers, and she watched in terror as they touched the warping energies eminating from it. Their rings spun around until the eyes at the back were now in front, three of them opening to reveal themselves empty! Sera's horror turned to shock as a portion of the energies flowed through her sibling and into the sockets of those eyes, leaving the space between them and the actual tear clear of the warped sounds, "I cannot contain it for long but touch the edge of the torn space and tell me what you Hear."

She didn't want to. But...she was terrified of what Uriel had just done, at the thought of what channeling and holding that energy must be doing to her dearest sibling. Sera forced her hand forward, reaching out to make contact with it. As soon as she registered what the crack actually was, she yanked her hand away as though burned.

Uriel released the energy back to where it had been and pulled her away, watching her closely. Several times she tried to speak before she finally managed, "How?! No integral piece of Creation has been destroyed!"

"Tell me, Sera, what do you think Creation feels has happened when one of it's beloved Firsts is suddenly completely cut off from it, his energies nowhere to be found and never returning to its Heart?"

"But...but they came into Being before the Judgement!"

"Are you absolutely sure of that? That all of the cracks come from the same source and were created at the same time?"

Sera felt cold with the realization that no, she didn't know for sure. It had never even been questioned before!

Oh merciful Light... had they truly already invited the Silence to spread through the symphony?!

Notes:

Dun dun duuuuunnnn! One big plot point revealed! Now how many sources for the cracks in the Universe are there?

Also, Song-Brother/Sister/Sibling is a term of endearment for angels of the same rank/age that are very very close. Uriel already mentioned the term once earlier, in reference to the bond between Emily and Charlie. I am fully team Chaggie but I am undecided if things could go poly with Emily or if it will stay more like close sisters. Thoughts?

Chapter 87: Painstaking Work

Summary:

"If you want as much of the truth as I am able to tell you, then I need your word that you will not speak of any of this to anyone. Even Rosie."

Notes:

Cliffhanger warning

Whatever response Lucifer had expected, it was swiftly upended when Alastor wove a thick barrier of mixed power with a speed and efficiency that was quite frankly impressive. For all the sinner's many flaws, his drive to master any skill he gained was not one of them.

"If you want as much of the truth as I am able to tell you, then I need your word that you will not speak of any of this to anyone. Even Rosie."

Lucifer felt concern warring with the wariness and anger over what he had seen on those papers. For it to be something that even Rosie didn't know... "Alright. You have my word."

Alastor stared at him for a long moment as though looking for any sign of a lie or doubt. Finally, he turned his gaze to the distorted walls, "There are several reasons I have been attempting to figure out that particular piece of Knowledge."

Lucifer felt his breath catch at that. He had already been pretty sure that the idea had to have come from his other Self, but this made it real. The problem was that he hadn't Known how rewriting worked beyond the premise when he was Judged. That sort of thing was for healers and, while he did have some abilities in healing, it wasn't his particular specialty. For his core to now Know how it worked well enough to share it, that meant he had to have practiced by splitting himself and his memories before then rewriting them. How much was lost forever?! What other experiments had he done on himself out of isolation-induced madness?!

From the understanding way Alastor was looking at him from the corner of his eye, it seemed like the sinner had similar thoughts, "Now you see at least one of the reasons I hope to return to that side of you. Since I am more aware of what the Knowledge means now, I am concerned what further actions that side of you will take before we can find a way to make you whole again."

...wait, what?!

Alastor continued like he hadn't just stated he was actively planning to overturn a Heaven-ordained Judgement, like that was just something anyone would say out loud and with such surety, "Back to the current topic however, there are three main reasons I have been pursuing this, beyond simply wanting to be capable of using everything I now Know. The thing that unlocked it was Vox." When Lucifer showed no recognition of the name, he chuckled in amusement, "The little incident before I met your other Self? One of those two that survived approached me, seeking a way to fix what had happened because of my little escapade there."

"Oh, right. I had almost forgotten there were others there. So, what? You're doing this out of kindness?"

It was obvious that Alastor could tell that he didn't really believe that, "Heavens, no! But Vox is terribly useful when he isn't blinded by his own foolishness! We were once rather close but as that is in the past, I might as well get what I can out of him."

There was something in that tone, a story there. Remembering Rosie's anger over someone who got close to Al, he wondered if it was maybe this Vox guy. Lucifer wanted to ask, to actually be the one learning more about the other man, but this wasn't the time for that, "The way you talk about it, I imagine you haven't actually succeeded in pulling it off yet. And this guy is still holding it together?"

Red ears perked up as the sinner grinned proudly, "Oh yes! My old pal may be an absolutely pathetic and narrow-minded fool but he has a rather strong will. A little bit of tweaking of one of Rosie's tricks to keep her cannibals in line and he's holding up quite well for now! He even managed to keep from falling completely apart when he saw the state I was in earlier."

That...was actually intriguing, knowing how chilling his own physical body had found Alastor's presence when he had first gotten here. Lucifer tried to remember if Rosie had actually explained to him what she did with her cannibals but he couldn't grasp it.

"The second reason is because I had hoped to find a way to utilize it against Michael. Sadly, I have yet to find a successful way to make it work on an unwilling subject, especially someone with a strong mind. Otherwise it runs too many risks to my own mind."

The fallen Seraphim felt a heavy weight in his stomach. Alastor had actually tried to push that on someone unwilling?! Red eyes were watching him closely, waiting for his reaction to that. Lucifer wanted to scream at him, to demand that he stop with all of this right now. Hell, he wanted to reach into the bastard's head and tear out the Knowledge that his core had stupidly given him! As he struggled to deal with the feelings building up, several memories crossed his mind.

"Work with him, not against him. That's how you get a better chance of maneuverin' Alastor to where you want him to end up!"

"One thing you gotta know about Alastor is it's not just his mind that's all twisted up weird. His bonds with others are too. People generally fall into two categories for him. You're his or you're not, simple as that!"

"Everyone seems to forget I'm not some poor, lost soul looking for a chance to redeem myself. Perhaps knowing the particulars of my more recent targets has led you to believe I'm some sort of misunderstood hero like some of Angel Dust's friends do. I'm not. I generally enjoy watching the life drain away from others, no matter who they are or what they've done. Even better if it is by my own hand!"

...right. For all that Alastor was a charming and intelligent person, he was also a remorseless sinner with extremely limited empathy for others. He had even said earlier not to worry about those he had killed in his transformation because they were dying anyway. They likely had been ones he was trying this out on. Why would the Radio Demon hesitate with this particular torture versus the others that he inflicted on those he killed? Anyone he didn't feel he had a personal claim to was fair game in his mind.

But then why had his Shadow, a creature that was practically an extension of his own Self, chosen to spare the life of the angel that attacked Charlie? It probably would have been far easier to kill her than to save her. Lucifer hissed between his teeth as he looked at the bloody smears on the floor. Trying to understand Alastor was nearly impossible and, at this point, it would be smarter to try to find a way to guide the man away from this particular action rather than just outright condemn him, "I really want to light you up in a blaze of Hellfire right now and I think you know that, don't you?"

There was a raised brow and a tilted head, "I'm actually a bit surprised you haven't! I was fully prepared for that possibility!"

And yet he had still chosen to be honest with Lucifer. There was something in that that helped ease some of the bitter hurt and anger in his chest. For all that this demon was every inch the prime example of everything that had gone wrong with humanity in the King of Hell's opinion, he was still willing to offer that sort of honesty, even knowing it risked him losing everything between them. Was it possible the sinner was willing to let Lucifer be a restraining hand, a sort of secondary moral compass to keep him from going a step too far? "If I asked you to stop, would you?"

"For the most part, yes."

He narrowed his eyes at that, "What does that mean?"

"You asked how my Shadow managed to remove the Corruption from that sad excuse for an angel," Alastor turned to face him then, placing his microphone in front of him and folding his hands over top, "It's because of what I learned by trying. While it did not actually attempt to rewrite her, there is a large amount of disturbance that can be caused while using the beginning stages of the technique on someone who is resisting it. That threw her mind and Song into enough of a defensive panic that the parts that did not actually belong in her were briefly separated. Then it was simply a matter of grabbing hold of it and forcing it into a physical state that could be torn out. I imagine her headache is going to be rather monumental."

...that was likely an understatement. Lucifer could feel his own head hurting a bit in sympathy, "So far, I've not heard anything that sounds like the sort of thing you would want to keep from Rosie. What's the third thing?"

Alastor's ears folded back flat and his hands tightened their hold on the microphone, "I cannot speak of all of it, but there is another that I believe to be highly Corrupted. I had thought I could use forced rewriting as a way of weakening and destroying her but now that I know of this method to extract the delicious energy, perhaps her death will be unnecessary!"

'Cannot. Not will not.' Lucifer studied him for a long moment, watching as the Radio Demon grew more tense the longer that he remained silent. A growing suspicion was building in his mind and he started to turn over several mysteries he had been thinking about in regards to Alastor. While he really hadn't known of him before that first day they met at the hotel, Lucifer had asked around a bit out of concern for Charlie. So he knew the sinner had come to the Pride Ring with a surprising amount of power for a newly fallen soul. He knew the man had disappeared for seven years only to suddenly reappear the day that Charlie publicly announced the hotel to Pentagram City. He also knew that Alastor claimed the reason he came to the hotel and offered his aid was for entertainment only. Even not having heard it for himself, Lucifer had known that was utter bullshit.

He was about to call him out on this when Alastor made a shocking plea, "If you trust me at all with Charlie's life, please do not ask what you wish to right now. I swear to you now that anything beyond what I have told you must remain unspoken or I will not be able to remain solidly between her and the Corrupted one that I mentioned."

Lucifer swallowed hard. So he was right then. There was someone with a contract on Alastor that wanted to use him to get to Charlie. And if that person was Corrupted, that meant... "You swear that you will be keeping my daughter safe?"

Starburst pupils flared as the sinner nodded, "I will do everything in my power as well as yours to ensure it."

***

Azrael watched as the four made their way out of the Embassy. It would not be easy, but there was a chance of the formerly Corrupted angel finding herself and Becoming something more than a weapon. From behind the feathers over his face, his eyes turned dark and pained as he felt what another Self was Witnessing. The mighty Seraphim of Death was powerless to interfere in this madness or he risked being unable to interfere when it would be absolutely needed later. He could only hope that Lucifer would one day forgive him for not being able to stop or warn him of what Michael was preparing.

On the mortal world, a human woman painted symbols on the floor, her eyes sightless and her body following the whispers in her mind. A young man lay dead nearby, his blood used for her current work. Several others, a mix of adults and children, watched in terror from where they were bound nearby as the circle slowly built up power and began to glow. Another watched as well, unseen by these pitiful creatures as the one being guided by his Song worked to call his brother to the surface so they could have a long overdue conversation.

Notes:

Alright, horrible place to stop but I have to post this now because my real life is going to hell in a hand basket. Some very stressful things are going on and I am likely going to be reading fanfic to escape rather than writing for a bit. I hope hope hope that the situation gets resolved quickly before it has to go to court but it's not looking great. Forgive me if I am quiet for a while.

Chapter 88: An Unavoidable Call

Summary:

Charlie had never expected anything like this to happen. Emily was here! In Hell! And watching everything she could see outside of the car window with wide, curious eyes!

Charlie had never expected anything like this to happen. Emily was here! In Hell! And watching everything she could see outside of the car window with wide, curious eyes! The bubbly Seraphim had wanted to walk to the hotel but, as much as the Princess loved her people, she was well aware that between the likelihood of attack and the fact that the angel had never met even one sinner before, bluntly exposing her to Pentagram City like that would be a bit much. Her friend's disappointment hadn't lasted long after seeing how adorable Razzle was, waiting politely for them at the car. Emily was exactly what Charlie had always imagined angels to be like and it made her glad that there was hope that even more were like that in Heaven.

There was a part of her that was so stupidly giddy that her friend was here and would be able to really see what they were doing! And maybe she could use her knowledge of Heaven and Songs and who knows what else to help them figure out why Pentious had worked so they could get more sinners redeemed!

...

However, there was another part of her mind that was worried about how Emily would really feel about Hell at the end of this. Things were so different here than Heaven. Would she be able to see the same things Charlie did? How so many people here didn't actually deserve this? Especially the children! What was the point of punishing young souls that had never had a chance to learn better?! Even if she preferred rehabilitation to punishment, there was still supposed to be a lesson learned and a chance to prove you could do better, not eternal torture and damnation!

Charlie was brought out of her bitter thoughts by a touch on her shoulder, Vaggie speaking quietly,  “Charlie, do we have any sort of plan to handle this? Emily will be easy enough, she really doesn’t look like an Exorcist. Lute is going to be a big problem, between her being known from the last battle and the fact that she looks ready to stab anybody that gets too close.”

Charlie glanced at the Exorcist in question. She was having a hard time getting any sort of passive Insight on her. Lute had refused to take her hand, which really was understandable, even if she really really really had hoped her metaphorical olive branch would be accepted. Emily was the one to help her up and tell her about what her “orders” had been from Sera, that she was to guard the young Seraphim for the month. Lute had almost desperately grabbed hold of the fact that she had a duty, had orders to follow, something that made at least some sense to her in all her confusion. Charlie, Vaggie, and Emily had all come to a wordless agreement to not tell her about the full reason the two angels were here just yet. It would be better to let her stabilize a bit more first. Learning that her direct superior was doing what he was, well, that was a recipe for disaster that even Charlie could see.

A thought suddenly struck her. 'Wait, does this whole thing with Michael mean Adam might have been corrupted too?!' Charlie felt a pain in her heart at the thought, her mind quickly racing. The horrible ways he had acted and the things he had done..

"...it's the one celebrating the Commander casting out your dad. Adam never cared about it unless he was drunk and then he absolutely hated it for some reason."

Charlie could feel the sting of tears in her eyes as a thought followed the memory of what Vaggie said. 'What if he had hated the monument in Heaven because deep down he knew something was wrong?! Were his true feelings buried under the Corruption unless he was drunk?! Could he have been saved like Lute?!' She quickly wiped them away, shaking her head when Vaggie looked at her in concern. There was no way she was going to say any of those thoughts out loud in front of Lute right now!

The Exorcist was on edge, looking at the city outside the tinted windows with an unreadable expression though her hand kept a tight hold her sword. Vaggie was watching her close, likely waiting for any sign the blade would be drawn. That was a more immediate problem to focus on. Lute would want her weapon on her at all times and Vaggie was right to be worried about that.

Charlie took a deep breath as they pulled up to the hotel, centering herself before she spoke, “Emily, Lute, you both are welcome here but we can’t have anyone attacking our guests,” She heard Vaggie mutter something that suspiciously sounded like 'Alastor' but she continued on. “Do you have any way to guarantee that you won’t?”

Emily smiled bright and clasped her hands in front of her earnestly, seeming to understand that Charlie had only included her to keep from singling Lute out, “Absolutely! If you want, I can even Speak an Oath into Being for us both!”

From the way both Lute and Vaggie looked at the young Seraphim, that was a pretty big deal. The Exorcist hissed out, “Emily! You can’t do that! What if-” Her teeth clicked shut as Emily became unusually serious, giving her a sharp look that Charlie had only seen near the end of the trial.

“You know I hate pulling rank, Lute, but yes I can do that. This is a diplomatic endeavor and you are not yet at the age of Clarity to be able to Speak your own Oath in this. That leaves the responsibility and the consequences on me, understand?”

The way Lute immediately pulled away, her wings held tight against her and her head bowed, it seemed more of an instinctive reaction than a conscious one, “Yes, your Highness. I understand.”

Charlie held up a hand, “Uh, what’s-”

Emily’s body began to glow as two more eyes opened, one on her halo, another on her chest, “I swear upon my place within Creation that for the duration of our current mission, should I or my guard bring physical or spiritual harm to anyone in Hell beyond self-defense, I shall immediately submit to any punishment that Charlotte Morningstar, Princess of Hell, deems Just.”

Charlie’s eyes went wide as she felt...something. It wasn’t exactly like what she had felt when she made a deal with Alastor but there was definitely a similarity, “What just happened?”

“She made the Heavenly equivalent of a binding contract with you,” Vaggie said, looking at Emily with clear respect, "Smart move really. Lute is less likely to do something when it's one of her superiors that'll take the heat, not just her."

Emily nodded once, looking pleased with herself. Lute gave the former Exorcist a scathing look, "Shut the fuck up, traitor."

“...right.” Charlie blinked several times, “Uh, I guess...that works?”

The light and extra eyes faded away before Emily grinned and bounced out of the car, already back to her bubbly self, “Yep! Now, is the spider sinner you call Angel Dust here? I have a letter for him!"

"For Angel? Really?! From who?" Charlie couldn't help but get a little excited about that.

"His sister! I looked all over like you asked me to and I found her!"

"Ohmygosh, are you serious?! He's going to be so happy!" Charlie and Emily joyfully squealed as they walked into the hotel with two very tense angels behind them. No one noticed as a piece of the Princess's shadow broke away and went racing back into the city.

***

Lucifer could feel that itch in his mind getting stronger, so familiar but he couldn't quite remember! Between what happened at the Embassy and then here with Alastor, he desperately just wanted to find somewhere to hide away from everything for a fucking week and not have to think about anything at all.

"Well now! And here I thought we were friends, your Majesty!"

He looked over at the sinner in curiosity at the seemingly random statement, blinking as he realized both Alastor and his Shadow were looking at him with raised brows, "Oh, guess that means Charlie got back to the hotel okay?"

Alastor waved a hand in the air, brushing off the question, "Yes, safe and sound with our new guests it appears! However," He stepped closer to Lucifer, leaning down to put himself eye to eye with the fallen angel like the asshole he was, "When were you going to inform me the Angel of Death had made a visit? Or that he was the one beyond that opening?"

Lucifer blinked, feeling flustered as he leaned away, "Well, uh, you see..."

Those red eyes narrowed, "Hmm?"

"You know, I think we should go check on things at the hotel! Right?" He would never admit that there was a squeak in his voice as he snapped his fingers and...

Nothing happened?

What?!

Lucifer looked down at his hand in confusion only to find glowing symbols slowly spreading out from under his feet. His heart nearly stopped in his chest as he recognized them and realized what that growing feeling in the back of his mind had been, "Al? I think...someone is summoning me..."

The last thing he heard as light surrounded him was shrieking feedback and then his body felt like it was being pulled apart as he was forcefully torn through the planes to the human world.

 

Notes:

Slowly working through when I have the energy for it! Aiming to hopefully make enough to update once a week.

The next one is going to be another interlude and probably a tearjerker even though its from a temp character POV, fair warning!

Question is, how dark are you guys okay with me making Michael? Like...I can go bad enough with this but there is also a version where he really really goes evil. I would properly tag the chapter in the beginning notes but...yeah...

Chapter 89: Interlude: The One Chosen

Summary:

Former Private Jessica Peterson of the U.S. Army was nobody special, not really.

Former Private Jessica Peterson of the U.S. Army was nobody special, not really. She had been pretty and popular in school, loving parents, slightly naive about the complexities of the world. Pretty normal overall. When she graduated, she had been proud to go serve her country, one of thousands who had enlisted after high school. One of many who were so sure they were doing the right thing. She thought herself prepared for battle, for taking on enemy forces. But those enemies in her mind had always been faceless, evil people who had no reason behind their actions but to cause destruction.

The reality had been far crueler.

She had found herself having to fire upon teenagers who should have been in school, not holding guns. The battles weren't on some empty stretch of desert but in towns, cities that were different from the ones that she knew but still all too similar. Children crying for a parent shot down for the crime of being too close to the fight. No telling if it was from their forces or hers. She had held onto her sanity because of one man in her unit.

Private Roger Rabbitt.

After introductions and good natured teasing, he had admitted to being well aware of the character and movie so similar to his name, even going so far as to playfully recite one of the lines with hilarious accuracy, "P-p-please, Raoul! I can give you stars! Just drop the refrigerator on my head one more time!"

He was adorable and funny and she was pretty sure it was love at first sight. Of course, when he had heard her name was Jessica, there had been endless jokes about turning her blond hair red so she could be the perfect future wife for him. She had always rolled her eyes and scoffed but, as time went, she started to play along. The two of them had most of their unit cracking up with laughter even after some really hard days. Slowly but surely, Jessica and Roger had both come to realize that their playful reenactments had a touch of truth hidden underneath, that they were interested in seeing what they could be when they finally got home. A promise was made that when the fighting was over or at the end of their terms of service, they would go back to the states and find out.

The realities of war were harsh and they never got to fulfill that promise.

One bomb took away her eternally smiling Roger.

Weeks later, she found herself back home, honorably discharged with nightmares plaguing her mind and a positive test in her hand in her parents' bathroom. Bitterness and anger and fear had her breaking down in tears on the floor as her mother rushed to her side. Hours later, with both of her parents support, she chose to keep this one last piece of Roger growing within her.

Determined that she wouldn't burden her future child with her mental problems, Jessica sought therapy and fought to get her feet back under her despite her grief. Inch by inch, she found her smile, her ability to laugh.

Perhaps she could have healed. Perhaps she could have found a strength in holding the child of the man she loved. Perhaps she could have let go of her anger at the harsh realities of this world.

Jessica was no one special in a world full of turmoil and trauma, that's true.

She just had the misfortune of bearing a striking resemblance to Lilith Morningstar as Michael had last seen her two centuries ago, when she was pregnant with Samael's child.

Notes:

POTENTIAL EMOTIONAL SPOILER ALERT because Michael is EVIL.

So this is the setup to what's about to happen. Warning, this isn't going to be pretty. Like this is probably going to get bad enough that I will have to set up a way for people to skip what happens and read the cliffnotes at the end of the chapter. It's going to end badly for her BUT despite what happens, this won't be the last we see of this character, okay? I promise that while she will need a LOT of healing, this isnt the end.

Chapter 90: A Painful Anniversary

Summary:

To say the Radio Demon was upset would be an understatement of hellish proportions. Everything capable of catching his broadcast came alive with ear-splitting shrieks and screams, not only in Pentagram City but in all of the Rings, startling sinners, fallen, and hell-born alike.

To say the Radio Demon was upset would be an understatement of hellish proportions. Everything capable of catching his broadcast came alive with ear-splitting shrieks and screams, not only in Pentagram City but in all of the Rings, startling sinners, fallen, and hell-born alike.

Charlie clutched a hand to her chest as an echo of the pain she could sense tore through her. She had heard similar sounds from Alastor's creepy powers many times before but they had never made her feel like this. She could vaguely hear Husk swearing and Emily frantically trying to get Lute to put her sword away. She definitely couldn't blame the Exorcist for her reaction, even Vaggie had a tight grip on her spear.

What was going on with Alastor?! Dad was with him, right?!

"Charlie?! What in Creation is that?!"

She snapped out of her daze at Emily's question, turning to Husk, "See if you can reach him through the radio!" Charlie tried not to sound too panicked, pulling out her phone to find the Sins were all texting her with questions she had no answer too, "Crap, he's reaching all the Rings!"

"No dice, kid. Boss ain't even pausing the damn signal so I don't think he can hear me at all."

She bit back the urge to swear and started towards the front door, "Vaggie, I'm calling Rosie! She's most likely to know where he is. I need to go find them!"

"I'm coming with-"

Charlie hated interrupting her but she had to, "I need you to stay here. I swear, I'd love to have you with me but someone needs to be here that can keep things from going bad with Emily and Lute." For the safety of both the guests and the visiting angels was left unsaid. "And if I bring them along, who knows how Al will react!"

Vaggie frowned, obviously unhappy with the idea but she nodded. Charlie heard the other end of the call pick up, "Aunt Rosie, did you hear that too?!"

***

Rosie was unsurprised by the call. She could hear more under that broadcast than most. Alastor was freaking out badly enough that he was even infusing his own Song into it and that was a really bad sign. He had promised he wouldn't use that energy unless it was a last resort but this... this didn't sound like it was under his control. And Alastor losing control was never a good thing. Vox could attest to that.

"Yeah, darlin'. I think the whole Ring's hearin' it. He was meetin' another Overlord today but I don't know where." Charlie's frantic worry was clear as she babbled something about Lucifer going to see him and how she was so scared something had happened again when he had just gotten back on his feet. "Charlie, dear heart, breathe! Look, I have a way of reachin' the guy he was meetin'. Can you get over here with a car while I do that? If his energy really is outta his control, I gotta get it contained and fast like."

She barely waited for Charlie's agreement before she hung up the phone and dialed in a new number, "Carmilla? Sorry, doll, but this is an emergency. You're hearin' the Song in there too, right? I never thought I'd be sayin' this but I need to talk to Vox as soon as possible," Rosie set about gathering her things and pulling as much energy as she could safely travel with into herself as she listened to the woman on the other end, "Look, I can't tell you much. You wanna know what's goin' on, you gotta talk to Alastor or Lucifer about- Of course I mean the blasted King! Gitcher damn feathers outta your ears and give me Vox's contact information or I'll-"

***

Reaching out to try to catch hold of Lucifer, either to keep him here or perhaps be pulled along with, had been an exercise in futility. The move had been more instinctive than anything. Alastor was well aware he'd had no chance of altering the summon but he hadn't been able to keep from trying. Watching his King slip right through his fingers filled him with a fear and rage unlike anything he could remember. Snarling, he reached for his Shadow as he tried to come up with any way of reaching Lucifer. He would be damned all over again before he'd just sit back and let Michael get away with this, for that was surely who was behind it! The creature was capable of smaller jumps, perhaps he could power it to-

He faltered when his Shadow failed to respond, confusion cutting through the maelstrom in his mind. In fact, his connection to the creature was the weakest it had ever been, strained to the point of concern that it would break...

Any relief he might have felt over the likelihood his Shadow had managed to latch onto Lucifer in time to be pulled up with him was quickly washed away with a sense of anxiousness and guilt. Could this be because of his recent machinations? There was no way she could have already gotten the bait and contacted Michael, right? It hadn't even been two days and it usually took three or more for whatever ears she had up here to catch what was going on. The timing was too convenient but could it really be coincidence?

His body still felt too small and he had a hand tight in his hair, pulling hard to keep himself grounded with the pain. He couldn't lose himself again. He needed to be ready to handle whatever condition his King was in upon his return.

And Lucifer would return. He refused to even acknowledge any other possibility.

'light bearer must submit'

"S̝̀̈́͜͞H̤̤̆Ư̻̥̤T̻ Ư̻̥̤Ṕ̴̟̙ͥ Y̸̖ͦO̷̡͎͜Ù͇̚ DA̻͍̳͇ͅM̾ͨ̇͑̚N̖̈͑̓͞ED N̾́Ú̸̫͋IṠ͙͈ͨȀ͓͎̀N͉̗͌͝C̒̓̑E̴̋!" He roared, feeling a sudden consuming hatred for the whisper still trying to fight him. A wave of intense energy built up in him, trapped by his refusal to shift. The staff of his microphone creaked in his tight grip as his muscles clenched and he arched forward, back burning until finally the energy found some sort of outlet, his center of gravity swiftly changing. Vertigo soon followed and had the sinner falling to his hands and knees, breathing harshly through his teeth. For all the strength he had gained, it was obvious he was still too. damn. WEAK!

***

Screams.

So many screams and cries of agony were around him as he landed within the circle, his body collapsing in a bloody heap with much of him outside of it.

"Well now, I certainly didn't expect to have you show up already half broken. Were you fighting the call that hard? Here I would have thought you'd appreciate the break from your prison, §åmåêl."

The blinding light of magic finally settled enough for him to See outside of the circle. He was unsurprised to see the icy blue eyes of Michael's physical form looking up at him. Dread threatened to overtake him as he fought to fold himself back down, to do anything to stop the screams of the humans all around him.

"Pity that I missed the bicentennial anniversary, but I was rather busy dealing with that stubborn ape that year. Surprisingly willful for such a crude simpleton. No matter what I did, some part of him refused to fully submit. If it weren't for the waste of all that effort I put into him, I'd almost be grateful for you and your precious sinners," Michael's voice practically dripped with disdain, "for finally putting him out of my misery."

"Bicentennial anniversary?' Lucifer was trying not to listen, to not make the connections that his former brother was surely leading him to. It wasn't much but he wanted to at least deny Michael the satisfaction of getting the reactions he wanted. But...if he let himself hear those words, let them sink in fully, then he would have to acknowledge that some of that had been about Adam. 'Fuck fuck fuck, no! Don't think about it! I can have a break down over that once I get away from here!'

Michael tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at him, "Nothing to say? Unusual for you, dear brother."

"You are not my brother!" So much for not reacting. It was painful, but he had finally managed to reconnect to his body enough to speak through it again. "My brother died a long fucking time ago!"

Michael continued to stare at the part of him that was outside of his physical form, "Still impertinent as ever, hm? I would have thought you would have learned your lesson before. Perhaps the third time's the charm. You haven't even noticed the gift I brought you, have you? And I even made sure it looked just like your precious human, since I couldn't find the original."

As the other Seraphim motioned to the side, Lucifer sank further into himself and forced his body to sit up despite his injuries, feeling guilty for having the barest amount of relief as the wailing around them died down to incoherent sobs. That relief swiftly turned to horror as a woman stepped into his line of sight, a very familiar purple gown draped over her pregnant form. Despite the blank look in her eyes, he could tell everything else had been done to mimic Lilith...

Oh fuck, he was going to be sick!

"There we go. That's an expression I prefer if you insist on parading around in that ridiculous body."

Lucifer tore his eyes away, looking at Michael in horror, "Why?! Why are you-"

"I already told you," The unnatural smile that spread over that face that was so eerily similar to his own looked so terribly wrong. There was a very good reason there were no mirrors in the palace these days. "I felt it was high time we had a reenactment of our last meeting."

It felt like he couldn't get enough air as he finally realized what anniversary Michael had been talking about, "Oh god, no no no! Michael, please! Don't do this!"

Crouching down to be at eye level with him, Michael reached out a hand and Lucifer flinched as he felt a cold energy brush over the side of his face with the motion. Fuck, that meant while he couldn't get out, this twisted mockery of his brother could get in...

"Too late to beg now, dear brother. Let's see if you can hold onto your precious morals until the end. Maybe this time you will finally see the Light."

Notes:

...next chapter is going to be the doozy. I will tag it properly at the beginning and do a full summary at the end for those that might get triggered, promise.

I am actually surprised how easy it's been to plot out how evil and twisted Michael is going to be here. Usually villains are hard for me to convincingly write but this... yeah, this is going to hurt.

In other, lighter subjects, who wants to guess what just happened to Al?

Also, I have had to come to terms with the fact that this story is DEFINITELY going to be longer than 100 chapters. W.T.F?!?!

Edit 07/10/2025: Fanart! Someone drew the wings appearing! There's 3 version in total! Aaaaaaa!

Sketch: https://www.tumblr.com/frizzycrls/788672805985304576/so-i-was-reading-inhuman-vastness-as-one-does-ya?source=share

Two styles: https://www.tumblr.com/frizzycrls/788764522554015744/and-im-back-im-done-with-the-art-but-first-i?source=share

Chapter 91: A Tragedy in the Making

Summary:

Michael terrorizes Lucifer in another attempt at breaking him down.

Meanwhile, a hidden meeting between two other Seraphim occurs. Azrael asks his closest sibling and best friend to step in where he cannot.

Notes:

TW: Physical abuse, wing torture, gaslighting, emotional abuse, mind control, decapitation, threats of child deaths

A lot of it happens after the POV switches back to Lucifer and Michael so if you want to avoid that, skip to the end notes then. If I've missed warning for anything, let me know

Lucifer felt the body begin to tremble as the memories started to overwhelm him, hot tears running down the face. He could sense his core trying to rush forward, trying to protect this piece of his Self and it was taking everything he had to keep himself back. He wouldn't let it happen, not again. 'No, not again, never again! Lily, Charlie, I can't-'

"Tsk. Pay attention, §åmåêl. I didn't go through all this trouble for you to be getting lost in your head now."

His eyes flew open as he felt a invisible force take a bruising grip on one of his lower wings, pulling and forcing him to quickly move from his half-prone position and up onto his knees. 'Oh fuck, please don't let him tear them off again!' He barely kept from speaking the plea out loud. He remembered the pain had been excruciating. It had taken years for him to be able to comfortably let them out again without fear of finding bloody stumps. White gloved fingers clenched and Lucifer couldn't stop himself from flinching and crying out as bone snapped under the pressure that mimicked the gesture. Pale blue eyes dispassionately watched him struggle, trying to fold them away to protect the rest only to realize the magic of the summoning wouldn't allow it, "You've forgotten all over again that it's useless to fight me, haven't you? You'll always lose in the end, so why do you even bother?" Lucifer felt that cold energy take a choking hold on his neck, forcing him to meet his captor's eyes against his will, "It's almost like you want me to remind you each time. Is that it? You must be so lonely down there without any of us and trapped in Silence. Have you missed my attention so badly you fight just to make me touch you?"

The revulsion the fallen angel felt at the delight in those words gave him the strength to force out an answer, "I haven't wanted your attention since before the fucking Fall! Why can't you just ignore my existence like the rest of them?!"

Apparently that was an unacceptable response because another wing was grabbed and quickly broken, the suddenness of it leaving him unable to keep from crying out in pain. The hold on his neck vanished and he fell forward, barely managing to catch himself with his hands before he could fully topple. Michael spoke again, no sign of regret despite his words, "It truly does not bring me joy to see you like this, brother. I wouldn't need to do these things to you if you would just stop being stubborn. You can end all of this, all the evils and pain you released into the universe. All you have to do is submit to the rewriting."

Lucifer heard the words but they only barely registered as he realized his hands were not against the unforgiving tile of the floor like they should be. There was a slight give and, as he watched, the shadow under him subtly moved to shift fluidly against his palm. The cool sensation was much more comforting than Michael's cold energy and so very familiar. His breath hitched in a strange mix of fear and gratitude now that he knew he wasn't alone. Alastor, or at least his Shadow, was here too. Apparently it was hiding well enough to keep from gaining Michael's attention but how did it even get here?!

It seemed the Shadow had been waiting for him to notice it's presence because it swiftly moved then, using his position to slide up and under his clothing without being seen, wrapping tight around his torso like a strange living shirt. Barely a second after it finished moving, icy magic gripped Lucifer's hair and forced his head up again. Despite still being afraid of what Michael could do, the hidden reminder he wasn't alone in facing this weakened it, allowing resentment to rear up stronger. Clenching his teeth, he felt his eyes going red and tail appear, the appendage lashing as he held his captor's gaze and snarled. That got a reaction, Michael's face twisting with disgust over his demonic features, "Just look at how far you've fallen. You were the brightest of us but you're nearly as much of an animal as them now." He motioned at all the bound humans that had fallen unconscious on the floor.

Nausea threatened to make Lucifer vomit when he realized there were children among them. As he finally took in the surroundings, he reconized wooden pews and stained glass windows, "A church?! You really aren't bothering with even an illusion of morals now?! At least let the kids go, Michael, they're completely innocent!"

Michael's expression settled back into bored apathy once more, "None of them are innocent, §åmåêl, and you are a fool to believe otherwise. Besides, they have already been exposed to your true state. It's only a matter of time before their pathetic minds break and they die. Tell me," He crouched down, putting himself at eye level with Lucifer, "Is that why I couldn't find her, hm? Did she finally succumb to the wounds you gave her?"

There was no need to ask who he was referring to. 'He really doesn’t know. She must have gotten in touch with someone that kept her presence secret from him.' Despite everything going on, that was one thing he held tight to. Lilith was safely hidden, wherever she was now. She had to be! She had promised to live and find a way to be happy. Lucifer glanced over at the poor woman who was acting as her placeholder. She had been silent and still the entire time, seeming like little more than a breathing doll.

Swallowing hard, he forced himself back up onto his knees, ignoring the pain of his broken wing as it was jostled. He had to do whatever he could to get the humans out of here, damn his own pride, "Look, you can take this out on me, I won't even fight it. Just let me block this day from them, please."

The chuckle that followed his plea was far too delighted, "You think you can sacrifice yourself to save them all? No, it's too late for that. Look at the circle."

He did. He looked at all the symbols and the arrangement and came to a horrifying realization, "You bastard! How could you-"

"Ah ah! I did nothing, dear brother. She was the one that summoned you." One of Michael's wings moved to shove at the woman, making her sprawl out on the floor near the circle.

Instinctively, Lucifer tried to move to catch her, only to be burned and forced back when he made contact with the barrier around him, "The fuck is wrong with you?! We're supposed to cherish life! How can you even do this to them?!" He could see the lines of energy feeding into the circle, powering it with the life force of the humans around them. How long could they survive this?! The children would be the first to die if he didn't find a way to break the magic somehow.

"They only exist because we made them. They are little more than intelligent animals that have failed their Purpose and should be put down!" The hatred burning in Michael's eyes was filled with conviction and Lucifer thought he saw the edges of the body so like his own blurring, "Every day, no matter how many end up down in those pits with you, some manage to make it to our sacred place! These filthy things walk among us like they have any right to be there while every new wave of our kind forms weaker and smaller than those before! With how fast they breed and die, it won't be long before there are more of them than us up there and I refuse to let that Be!"

There it was. Finally he understood why Michael had become impatient, why he felt the need to step in and try to force his consent to the rewriting rather than just leaving him mostly forgotten. He feared humanity becoming stronger and changing everything about Heaven and the universe at large. If Lucifer returned to being Samael, if he forgot why he made them a part of Creation in the first place and was convinced to take it back, then Michael could freely take the Armies he Commanded and had likely Corrupted and wipe them all out. Even the ones in Heaven. The very thought that one of the Firsts, one of those that had been there since the beginning, could turn so far from Creation...

The only human still conscious, the woman who so resembled Lilith, began to openly cry and keen with how much Michael was leaking out from his physical form. Whatever had been done to keep her silent was weakening and pained pleas spilled out into the air, "Stop! Just kill me and make it stop!"

Horrifyingly, the magic of the summoning took her words and locked them in as a binding request, waiting only for his agreement to form a true contract.

Michael stepped closer to her, placing a polished boot on the back of her head and willing her to go quiet and complacent again, "Pathetic. Here I thought I would have to push her further for that. Such weak things they are." He gave her a bruising kick in the ribs. The lack of reaction from her made it even harder to watch, "Now, with the magic tied to their Songs and written in the blood of both the sacrifice and the summoner, there is nothing that can wash away or disturb these markings to free you. This will keep you here to watch as they are drained one by one. The summoner will be the last to fall and, since I could choose to supplement her, I can keep you here for a very long time. Or," He was wearing that terrible, satisfied smile, the one that had haunted Lucifer's dreams for two centuries, "You can accept your summoner's request. That would allow you to kill her first and then this whole thing will fall apart, sending you back to that miserable plane without having to watch the rest of them perish. Your choice, §åmåêl."

***

Waves from the Sea of Contemplation gently washed over a hidden island's shore, adding to the tranquility that had long been cultivated in this place. A tall, slender Seraphim sighed, his gaze not leaving the water as he spoke, "Since you are physically here, I take it the Inevitable has truly begun?"

Azrael stepped forward, dismissing the magic that had cloaked him, "Yes, though I do wish he had chosen to abandon this path, unlikely as that would have been. Will you and the Lady be ready, Raphael?"

"Honestly, I don't know," The healer frowned, brushing back the long red braid he had been plaiting, "Especially after that stunt she pulled with that sinner. She is as stable as I can make her but I am left unable to truly Heal her. She has lost so much of herself and yet she still fights. Many of our brethren could learn a great deal from her."

"..."

Raphael had spent enough time with his introverted brother to be able to read him, even without seeing his face, "Something is weighing on you. Tell me."

The imposing figure of the Seraphim of Death momentarily bowed under the weight of his duty, trusting this sibling would not judge him for it, "There is a tragedy in the making at the hands of one of our own. I cannot stop it, not in full, but...your presence would render it incomplete once that which is unavoidable has passed."

Mismatched brown-green eyes went wide with concern, "Az, wha-"

Plated gloves tightened, the staff making a short sound of warning, "Do not ask. Speaking on it fully will count as direct interference. Even now I am skirting the rules."

"Right." He gave a long sigh, looking up at the stars, empathy clear in his eyes, "There is truly nothing to be done to stop it?"

Azrael shook his head, "If you intervene too soon, you will be Seen too clearly to be able to safely return here. The Commander-"

"Of course it involves him!" The healer spat out.

"He will know what has changed and how to Watch for you as closely as he does Sera. Getting her out has cost much for Uriel."

Raphael huffed a humorless laugh before his expression softened again and he gave a wistful smile, "Uriel truly does love her, don't they? In the way that the humans have given us, I mean. It's too bad our sister has the emotional comprehension of a rock at times. She is going to have to let go of the Old Ways one day and see that changing does not make us less."

"That day is coming sooner than you believe. I was with her earlier and she has begun to Seek Truth once more."

"Fucking finally!" The healer groaned, the sound laced with relief and clear exhaustion, "Is it that child of hers that got her to open her eyes? I'll have to give her a gift sometime! Her name is Emily, right?"

Azrael tilted his head, the bells in his braids making a small tinkling sound, "Raphael, when did you last allow yourself to rest and revitalize your Being?"

"Oh, don't you start too! Between the Lady and the human-born she requested be brought here, I feel like I understand what it's like to have not just one, but two mothers." When Azrael remained judgmentally silent, he sighed, "I will rest when this is done, brother, I promise. If I do it now, I will likely be unable to physically return for weeks. I cannot spread my Self out the way some of you can and I fear I will miss a call from the key to getting to Eve without her or Michael sensing me coming. I need to save whatever is left of her. Who knows? Maybe then I can finally prove to the others that what was done to both of the First Women was not our fallen brother's fault."

"Hmm. Very well." He pointed the end of his staff at Raphael. "I will hold you to that promise. If you fail to keep it, I will personally drag you all the way to the Heart and bind you there until you do. Understand?"

"Hey, if you were getting that lonely, you could have just said so. No need for the threats."

A rumble of amusement filled the air around them, "It wasn't a threat, dear brother of mine."

The brief moment of levity faded away, "...right. When should I begin to search for the tragedy you spoke of earlier?"

The staff chimed sharply as he tapped it once, "Go as soon as you have informed the Lady of your leaving. I know distress makes her condition worse."

Raphael nodded in understanding and reached down to pick up his own staff, the artfully carved wood coming alive at his touch, sprouting leaves and small blossoms, "For what it's worth, Az, thank you."

The air rippled around them before the angel of Death vanished once more, a pained whisper carrying his parting words, "Do not thank me for this."

***

"My choice?! That isn't a choice, Michael! No matter what I do, they all die anyway!"

The sound of sliding metal filled the air as Michael drew his sword then. Lucifer instinctively shifted back, stopping short of hitting the other side of the barrier and moving a wing in front of his torso in case the blessed blade was turned his way. He might survive, but the Shadow almost certainly wouldn't. No matter what Alastor had done to it, it was still a demonic based creation.

"But the question is can you really stand to watch all of them die, one by one, until she is the only one left?" He walked towards one of the unconscious people, an elderly man with dark skin and white hair. "Letting them pass in their sleep would be far too easy for you to ignore, so let's wake some of them up."

Lucifer brought up another wing to shield himself from seeing the sword brought down and piercing the human, bringing the old man back to consciousness with a pained cry. 'Oh god, I'm such a coward! Useless and weak!' A soft touch brushed his head, something coming around to cover his ears and muffle the sounds outside the barrier. He startled, just barely stopping himself shouting in shock. Blinking past the tears in his eyes, he found hollow eyes staring back at him, the Shadow using the cover of his wing to come out and get his attention.

-Ⱥꞡɍēē, Ҟīꞥꞡ ꝋӻ ꝋᵾɍ Ȼɍēⱥⱦꝋɍ. Łēⱦ ᵾꞩ ħēłꝑ.-

...it could talk?! It was a strange way of speaking, like it was using recordings of other people's words to make sentences and channeling them to play through the hands over his ears. Still, what did it mean by agree? He tried to express his confusion without speaking, not wanting to alert Michael.

-ᛗⱥҟē đēⱥł ⱦꝋ ꞩⱥꝟē ⱦħē ɍēꞩⱦ. Ⱦⱥłҟ ꞩᵯⱥɍⱦ ⱥꞥđ ħīđē ⱳħꝋ ħⱥꞩ ⱦꝋ ҟīłł. Ⱳē ⱳīłł ⱦⱥҟē ⱦħē ƀᵾɍđēꞥ ꝋӻ ҟīłłīꞥꞡ ᵯꝋⱦħēɍ.-

He flinched, both at the implication and at the muffled sound of another  woman now shrieking. Could he really let the Shadow kill someone for him?! Apparently his apprehension was clear because it continued on.

-ᛗꝋⱦħēɍ ⱳīłł đīē, ꞥꝋ ꝋⱦħēɍ ȼħꝋīȼē. Ⱳē ȼⱥꞥ ҟīłł ӻⱥꞩⱦ, ɍēłēⱥꞩē Ꞩꝋꞥꞡ ƀᵾⱦ łēⱥꝟē ƀꝋđɏ ꞩⱦīłł ƀɍēⱥⱦħīꞥꞡ ӻꝋɍ ꞩħꝋɍⱦ ⱦīᵯē. ₲īꝟēꞩ ȼħⱥꞥȼē ӻꝋɍ ħēłꝑ, ȼħⱥꞥȼē ꝋⱦħēɍꞩ ȼⱥꞥ ꞩⱥꝟē ȼħīłđ īꞥꞩīđē.-

Fuck. That was... was he really considering allowing this?!

"§åmåêl," there were fresh cries at the use of his angelic name, "No hiding from the consequences of your indecision. Do you need a visible reminder to pay attention?"

There was a wet sound and the woman's screams abruptly stopped before something hit the outside of his wing. The Shadow snarled silently before retreating back into hiding, allowing him to look even though he knew he shouldn't.

...that was a severed head now laying at his feet.

The urge to vomit won this time and he barely managed to turn his head so he didn't cover himself in it. He'd seen all manner of deaths before in Hell but this was a living mortal, someone whose life had been ended because of Michael's obsession with him. Then, to his dismay, he felt her soul falling to Hell, her sins so weak that it made little sense for her to be going down there. Like so many others before her.

"Do I have your full attention again, brother?" Lucifer flinched at how close Michael was, turning to see that bloodied sword just on the other side of the barrier, the glow of the magic reflecting off of the metal and the liquid dripping off. "Good. If you remain stubborn until all but the summoner are dead, perhaps I will have to raise the stakes. That childish half-breed of yours has never been on the mortal world yet, has she?"

"You leave her alone!" He roared, the pain in his wings receding under his fury. How dare this bastard threaten his daughter! How dare he speak of her with such disgust when she was stronger in ways Michael couldn't even fathom! Lucifer used the burst of anger to get to his feet finally, "If you so much as look at her, I'll-"

The blessed sword was brought up, making him stop short as it was pointed directly at his throat, "You'll what? We both know you're too weak to stop me. No one in Heaven would believe you or her over me." Michael reached out with his free hand, bypassing the barrier to let gloved fingers run gently over Lucifer's face to wipe away his tears in a mockery of a caring caress, "Tell me, will that half-breed abomination fall as easily as the human that birthed her when she sees you trapped here? I'll make you watch her beg for your freedom."

The Shadow tightened around him, keeping him grounded against the visuals caused by Michael's threats. He wanted to bite the hand so freely touching him but he didn't dare with the blade humming with angelic energy at his throat. The urge did, however, remind him of the toothy rubber duck still in his pocket and he couldn't stop the almost hysterical laugh that escaped him.

The sound was so unexpected that the sword lowered and Michael backed away half a step, "You find this funny?"

"No, not at all," Maybe he really had cracked finally because he found himself channeling Alastor and his creepy grin despite the way he wanted nothing more than to hide away from all of this, "I just realized I've met cannibalistic, mass murdering sinners with more morals than you. That's how far you've fallen, Michael."

He could hear the glove creaking as the other tighted his hold on the blade. This was it. He had to make the only choice he had before this rush of protective anger for Charlie's sake faded and his fear and guilt made it impossible again, "Swear to leave my daughter alone and let me have the freedom to block out the memory of this madness from the rest of them and then the woman will die like you want. Deal?"

Creation forgive him for this because Lucifer doubted he ever would forgive himself.

Notes:

Shadow plain text:
-Agree, King of our Creator. Let us help-
-Make deal to save the rest. Talk smart and hide who has to kill. We will take burden of killing mother.-
-Mother will die, no other choice. We can kill fast, release Song but still leave body breathing for short time. Gives chance for help, chance others can save child inside.-

Summary of last POV switch:

Michael uses his blessed sword to force the people into consciousness again, stabbing them in non-vital areas and making them scream to ensure that Lucifer can't simply delude himself over them dying.

As he does this, Lucifer hides behind his wing, calling himself a coward for it. However, this allows the Shadow to come out unseen by Michael and it is revealed that it can speak in an odd way, using bits and pieces of recorded voices to create sentences and then play them. It does so through it's hands over Lucifer's ears. It tells him to agree to killing the pregnant woman in exhange for saving the other humans, to make the deal have vague wording over who kills her, and then let it take on the burden of the act. It tells him it can kill her in a way that will release her soul painlessly but her body itself will stay alive for a short time to give the unborn child a chance to be saved if help comes.

While Lucifer questions whether or not he can allow such a thing, even if he can't see any way of actually saving her, Michael realizes he isn't paying attention to what he is doing. In retaliation he casually cuts off a woman's head and throws it at Lucifer. Seeing a living human killed just for Michael's obsession with him causes him to throw up even before he realizes he actively feels the poor human's soul falling to Hell even though her sins are weak.

Michael then threatens to bring Charlie into things, calling her a half-breed abomination and implying she will be as weak as he considers Lilith. Rather than scare Lucifer, this makes him angry though he can't say much when the sword is pointed at his throat.

Michael physically touches him then, wiping away the tears on his face in a mimicry of caring. Lucifer has a thought of biting him and though he doesnt, the idea makes him remember the sharp-toothed duck still in his pocket and this makes him think about Alastor.

A comparison happens in his mind and he laughs, to Michael's visible shock. When asked why, he says there are cannibal, mass murdering sinners with more morals than Michael and that shows how low the Commander of Hell has fallen. Seeing that get under Michael's skin, Lucifer holds to the anger and offers a deal. Let him block the day from the survivor's minds, leave Charlie alone, and then the woman will die.

'Creation forgive him for this because Lucifer doubted he ever would forgive himself.'
______________________

Long chapter! Holy crap this took a lot of back and forth on my part. I keep wanting to tweak things but overall I'm happy with it.

Additional note: the Shadow refers to itself as 'we' and 'us' because it is formed from multiple pieces of souls and not just one

Chapter 92: Differences in Loving

Summary:

Rosie and Charlie find Alastor in a bad state.

Michael considers Lucifer's deal.

Notes:

CLIFFHANGER ALERT!

There will be a spoiler at the very end of the end notes for those that want to read it now but don't want to be anxious waiting for the next part.

Rosie was doing all she could to project a sense of calm when the car got to a long section of warehouses at the outskirts of the Entertainment District. Charlie had been worked up and fretful from the moment the Overlord had seen her and the poor girl was definitely stretched thin. With everything that had been going on lately, her entire Being on the verge of a breakdown and that wouldn't do much good for whatever was going on for Alastor and possibly Lucifer right now.

Of course, no amount of false calm could restrain either of their gasps of shock when they came to the right building. The whole thing showed signs of being warped and twisted with odd spots that seemed almost melted, "Oh my stars... what's happened here?"

The entire area was heavy with barely restrained energy, like a pressure cooker a few seconds shy of exploding. Rosie clutched her bag tightly and held her head high as she exited the car and led the way to the door. Confidence and a no-nonsense attitude had served her well before when the Radio Demon was being unreasonable, so that was how she would handle whatever was going on now.

"Aunt Rosie? This feels really bad, like my chest feels like it's being squeezed tight."

"That would be your Insight, dear. You're feelin' it so strong 'cause you haven't learned to keep it a step away from yourself yet! You're gettin' the full force of all the emotional energy rampagin' around here right now. If it gets too hard to handle, let me know right quick, alright?" She wanted to take the time to teach Charlie how to hold it away from herself so that she could get a sense for it without being so heavily affected but there was no guarantee they had that sort of time. Once they arrived at the door, she raised a fist and knocked twice, "Alastor! Can you hear me? Me and the Princess are comin' in! No turnin' us into shish kebabs, mister, or I'm gonna be real cross with you!"

Rosie could hear Charlie trying to stifle nervous laughter and gave her a playful wink over her shoulder before opening the door. After all, it wouldn't do for the girl to know how apprehensive the Fallen Overlord was over this whole mess too. Spotting the Radio Demon was easy in the otherwise empty warehouse but there was no sign of the King anywhere. While a cause for concern, her first priority was her friend and from what she could See, he was definitely in a full on meltdown, "Alastor Grant Hartfelt, you put that energy away right now!"

Her scolding tone had some effect, the whipping shadows around him pulling back as well as the nearly deafening waves of his radio broadcasting frequencies. Charlie softly swore and started towards him but Rosie quickly caught her shoulder, "Not yet, darlin'. He doesn't take too kindly to bein' crowded sometimes and we don't wanna upset him more, do we?"

Charlie twisted her hands together fretfully but shook her head, her eyes never once leaving the lone figure a short distance away from them. Sitting on the floor with his knees to his chest, Alastor had one hand painfully tight in his hair and his other arm was held in front of his face. From what Rosie could see, he had bitten into his own arm and was keeping his teeth sunk in deep, his eyes glowing so bright that she couldn't even see his pupils. The strange pile of dark and bloodied feathers behind him was a curious thing but right now she had to focus on getting him back from wherever he was in his own head. The only time he had ever hurt himself like this in front of her was ages ago and it broke her heart to see him like that again.

Letting go of Charlie, Rosie set down her bag and kept her hands clearly visible, palms open as she slowly moved toward him, "Alastor? Sweetie, what's got you so worked up, hm? Come on, tell ol' Rosie all about it. I ain't gonna tell no one else, you hear?"

There was a movement in his eyes, like his focus had shifted toward her though she couldn't be entirely sure. Still, the reaction was encouraging and she knelt down in front of him, careful not to touch him yet, "You got me and Charlie both right worried about you, honey. Can you give me your arm? I don't like seein' you all hurtin' like this." The glow in his eyes faded a bit and he blinked a couple of times. She lowered her voice so only he could hear, using the one nickname she knew that no one else in Hell did, "C'mere, alley cat. Let's get you cleaned up."

That did the trick, his teeth pulling out from his forearm to softly whisper, "Maman?"

"No, dear heart. She's not here, I'm sorry."

Another few blinks and his eyes properly focused this time, his hand coming away from his hair, "Rosie? I...I couldn't stop him from being taken away." Her heart damn near stopped with how small he sounded and who he was likely referring to, "He's trapped up there and I couldn't-"

"Shhhh. Let's take care of one thing at a time, okay? Gimme your arm." Alastor offered it over to her without hesitation this time, "You okay with Charlie comin' over here? You kinda tuned all of Hell into your broadcast there and I know she's gonna want to see you're okay." When he nodded, she raised her voice, "Charlie, can you bring my bag here please?"

Rosie could feel the relief from the girl as she scooped up the bag and rushed over, "Al, ohmygosh, are you okay? What happened? Where's Dad? He was supposed tocomehereand-

"Charlie, breathe!" The Fallen Overlord reminded her as she carefully rolled up his sleeves to get to the bite marks directly, "Look, I've got gauze and antiseptic in the bag, get those out and we can talk after we get him all cleaned up."

"Right! Right, sorry Al!" Charlie quickly found the items and helped with an ease that spoke of her many years helping patch up demons after Extermination day. "We have two new guests at the hotel! You remember me telling you about Emily?"

Alastor took a deep breath through his nose, straightening up a bit, "Yes, my dear, I know. My Shadow was with you since we parted ways this morning." He shifted his shoulders and frowned, turning his head to an impossible degree to look behind him, "Well...that explains a lot."

Rosie wasn't sure if she or Charlie was more suprised when that pile of dark feathers moved awkwardly before lifting up a bit to reveal themselves as a pair of wings, "Alastor, darlin', what the Hell?!"

***

The magic reacted to the King's answer, setting his agreement to the summoner's death in the contract. His stipulations were waiting for her acceptance but it wasn't her's that he wanted. Lucifer could tell his response had been unexpected, leaving Michael wrong-footed. It was taking everything he had to keep his head up but he wouldn't let himself back down on this. If he was going to have to watch anyone else die, it would be on his terms!

"Now where is all this bravado coming from all of a sudden?" Michael studied him curiously, moving closer again to tightly grip his chin, "You dare to make demands of me? You forget who it is that holds the power here."

Lucifer purposely averted his eyes in a show of submission, allowing himself to flinch as he saw the headless body bleeding all over the floor, "Is it really hard to imagine I would want to stop as many deaths as I can? They don't all need to be sacrificed and you still win. I'll have to watch someone who looks like my wife die under my own hands."

The tears he shed weren't fake or forced and seemed to mollify whatever sadistic need Michael had to be putting him through all this, "So you'll do it without a fight so long as the rest of them live? I would have you Speak an Oath but you don't really have a place in Creation anymore, do you?"

That one hurt, aimed straight at a pain he'd felt from the moment he'd been cast out. The Silence was awful but the empty space where he'd felt a connection to the Heart of Creation was even worse. The other Fallen he'd met said they didn't feel a connection anymore either but, for them, that space had been filled with something from Hell instead, making them truly a part of the Rings. Lucifer kept his mouth shut though. If he was passive enough, hopefully they'd be able to pull this off.

One of the lines of power began to flicker, the little boy it was linked to growing weak. Panic went through him as he realized he had little time left, "Michael, brother," Oh he resented calling the other angel that anymore but he was desperate to get through to him, "Please! If you ever actually loved me, let me save them!"

There was a look of disappointment and his face was released from that bruising grip, "You really don't understand at all, do you?" Something in Michael's tone was so very wrong as he turned and walked toward the dying child, "I do all this because I love you."

Time seemed to move in fits and bursts as Lucifer realized what was about to happen. The Shadow must have had some idea as well because it left its hiding spot to rise up behind him, speaking with quiet urgency from behind his wings.

-Ҟīꞥꞡ! ᛗⱥҟē ƀɍīꞡħⱦ łīꞡħⱦ ⱥƀꝋꝟē-

Michael raised his sword as he stopped next to a girl beside the boy, potentially a sister since they had the same color hair, "You're mine and these things dared to take you away from me. If you will not return willingly,"

-ᛗⱥҟē łīꞡħⱦ! Ꞥꝋⱳ!-

"I will have you back at my side even if it means destroying every other being to do so!"

Lucifer summoned up the brightest mix of Hellfire and Holy Light he could, making the shadows all around them darker and long reaching. The Shadow took advantage of that to stretch out from his and jet across the floor. It barreled into the child, forcefully moving her out from under the falling blade.

Metal scraping over tile rang out as it cut through the line connecting the Shadow and Lucifer, the portion leading to him disintegrating as it was riddled with the sword's angelic magic. The main body of the creature kept moving, unfaltering even as that same magic ate away at it. Time really did slow then, Michael attempting to stop its movements but a rune flashed bright, the Shadow using the magic Alastor had woven into it to ignore the change in the temporal flow.

The last thing Lucifer saw after the Shadow made contact with the unwilling summoner was one opaque hand flipping off the Commander of Heaven's Armies while it gave the King of Hell a bright grin. Then the magic circle fell apart and he was sent out of the mortal plane and towards Hell once more.

Notes:

So sorry for the cliffhanger! That whole scene between Michael, Luci, and the Shadow was not supposed to go like that but then Michael decided he hadn't been evil enough and the Shadow was like 'fuck this guy!'

Shadow plain text:
-King! Make bright light above-
-Make light! Now!-

Alastor has wings! I haven't been able to decide the color yet. I can do
A) like Lucifer's but with black and red instead of white and red
B) black and smoky grey
C) black but the sort that has an irridescent green shimmer similar to Al's magic
Or
D) something else entirely that you guys come up with

*****Spoiler*****
The shadow survives! Don't worry!
*****************

Chapter 93: Forging Strength

Summary:

Rosie sighed, tilting the wing she was holding to watch the light play over the dark feathers, "Only you, Alastor. Gettin' yourself all worked up, pitchin' a right fit, and what happens? You get these fancy wings, prettier than poison! Makes a gal feel jealous, you know?

Rosie sighed, tilting the wing she was holding to watch the light play over the dark feathers, "Only you, Alastor. Gettin' yourself all worked up, pitchin' a right fit, and what happens? You get these fancy wings, prettier than poison! Makes a gal feel jealous, you know?"

Alastor had been unusually quiet as the two ladies cleaned up the feathers on his wings, his eyes stuck on a part of the floor that had strange marks burnt into the concrete. Charlie wanted nothing more than to hug him and tell him everything would be okay but she didn't even know what everything was yet! How had Al even grown wings in the first place?! Was it because of her dad's Harmony thing in him?

Also, holy crap, Al had fur?!

The wings had torn through the layers of his clothes, leaving his back exposed and revealing soft looking fur. She was trying really really hard not to ask about all the scars she could see under the brown-grey ticked coat. It looked like he had been through a lot and she had to wonder if it was from before he came to Hell or after. On top of that, she thought she saw what looked like a tail tucked into the waist of his pants. Alastor really did have a deer tail?! Rosie had mentioned one but she thought it was just an expression! That was so cute!

"Charlie," Alastor's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up from his back to see him watching her with a bit of a smirk, "I think that spot is clean now."

"Oops, uh, yeah! Yep! Definitely clean, moving on!" She couldn't keep from babbling. It felt like both Rosie and Alastor were amused and hey! That was better than all the tension and other heavy feelings from earlier! Point for her, even if she could tell her cheeks were bright red...

"...the King got summoned. That's why he's not here."

She blinked and pulled her hands away, "You mean like to another Ring?" When he shook his head in response, she frowned, "Oh...I thought he ignored those usually?"

Alastor gave a soft growl, "Apparently, he has no choice if his angelic name is used in the summoning. He-" He froze, his brow furrowing in confusion suddenly.

She and Rosie shared a look before a bright flare of light caught their attention and she leapt to her feet as a familiar shape appeared, "Dad!"

***

Materializing from a summons on either end was always a doozy, but thankfully Lucifer could keep control of his form on returning unlike the trip up. His best guess was it had something to do with the bindings a summoning put on him basically squeezing him out of the body. With the bindings gone, he also regained full access to his angelic healing. Though it didn't hurt anymore, he still winced at the awful sensation of his broken wings realigning themselves. Definitely not an experience he ever wanted to have again if he could help it.

"Dad!"

He only had a fraction of a second to brace himself before he was tackle-hugged to the ground, "Oomph! Charlie?!" He wrapped his arms and wings around her, instinctively returning the hug before he jolted, "Wait, where's Al?"

"Over here; sire."

Lucifer tried to tilt his head to see the sinner but Charlie was in the way and he wasn't about to tell her to let go, so he waved a hand in the general direction of Alastor's voice, "Call back your Shadow, quick!"

"I can't. The connection to it dropped just before you reappeared."

"Fuck!" He shut his eyes as he let his head fall back against the floor. Grief washed over him at the thought of the strange creature sacrificing itself to get him back home, "I am so damn sick of people getting hurt for getting between me and Michael." Something in the air around him changed and he opened one eye to find Alastor had used the shadows to move closer, sitting just out of arm's reach, "It got hit by a holy blade while getting between Michael and a kid. I would still be stuck up there if it hadn't been there."

Charlie sat up and looked between him and Al in horror, "A kid?! And... your Shadow..."

Alastor nodded, his smile grim and eyes dark, "Even with everything it is capable of, there is very little chance it could survive a direct hit like that."

Lucifer gave a humorless laugh, staring up at the ceiling without really seeing it, "You should be proud of it, Al. It sabotaged his plans with a grin and flipping him off. I'm sure he won't forget it anytime soon."

The proud grin that got was a sharp and hungry thing, "Good! If my friend is unable to return, then I hope that image haunts his days until I can carve its memorial into his flesh."

Charlie looked a bit put off by his choice of words but still nodded her agreement. A click of heeled shoes made Lucifer aware of the presence of another person before he heard Rosie, "Too right! He ever comes in range, I'll hold him down for you, dearie! In fact, I think I know just the lady to speak with to get a special knife for the occasion!"

Strange how one action can flip a person's perspective so completely. Lucifer Morningstar, who was once Samael, the Bearer of Light, took hold of the centuries of grief and resentment and pain in his heart, compressing it into something white-hot and absolutely furious, "See if she can make two."

"Absolutely, your Majesty!" Her grin matched Alastor's and the two of them shared a look, "Say, Alastor? You think Seraphim might taste even better than cherub?"

***

Times like this made Raphael truly aware of just how awful his brother's duty was.

He'd known, of course. There were too many times that a healer couldn't do anything but provide comfort in a being's last moments. The waiting for the inevitable and feeling utterly helpless.

Like now.

"I do all this because I love you."

It was all Raphael could do to maintain the cloak that Uriel had taught him. That Michael would dare equate such cruelty and madness with love?! That he would say such things and then raise a blade to an unconscious child?! The healer refused to turn his eyes away. If Azrael was duty-bound to Witness such things, then Raphael would bear some of the burden as well.

Which is why he caught the movement of something behind Lucifer, something dark that bristled with sharp edges. He knew that shape, but why couldn't he sense its energy? It was like it was invisible to all but physical sight...

The room turned bright as light both holy and unholy flared up above their fallen brother and the creature moved at a nearly impossible speed, sparing the young child from Michael's sword though its own form was cut through. Still it continued on, its goal quickly becoming clear and it seemed the Commander realized it as well. Time slowed to a crawl inside the church and Raphael stared in shock as the Shadow ignored it with a flare of a rune that still emitted no energy signature! If he wasn't mistaken, that had been an old High Angelic sigil! What in Creation?!

With a wide, triumphant grin, the creature gave Michael a crude gesture as its other hand pressed against the pregnant summoner's head. Almost immediately her Song cut off and the magic of the circle disintegrated, sending Lucifer back to Hell, his hand outstretched as though to try to take the Shadow with him.

Between one blink and the next, the creature disappeared from sight, rendering it non-existent to all of Raphael's senses. How was it able to do that?! There should have at least been a marker of the holy energy burning through it! Gritting his teeth, he watched Michael, willing the other Seraphim to leave already. 'You cannot kill them now, you know it! The circle would have sent them all to Hell but now there is too much risk of one or more going to Heaven. If one were to show up with a mark of death from your sword...'

The Song Michael was radiating was a nauseating thing, the Corruption within him almost completely bared. Any angel with Clarity would know him for what he was if they could hear him now. It was too bad the bastard had figured out how to cloak his movements so one couldn't use time magics to show his actions to others. For all that he was insane, the Commander was also smart or else he wouldn't have gotten this far.

Each second felt like hours before Michael finally vanished from the church. Raphael waited, checking as subtly as he could that the other Seraphim truly was gone before he dropped his cloak and strode to the center of the room. Channeling his energy into his staff, he planted it in the center of the church. The wood stretched and grew, branching out into a slender tree as its roots reached out to each of the bound humans. The Tree of Life would keep them steady while he focused on the summoner. Placing a hand over her head and her stomach, he quickly came to the realization that while her soul had truly been freed, her body was still working instinctively. It was weak but enough that the child within had been untouched by her death...

"You may not remember me but I am a friend to your Master." He spoke aloud, hoping his instinct was correct.

-Ȼɍēⱥ...ⱦꝋɍ. Ꞥꝋⱦ ᛗⱥ...ꞩⱦēɍ-

Raphael looked down to find the creature looking back from within the woman's shadow, hollow eyes flickering in and out of sight, "Right. Come out so I can try to save you too. Too many have been lost and I won't let another fall if I can help it."

Notes:

Shadow plain text:
-Crea...tor. Not Ma...ster-

Funny how a matter of hours can so drastically change things! Nothing like a genocidal Seraphim to make one realize that maybe the cannibalistic serial killer has the right idea.

Also, stressed Charlie is attention-deficit hyper-brain ADHD like me atm because yes.

Chapter 94: Sending Out the Message

Summary:

Michael takes his loss and spins it in his favor.

Lucifer feels the two human souls he saw killed land in Hell.

Once he'd calmed enough, Michael left the low-class Guardian angels he'd vented on near one of the more volatile cracks. Their bodies would quickly become too badly damaged by the warping effects and it would be assumed they had simply been unlucky enough to get caught up in a new fracture like others before them. Those two had been assigned to the children at the church so they would have needed to be disposed of even though they were already under his Command. There would have been too many questions about their dereliction of their duties.

Stepping through the Spaces Between planes, he brought himself to the workshop of another First, "Gabriel."

The dark haired Seraphim yelped in shock, scattering the pieces of the electronic device he'd been studying. The Voice of Creation's Plans had always held a fascination for different means of communication so it was unsurprising to see him fiddling with all manner of human technology, much to Michael's disgust. It had been Gabriel that first announced the Plan for humans as well. Keeping him from becoming overly sympathetic with the beasts was exhausting at best. "Holy Light, Michael! Why do you always do that?! Haven't you ever heard of knocking?!"

"You should maintain better awareness of your surroundings, brother."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Not all of us are paranoid as you are. I swear you act like Samael and his demons are going to start an uprising any day now. Even with the upcoming peace talks."

"Actually, that is what I came here to discuss," Michael moved closer, subtly pushing his Song further towards the other First, "I've received word that he was summoned to the mortal world today."

Amber eyes went wide, "Oh I'm sure that turned ugly fast."

"Quite. I tried to See the incident but he still makes use of barriers against temporal magics. My source was the Guardians for the children present at the time."

Predictably, Gabriel paled, "There were children at a summoning?! Those poor things!"

Michael nodded, keeping his expression blank, "I've ordered the Guardians to the healers. Hopefully we can keep them from unraveling themselves over this. But Gabriel," He pushed his Song a bit further, watching as the other Seraphim's eyes lost focus, "That's not the worst part. Apparently our brother has Created something capable of bypassing the protections in the circle. It attacked one of the children and murdered the summoner before it could be stopped."

Gabriel frowned, anger clouding his vision even further, "He truly has Fallen far from the Light."

The Commander nodded, running a hand through his blond hair and sighing, "Sadly, yes. This creature was made from darkness and infused with High Angelic sigils. I shudder to think of what would happen if dozens of them were unleashed on the human world."

"Right, you want me to see if any of the others can develop a barrier against the old magics? If this does come to war, we need to protect our people."

Michael gave him a tight-lipped smile, "I knew I could count on you, Gabriel. Get the word out but take care to not speak with Uriel or Raphael if you see them. I still worry they are far too sympathetic to our brother to safely give them this information. One of them might find a way to get word to him, even with the alerts for unauthorized visits to Hell."

Gabriel sighed sadly but nodded, "I'm sure you're right. You usually are. But hey," He affectionately placed a hand on Michael's shoulder, "That's why you're the Commander, not me!"

The shorter Seraphim nodded, using the contact to further ensure the angry notes planted firmly in his brother's Song would not be easily dismissed, "I will always do what's best for us, even if it means making the difficult choices."

***

Lucifer had to wonder what he had done in the previous universe to warrant the insanity that was his life. Here he was with Charlie, lying on cold concrete, vaguely listening to two cannibals discuss the best way to cook angel flesh and he honestly couldn't think of anywhere he would feel more at ease after the day he'd had. How was this his life?! He had the oddest urge to just...start cackling. Was Alastor's insanity contagious? Fuck, he needed to get some sleep. Mentally, he was absolutely exhausted but the anxiety and adrenaline made the idea of sleeping laughable at best.

Rosie leaned over him, breaking him out of his wandering thoughts to see her eyes glittering with mischief, "I know you've had a long day, dear, so I'll forgive you this once."

Lucifer blinked several times, trying to make sense out of that as Alastor groaned in what almost sounded like embarrassment, "Rosie!"

She put her hands on her hips, ignoring the interruption, "But in the future, you really should pay attention when the fella you're sweet on gets all dolled up for ya!"

"It's not like I did this on purpose!"

Charlie giggled and curiosity got the better of Lucifer so he pushed himself up a bit to get a better look at Alastor, "...you've got to be shitting me!"

Sure enough, the Radio Demon had large black wings folded up awkwardly on his back, like he didn't know how to settle them right. Which, considering he sure as Hell hadn't had them before this, he probably didn't. Alastor refused to meet his gaze and shifted awkwardly, the movement revealing an iridescent sheen on the larger flight feathers.

Rosie giggled, "Think he's avoidin' standin' up so he doesn't embarrass himself by fallin' over."

Alastor glared up at her, "Absolute lies and slander! I'm sure I would be just fine, Rosie!"

"Oh really? Get up then, Mr. Big Bad Radio Demon!"

Lucifer couldn't help snickering alongside Charlie at how ridiculous those two were. Alastor was totally pouting and embarrassed! God, he wished he had a camera right now!

That's when he felt it. He sobered up as two new souls finished manifesting in the city. Charlie almost immediately noticed his dip in mood, "Dad? What's wrong?"

All three of them looked at him with varying shades of concern. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. He'd probably need to avoid the hotel for a bit, Charlie would hate that, but he wouldn't let those two face Hell alone, not when he was the whole reason they were down here, "I need you to do me a favor, duckling." He looked down at his hands in his lap as he explained the situation, hesitating before he got the final part out, "I don't know if her Hell-form will be different from her mortal body but, fair warning, she might look a lot like your mother."

He could hear Alastor growl and Rosie softly swearing under her breath. It was Charlie's reaction he worried about the most. He couldn't bring himself to look up at her until she placed one of her own hands over his, her tone soft but confident, "I'll find them both and get them to the hotel safe and sound, Dad. Don't worry."

Charlie really was the best daughter he could have ever hoped for.

Notes:

Here I go adding yet another character into this monstrosity! Why do I do this to myself?!

Chapter 95: Interlude: Hazy Dreams

Summary:

Raphael hesitated a moment as he caught sight of his charge sitting peacefully on the sandy beach, watching the pastel clouds pass her by while she gently pet one of the birds that inhabited the island. He wished he did not have to disturb her, but a shift in the bag he was carrying reminded him that he must. There was too much at stake to leave their ally in Hell with what amounted to a missing limb, "Lady Lilith?"

Raphael hesitated a moment as he caught sight of his charge sitting peacefully on the sandy beach, watching the pastel clouds pass her by while she gently pet one of the birds that inhabited the island. He wished he did not have to disturb her, but a shift in the bag he was carrying reminded him that he must. There was too much at stake to leave their ally in Hell with what amounted to a missing limb, "Lady Lilith?"

There was a moment before she reacted, turning her head and giving him a soft smile as she pulled off her sunglasses, revealing glazed lilac eyes, "Hello, sir angel. I've been having a rather lovely dream today."

He returned her smile and came closer, "I'm glad to hear that. Where is Armina?"

"I...can't remember. I'm sorry."

Raphael shook his head and crouched down to pat her shoulder comfortingly, "It's alright. Don't stress yourself. I'm sure she's just tending to some of the plants. If there was a problem, Uriel would let us know."

Lilith slowly blinked and tilted her head, "That is the name of the angel in the water, right?" When he nodded, she grinned proudly, pleased she had remembered that. The bag hanging from his hand moved again and she looked at it with open curiosity, "Have you brought me a new friend?"

"Sort of. You actually know this one. Do you remember the sinner we talked to a couple of years ago? The one that looked like a red deer?" There was a flash of something in her eyes then, a recognition that came from somewhere deeper than this dream-state he had to keep her mind in, "He was helping someone out and his Song-bound familiar got hurt by a holy blade."

There was a soft gasp of dismay and her hands shook, startling the white raven in her lap into flying away. Raphael placed a hand in front of her face, sending soothing energies through her, "It's alright, my Lady, the creature survived." She relaxed with a sigh, "Apparently our friend has been learning some powerful magic. It fed that to the holy energies, slowing the progress long enough for me to amputate the part being erased."

Lilith reached a hand for the bag, "Poor thing. Let me see it."

Raphael let her take it, planting his staff and letting the Tree of Life branch out over them to provide shade, "I fear we will need to fully wake you up to help it. This sort of Being is completely of Hell and my magics seemed to hurt it."

The Shadow peeked out of the bag at her, its shape vague and undefined, "You called this a song-bound familiar?"

"Yes, though the bond has been severed. It will continue to degrade if we do not get it back to its Creator soon but I fear it will not survive the trip down. It's too weak."

Lilith gave a small giggle when she reached a hand towards the Shadow and it coiled several tendrils around her fingers, "It tickles. It feels a bit like my fingers are being held by a ghost." She looked up at the healer, "I want to help it. Wake me up."

Raphael nodded and got to his feet, placing his hands over her head and closing his eyes.

Notes:

Short one but I wanted you guys to get a glimpse of Lilith and what she's going through.

Also, her thought on what the shadows feel like is the same as Lucifer's from waaaay back in Chap 12

Chapter 96: Growth and Loss

Summary:

Rosie didn't know exactly what the King was talking about but she could guess, "Remember what I told ya? Never assume there is only one motive. Three is the bare minimum to expect."

Rosie kept up her mental walls, watching as Charlie got on the phone to let her cutie pie girlfriend know the situation. The dear girl was holding together well but it was clear to one with strong enough Insight that it was stretched thin. It was a good thing Alastor had followed her lead once he was able, keeping much of the atmosphere light and playful as they could. The Fallen Overlord would have gone with her, worked to shore her up until she could safely break and release all that pent up stress and anger she was repressing, but there was another that took priority first. So she waited patiently, giving the young lady a pleasant farewell and carefree wave, making a mental note to loop Vaggie in on a plan to corner Charlie soon. Once the door to the warehouse closed, she counted to three before whirling around on Alastor, "Alright, mister!" Her sharp tone startled both him and Lucifer, "You better fess up real quick on what happened earlier!"

The King looked between her and Alastor in confusion, "Uh...did I miss something?"

She held up a finger, asking him to wait while she stared down the Radio Demon, "Tell me now if you need him to leave to be able to talk about it but you're damn well talkin'!"

Alastor's ears were fully laid back and his teeth were bared in displeasure but the fact that he didn't immediately try to run away told her that even he knew he needed to speak to someone. Well that was certainly progress. Maybe he was finally learning to lean on others! She didn't dare hope too hard that she was right. He sounded like he was forcing himself to speak when he finally did, "...he can stay. I would have been speaking with him after the events of today anyway."

"Oh goodie!" She put her hands on her hips and looked at Lucifer, "Can you summon us some chairs, your Majesty? Both of ya probably got numb feet from that cold floor."

The little Seraphim blinked but snapped his fingers obediently, "Yes, ma'am."

Rosie nodded once in approval at his quick compliance before pointing at the chair closest to Alastor, "Get your hiney up there and I'll help you position those wings of yours more comfortably."

"I would much rather learn how to get them to go away," He muttered. "If I was meant to fly, I would have damn well gotten wings when I first formed down here!"

Lucifer started to say something, likely an offer to teach him to dismiss them, but held up his hands in surrender when she gave him a Look. Smart man. She had dealt with the Radio Demon and his moods for too many years to let him sulk or get away with changing the subject for long. If she did, he'd get his walls back up. Then it would be like trying to pull sore teeth from an alligator to get him to talk about whatever happened to send him so deep in his mind that she had to use his Maman's nickname for him to pull him back out of it.

It was hard keeping a straight face when Alastor got up and really did wobble, quickly pulling up one of his shadows to hold onto. He looked so completely offended by the fact that he didn't instinctively know how to compensate for the change! But that was just how the Radio Demon was. Does the man freak out about the fact that he has wings suddenly? Of course not! He gets mad that he doesn't know how to make them do what he wants right away! Crazy idiot thinks learning curves and adjustment periods are something other people deal with.

Lucifer didn't hide his own amusement though, earning Alastor's ire, "Laugh it up while you can, sire! Once I figure these blasted things out, you will be teaching me how to properly fight while flying!"

The King blinked in confusion, "Uh, why me? Rosie would probably be much better at teaching than me!"

Rosie shook her head, giving him a purposeful look until his eyes went wide and he flailed, "Oh shit, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have assumed that you-" He winced, "Crap, you even told me you lost them the first time we met, didn't you?"

"That I did. But it's alright, dear. It's been long enough that I've come to terms with it," She turned her attention back to Alastor, who had taken a seat and was giving her a studying look. True to her word, she came around and started gently nudging and shifting the feathered appendages until they were properly settled, "We'll need to get you to the tailor to setcha up with some clothes to allow for these!" Once her task was complete, she gave one wing an affectionate pat before going to her own chair, "So, what happened that had you such a mess when Charlie and I got here, hm?"

Alastor huffed, muttering several insults that she graciously elected to ignore, "Despite the improbability, I was concerned that perhaps the summoning had happened due to rumors I have recently encouraged about the nature of the relationship between myself and the King."

Ah. Guilt. One of the only emotions that the Radio Demon had little experience with and so had few ways of dealing with it when it hit him hard.

"Wait, so that whole scene in the hall with Angel Dust wasn't just to embarrass the shit out of me?!"

Rosie didn't know exactly what the King was talking about but she could guess, "Remember what I told ya? Never assume there is only one motive. Three is the bare minimum to expect." She turned her focus back to Alastor, "So, what's the big reason for lettin' those rumors spread?"

"There is someone I can't reach on my own, not without gaining unwanted attention," He glanced pointedly at Lucifer before continuing, "However, if this person hears I am behaving in a manner they do not approve of or comprehend the reasoning behind, they will call me to them to make me explain." His grin grew in hungry anticipation, "I will gain the ability to look on them with new eyes and understand my enemy even greater. Sadly I won't be able to take a bite this time, but getting their true scent should be a proper appetizer!"

Rosie narrowed her eyes, sifting through his words for what was hidden underneath, "I think I get it. You are gonna break that chain, right?"

He laughed, motioning at Lucifer, "It's already broken and it wasn't even by my own hand!"

She looked at the King and grinned gleefully at his wide-eyed confusion, "Don't worry, dear. You'll get used to him eventually. Remember how I warned ya to figure out if you could handle him?"

Lucifer nodded with a snort, "Yeah. Think I'm at least halfway to his level of crazy at this point so really, what's a little more?"

"Good! 'Cause it's too late to back out now. If you did try, I'd hafta kill ya and poor Charlie would never forgive me for that!" It was heartening that he responded to that with a laugh. Now she'd just have to get these two idiots to survive whatever mess was building up around them and maybe they'd actually see a day where Hell had a proper King again, not just Lucifer doing the bare minimum to keep things running.

Rosie eyed Alastor and began to turn over possibilities. Maybe they'd even end up with two if these knuckleheads got their act together. She'd only really need to convince Lucifer that the jokes weren't really jokes, that the Radio Demon wasn't just playing at liking his attention for laughs. Which would be difficult with how much of a contrary bastard her friend could be! Ah well, she always liked a good challenge!

***

Jessica Peterson woke up feeling cold, the sort that settled deep in your bones and never really left. The ground was hard under her and the air smelled awful, like rotting sewage and old blood. That mixture was sadly familiar and she both feared and hoped that the past few months were a dream, that she was back in the war and Roger was still alive.

She knew in her heart that reality was too cruel for that.

Opening her eyes, she found herself lying in an unfamiliar alley. The last thing she remembered was leaving the V.A. to go meet her parents for dinner when a stranger with strangely white skin and pale blue eyes had stopped her. As soon as his hand touched her arm, everything went blank aside from this chill that she felt even now.

Jessica went to push herself up but stopped as she noticed her hands were different. Her fingers had large claw-like nails and her skin was a strange pale color, somewhere between purple and blue. Fear started to rise in her and she felt the cold becoming stronger, to the point she could almost swear she was breathing out frost as she began to hyperventilate!

'Oh God, what about-' Her hands flew to her stomach, terror truly taking hold of her at finding it flat under the familiar rough fabric of a uniform that she hadn't worn in months! 'My baby?! Where is-'

"Ma'am?! Are you okay?" The sharp and concerned voice briefly broke through the warring emotions, pulling her attention to a tall woman at the end of the alley, her eyes wide and glowing?! "My name's Charlie. Can I come over there to check on you? I want to help."

Notes:

Some lines have been added to Lucifer's section in Chap 94. Nothing that really changes anything but I feel like it smooths out some of the stiffness in that area. Go check it out if you want!

Also! The new version of Eldritch!Al is nearly to the point where I can feel like posting the WIP. It's much more fitting for what I envision but it still has the whole face splitting open thing because I liked that part.

Got some inspo for full angel Samael too so I should make some progress there.

For those that haven't seen it, I have another story thats been practically writing itself called Avatar of Hell if you guys wanna check that out

P.S. Little thing I noticed I did without realizing is that even though he knew the Shadow couldn't survive without help, Raphael still made sure Lilith was fully aware of the situation and waited for her to clearly consent to aid it before waking her up. It just stuck out to me once I noticed it and wanted to share

Chapter 97: Break the Ice

Summary:

Charlie couldn't say how she had found the woman. Her dad had been able to give her a direction and distance for each of them but he wasn't familiar enough with the city to tell her street names or anything. He had offered to go with her, to more easily show her where the new sinners were, but she could feel how much the thought of seeing the two women so soon after everything was tearing him up.

Notes:

TW: emotional breakdown due to pregnancy loss (not quite but similar to a miscarriage)

Charlie couldn't say how she had found the woman. Her dad had been able to give her a direction and distance for each of them but he wasn't familiar enough with the city to tell her street names or anything. He had offered to go with her, to more easily show her where the new sinners were, but she could feel how much the thought of seeing the two women so soon after everything was tearing him up. Charlie wasn't as good as Rosie at knowing what to say to make her dad feel better and she wasn't as good at distracting him as Alastor. So she knew he would be in better hands with them than with her.

After leaving them and letting Vaggie know that everything was okay for the moment, Charlie had Razzle drive her in the direction her dad had pointed, mentally gauging the distance from the warehouse and herself until she figured she was pretty close. Upon getting out of the car, she had felt a moment of doubt. There were so many people, how was she supposed to find two women that she didn't even know?!

Frustration built up in her, a feeling of uselessness followed swiftly by anger. All this pain and misery and everything that was happening because of Heaven being so freaking blind to the rot in their own halls but all too happy to blame everything on her dad and sinners 𝘢̰̾𝘯̰̾𝘥̰̾ 𝘢̰̾𝘭̰̾𝘭̰̾ 𝘰̰̾𝘧̰̾ 𝘏̰̾𝘦̰̾𝘭̰̾𝘭̰̾-

Charlie blinked as suddenly everything around her just...shifted. It was kind of like the underwater feeling when her angelic powers were trying to come out but it also felt like the fire within her that she associated with her more demonic powers too. Things around her slowed down and colors began to wash out of her surroundings except for lights that glowed like stars inside of the people walking by. Those were all different colors and she couldn't really describe them but one in particular caught her eye. It was so bright and flickering wildly unlike the steady glow of the other pedestrians. Another blink and everything returned to normal, though the people closest to her were giving her a wide berth for some reason. Setting that thought to the side, Charlie walked towards where she had seen that flashing light.

'There. That alley, I'm sure of it!'

Sure enough, she got to the alley and saw a shaking woman in what looked like a military uniform. She was lying on her back on the ground, frost spreading from under her as she cried, "Ma'am?! Are you okay?" The woman looked straight at her, still and wary as a wounded animal. The analogy didn't feel too far off considering the long rabbit ears she had on her head. "My name's Charlie. Can I come over there to check on you? I want to help."

There was a long moment where she wasn't sure if the woman had heard her but finally there was the tiniest of nods. Charlie sighed in relief and slowly walked over. This had to be one of the sinners she was looking for. Right now she would focus on this one and find the other after she got her to the car. She made sure to step carefully when she got to the frosty area. She didn't want to slip and accidentally hurt the woman by falling on her. Thankfully it wasn't solid ice or anything. Now that she was closer, she could see what her dad had meant when he said one of the new sinners might look like her mom. However, between the different skin color and her eyes being pink, the resemblance was more superficial than she had feared, "Hi, ma'am. Can I know your name?"

"...J-Jessica."

Charlie gave her the warmest welcoming smile she knew how to make, crouching down so she would be more on her level, "It's nice to meet you, Miss Jessica. Like I said, my name is Charlie. Do you know where you are or why you're here?"

Her heart sank when the woman burst into tears, shaking her head as her hands went to her stomach again, "N-no. All I w-want to know is where my baby is!"

Charlie swallowed hard. Dad had mentioned the lady had been pregnant and...this sort of thing was awful, even with the warning. There was no way to say this that wouldn't hurt her, "I don't know what happened to your baby, I'm sorry. Wherever your body is, I hope they got doctors to you quick enough to save them."

Blue eyes went wide and the air turned even colder, "M-my body? Then...am I..."

Charlie nodded once, tears falling from her own eyes as the woman broke into wailing sobs. Gently, she reached out to touch her arm, hoping to offer some physical comfort. She did not expect the woman to practically launch herself at her. Fuck, she was so cold! Charlie clenched her teeth against saying anything and wrapped her arms around her, holding her close while she cried.

A small part of her that she tried to pretend she didn't have thought that Michael deserved everything Alastor was planning to do. She knew the Radio Demon well enough now to know that he protected his people and Rosie said he thought of her dad as one of his as well as Charlie herself. Alastor had to already have a target on that awful Seraphim in his mind and a plan to ensure he'd never hurt anyone again when he was done.

...maybe she should see if Vaggie and Carmilla would be willing to have her join in on their sparring lessons.

***

Lucifer kind of felt like his mind was divided in two. There was the part of him that was interacting with Rosie and Al, that piece was behaving like he had his shit together. And then there was what felt like a fog over the rest. It felt like he was watching someone else pretend to be a better version of him. Maybe Michael had managed to start Corrupting him this time?

Fuck, he felt more worried about the lack of worry or fear he had at the thought.

Now he was starting to recognize this feeling. It was how he spent most of his days at the palace after Lilith and Charlie left. But he thought he'd been doing better? Even earlier today, while Charlie was here with them, he'd genuinely felt okay in spite of everything!

A sharp and sudden squeal in his ear nearly jolted him out of his chair, "The fuck?!"

Alastor was cackling again, kicking his feet and even his wings were moving with how hard he was laughing. Lucifer looked at the source of the noise only to realize that Rosie had a rubber duck in her hand that she had somehow held out near his head without him realizing, "Huh. That's more effective than I thought it'd be! Looks like you had the right idea there, Alastor."

"When-" The sinner was gasping for air and trying to talk, "When did you start putting one of those in your go bag?!"

"Since I had lunch with his Majesty and Charlie at her hotel!"

Lucifer was absolutely being ganged up on by insane people! "You almost gave me a damned heart attack!"

"Psh! Don't think you Seraphim can even get those so don't you worry your pretty little head, sire," Rosie flapped a hand at him before holding up the rubber duck, "I know he usually lets you keep 'em after he throws 'em at you. You want this one too?"

Grumbling petulantly, he held out a hand, "Why not? I'm sure the bastard will just steal it again later."

She giggled and handed it over, "I think it's sweet actually! He's thinkin' about you a lot then!"

"Rosie," Alastor still had an amused grin on his face but he was giving her a suspicious look, "Are you meddling right now?"

"Now why would I ever do that? I know you wouldn't need little ol' me helpin' you out, what with you bein' so good at talkin' to people when you should," Rosie gave him an overly sweet smile while Lucifer just looked at the two of them in confusion. He was getting annoyed with how they seemed to have their own coded language that he couldn't decipher. He didn't like the feeling that he was missing out on something important.

Although...maybe he didn't want to know? Her expression shifted just a hair and Alastor suddenly looked away. Was the Radio Demon openly pouting and blushing?! Did Lucifer hit his head when he landed? Because seriously, hallucinations would explain that better!

"Well, I don't know about you boys, but I'm starvin'! All this excitements given me a good appetite!" Rosie got to her feet and brushed her hands over her skirts to settle them more properly. When she was done with that, she gave Lucifer a narrow eyed look that he just knew meant she was more thoroughly activating her Insight, "Hrm... Alastor, don't let him be alone tonight. Maybe tomorrow too. And tell Miss Vaggie to call me when she can."

The King frowned, "I can take care of myself you know. I don't need a babysitter."

"Sure, sure! After all, you spent how long alone at the palace 'takin' care of yourself'?"

Ouch. Okay, maybe she had a point. Still, did she have to be so blunt about it?

"You gentlemen have a lovely evenin'!" She picked up her bag and started for the door before she paused, "Oh, and Alastor? You might need to do an extra check in on your old pal. He's a bit shaken loose after whatever he saw you doin' in here."

With that, she went out the door. Lucifer just looked at the closed door for a minute before a thought hit him, "Should I have offered to call for a car for her?"

Alastor shook his head, "No, that would have ruined her plans to pick up a meal on the way back. Whenever Rosie has a 'good appetite,' she can make my own hunger look tame."

...yeah, she was definitely a scary lady.

Notes:

Remember how Lucifer found Alastor in the very beginning? With the power that let him see the unique signature of each sinner's soul? Guess what Charlie inherited as Princess of Hell!

And poor Jessica. I will admit, I cried writing that. Please know that things do get better for her after this. She still has a rough road but this is rock bottom here.

Chapter 98: Honoring the Past

Summary:

To say that Lute was clinging to her sanity by the barest of threads was not an understatement. Her mind was fighting her, echoes of memories only half remembered and words she wasn't sure were real kept trying to overwhelm her. But she remembered her training, how to stand at attention and watch for threats. The memories could wait until they returned to the suite that had been assigned to them. Emily had promised to help her and she would hold on until then.

Notes:

TW: Angst and feeeeeeels. You might cry. I did.

Charlie shut the door to the car, Jessica safely inside, and took a moment to breathe. This was all so much to try to take in. Her heart felt like it was breaking in two and there was nothing she could do to help! What was the point of all of this heartache and pain?

...

Maybe she couldn't do anything, but what about Emily? She was a Seraphim, she had to have some sort of ability to see things on the human world! Even if it wasn't until she got back to Heaven, there was still a chance to at least get Jessica an answer. While Charlie hoped the child had survived, knowing for sure either way should help the poor woman. She pulled out her phone, typing quickly.

***

To say that Lute was clinging to her sanity by the barest of threads was not an understatement. Her mind was fighting her, echoes of memories only half remembered and words she wasn't sure were real kept trying to overwhelm her. But she remembered her training, how to stand at attention and watch for threats. The memories could wait until they returned to the suite that had been assigned to them. Emily had promised to help her and she would hold on until then.

Of course it didn't help that she kept seeing this little red filth watching her with a creepy grin. The Exorcist had the feeling she knew her, hated her for some reason, but she couldn't grasp why!

Movement caught her attention and she looked over to find Vaggie striding through the room with purpose in her eye. It was strange, looking at the other angel and feeling like she was seeing both a rotten traitor and an old friend she had sorely missed. It was almost like there were two versions of herself in her mind and Lute didn't know which one was the real her!

Gold eyes narrowed in suspicion as Vaggie stopped in front of Emily, motioning for the Seraphim to follow. Lute recognized that look on the former Exorcist's face. She was troubled and worried. It was a look they had both grown familiar with on each other when Adam had his bad days. What could be happening down here that would bring that expression to that stern face?

She waited, watching for when all the other trash in this hotel weren't looking, then she carefully followed. It was her duty to guard Emily, sticking by her wouldn't be suspect but she had a feeling Vags wouldn't talk openly if she knew Lute was nearby.

"What is it, Miss Vaggie? You said Charlie needed a favor?"

The Exorcist frowned. Favors with demons were supposed to be dangerous things that made angels Fall. Emily wouldn't do that, right?

"Yeah." She could hear something like hesitance in Vaggie's voice. But...she never hesitated? Wait, no, that was before she betrayed them. She had hesitated back then, forsaken her holy duty, that's why they left her here!

*"What did she do to betray Heaven? Before she fought against you in that last battle, I mean."

"She rejected our purpose! She chose not to kill a sinner! I saw her do it!"

"Do you know why she did it?"

"Not really but...maybe because it was a child sinner?"*

Lute clenched her jaw to stop from groaning as a wave of pain went through her head. When was that memory from? That sounded like Sera.

"Apparently there's a new sinner she wants to help. The woman died as a sacrifice in a summoning."

Lute heard Emily gasp and she felt a strange ache too. Sacrificed in a summoning to end up in Hell? That was...

"That's awful!" The Seraphim unknowingly finished her thought, "How can I help?"

"The woman was pregnant when she died. Charlie says someone told her that there was a chance the child survived. Can you find out for sure?"

There was a moment of quiet and Lute found herself not even breathing in order to be sure she could hear the answer.

"I'm not really sure? I can try when I go back up but that's not one of my specialties," Emily sounded like she was nearly crying and there was a soft sound from Vaggie.

"Hey, it's okay. You can still check when you go back and get a message to Charlie. That's more than any of us can do from here."

*"Hey, my main bitch!" Adam was grinning at her in a way she knew meant trouble, "Wanna go check out this new band I found on Earth? They got a kick ass drummer chick that I think you'd like! She's totally your type! If she makes it to Heaven, maybe you and I can-!"

"Adam!" Lute hissed, looking around. If anyone else heard him talking about this, "We can't go to Earth without permission! Do you really think the Commander will let you go just to see a concert?! How did you even hear about them if they're still alive?"

He scoffed and folded his arms over his chest with that cocky smirk of his, "Chill out, danger-tits! I'm the First Man, remember? I'm practically a god on the human world! You think I can't get back there without old stick-up-his-ass finding out?"

She hesitated before finally giving up and smirking, "Fine but if we get caught, I'm blaming you. He goes easier on you than the rest of us."

Adam turned away then, waving a hand carelessly as he started walking, "Yep, totally on the same page there! You think I'd let him chew you out? You're one of my girls, ain't nothing I wouldn't do for you bitches! Now, you coming or not?"*

Lute swallowed hard as that memory washed over her. She knew a way to the mortal world. It wouldn't be hard to get there if she could sneak out of Hell through the Embassy without being detected. Only angels could go up so they didn't really watch for that the way they did for people sneaking down. If she didn't go all the way back up, cut off the teleportation before it was complete, she could still get to the secret path Adam had shown her.

But could she get back?

"What was her name, do you know? And she died today? Where?" Emily sounded determined, "The more information we have, the better the odds of finding out."

"Thank you, Emily. I don't have all that information yet but her name is Jessica Peterson. Apparently she was in the military, she came down in her uniform."

A soldier then. That put her under the Commander's purview. If she was with child, she would have been away from the battlefield but still...maybe Lute could...

...Why was she even considering this?! This was a sinner, no matter how she ended up down here...

*Adam was crouched down, letting the little human-borns climb all over him, their bright laughter echoing around the park.

"Why do you let them do that, sir?"

"What? You being a buzzkill now?" He looked over at her with a grin. He had removed his mask and that smile always made her feel warm, "Kids should be happy! These guys died way too young, so really, being their personal jungle gym ain't hard to do!"

A couple of the children tugged on his wings. That had to hurt but he didn't even twitch. Something flashed in his eyes and his smile fell, the gold of his angelic nature flickering to a softer brown as he looked up at the bright clouds of Heaven, "It's awful, being separated from your kid because of death. Worse if it's your child that died first. Sometimes I wonder...why I never saw Eve or our kids again. Could they have gone down there? Died in the old wars without me even knowing?" He shut his eyes, a whisper leaving him that she wasn't sure she was even supposed to hear, "...would I even recognize them anymore during one of the Exterminations?"

Lute looked at him with wide eyes as a single tear fell down his face. He never talked about his days as a human or his family. The moment passed, his eyes gold again and he slid his mask back on, "Sorry, brats! Time for the First Man to go get a drink! Keep kicking ass, okay?"

The kids all cheered and waved, promising they would as Adam walked away. She stayed frozen in place until after he was out of sight. The next day, she and Vags would find him passed out under the memorial, crude words and images scrawled over the Commander's likeness. Again.*

Lute clenched her prosthetic hand and wiped at her face quickly as she walked away from where Emily and Vags were. She was simply honoring her fallen leader's memory, especially since she had apparently forgotten and that was unforgivable! When that stupid, childish Princess got back, she would keep an eye on this new sinner, learn what she could while she figured out a way to sneak back in. She wouldn't forsake her duty but some things were more important.

Adam was more important.

He had been her closest friend and what kind of friend would she be if she didn't do as he would have wanted? Right?

Fuck it. When it came down to it, she was just doing her job. Protecting Emily from getting caught doing favors for demons was still within the range of all of her duties. Being a six wing meant her place in Creation was more important than a mere two wing like Lute. Getting her own hands dirty so the Seraphims didn't have to was the core duty of an Exorcist after all.

Notes:

Sorry if Adam made you cry. I NEVER wanted to make him sympathetic but... yeah...

Chapter 99: Earnest Honesty and Feathered Feelings

Summary:

Angel Dust gets back to the hotel, expecting the usual low-grade insanity that seemed to gravitate to the place.

What he didn't expect was two angels that were apparently going to be staying for an entire month!

Notes:

I added a small paragraph to the very end of the prev chap so if you read it soon after posting, take a look. Little more of a look at Lute's rationalization.

Angel Dust yawned as he trudged up the hill back to the hotel. It was amazing, coming back tired as hell but knowing it was because he'd been out having good, clean fun, not getting his ass screwed six ways to Sunday with too little lube and nowhere near enough recovery time. Cherri had even started laying off with trying to pressure him into getting back into the hard shit. With the smile he sometimes caught on her face whenever she read letters from Sir Pentious, he had to wonder if maybe she was starting to consider becoming a full-time resident of the hotel herself.

...they were so going to need to double the reinforcements on the walls if she did.

Chuckling at the thought, Angel opened the door and started to give his usual showy greeting when a high pitched squealing and a blur of blue and white running his way cut him off. What the-

"Oh my gosh! You have to be Molly's brother! You two even sound similar!!!"

The fuck was this lady talking...wait... did she say Molly?! HOLY SHIT! WERE THOSE WINGS ON HER BACK?!?! "Whiskers, I need ya ta tell me right now if I'm hallucinatin' or s'there really a fuckin' angel in the hotel?" The unspoken question was did he need to pull out his tommy guns?

She clasped her hands in front of her chest, her grin somehow getting wider as she looked over at the bar, "He calls you Whiskers? That's so cute! Are you two dating?!"

Did the Princess of Hell have a fraternal twin that lived in Heaven? This chick was way too cutesy and just...happy and Husk was looking at her the same way he did on Charlie's manic days, "Don't go trigger happy, Angel. She's really here and apparently will be for a month. Boss is gonna shit kittens when he sees her and the other one. Or bite them. Not sure which."

The spider was pretty sure he was wrong on both guesses, at least with this angel. With how much she acted like Charlie, it was more likely Al was gonna end up deciding she needed to stay at the hotel forever. Like the Radio Demon's version of adopting a pet or something.

Before he could stick his foot in his mouth by saying that out loud, he heard Vaggie coming their way with hurried steps, "Emily, I know you mean well but you need to dial it back a little. Remember, angels in Hell has always meant Exterminations for them."

Her mouth made a perfect little o-shape, blue eyes wide and fucking sparkling as she looked up at him so earnestly apologetic that it was hard to believe she was real, "I'm so sorry! Hold on, let me try this again!" She took a step back out and held out her hand, "Hi! I'm Emily! You can call me Em, or Emmy, or whatever!"

Angel tentatively held out his hand, "Uh, hiya? I'm Angel Dust."

She shook his hand enthusiastically, "Oh! Right! That's what that creepy moth man called you! I thought you were really brave sticking up to him for your friend, you know?"

Shit, this was one of the angels that watched his night at the sex club? Talk about embarrassing. With the way Emily was looking up at him though, it seemed like she was being totally honest, "Uh, thanks, I think? Ya mentioned Molly? Do ya know her?" Did he dare think she really meant his Molz?

She bounced on her toes as she nodded. Fuck, did this chick ever do anything calmly? "Yep! Here," Emily opened a hand, a scroll appearing in her palm, "She sent you a letter!"

He felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his skull when he saw the paper in her hand, a mix of apprehension and hope making his chest tight.

Blue sparkly eyes blinked before she gave him a worried look, "Are you okay? I thought you would feel happy but this-"

"Emily," Vaggie looked like she was having to fight to keep up the nice and patient act, "Easing up means also not telling everyone that you can feel or hear their emotions. I think maybe we'll need to get you involved in one of the boundary setting exercises. That might help you see what I mean."

"Sure! I want to get involved in everything you guys do here!"

Angel couldn't help thinking that Emily also needed to be kept away from poker nights. Her thoughts were just so freakin' easy to read! Her settings were stuck on complete honesty and if she tried to go out into the city, the sinners out there would eat her alive. Literally and figuratively!

There was a subtle shift, something so small he probably wouldn't have even noticed it if he wasn't on high alert already. He turned his focus toward it and found himself pulling his guns without even thinking about it. That wasn't just an angel leaning against the wall, that was a GODDAMNED EXORCIST!

"Angel, stop!"

"Lute, no!"

The spider demon blinked when he found Vaggie standing in front of him, her arms and wings wide to block him from aiming at the Exorcist. Behind her gray wings were six white ones, which meant Emily was likely doing the same on the other side.

"Put the guns away, Angel," Vaggie growled out. "She can't attack you unless you attack her first. Don't give her an excuse."

"Lute, I'm sure it was just a reflex. We aren't under attack, okay?"

"How can you trust him/her?!" Angel and the Exorcist said at the same time, stopping and blinking as they realized it.

"I don't trust Lute, Angel. I trust Emily. She's the one that swore an Oath to Charlie so she'll stop Lute from doing anything rash. Got it?"

"...fuck, fine. If ya say so," He retracted his third set of arms and he saw the Exorcist relax her grip on her sword though she didn't fully let go, "You 'n Charlie are both insane though. How many times have ya had ta do this since they showed up?"

Vaggie snorted, "You're actually the first one, believe it or not. Charlie was here when everyone else met them and apparently that was enough to keep people from losing their shit."

Angel looked around the lobby in astonishment. He knew most of the people staying here from long before the hotel was a thing. The fact that they all had decided to trust Charlie that much...

He took a deep breath and decided he would do the same. She hadn't let them down yet, he could have a little faith in her judgement here. As he calmed down, he realized the thought of reading a letter from Molly didn't terrify him nearly so much anymore, "Hey, Sparkles, lemme see that letter."

"I get a nickname too?! EEEeeee!"

***

Alastor was getting very annoyed with these damned useless weights on his back. He hadn't been this uncertain of his own body since he first got it. They threw off his entire balance and kept moving in unfamiliar ways. Rosie's adjustments had helped, showing him how to best hold them against his back so he at least knew the position to return them to but controlling his ears was easier than this!

Of course, thinking about Rosie brought up thoughts about their interaction just before she left!

Blasted woman and her meddling ways. Alastor was well aware that she had a goal in mind, prodding at Lucifer like that, even if he wasn't aware of the full scope of that goal. However, the little King's feelings for him were his to meddle with, dammit, and he'd been sure he could get her to back off without making a scene in front of the fallen angel. Then she just had to go and point out this sort of thing wasn't particularly something he had much experience in. If she'd been any more blatant in her reminder of her own superiority in handling such matters, Alastor doubted even Lucifer could have missed what was being said.

Then she had to go and silently remind him of the promise he'd agreed to all those years ago, soon after Vox betrayed him. Alastor had never allowed himself to get that thoroughly intoxicated around anyone but Husk before or since. The former Overlord was under his contract so he could be forced into silence if the Radio Demon let slip anything he shouldn't have. Rosie was entirely a different matter and she had taken full advantage of that momentary weakness to secure a promise that she was to be the one to handle anyone who she thought might be feeling more than a passing interest in him.

Alastor was pretty sure he could defeat her in physical combat, especially now, but when it came to wits and words, she was always able to come out on top. He loathed when she turned those keen eyes his way because he knew fighting her was futile. She always managed to get him to do as she wished and the worst part? Once he got there, he had to admit she'd been correct to do so!

Why had he put up with her all these years?

Glancing over at Lucifer, who was looking at the little duck she had given him with a small happy smile, he had to accept that maybe he could allow Rosie to do as she wished again. Eugh. She was going to be so insufferable.

***

"Lucifer."

He blinked and looked up. Alastor rarely used his name, though it seemed to be something he was doing more when they were alone. When he noticed how the sinner was holding his wings, he fought to keep from laughing but apparently he wasn't successful in fully hiding it because now he was being glared at.

"And what, might I ask, do you find so amusing suddenly?"

"Well...uh," He rubbed the back of his neck, "There's a bit of a body language thing with wings and angels and well..." Okay, he couldn't stop a small chuckle, "Right now you're basically showing yourself as an apologetic angel of lower rank to me." Which, now that Lucifer thought about it, that was the same stance Sera had held when he cracked the table. Was that just earlier today? Fuck, that felt like it was a week ago!

A low growl pulled him out of his wandering thoughts and he held up his hands in surrender, "Hey, you asked! I didn't say I thought you actually were, that's just what your wings imply right now."

"So not only do I have to deal with learning how to actually use them, I need to be aware of their position and what it tells others?" Alastor looked distinctly less than thrilled by the thought.

"Hooow about for now I show you how to put them away?" Lucifer thought he saw a flicker of gratitude in the sinner's eyes. He really was bothered by them, wasn't he? "And maybe after that you can tell me how you even got them in the first place?"

The demon's ears fell back a bit, "I'm not entirely sure but..."

He waited patiently, calling his own wings forward to use as an example once Alastor finished his thought.

A long sigh left the man before he quietly admitted, "The thing I took from the angel? The whispers from it stopped just before I grew these. I think between my frustration with not being able to reach you myself and my refusal to shift into that state you saw me in before, your Harmony took the Corruption and the energy I was holding back and forced it to merge together to take a form that it thought would make it easier for me to get to you."

...

Why did that make Lucifer feel all warm and fuzzy inside? He felt his own wings moving and, when he realized what they were implying, he quickly forced them back down. Clearing his throat, he hoped like hell the burning in his cheeks wasn't a visible blush, "W-well, that's definitely something! Let's see about getting those put away, alright?"

With the way Alastor was staring at him, his efforts had been less than successful. For some reason though, the usual probing questions didn't come. "...alright, what do I do first?"

Notes:

I had to do Angel meeting Emily. It just needed to happen. Anybody think the Hazbins will be able to teach Emily to have a poker face?

Charlie is going to find the other lady but I'm having a hard time with getting that interaction to come through so I may just show her bringing them both into the hotel instead.

Chapter 100: Branching Paths

Summary:

By the time Charlie returned that evening, everyone had been made aware they had two new guests coming and that they were both new to Hell. Several sympathetic residents made sure to be nearby the entrance when the car pulled up, ready in case any assistance was needed. Vaggie felt on edge about this whole situation but seeing so many sinners banding together to help literal strangers made her feel like they were actually doing something to change the city. It would be slow going and there were sure to be bad days and setbacks ahead, but moments like this made it feel more real, more tangible and sustainable even in the chaos surrounding them.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Nina Farro with Channel 5 news. Tonight's headline brings a little light to a senseless tragedy, something doctors are calling a miracle.

Following the murder of two women and signs of chemical toxins used to incapacitate others in a local church, medical professionals rushed one of the women to the hospital in an attempt to save the child she was carrying. We have received word that the attempt was successful and police are reaching out to the next of kin. Though these are certainly dark days, there is a little hope that some sort of healing can come out of this tragic attack in our fair city. For more details, we are going to our reporter on the scene, Nick Spencer. Over to you, Nick."

"Thanks, Nina. Nick Spencer here, reporting from just outside St. Anne's, the site of this horrible tragedy. Local police have said it was thanks to the actions of one good Samaritan, a young man who identified himself as Samuel Azarias, who came across the scene and immediately called authorities. When first responders arrived on the scene, they found him performing first aid on the mother and attribute his actions with the child's chance at surviving. Police are asking for help in finding this man, both to ensure his actions are recognized and to help them better understand what he saw when he entered the church in the hopes of finding the madman responsible for this horrific act. More details on the victims and the events of the attack will be released later once all of the families have been notified. Back to you, Nina."

"Thank you, Nick. We can only hope for a swift resolution of all of this. For our next story this evening-"

***

By the time Charlie returned that evening, everyone had been made aware they had two new guests coming and that they were both new to Hell. Several sympathetic residents made sure to be nearby the entrance when the car pulled up, ready in case any assistance was needed. Vaggie felt on edge about this whole situation but seeing so many sinners banding together to help literal strangers made her feel like they were actually doing something to change the city. It would be slow going and there were sure to be bad days and setbacks ahead, but moments like this made it feel more real, more tangible and sustainable even in the chaos surrounding them.

The weirdest part? She could almost swear Lute's body language was showing something like concern and interest. Which made...absolutely no sense whatsoever! But...Vaggie had been partners with her for decades, had known her almost as well as she knew Charlie now. For all the viciousness that had been drilled into them, Exorcists watched out for their own and could read each other better than anyone else. They had to since they were the first line of offense that Heaven had. When they weren't killing sinners, they were patrolling the cracked places and Earth for signs of demonic activity and warped angels that needed to be captured and brought in to the healers. A warped Dominion could easily tear through an entire platoon if the madness took too deep of a hold in them and that was just a four-wing. Creation help them if the madness ever took a six-wing.

Shaking off the thoughts, she went outside to meet with Charlie and the new women first, hoping to provide a little buffer time for them to get used to all the different personalities in the hotel. While the other residents were showing signs of empathy, Hell could be very overwhelming when one was dropped in the middle of it with no familiar faces. The former Exorcist stopped short when she saw Charlie and one of the women, one who had rabbit ears drooped back with tired grief 'That must be Jessica. I thought Charlie said she was some sort of blue color, not gray?' helping the second woman out of the car. Two thoughts struck her as she watched the hunched figure stand up with some assistance.

The first was that there was no way that old lady had been meant to go to Hell! She was just so...soft. No claws, no fangs, not even horns though it did look like she had hooves on her bare feet. She was a strange sort of silvery white that indicated her age when she had died and her thick glasses made her wide brown eyes seem even bigger.

The second was that Alastor was definitely going to have some sort of reaction. It was up in the air whether or not it would be a good one because the elderly soul had a large pair of white deer ears atop her head.

"Vaggie, this is Miss Jessica and Miss Abigail. They-"

"Oh drop the Miss, Carrie dear! I done told ya that I go by Auntie Gail!"

Charlie looked so wrong-footed but she gave a weak smile to the old lady, "Right, sorry."

"Uh, babe, why is-"

The lady perked up and looked at Vaggie a little more closely, "Oh! Is this the girlfriend ya told me about?! Maggie, right? You younguns are so lucky ya get ta be with yer sweethearts in public!" She sighed wistfully, "Me 'n my Suzie never could, sadly. Her folks forced her ta marry that awful Dennis Martin and he moved them out west ta keep her a proper lady away from a degenerate like little ol' me." She cackled, "My Suzie never was a proper lady though. She pro'lly made him miserable for the rest of his life. Vicious as a snake she was, but goodness she could cut a rug and had the prettiest gams this side a' the Mississippi!"

Vaggie was starting to understand the shell-shocked look on Charlie's face, "Does she not realize-"

"Auntie Gail is very aware she's been transferred to a new nursing home today," Charlie said through clenched teeth.

"Yep! Carrie here helped me get away from some young hooligans downtown and said y'all was gonna set me up proper here! I get a little foggy-minded at times so I pro'lly jus' forgot today was the transfer day." Abigail looked up at the hotel with a blink and Vaggie saw a gold line around her neck. That...that was a mark of death by a holy blade, what in the-, "My goodness, this really is a swanky place! My nephew's promotion musta been bigger than I realized! I hope he 'n his son will visit more often now. I ain't seen Tommy since he was eight. Chuck says he's grown tall as a beanpole and been doin' well in college though! Such a smart young man, no matter what his mama says!"

Jessica was a quiet thing next to the chatty woman, her arms wrapped around herself as she kept looking between the hotel and the city. Vaggie could tell she was still having a hard time handling all of this, her breaths coming shorter as she shivered. The blue color she had been expecting started to spread over gray skin and fur while the ground under her feet turned frosty.

"Oh goodness, Jessica, you poor dear! You look absolutely freezin'! Here, take my shawl!"

The taller sinner jolted, the blue fading back again as she stared at the pink shawl being pushed into her hands, "I-uh-what-"

Wrinkled silvery hands patted darker gray clawed ones, "Hush 'n take it, dearie! Now let's all get inside. Maybe they have some hot tea or coffee ta help warm yer bones."

Vaggie and Charlie could only follow in stunned silence as this little old lady herded Jessica inside, chattering away cheerfully the entire time.

***

Alastor looked so relieved when his wings finally folded away properly that Lucifer couldn't help but ask, "You know, usually you seem pretty excited when you get something new. Why are the wings different?"

There was a soft huff and red eyes glanced up at him, looking like he was weighing whether or not to tell him. So, likely something embarrassing or ridiculous. "I don't care much for the idea of being so high in the air without something solid under my feet."

"...you're afraid of flying?!" The Radio Demon looked so very offended at his words that he couldn't help laughing.

Alastor gave a haughty sniff and grumbled several things that Lucifer couldn't hear over his own laughter, but he didn't seem mad, not really. As a peace offering, the fallen angel snapped his fingers and repaired his tattered clothing which made the sinner relax further, "How about a deal?"

That made Alastor's ears perk up in interest, a sly smirk on his face as he leaned forward, arms over his knees and microphone dangling loosely from one hand, "A deal with the Devil? I'd be crazy to accept."

Lucifer grinned widely at the response, "Good thing you're already insane!" They both snickered for a second before he continued, sitting back and folding his arms over his chest, "You try flying with me sometime and I'll make sure you don't ever fall. Sound good?"

The sinner gave him a long look, considering, "Hrmmm, add in a guarantee that you'll assist me in going to your core Self in the next week as well as an evening in my bayou in your truer state of Being."

"...what." That...couldn't be a serious request. Could it?

He got a sharp grin in answer to his flat tone, "You heard me. You have spent how long in this form with only being able to exist as your Self mostly in times of fear or depression? I rather enjoyed being able to See you while you aided Charlie yesterday," Was that really only yesterday?! "So now I know for certain I can tolerate it for longer periods even in this state. So, an evening with you outside of this form and showing me how to access your other Self in return for agreeing to try flying. Deal?"

...

Lucifer stared at him for a long moment, still trying to compute that when he felt something odd. His skin prickled a bit and a glow caught his eye. Both of them tensed as the scorched symbols several feet away lit up bright. That wasn't a summoning, it would be under his current location if it was. "Is...someone performing a reverse summoning?!"

***

Inside the church, the summoning circle that had been covered with a glamor activated with modified symbols, a dark form curled in the center of it, "Good luck, my friend. Say hello to your Creator for me if you can remember this."

The bright light flashed and the small Shadow vanished. Raphael made a motion, clearing the marks completely away and replacing them with the burns he had left to indicate an explosive device had been used here instead. There was a moment of quiet before he spoke to the empty air, "I thought you said you could not interfere, Azrael."

Though the Seraphim did not appear, a whisper of his voice was clear on the healer's right, "I did not."

"Then why did the child carry that Song?!" It was so achingly familiar, though it did not carry the layers it once had before.

The whisper was to his left this time, "You know as well as I that Creation will take the energy of those that have passed under Its Light and release it anew."

Raphael scoffed, "Brother, I am not stupid or newly formed! Creation does release it anew but it is purified, completely cleansed of its past forms."

There was a brush of a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I am not the one that Hears the Whispers of Creation's Wisdom. That is who would be able to more clearly help you understand the reasons, if they are willing and able."

The healer sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Right. Seems I need to have words with Uriel then. This...it makes no sense! It can't just be a coincidence, can it?"

A rumble rolled through the church, dust falling from the rafters, "I have found coincidences are far more rare than they would seem but the reasoning cannot be seen until long after things have passed."

Dropping his tense wings into a more relaxed state, Raphael looked at where he could feel Azrael's presence, "Do you ever miss it? The days Before? When things had so much more Clarity?"

"No. Though much has been lost, there is no point in clinging to the Old Ways."

He smiled thinly, looking up, seeing past the wooden ceiling and to the stars above, "I agree. I only hope the others will finally See it, once this is done."

"If Corruption does not win, they will."

And there was the crux of it. Why they were all working so hard in secret to repair the damage Michael caused before it could take hold. His Corruption had spread so wide, was already so deep in some that there was little hope they could ever be recovered, even with Rewriting. Azrael had been shown the Inevitable and all the ways that it could end, so many awful and so few good, but there was no guarantee of any one path being the one they were heading toward. Nothing they did made any difference to make one Possibility stronger than another that could be Foreseen. So all they could do was try and hope that what they did would be enough in the end.

It had to be.

Then Azrael spoke again, "They will have no choice, not unless they wish for the Nightmare to visit them as well."

...what?! Before Raphael could ask, the Seraphim of Death vanished from his senses.

Cryptic bastard loved giving him a mystery to gnaw on.

Notes:

Chapter 100! Sweet mother of Satan I never planned on hitting this point. Gah! While I hope to get to the final scenes before 150, we will see where this goes because holy crap I keep getting ideas and you guys keep feeding into them because you are all wonderfully awful

Chapter 101: Acceptance and Relief

Summary:

Both of them got to their feet as the glowing symbols got brighter, Alastor holding his powers at the ready. There was no telling who or what was coming through.

Both of them got to their feet as the glowing symbols got brighter, Alastor holding his powers at the ready. There was no telling who or what was coming through. The light turned blinding for a brief second, making him hiss and shield his eyes. Apparently the flare was no problem for Lucifer though, because he gasped, "Holy shit, how?!"

Alastor felt a twisting sensation and blinked away the spots in his vision in time to see Lucifer do something that brought the fallen angel to crouch down by a small dark shape in the middle of the circle without actually moving. A piece of Knowledge was attempting to clear, to show him how exactly the King had folded space and time to step through them instantly like that but his focus was on the shadow, his Shadow that was laying so still under Lucifer's hands. The fallen angel looked like he was almost afraid to touch it.

Alastor shook himself from his own shock and made long strides over, "Can you open a portal to my rooms? The bayou would be best."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure!" A wave of a hand and the magic created an opening, familiar trees visible on the other side.

The sinner barely paused long enough to wrap his own hands in shadows before scooping up the weak creature, gently feeding it as he hurried through. He would have to replenish its energies as well as renew the binding magics before it completely fell apart. He could sense unfamiliar magic holding it together but he couldn't trust how long it would last.

When he realized Lucifer had followed him through, he frowned but kept going, "I would rather you did not witness this."

"No can do. I'm staying. It's got Lilith’s magic in it and I want to know why."

Alastor looked down at the Shadow. The Queen had found it? How? He set the questions aside and stopped, turning to face Lucifer, "What I'm about to do will not sit well with you. Leave and I will call you back when it is done."

Frustratingly, Lucifer had that stubborn set to his jaw, "After everything it did to get me away from Michael, I doubt whatever magic you use to fix it is going to make me hate it or you."

He didn't have time for this! Antlers spreading as he grinned menacingly and got into the King's face, Alastor challenged that statement, "Even if it involves the long-term torture of the soul I had the misfortune of calling my f̲̝á͎̙t̽h̍͆͞eͧr?" When that got a silent stare, he gave a humorless laugh, "See? Go. I will call you when it's done."

He turned away, certain he had made his point. Now to get the-

"Does he deserve it?"

"What?" Alastor froze, brows furrowed as he stared ahead without actually seeing anything. Surely Lucifer wasn't-

The twisting sensation happened again and now the fallen angel was in front of him again, looking up at him expectantly, "Be honest with me, does he deserve it?"

"...every second and more."

Lucifer nodded, "Okay. Then I'm staying."

***

Charlie felt so torn. Gail was such a sweet soul, all cheer and chatter and completely unaware that she had died and was in Hell. Would it be so bad to lie, to just let her believe this was just new home until they could figure out how to get her to where she belonged in Heaven? Maybe she should get Emily's opinion?

"Now, you sit yerself right here and Auntie Gail will go see about gettin' ya something hot to drink, alright?" The old woman seemed oblivious to the stares she was getting as she directed Jessica to sit at the bar with a gentle stubbornness that left no room for argument. Husk watched them with a raised brow before mouthing 'what the fuck?' at Charlie. She flailed a bit to let him know she had no freaking clue before putting on a wide, strained grin as Gail turned to look up at her with those impossibly large brown eyes, "Now, where's the kitchen? I might be old but I can still make a mean cuppa tea."

"Charlie? Who's your friend here?"

Oh thank goodness, it was Emily! "Emily! Hi! Vaggie told you we had guests coming, right?!" Charlie motioned at the bright definitely-not-a-sinner next to her, "This is Miss-er, Auntie Gail! She apparently arrived here the same way as Miss Jessica!"

The Seraphim blinked and moved closer, likely about to greet the lady when Niffty came scurrying up, "Hi there, Auntie Gail! I'm Niffty! Did you say you wanted to go to the kitchen? I can show you where it is!"

"Well now, lookit you! Yer such a pretty lil' thing!" Niffty did a little twirl at the compliment, making Gail give a chortling sort of laugh, "And yes, dearie, I would love it if ya showed me where it is! Are you the cook here?"

"Yep, but we take turns! Right this way, follow me!" The little cyclops was practically skipping around the old woman as she lead her towards the kitchen, "By the way, how old are you? I don't think I've ever met anyone down here that looks as old as you do!"

"Oho! Sometimes I feel like I'm older than dirt but I still got a young girl's heart and that's all that matters!"

"Wait, you ate a young girl's heart? When?!"

As the door closed behind them, Charlie felt like a tornado had just run through the hotel and she wasn't sure which way was up. From the expressions on everyone she could see, she wasn't the only one. Emily stared at the closed door for a long moment before looking at Charlie in confusion, "How can she... Even if she was sacrificed to a demonic circle, how could someone so bright end up down here?"

"That's how sacrifices work," Husk answered. "Doesn't matter one damn bit how good a soul was. A sacrifice to a demon is pretty much as binding as any contract. Kinda surprised whoever got summoned didn't just collect them up before you got to them. Especially Ears here." He motioned towards Jessica, who was staring at Emily with wide-eyes.

The angel gave her a soft smile, her halo glowing bright before she spoke, "Hello there, Miss Jessica. You have a lot of grief and hurt in you. Can I come over there and make it better for a little bit? Please?"

Charlie heard Vaggie mutter something about learning fast while the new sinner clutched the bright shawl around her shoulders and gave a small nod. There was something starting to come from Emily, an energy that made something inside of Charlie want to reach out and join it but she held back, uncertain what it was or what it would do. She didn't want to make things go badly on accident.

The Seraphim's eyes lit up happily at the agreement and she walked over to the rabbit-eared woman, humming something strange that didn't sound like it was coming from only one person. It almost sounded like when Charlie's dad was talking outside of his body but instead of being so loud, it wove its way gently through the room. Jessica seemed to be the focus, her tension dropping to the point she just about fell into Emily's waiting arms, but everyone that could hear it started to perk up and genuinely smile. Even Husk's grumpy face softened a bit and Charlie felt the strain in her own chest finally start to let go.

The more the ache disappeared, the more she realized just how much she had been holding in and it felt like she could finally breathe for the first time all day.

***

*"Hey, Lute! Check out the cute as fuck rabbits over here! See, I told you the human world had some really good things in it, no matter what the old buzzkill up top says! Shit like this is why we gotta make sure all the girls keep kicking ass to protect it from all the fucked up bullshit out there!"*

'Yes, sir. I hear you loud and clear.'

Notes:

Lute's gonna be talking to memory-Adam in her thoughts a lot. She's aware he's dead but it helps keep her from feeling so lost if she remembers things he's told her before.

Chapter 102: One Man's Trash, Another's Treasure

Summary:

Fiddling with the duck Rosie had given him, Lucifer could admit to being morbidly curious as Alastor used green flames to burn unfamiliar symbols into the ground in front of the cabin with practiced ease. His Shadow was a fascinating construct with a lot more complexity than most and the fact that it could act with complete autonomy was something he hadn't actually seen before.

Notes:

TW: Kinda graphic violence, cannibalism, discussions of past rape. Seriously, Alastor's father is a true POS and I go a little bit into what he put Al's mother through

Fiddling with the duck Rosie had given him, Lucifer could admit to being morbidly curious as Alastor used green flames to burn a myriad of unfamiliar symbols into the ground in front of the cabin. The demon's Shadow was a fascinating construct with a lot more complexity than most and the fact that it could act with complete autonomy was something he hadn't actually seen before. Azrael had referred to it as a Song-bound familiar but after everything it had done with Michael, the fallen angel suspected there was more to it than that term would imply, "What are those symbols from?"

"My mother was a practitioner of ancestral magics. She would be completely horrified and appalled at how I'm making use of it, but there's a reason she's in Heaven and I'm not," Alastor replied easily, plucking several strands of hair from his head and placing them along with a few drops of blood next to the Shadow on the ground in the middle of the marks.

Lucifer tilted his head while he considered that, swinging his feet idly from where he sat on a low tree branch to stay out of the way while he watched, "You know for sure she made it up there?"

There was a twist of a smile on the sinner's face, his ears falling back and giving away the full depth of his belief in his next words, "With how kind she was despite everything she went through? If she didn't make it up there, no human soul would." With that, he set his bloodied palm flat on the ground, the scorched lines glowing bright before lifting into the air and whirling around the Shadow. They stretched and linked to form green chains that shot down through the soil, creating a wide crack next to the unmoving creature.

Lucifer slipped out of his body enough to See what was happening below them. The five chains looked like they were wrapped around something and pulling it up through the flow of souls to the surface of the bayou. Settling back in, he watched as they brought up a vaguely human-shaped and ragged looking collared soul. It wasn’t quite as dark as he remembered Alastor's being but if a soul could look greasy, that's definitely how the fallen angel would describe it. What little remained of the Shadow stirred then, sliding across the short distance to... merge with the bound form? What?! The torn appearance of the thing smoothed out and the Radio Demon dismissed the collar around what looked like its neck. As soon as it was gone, a body began to appear around the now-squirming soul, "You keep him trapped mid-regeneration?!" He didn't even know that was possible!

"And undoubtedly aware of the agony of the souls he's been exposed to down there!" Alastor said with a creepy sort of delighted grin, "Let's see if twenty some-odd years of being buried in the screams of all the others has given him some manners this time around!" Something about his tone said he didn't think it was likely. "Now, your Majesty, let me have the extreme displeasure of introducing you to one Clyde Grant Hartfelt, drunkard, gambler, and all around miserable excuse of a human being!"

When the body finished forming, the man was a gaunt looking thing with sunken beady eyes and lanky brown hair. With the long, hairless tail, Clyde looked like little more than a starved rat glaring up hatefully at the Radio Demon, unable to speak with how his mouth was tightly sewn shut by green threads. The man didn't even seem to notice Lucifer, his venom-filled gazed focused solely on Alastor, "Good evening, father!"

Red clawed fingers snapped and the threads loosened enough that the man could spit and hiss out, "Fuck you! You ain't my kid! Just some hell-spawn that your whore mother-"

Another snap and the threads tightened up, cutting him off as he continued to make muffled angry sounds. Yeesh. That was Alastor's father? A lot of things Rosie had said before were starting to make a lot more sense.

"Oh if only that were true, but sadly half of my very human blood came from you, you wretch," The sinner sneered as he reached into one of his shadows and pulled out a nasty looking blade. He glanced up at Lucifer, "In case you're wondering, yes, it was necessary to let him speak, much as I abhor his voice."

"Really? Why?"

"The binding magic requires that each time I do this, I give him a chance to be freed in a clearly defined and attainable way. He already knows all he has to do is genuinely express remorse for every time he and his friends assaulted my mother, starting with when he got her pregnant with me at sixteen years of age," Clyde made several muffled noises that were definitely nothing apologetic. "Since he has not done so, I can continue to freely bind his soul to my will!" Alastor gave the struggling man a sharp grin, static filling the air with anticipation, "Be thankful I don't have the time to drag this out like usual, father! I̫ͅt͂ͬ's͙ tͪͤime f̂o̵̷r y̪o̴uͧ t̫̏̀o̠͠ diͣe̫̲ a̩g̨a̜ͥͬị̋͗ǹ̵̹!̍ͅ"

With that, he stabbed the knife deep into Clyde's stomach, pulling it across and effectively gutting him. Several of the threads tore through thin lips, allowing the pained scream to come out more clearly. Uncaring of the way the man tried to thrash in his bonds, Alastor shoved his other hand into the wound and up behind his ribs. With a speed and ease that spoke of practice, he yanked his arm back out, his father's heart in his grasp as the gaunt body went limp, "You know, I was actually surprised to find he had one of these the first time I did this!"

Lucifer swallowed hard, eying the bloodied organ, "Please tell me you're not gonna eat that."

Red eyes danced with amusement as the sinner looked up at him, "You might want to look away for a moment then."

He did turn his head, shuddering at the sound of wet meat being torn through, "I'm guessing this is part of the whole thing too?"

"Mhmm! Otherwise I wouldn't lower myself to ingesting any of him. You can look now," Alastor sounded way too pleased with himself. He vanished away the blood on his face and arm as Lucifer looked back toward him again, "A lot of this sort of magic is symbolic in nature. The heart is seen as one of the strongest connections to a person's soul, so by eating it, I have reforged my control over his!" Stretching one hand out, he made a motion as though pulling at something and the greasy looking soul slid out of the starved body, a new collar around its neck and completely still despite being out of the chains.

A sharp motion downward had the green links dragging the torn body back underground before the cracked soil closed over. The sinner shifted his hold on the knife, bringing it up to cut away pieces of the complacent soul, "The other parts can come from any I have under my possession but the core of my Shadow has to be from his soul to do everything it's capable of. Don't worry though, if it was able to be aware of what happened before it was returned, that will be with it in its new form too. So long as enough of the original remains that it can stay in one piece, all of its memories transfer over."

While he really wanted to ask more about the history of Alastor's mortal life because there had to be a story behind what that wretched man had been implying, it felt wrong to bring that back up now. Instead Lucifer hopped down from the tree, moving closer to see what exactly the sinner was doing, "And what if the old Shadow hadn't returned?"

"I would have had to start from scratch, which would mean months, if not years of retraining, and also bringing my father that much closer to being freed by losing enough parts of his soul that he falls apart," Alastor sat down with the pieces and created a long thread of green magic. It looked like he was about to sew them together when he paused, looking at the thin glowing line thoughtfully, "I wonder..."

"Hm? What is it?"

The demon tilted his head in thought, "A large part of the problem was that it had little resistance to angelic magics and was unable to return on its own once the bond was severed. Would I be able to make it stronger while also giving it a way to reach both of us if I combined my magic with the threads of your Harmony?"

Lucifer frowned as he considered that, "I don't see why not. It handled having angelic energy stored into it before just fine, so it shouldn't be harmed by it. And even if it doesn't work right, you can just undo the threads and tie it together with only your magic again, right?"

The smile he got from Alastor was the most genuinely happy one he'd seen yet for some reason, "Right! Let's see if we can get my old friend put back together even better than before!"

This sort of work wasn't something Lucifer himself had ever considered or been a part of before but, in that moment, he thought he felt a bit of his old Self come back to life. It kind of seemed like he was really able to Inspire someone again. Holding tight to that feeling, he sat down on the ground facing Alastor and watched as the Shadow slowly began to take shape once more.

***

It was amazing how therapeutic a little murder could be! Alastor finally felt like the growing itch in his brain was gone. He was well aware that much of it had started because of his own impulsive choice to eat that little piece of Corruption, but what happened after to Lucifer and his Shadow had been completely out of his hands and knowing he was unable to do anything about any of it had only made the maddening itch worse. He'd been holding onto his trademark grin with little more than the skin of his teeth after feeling the loss of his Shadow. Though he hadn't shown it, the thought that it was gone, dead at the hands of the one being in the universe he was growing to hate more than his own father...

Well, needless to say that if it weren't for keeping his focus on Lucifer and Rosie's talent for distracting him, a good chunk of the Entertainment District would likely be in ruins again. He might have once told the King that the Shadow wasn't truly its own being but, in reality, Alastor wasn't completely sure on that. He'd designed the creature on his own, using magic he'd gained down here and scraps of things he'd remembered reading in his mother's books after she died. Her spells had never seemed to do anything for him while he was alive and it was only boredom that had made him try it again after landing in Hell. What a shock it had been to find out it worked! As far as he was aware, he was the only person to create something like this.

A shift of movement made him glance over at the white figure watching him work with patient fascination. The fact that Lucifer had not only willingly stayed but actually asked about what he was doing and didn't condemn him for taking his father's punishment into his own hands? That his King hadn't turned away from him and even seemed impressed by something Alastor had designed by himself? It was all so terribly delightful.

He felt a familiar stirring through the renewed connection and looked back down to find hollow eyes blinking up at him, "Hello, my friend. Hold still, I'm almost done putting you back together."

The Shadow's mouth appeared next, its expression one of confusion as it looked around but obediently remained where it was. When its eyes landed on the King, they went almost comically wide, trying to look over as much of the fallen angel as it could without moving, "I believe it wants to know you are unharmed."

Lucifer reached over to pat it on the hand that was completed, "I'm fine, thanks to you."

Alastor rolled his eyes at the way the Shadow practically melted at the praise, "I said hold still, you sappy thing. You can fawn over the King when I'm done!"

It shaped its mouth to mimic sticking a tongue out at him like the brat it was, causing Lucifer to laugh, "Ok, how in the Hell can this thing be made from your father's soul but be this likeable?"

"A truly heinous amount of training and conditioning with behavioral assistance from Rosie! Trust me, I never want to go through that phase again," Alastor paused in binding its other hand together when the Shadow made a couple motions before pointing at the King. While it could speak, that was a newer function and he knew its gestures well enough to interpret. Deciphering these ones made him snort in amusement, "Maybe. You will have to ask him for permission."

Lucifer blinked, "Me? What does it want?"

"As a reward for good behavior, it wants to know if you will let it groom your wings again sometime. It aided me the other day while you were unwell."

That got a look of surprise, "Oh... uh, maybe?" After the initial awkward answer, something made the fallen angel grin mischievously, "Wait, why should it have to ask to groom my wings when you have a pair of your own now for it to play with?"

Alastor wasn't sure if it was him or his Shadow that caused the record scratching noise as it whipped its wide-eyed gaze to him and he glared at Lucifer, "I hate you."

"Keep telling yourself that, pal."

Notes:

Yes the ancestral magic thing is kind of referring to how Vivzie once said Alastor did Voodoo but I don't know enough about the practice to feel comfortable setting it fully in here. It feels disrespectful to play with an active culture I'm not a part of so Im just leaving it vague and undefined.

I tried to describe everything as clearly as I could but if anyone has any questions on what certain things in the magic looked like, lemme know? I always want to know ways I can improve my descriptions of scenes without dragging things out too long.

Chapter 103: Of Dreams and Memories

Summary:

This was ridiculous! He'd just spent time and energy getting this damned creature back together and now he was stuck in a contest of wills with it?! Alastor refused to be the one to back down first. The Shadow was his creation and it would not win this.

This was ridiculous! He'd just spent time and energy getting this damned creature back together and now he was stuck in a contest of wills with it?! Alastor refused to be the one to back down first. The Shadow was his creation and it would not win this.

"Al."

His ears flattened back, "No. This is your fault."

Lucifer sighed, the sound conveying his exasperation, "You do realize that even if you keep them tucked away all the time, you are going to have to deal with preening every so often, right? Trust me, if you don't the itching will drive you more insane than you are already. Wouldn't you rather have your Shadow helping you with that? It can at least see the areas you can't reach, which your other shadows can't."

The Shadow's eyes narrowed in vicious delight, knowing he was being backed into a corner. Dammit. Well fine, if he was going to agree with this, they might as well make it fun. He tapped into the connection before he sniffed haughtily, "...I want it known I am agreeing under extreme duress and would like compensation for this indignity."

There was no response at first and he and his Shadow both counted off with their hands on the side facing away from the King of Hell. '3, 2, 1, and-' They grinned in victory as Lucifer burst out laughing. "You are completely and utterly ridiculous, you know that right?!"

Finally breaking eye contact, they looked at the fallen angel, "I am well aware, yes!"

The gold and red of Lucifer's eyes were bright with amusement, no sign of the undercurrent of fear and grief he'd had since returning. Good. The interaction had also proved that even with the alterations his opaque friend was still understanding his signals and was synced up with his thinking as well. Now to see how much of today his Shadow remembered.

Alastor tapped into his connection with the creature and it slid closer to him, reattaching properly with his natural shadow. He spoke aloud for Lucifer's benefit, "I know things are still settling for you, my friend. I just need to check your memories. Can you show me what happened at the Embassy again?" There was a questioning sound from the King, "I already know what it saw there so that will give me an idea of how much deterioration there might be and it will give it a focal point to help put the memories in order."

"Oh, okay yeah. That makes sense," Lucifer fidgeted for a moment before speaking again. "You might want to skip past the part with me and Michael up there. It's... a lot and you'll probably get upset."

"Then it would likely be better that I view it now where I can see that you are here and whole."

"Fuck. Right, you're right." He got to his feet, pacing with anxious energy, "Just let me know if you find anything about Lilith."

Alastor hummed an agreement as he started running through what happened after Lucifer disappeared from his sight. Apparently his Shadow had managed to dive into the King's shadow before the full summon activated. Things were a bit jumbled after that. It seemed the trip up had left the creature rather disoriented and dazed at first.

Hmmm... there was a few spots that it seemed like the memory was missing but overall-

*"I just realized I've met cannibalistic, mass murdering sinners with more morals than you. That's how far you've fallen, Michael."*

Alastor couldn't help cackling at that, causing the blond to look at him with a raised brow, "You told him I have more morals?!"

At first Lucifer looked confused but he soon had a smile on his face, "Yeah. I, uh, ended up channeling you a bit. Think it's because I had your friend there with me. He really didn't expect that."

"I imagine not! Oh, if only my Shadow had been in a position to see his face!" Alastor said before he continued running through the memory. When he finally got to see the woman that Michael had been trying to get the King to kill, his humor dropped away. 'It's a wonder Lucifer is holding it together as well as he is. Rosie was probably right about keeping an eye on him for longer than just tonight. I'll have to get things set up with Charlie and the others for my absence for a couple days. That will make things complicated if I am called away by her in front of him. Looks like I'll have to explain things further than I wanted to.'

Alastor closed his eyes and focused on what had been experienced. The race to save the child followed by the sense-memory of the angelic energies burning through the Shadow made him hiss. Even if it didn't have pain receptors per se, it was still an unpleasant and frightening sensation for the creature. 'Fending it off by shoving the leftover Harmony magics at it was a smart idea. The Seraphic energies still got consumed but it feels like it was slowed down by them.'

Things went blank for a time as it hid but then...

Of all the angels, it seemed awfully convenient that it was Raphael that was there. How had he known? Had he been sent there? It was hard to make out what was being said, the Shadow had been extremely close to complete erasure when the red haired Seraphim did a strange bit of magic that literally cut away the part that was being eaten by the holy magics, effectively amputating the infected part. Of course, that was the last clear bit for a time. There was a sense of being carried in something followed by muffled conversations. The moments of blankness increased until he was fairly certain there wouldn't be anymore useful information.

Then something changed.

There was light and someone's touch.

*"It tickles. It feels a bit like my fingers are being held by a ghost."*

...

After that...

Alastor opened his eyes and looked at Lucifer for a long moment. Watched him pace and fret with nervous energy. What would be the best choice here? He could give a vague confirmation of Lilith’s interaction with the Shadow. Claim that there wasn't a clear memory.

He could also edit the truth. Tell the King of his wife's current state. That she was happy in Heaven like she promised and leave it at that. It would relieve Lucifer to hear that and keep him oblivious to the full issue at hand. Alastor probably would have gone either of those routes a few months ago.

However, he now owed the Queen a debt. The Shadow had been weak, had barely been clinging to existence. If she hadn't intervened, it never would have made it back.

But she had. She had taken his Shadow and breathed life back into it. And in doing so, it had Seen into her. The fragments of Harmony magics had been just enough to let it look past her healthy appearance, past the haunted eyes glowing bright with the power of the Queen of Hell, a woman so very fractured but refusing to break.

It wasn't only the nightmare of bearing the Knowledge of all that Lucifer Morningstar was and once had been that was slowly tearing her apart at the seams. Deep inside her was a seed that he was willing to bet had been trying to take root for two hundred years. Planted and then hidden by the waves of Lucifer's core energies. Seeing that, Alastor had to wonder if that had been done before.

Had Michael known that Lucifer would give Eve the Fruit of Knowledge and planted that very same seed in her, setting up a trap to ensure that all of Heaven would reject their Morning Star?

How far back had this plot started? What was the goal?

Because if Michael had already started Corrupting Eve before she was given the Fruit, this wasn't about simply returning Samael to just before humanity had been created. He had been making moves before humanity was a true threat, before they had been given that piece that made them a part of Creation. Alastor was sure that it wouldn't have taken much to find a way to destroy Adam and Lilith and Eve before that point.

It felt like he was missing something! There was an important part of the puzzle that he hadn't figured out and that was maddening! He needed to know what Michael's goal was if he was going to be able to thoroughly ruin the Seraphim's plans!

*"I will have you back at my side even if it means destroying every other being to do so!"*

'...every other being...'

Alastor felt like the entire puzzle shifted then. It wasn't just humans or demons that Michael felt threatened by. It was every living being out there! He wanted to wipe the slate fully clean so it would only be him and Samael left, no one else able to take the Morning Star's attention ever again! Everything he had done had not only cut Lucifer off from Heaven, he was weakening Heaven from the inside out so that no one would be able to stop him before it was too late.

And people thought the Radio Demon was insane!

But where did rewriting Lucifer come into play? What would that accomplish in the grand scheme of things?

"Al? Uh, hey, what's going on? You're looking a little hazy there, buddy." Alastor blinked, refocusing to find Lucifer crouched in front of him, "I told you what Michael did would upset you. Skip past that and tell me if Lilith is safe? Please?"

He wanted to but he couldn't make the words, his mouth wasn't connected right. He felt like the stitches holding him together were stretched tight and the shadows inside of him were laughing, screaming, whispering little things. Things that were talking in a language he was so close to understanding. If he could understand them, he could control them. If he could control them, he could use them to huͮṅ͇̾t͌̾̓ dͣ̓͠owǹ͙͍ the Commander of Heaven's Armies and re̺͘nͫͩd him͖ i̦̭̲nͪͦ̉to p̭͂̋ieces̬͐̅ before devouring the core essence that made him a part of Creation. He could kill Michael, take his power, and in turn destroy the bars of Lucifer's cage. He could set him free and ensure no one ever dared to trap him ever again!

Alastor jolted when he felt something touch him, the sudden tension in him threatening to tear the seams that he was barely keeping together. It would be so much easier to let them go, abandon this tiny form. Why was he holding onto them?

Then he felt something wrapping around him, helping to hold him together as he struggled with his control. Golden light and contentment sank into his skin, easing the bubbling dark things underneath it, "There you are. I've got you. Come on, talk to me. What's your favorite memory from your life?"

"Hmmm, I have two. Watching the life drain out of my father's eyes and my mother's smile when she realized he was never coming back."

The thing holding him shook a bit like it was laughing, "Figures your answer would be complicated. A little bit of death and life mixed, huh? You're an impossibility that walks the line between both, I swear."

"Heh. Rosie says that's what my Song sounds like to her. I haven't been able to decipher it myself."

There was a long pause, then the thing he was starting to recognize again sounding a little sad, "You know, you gave me a moment free of the Silence and I didn't even try to find your Song out of all the rest. I really suck as a friend, don't I?"

"It's okay because you're not my friend."

"I should probably be hurt by that but I don't think you meant it in a bad way. If I'm not your friend, what am I?"

Alastor felt like he was waking up from the best sort of dream when he realized Lucifer was at his side, his brilliant wings wrapped around them both, "You're my King."

"...okay?"

He could tell Lucifer didn't understand but that was okay. He'd get it one day. Until then, Alastor would keep getting stronger so he could protect his King, be the weapon that kept his path clear, leaving the Seraphim free to Create whatever he damn well wished without fear ever again.

For now though, he could make him happy, give him a gift. The Radio Demon tapped into the power of his bayou, let the memory of Lilith singing to his Shadow to infuse it with her power free, the sound of her voice filling the air all around them. When Alastor finally opened his eyes, he saw Lucifer crying with relief, his grin a wide and bright thing, "She's... she's singing again?! She's really alive?!"

"She is. And apparently you both think my shadows feel like ghosts."

Lucifer laughed in a way that Alastor imagined he had in the beginning, something so happy and alive that it had created stars. Maybe he'd get to see that one day. He idly wondered if he could bottle up one of the stars as a souvenir to bring back for Niffty's collection.

"You are so blissed out of your mind right now, aren't you?"

"Yep! Don't tell anyone or I'll have to try to kill you and that would make me sad."

"...pffft! Sure, okay."

***

"I don't think you guys have to worry about Gail so much," Charlie looked over at where Jessica was leaning on Emily. The woman had a relaxed look, likely still under the effect of the Seraphim's singing, "My gramma was a lot like her."

This was the first time Jessica had spoken unprompted and Charlie definitely wanted to know more, "What do you mean?"

Pulling the pink shawl off of her shoulders, she sat up and looked around, "Well look at all of this. Her vision is still good enough that she can walk around on her own without bumping into things. So there's no way she hasn't seen the way people look here, right?"

Charlie blinked. That made sense but then why did Gail act like everything was normal?

"I think you didn't notice in the car, but her sense of how long ago things were is inconsistent. I don't know if it's old age or Alzheimers or something else but I'm willing to bet that in a few days she will tell you she has been here for years."

"Really?" Emily looked shocked, "I'd heard that happens but every soul in Heaven gets cured of earthly ailments when they ascend!"

"It might also be a side effect of how she died," Vaggie added in. "I saw her death mark. She was killed by an angelic blade. I've heard that can really mess up living souls before they depart for their afterlife."

Emily looked horrified, "Why would an angel do that?!"

Charlie had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything and Vaggie sighed, "I didn't say it was an angel. It could have been something a mortal picked up."

"But that's not any better! How could someone just leave something like that lying around!"

Charlie and Vaggie shared a look as Angel Dust scoffed, "Sparkles, dunno how much they told ya 'bout the Exterminations but so much of that shit got left down here that we got ourselves an Overlord that specializes in remakin' them into guns n' shit."

Emily looked a lot more serious at the mention of the Exterminations. Charlie had a feeling she was still holding a bit of hurt and anger over Sera hiding things from her. "There will be no more of those Exterminations if I can help it! Heaven and Hell should be working together to help sinners, not destroying each other! It's not right that so many angels want war!"

Charlie felt a spike of terror that didn't belong to her. She looked around to try to find the source when Husk cleared his throat, "Hey, think someone might want to check on the other angel over there."

"Oh no. Lute? What's wrong?"

The Exorcist...didn't look good. Her eyes were wide, darting around in fear as she trembled, her wings almost painfully low. It looked like she was speaking but there was no sound coming out. Charlie recognized what it was, her dad had that same look whenever he was stuck in a bad memory.

"Emily, stay back!" Vaggie cautioned, "She might not recognize you right now."

"Vags?" Lute's voice was thin, like she was out of breath, "Vags, I remember now- Oh Light, why- the Commander, he- he knew! Adam tried to- he refused a direct order! And then-" Her hand flew to her mouth as if to stop herself from getting sick before she darted for the front door.

It was no surprise when Emily followed after her. Vaggie looked torn and Charlie put a hand on her shoulder, "Come on, let's go see if we can help."

Notes:

This chapter fought me really bad. I'm hoping that now that I've gotten through it, I can get back on track with really getting this story going again! Thanks for your patience!

Chapter 104: Puppet Strings and Divided Minds

Summary:

Once Lucifer got done giggling at his "threat," he encouraged Alastor to lay down and relax a bit. The more freely the Radio Demon let the contentment flow through him, the sooner it would wear off.

Once Lucifer got done giggling at his "threat," he encouraged Alastor to lay down and relax a bit. The more freely the Radio Demon let the contentment flow through him, the sooner it would wear off. He was a bit surprised when the sinner chose to keep in contact with him, using his lap for a pillow, but he wasn't about to complain. Especially when a tentative touch to brush a bit of red hair out of Alastor's face led to a silent request for more. Soon enough, Lucifer found himself getting to gently scratch the base of those soft ears like he'd been itching to for months! He was trying not to grin too obviously, he didn't want to get the bastard's prickly defenses back up, but it was especially hard with the way the Shadow was practically melted across Alastor's legs with second-hand bliss.

How was it that the demon and his strange creature, both so very insane and morally skewed, were also so cute when they weren't being complete assholes?

"Lucifer, need to tell you something but it might make you upset again."

The words were still soft and slow in a way that meant the magic was still in effect, "Are you sure you want to tell me right now? You're kind of drugged."

"Maybe but..." Alastor opened one eye, his focus a bit slow to catch up, "If I wait, the what ifs and hows get too loud until I can't talk. And this is important, even if you don't want to hear it. I think I know what happened."

Okay, that was very terribly non-specific. A lot of things had happened over the course of the King of Hell's life, so what could he be talking about? "You've kinda lost me here. What are you referring to?"

The demon rolled his open eye as though the answer was obvious. Even half-drugged, Alastor was a jerk, "Michael. Made everyone think it was all your fault but it was his. My friend saw it. D'you think I can trap a Seraphim's soul the same way that I did to my father? They could be jail buddies fo͊͢͠r̔ȩ̜v̳͌͝eȓ."

Lucifer was torn between amusement at the wandering thoughts and heavy concern of the subject. What had Alastor's Shadow seen? "Okay, I'm going to need you to go back a page and catch me up here."

There was a long sigh, "Would be easier if I could show you. Eden, Lilith, all of it was him, not you. That's what all the strings show me anyway."

His heart and lungs nearly stopped, chills wiping away all the easy humor, "...what?!"

"Mhmm," This time both red eyes opened as Alastor tried to concentrate, focusing, "He planted seeds. The first one sprouted, think maybe it passed down more seeds but... why didn't anyone notice if so?" He struggled to sit upright, "And why hasn't the Queen's?"

Lucifer was struggling to understand anything being said, "Seeds? What seeds?!" He grabbed hold of Alastor's arm, "Look, I know you prefer word games and hiding the truth, but I need to know what the hell you're talking about!"

Red eyes narrowed as they locked onto the tight grip he had on the sinner, "...could I show you? That would likely bypass the restrictions like dreams do..." Golden starbursts flickered and Lucifer blinked as...something happened around Alastor's form. It wasn't like his own true Sight that stayed over his body but hidden from most, and it wasn't the new wings either. Whatever it was, it had truly massive Potential, but it felt restrained and shackled. Before he could properly See it, it disappeared and the demon looked up at him with clear eyes, all traces of calming magics gone, "I think I can show you what I mean but it would be safest at the palace with the wards up. I don't know how much this will affect you."

Lucifer released him and forced himself to nod, "Alright."

"I will need to see to things here first to ensure that a prolonged absence will not bring undue trouble," Alastor got to his feet and brushed off his clothes, "I have also been remiss in my duties by not greeting our newest guests! How dreadful of me! I do believe you have been a poor influence upon my work ethic!"

He could practically see the walls rebuilding around the sinner. Alastor never lied about who he was but this persona had less depth. This was the Radio Demon Overlord, cliche villianous schemer with little true care for others beyond their usefulness or entertainment value. While the person underneath was all those things, there was much more hidden below the cliche. Puppet strings attached to puppet strings so that when what everyone saw moved in one direction, the true purpose of the move was hidden by thinner lines. Lucifer wasn't sure when he had started to see the depths beneath the flashy surface but it was fascinating as Hell to watch how smoothly the man shifted himself. He'd almost be willing to bet that if he had a view of the workings of his mind, Alastor would have hidden everything beyond the expected to the point that only someone seriously willing to risk breaking him would find anything amiss.

No wonder he was always so wary of Lucifer looking too closely. How far below the surface was the bottom?

"Now! If you will excuse me, your Majesty, not all of us can be lazing about and frolic in the grass! I will join you at the palace once everything has been attended to!" With a bow that was far too showy to be proper, Alastor melted into the shadows beneath him and slid off.

'Good thing no one else was here. I don't think I could play the part of the offended King right now no matter how hard he tried.'

Though he didn't leave Lucifer alone. Once the Radio Demon was gone, his Shadow rose up in front of the King, waving before motioning as one would to show a guest through a door, "Ah, so I suppose you will be staying with me at the palace for now?"

The creature nodded happily and waited patiently for the portal to be opened. Lucifer thought for a moment before he grinned, creating an opening to the music room, "Suppose you could help me with my wings a bit while we wait."

He was pretty sure the Shadow was silently squealing in delight as it followed behind him.

***

"Lute! Let me help!"

Charlie immediately zeroed in on the Exorcist. Lute was on the ground, knees and prosthetic arm holding her up while her other hand blindly had her sword pointed towards Emily, 'S-stay back! Don't touch me! I can still hear-" She retched, nothing coming out as she choked and coughed.

Vaggie stepped forward, all sign of emotional conflict fading away under stern resolve, "Let me handle this, Charlie."

She nodded, "You take Lute, I'll keep Emily back for now."

Her angel gave her a small smile of gratitude before marching forward, "Lute! Where do you think you're pointing that sword?! I haven't seen a grip that sloppy since recruitment!"

Charlie thought that was rather harsh but... Lute responded to it. Suddenly her grip was much steadier and she changed her hold, stabbing the blade in the ground to help steady her as she glared up at Vaggie. Her breathing was still ragged but her eyes were clear and present, "The fuck are you talking about?! I'm the one that taught you, you bitch!"

Charlie moved in a wide circle around the tense standoff, gently motioning for Emily to step back, "Give Vaggie time to get through to her, then she might accept your help."

Emily nodded, watching with wide eyes as Vaggie brought out her wings and held them high and wide, "Is that so? I don't see any of that woman here right now. All I see is a shaking newbie who can barely hold her head up. What would he think if he saw you right now?"

Gold eyes flashed bright behind silver strands as Lute snarled, "Like that fucking matters anymore! He's dead! You disgusting trash killed him!"

Vaggie barked a sharp laugh, "Ha! At least he went down fighting, not on his knees and sniveling in fear! Get your ass up and fight this or so help me, I will hunt down Sera myself to report this shameful display!"

That... definitely got a reaction. Lute was suddenly on her feet, her wings matching the position of Vaggie's, "Like her Highness would listen to a traitor like you!"

"Really? You want to call me a traitor right now? Who just had a holy sword pointed at Sera's younger sister? Because it sure as fuck wasn't me, bruja!"

Just like that, all aggression dropped from Lute as she looked at the sword in her hand with wide eyes, "Oh fuck, I-I didn't even think-"

"Uh huh, that much was obvious," Vaggie lowered her wings slightly, arms folded over her chest. "You can thank me for saving your ass never but I think we all deserve an explanation."

The Exorcist brought her prosthetic arm around to hold her natural one as though to keep herself from shaking again, "I don't owe you shit!" Charlie blinked when Lute looked her way and swallowed hard, "but... I..."

There was something in her that kept pushing at her, telling her to move closer to the angel and encourage her to continue to open up about what was going on. This time, Charlie didn't fight it, "Lute, what had happened in the past can't be changed. All anyone can do is decide who they want to be in the future and work each day to get there. If there was no more fighting between Heaven and Hell, who would you want to be?"

Lute's grip completely loosened on her sword, the blade clanging loudly as it fell to the ground, "How did you-" She reached up to grip her own hair, hissing, "Fuck! It's like there's two of me in here! There are memories that feel so real but they can't be right and then the ones I know happened don't feel real anymore. What the hell is happening to me?!"

"Oh! I think I might be uniquely qualified to answer that question!"

Charlie barely had time to register the familiar sound of Alastor's voice before Lute moved at a frightening speed to grab her dropped sword and swing it at the demon that had appeared behind her, "Al! Look out!"

Alastor didn't melt into the shadows or anything, simply raising his microphone to block the sword with ease, making Vaggie swear in wary confusion, "Well now! Someone's a bit aggressive I see! And here I am, offering assistance out of the kindness of my shriveled heart!" His grin became large and menacing, "I do recommend you not try that again, little angel. You'll find I am much harder to defeat than before,' His antlers and limbs grew long as he snarled, "D̺̖̿̑̌ͭ͐r̨̫͜o̫ͪp ṱ̡͔̽͒̃h̦̬͉͞é s̗̎̓wŏ̖͈͓̫ȓ̻̗́̍͐d̯̬̄̕ ǹ͕̎õ̢̱ͤw̗͑!"

Notes:

So I had like 75% of this written yesterday and then my computer crashed and I hadn't saved in a while. So here's what I managed to write instead!

Next up, Emily meets Al and Lute explains wtf she remembered

Chapter 105: Corrupted Influencings

Summary:

"But first, introductions!" He melted into the shadows to appear just beside the blue angel, "You must be Emily! We've heard a great many things about you from our dear Charlotte! It's indeed quite the pleasure to finally make your acquaintance!" His microphone emitted a round of applause.

The young woman looked like she was practically vibrating with excitement, her wings giving little flaps as she clasped her hands over her chest, "Oh my gosh, so you're Alastor?! Charlie writes about you a lot too! I've never heard of a soul that doesn't even want to go to Heaven before! It's hard to believe with all the nice things she says about you!"

"Charlie, what sort of lies and slander have you been telling her about me?"

Alastor kept staring down the defensive angel, tickled as he caught scents of fear from both her and Vaggie, though the Exorcist's was far more potent. Of course, then the other two had to go and ruin his fun.

"Lute, do as he says!"

"Al, come on, ease up! She isn't thinking right!"

'Not thinking right, left, or sideways. Cracked and fractured little thing trying so hard to keep herself together. It wouldn't take much to shatter her completely!' He knew his eyes had flashed over to radio dials, he could see it in the reflection of Lute's eyes. 'But no, she is Charlie's guest f͓or͔͚ n̹̪͆o̯ͯw͔ͨͅ, so I have to play nice.' Once the Exorcist began to lower her blade, he drew himself back in.

As his mind and body resettled, Alastor let out a huff. He needed to go on another hunt soon it seemed. The urge to destroy the angel had been far harder to keep only in his mind than it should have been. He couldn't afford to let things slip with a damned Seraphim nearby, no matter how nice she seemed. Once his teeth fit his mouth better, he laughed, "Haha! Quite the ice-breaker that was! Nothing like a little casual violence to start a conversation! Isn't that right, Vagatha?"

"Now is really not the time for your bullshit, asshole!"

"Al?" Charlie came over, the Seraphim close behind, "You said you think you know what's going on with Lute?"

"Oh yes! But first, introductions!" He melted into the shadows to appear just beside the blue angel, "You must be Emily! We've heard a great many things about you from our dear Charlotte! It's indeed quite the pleasure to finally make your acquaintance!" His microphone emitted a round of applause.

The young woman looked like she was practically vibrating with excitement, her wings giving little flaps as she clasped her hands over her chest, "Oh my gosh, so you're Alastor?! Charlie writes about you a lot too! I've never heard of a soul that doesn't even want to go to Heaven before! It's hard to believe with all the nice things she says about you!"

"Charlie, what sort of lies and slander have you been telling her about me?" Alastor held his delighted grin even as he felt her Song reaching out to get a feel for his. He had to keep up the pretense of being an ordinary sinner with no ability to hear and feel such things. Finally she withdrew, having kept the touch only light at the edges of him. At least she wasn't entirely intrusive about it, "But yes, I am Alastor, the one and only Radio Demon at your service, my dear! Please be sure to let me know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable! Though, I do recommend leashing your Exorcist when you take her out for walkies in the future!"

The way Lute bristled at that, all the way to her smallest feathers even, was absolutely delightful as he played canned laughter just to add to the insult. He would have to try to see how far he could push her self-control before she forgot Emily's oath. He wouldn't allow her to actually cause the oath to be invoked but she was just begging to be poked and prodded with all that delightful anger and insecurity going on. Charlie looked like she was trying to seem slightly miffed at him but she was obviously fighting against laughing. Vaggie kept her own laughter contained to a brief snort.

Emily was the biggest surprise, because she burst out in a fit of giggles rather than getting offended on her companion's behalf! Interesting! "Oh gosh, Charlie said you were pretty funny but you really do seem like a good showman! Which I suppose makes sense given you do radio shows, right?"

"Uh, Emily, I wouldn't-"

"Oh yes, I live to entertain!" He barreled right over Vaggie's attempt to warn the Seraphim, "Or I suppose that would be died to entertain! Pah, semantics! Perhaps you'll catch one of my proper broadcasts sometime, though I have been rather busy of late!"

"I heard what you sent out earlier today! It sounded like you were dealing with something awful! Are you okay?"

...she had heard that and her reaction was to be concerned for him? He tilted his head and studied her, "Charlotte, my dear?"

"Yeah, Al?"

Emily blinked and tilted her head too, the effect entirely too adorable on the wide-eyed angel. He'd need to find a way to introduce her to Rosie. His friend would have a field day playing dress up with her, "Are we absolutely certain you don't have a sibling in Heaven?"

Charlie giggled then too, "Yeah, pretty sure Dad wouldn't have forgotten that no matter how long it's been."

"Oh! That reminds me! Your dad said he was coming back tonight right?! I have so many questions for him!"

"Emily!" Lute hissed between clenched teeth, "That is Lucifer Morningstar you're talking about! You shouldn't be so eager to talk to him! What if he tries to make you Fall just like him?!"

Alastor saw Charlie's eyes flash red in anger but it was the way Emily drew herself up that caught his attention, her wings folded but held high, "Lute! We are here on Sera's orders, but also due to the King of Hell's permission and good will! You will at least make an effort at showing respect for the reigning monarch in front of him and Charlie, even if you do not feel it."

'Well now! The marshmallow fluff really does have a spine!' This little Seraphim was more fascinating by the minute! If only the others were like her, perhaps Lucifer would never have Fallen.

... never mind, let them be elitist morons. Lucifer was not going back up there, he just needed to get the damned shackles off of his King.

...although perhaps they could tempt this delightful little blueberry of an angel to stay longer, maybe even convince her to voluntarily Fall? Hrrmmmm, though there was no telling what that would do to her mind and personality. Might be a bit too risky...

"Anyhow! Now that pleasantries are out of the way, let's discuss the issue of our half-rabid feathered friend here!" He sauntered past the Exorcist, ruffling her hair before fluidly dodging the punch she threw his way, "You see, removing that pesky little infection going on did eliminate the source of the problem but now you're dealing with the fact that your true will is back and fighting with what you were being molded into."

"The fuck are you talking about, sinner trash?! Is this that Corruption bullshit no one is giving me answers about?!" Lute snarled.

Alastor raised a brow, looking at the others for explanation. Charlie and Emily both looked a little anxious, the Princess offering one first, "With how painful things seemed to be and how badly disjointed your memories are, we didn't want to add more upsetting and possibly psyche-damaging things on top of it."

"WELL IT'S TOO GODDAMN LATE FOR THAT!" She roared as she pointed at her own head, "Because guess what I just fucking remembered! I got to see my fucking Commander torturing the shit out of my best goddamn friend and leader because Adam dared to tell him no after he ordered him to-AH!" She clutched her head, her eyes screwed shut, "After he ordered Adam to-"

Alastor saw the blood dripping from her nose and realized there must still be something left in her. Not the Corruption, but perhaps blocks placed to keep her from speaking about what she had seen in the event that she regained the memory and will to fight against it? Feeling a brief flare of regret for sending his Shadow with Lucifer, he chose to take the risk of a more obvious maneuver, "Charlie? I do believe our twitchy guest has more alterations left within her that were missed on the first pass. Be a dear and keep Miss Emily from interrupting for a moment!"

Without waiting for a response, Alastor threw up a barrier to block the sound from releasing the Harmony magics inside him. Lute had just barely started to open her eyes at his words when he placed his hand over her face, "I would apologize for the pain, but that would be a lie!" He sent a surge of energy through her mind, following the metaphysical wounds left from where the Corruption had taken root in her. Her scream was lovely but short-lived as he managed to locate only one block. He quickly unraveled it before stepping away and dropping the barrier less than thirty seconds after pulling it up, "There! That should be much better now! You were saying?"

Eyes blown wide, Lute fell on her ass as she looked up at him with incomprehension, a streak of golden blood smeared above her lip, "What did you- What are you?!"

"Were you not paying attention before? I'm Alastor the Radio Demon!"

"Lute? Are you okay?" It was Charlie that approached the Exorcist with fearful eyes, "If so... I've been wondering if maybe we could have..." She clenched her hand and crouched down to be at eye level, "What did Michael do to Adam? What order did he try to reject?"

"Whatever that bastard did, it feels like I can talk now," She couldn't seem to meet Charlie's earnest gaze, instead looking over at Vaggie, "You know, he hid your record after what happened. He said it was because he thought you would come back, that the time down here would be punishment enough, a first offense wasn't worth a Fall, but... it wasn't. He'd been drinking pretty hard before he did it. You know how he always acted a little different when he got past a certain point?"

Vaggie swallowed hard, "Yeah. Still a cocky asshole but...more human and..." She trailed off like she couldn't put it to words.

Lute nodded, closing her eyes, "He was. Somehow the alcohol made him remember... remember who he really was." There was tense and confused silence as she took a shaky breath, "I was so damned jealous when the Command- no, I won't call him that after what he- When Michael said they needed to have a private meeting before that last attack, I demanded that they let me in too, I was the second-in-command after all. Surely I needed to know the details too, right? I was so fucking stupid to not pay attention when Adam's mask blanked out."

Vaggie gasped. When everyone but Lute looked at her, she explained, "He wore that thing all the time, almost never took it off. The only time we ever saw it go dark was if he'd let himself sleep and woke up from a nightmare. So we always figured if the mask went blank-"

"Our leader was scared, terrified of something." Lute finished, "Adam tried to say it was "man talk" and that I wouldn't understand but Michael got this weird smile and said it was alright, that maybe I'd earned my way up high enough. I was s-so fucking proud!" It looked like it was getting harder for her to speak.

Emily moved to sit next to her, "Would it be easier if you hold my hand or something? I can help make you feel better, maybe make it easier to talk?"

Lute quickly shook her head, "Don't! Don't touch me, I can feel- Just don't."

Emily just nodded and tried to give her an encouraging smile, "Alright. But I'm right here if you need to reach out, okay?"

"Michael knew that we could die from our own weapons," Emily and Vaggie both paled, looking at Lute with horrified expressions. She gave a humorless laugh, "I saw the bodies. I don't know how he made me forget, I never consented to rewriting at all and I wouldn't be remembering now if that's what he did."

"Hmmm, I know how," Alastor grinned, rocking on his feet, "If you reeeally want to know, I'll tell you when you're done!"

Lute bared her teeth up at him resentfully before drawing her knees up to her chest, her wings loosely surrounding her, "I got to the meeting room with them and it was just like any other time before an Extermination. Numbers and stupid projections and... Anyway, then Michael told Adam he had a special task for him. I noticed the mask going dark that time but Adam just asked what needed to be done, like nothing was wrong." She shuddered and met Charlie's worried gaze, "He wanted Adam to give something to you. I didn't understand what he said but..." She looked a bit nauseous again, "Adam told him no. That he wouldn't do it. That he wouldn't touch his friend's kid."

Charlie's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, "He called him... I thought he hated my dad!"

Static buzzed louder as Alastor tilted his head impossibly far, "He wanted Adam to plant a seed of Corruption in Charlie, d͈̚͡i̯̙ḓ̰̒n'͎͆t̩ ḥ̦̰ͥ̇̆e͇?"

Lute looked over at him in disbelief, "How the fuck did you know?!"

"Let's just say she wouldn't have been the first person he did that to! Do go on!"

She kept glancing at him warily but she did continue, "Michael struck him then. Not with his fist but... Anyway, I tried to get up though I don't know what I thought I could have done. Only I couldn't. I was stuck where I was and Adam- he fucking begged for Michael to let me go. But Michael said it was too late, that he knew that it had been too long since he'd checked on Adam's willingness to obey his orders." She looked at Emily, "Michael...he's not an angel anymore. I don't know what he is but he peeled back his skin and there was all this...this..."

"This?" Alastor happily dangled out the dead shell of the manifested Corruption he had devoured. Her scream of terror was magnificent but he did need her to be able to speak so he banished it away again, "Don't be so alarmed, it was hollowed out!"

"AL! Seriously?! She's scared, you shouldn't do that!" Charlie glared up at him. Oops, maybe he had gone a touch too far there. Ah well, the dear girl would forgive him eventually! Especially once he'd managed to get her father freed, though he was pretty sure he'd be able to make it happen before then. She turned her focus back to Lute, "Hey, it's okay. Al's just a little weird about how he tries to help. He wouldn't have done that if it was a real threat, okay?"

Mostly true, but he figured splitting hairs wouldn't be the right call here. It took several moments for Lute to calm back down and in that time she scooted away to get more distance between her and Alastor. First truly intelligent move he'd seen her do yet!

"Things went blank after that for a bit. I don't know why. But when I came to, we were somewhere else and I was still bound up and couldn't even speak! Adam didn't have his mask or robe anymore and... Vags, none of us were right about why he always kept his body covered around us."

There was a long string of spanish swears before Vaggie seemed to finally realize she couldn't keep distant anymore, not during this. She took a seat on the other side of Lute though it was still farther away than Emily or Charlie, "Scars?"

Lute just nodded, "Burns, stab wounds, I couldn't even begin to guess what some of them were. From what I could catch, apparently Michael couldn't keep Adam from fighting whatever... that was. He said it had taken root in everyone else but him and someone he just kept calling his 'brother's pet.'"

Alastor's hand tightened on his microphone but he kept control of himself. Barely. That certainly verified that theory! The conversation with Lucifer later was definitely going to be hard on his King.

"Not only did he have to keep replanting the thing in Adam but it didn't stick like it was supposed to unless he was scared enough. That's when he started bringing in some of the others," Lute's voice went tight. "We always were told when some of us suddenly vanished that they'd been caught by the cracks during patrol or had been reassigned! Maybe some of them were but that's probably fucking stupid of me to hope for at this point."

"He killed them in front of Adam, didn't he?" Charlie spoke barely above a whisper, scared to confirm what she already knew was true. When Lute gave a silent nod, tears started streaming down her face, "If only I'd known! I could have-"

"Charlie," Alastor interrupted, "Even if you had known, what could you have done that wouldn't have resulted in Adam succeeding in his mission? I imagine the Corruption was rather strong in him at the time, he likely had no true will of his own to speak of."

Emily looked like she didn't know what to say or do at this point, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Lute curled up tighter, "Adam's breaking point was me. I was too fucking weak to fight back, to say anything to stop him from letting Michael put that thing in him just so he wouldn't kill me in front of him. Th-that was the last time I saw Adam with brown eyes instead of g-gold." She trembled, fighting to finish what she wanted to say, "Michael turned to me then. He didn't have to physically force it into me like he did to Adam. He just looked at me and suddenly everything changed. I was back in the meeting room and so eager to come down here and slaughter everyone that got in my way. I felt so... angry, and like I needed to prove myself by taking you on in particular, Vags. I think that was what Michael told me to do, keep you out of the way so Adam could get to the Princess unhindered."

"And now? Everything I remember for the last several decades feels wrong! Like I know I did those things, was proud of doing them, but now a different me is looking at them and wondering how the fuck I could even do that?!"

"Your beloved Commander is able to completely rewrite your personality to suit his whims without your consent. I imagine his influence is generally felt overall by those around him, but he can actually ensure anyone weak-willed enough or Corrupted behaves exactly as he wishes them to."

"...Al, how do you know that?"

His grin pulled extra wide, "That piece from her told me before I ate it!"

All four women were looking at him with mixed levels of disbelief and wariness. Charlie got to her feet and moved closer, "You ate it? And you're still you, right Al?"

"Dear girl, that is a ridiculous question to ask! Even if I wasn't me, I would still tell you I was and how would you be able to tell otherwise?! The better question is how am I still me and that is because of all the lessons I got from your father's dearest friend!"

Being the clever girl that she was, Charlie understood and looked relieved, "Alright but if you start acting weird, I'm calling Aunt Rosie and having her check you out."

"Babe, how the fuck would we even know if he starts acting weird?! Everything that asshole does is weird!"

***

Armed with the information he needed and after taking a moment to let Charlie know he would be out for a couple days for anything short of an emergency, Alastor had one other stop to make before he took off for the palace, "Husker, my fine furry friend, I would like to speak to you for a moment if you please!"

"Like I really have a choice," The bartender grumbled as he stepped away from the bar.

Niffty rushed over, looking all excited, "Alastor, Alastor! I helped the new really old lady make tea! She didn't let me drown any bugs in mine but she did tell me that honey is pretty much bee barf! I'm going to be putting bee barf in everything!!!!"

Husk sighed and pulled out a small notebook to write something down as Alastor pat the little cyclops on the head, "That is absolutely fantastic, darling! While I have other things to attend to now, I want you to tell me all about how your cooking endeavors go when I get back, alright?"

"Yes! I gotta go see what she knows about cleaning supplies! She's so nice and is always smiling, I think you'll like her!"

"Well with a glowing review like that, I'm certain I will! Now run along," He gently made shooing motions at her and she giggled as she practically skipped off. Alastor watched her go before looking at the notebook and raising an eyebrow in question.

"Translation guide," Husk explained. "With all the new guests we keep getting, I keep a list of Niff phrases and what it means in normal people talk so we have less confusion."

"Psh, if they can't understand her brilliance, that's on them! Now, about that little task I gave you?"

"Yeah, yeah," The feline glared at him, "Angel's been going around making people aware like you wanted. Next time you want to manipulate him into doing something for you, leave me the fuck out of it!"

Alastor narrowed his eyes at him, "Or you'll do what, exactly?"

Husk puffed up a bit before looking away and downward, "Look, I just don't feel right doing shit like that with him. This time it's just spreading rumors that you want getting out, but I know you and it can get a lot worse than that. Please don't make me fuck this up with him, Boss."

Alastor gave him a condescending pat atop his little hat, "Don't worry your fluffy little head too much, old friend! I have no intention of interfering with your relationship with the spider so long as both of you keep being so very helpful."

"Really not a great comfort, Boss," He grumbled. "And look, this whole thing with getting word out so you get called away, you really sure this is a good idea with everything going on?"

"Is that concern for little ol' me that I'm hearing?! Why, Husker, I didn't realize you cared so much!"

That got him a glare and those large black ears swiveled back, "I don't! I just don't want to have to deal with Niffty being heartbroken if you don't come back! If you're gone for more than a day, I'm telling Charlie and her father!"

Alastor grinned widely, "The King is already aware and I will actually be speaking with him further on it so rest assured, I will return hale and whole as I am now!"

"...you actually told someone that can do something about keeping you from getting killed?! The fuck you been drinking and how do I get some?!"

Notes:

Well this one got long but it really needed to be. A lot of talking from Lute but she really needed to get this out to someone

UPDATED WIPs:

 

WIP Full Eldritch Al

 

WIP Biblical Angel Luci/Samael

Chapter 106: Little Whispering Things

Summary:

As he sat there, taking slow, even breaths and trying to center himself, Alastor felt that otherness again. It wasn't like Lucifer's presence in any of his forms. There was something familiar about it though. Like the melody was something he knew but the tempo was so drastically different that it rendered it unrecognizable.

Charlie waited until Alastor was inside the hotel before burying her face in her hands with a long groan. Everything just kept getting crazier and crazier! Was the hotel cursed? No, this had all started way before the hotel. Was her dad cursed somehow in the Judgements on top of every other awful thing?! That reminded her, she still needed to find a way to talk to Emily about that. Without Lute probably. Despite how much Charlie liked to believe the best of people, she knew this wasn't something she could tell anyone willy nilly.

She didn't have to look to know the touch on her arm was Vaggie and she leaned in a little when one soft wing wrapped around her, "I feel like I'm going crazy!"

Her girlfriend scoffed, "At this point, sweetie, I'm willing to place all the blame on Alastor and his reality warping insanity and call it a night."

Charlie dropped her hands and looked at her, "But it's not really his-"

Vaggie pressed a finger to her lips, "Shush. I know not all of it is but right now I'm tired, I'm sure you're exhausted, and I think Emily needs-" She frowned, casting a look in the general direction of the two angels, "I think they both need to decompress and maybe talk about things without the rest of us around."

Already Charlie could feel herself calming down with such easy goals in sight, "Right, you're right! Let's get them into one of the suites with two beds and give them some space! Then I'll make sure Jessica and Gail are all set for tonight and then there's the-"

"Nope!" Vaggie put her hands on Charlie's shoulders and steered her towards the hotel doors, "After Emily, you are going straight to our rooms and taking a long hot bath. I will take care of everything else and then we will both be going straight to bed, understand?"

Charlie wanted to protest, the hotel was her responsibility and- She saw the firm expression on Vaggie's face and slumped, admitting defeat, "Fine! Bossy."

"Yep! And you love me for it."

Charlie knew she probably looked all sappy but she didn't care, "Yeah, I do." She turned her head, "Emily, Lute! Come on, let's find you guys a room!"

***

Alastor reached the palace not long after speaking with Husk though he didn't go inside right away. Instead he went to a small garden area that was out of sight from anybody looking from the streets or the windows of the building. Once he was sure no one would see him, he sat at the base of a tree, leaning his head back against the bark and shutting his eyes.

He could admit in the privacy of his own mind that maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew at this point. Somewhat literally. Or maybe eating the Corruption had been the proverbial straw on the camel's back. Something had changed then, more than just the wings. The mess of dark limbs, eyes, and mouths he had become soon after eating it had been shapeless, out of his control with the damned thing trying to find a way to take hold in his mind. Unluckily for it, he knew his own mind far too well for that to work.

But...

After it had stopped, when he grew those wings, it felt like there was yet another presence. Even now, he felt like he had something unfamiliar watching him. Maybe he had just finally hit the point where his sanity was becoming too tenuous for him to remain functional.

That would be inconvenient. There was far too much that still needed done where he was the only one capable of doing it. Probably not a good sign that was his biggest concern in all this. Eugh. Sometimes he envied others who were so unaware of their own inner workings. Ignorance really did seem to be bliss.

As he sat there, taking slow, even breaths and trying to center himself, Alastor felt that otherness again. It wasn't like Lucifer's presence in any of his forms. There was something familiar about it though. Like the melody was something he knew but the tempo was so drastically different that it rendered it unrecognizable.

Cracking open one eye, he looked up at the swaying branches of the tree, watching as the varying shades of light and shadow danced with the movement. The longer he watched, the more the darker shadows seemed to change their pattern from the rest. It was almost hypnotic, watching them stretch and sway, almost like they were alive. Not like his own shadows, things that he pulled and forced to move in unnatural ways. These were reaching out to him of their own accord...

The whispers of the shadows under his skin were back, still speaking things he didn't understand but it felt like they wanted to reach back, to not just take hold of the ones above him but meld with them, let them take him where they were from and-

"Hey."

Alastor blinked, everything snapping back to normal as he registered Lucifer's voice. Tilting his head back up, he found the blond only a foot away even though he hadn't heard him approach or felt the twisting sensation when the fallen angel instantly moved through space and time.

"You okay, Al? Your Shadow started going hazy like you did earlier so I thought I'd come find you."

How did talking work again? Alastor's mind felt sluggish and slow where he usually had so many thoughts and undercurrents that it was hard to pick just one to follow. He must have made some sort of sound because Lucifer got closer, eyes bright as he studied him, "Wow. You...have a lot going on in there. I don't even know where to begin untangling all of that. Come on, let's get you inside where it'll be safer if you do end up falling apart again."

A black clawed hand was offered to him and he easily took hold of it. Lucifer would help him figure this all out, or at least help contain it until the beginning of the peace negotiations in a few months. Alastor was pretty sure the public rally planned was the day that all of this was going to end, one way or another. Three months was not nearly enough time but he wouldn't give up yet. There was far too much he had to protect.

Notes:

I have a BlueSky now if anyone wants to chat with me there instead of Tumblr! https://bsky.app/profile/frizzycrls.bsky.social

Also! I did a higher quality version of Illusion Samael

Chapter 107: A Breaking Point

Summary:

Lucifer wasn't sure what was going on with Alastor and it worried him.

Lucifer wasn't sure what was going on with Alastor and it worried him. Outside of the palace, he had channeled as much of his true Sight as he safely could in this little body to check him over and calling it a lot was not an exaggeration. The energies in Alastor were all twisted up and flowing outside of him in uneven waves. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen anything like it in a sinner.

On top of that, the demon was unnaturally quiet with even the crackling static around him subdued. When Lucifer had forced him to calm down earlier in the bayou, the man hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut for more than a minute. The only thing keeping the fallen angel from fully panicking was the fact that Alastor was reactive to his surroundings, ears alert and indicating he could understand what was being told to him. Lucifer was pretty sure he was trying to respond verbally to things but there was some sort of disconnect or blockage.

Once they got inside, Lucifer went ahead and manually raised the wards. He knew he felt stable for the moment but there was no telling what would happen and it was better safe than sorry in his experience. Alastor's Shadow was quick to reattach itself as soon as it sensed them and it was far too cute to watch how the creature cuddled up to the normally prickly demon, "Alright, we need to figure out what's got your internal microphone muted. You got any clue what caused this?"

Alastor glanced at his Shadow and it raised a hand in response, "Ⱳħīꞩꝑēɍꞩ ᵾꞥđēɍ ꞩҟīꞥ. Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳꞩ ꞥꝋⱦ ᵯīꞥē ҟēēꝑ ȼⱥłłīꞥꞡ."

Lucifer raised a brow, "Creative workaround. So you're hearing something under your skin? I don't really get the shadows part."

Ears tilting back in frustration, the sinner looked around before motioning for him to come closer. Curiosity had him doing so without hesitation as the Shadow relayed, "Ⱳīłł ⱦɍɏ ⱦꝋ ꞩħꝋⱳ."

Alastor removed one of his gloves, showing the glowing threads coming from his fingers before he maneuvered them with the same effortlessness as when he commanded his shadows. Strange to think the man had only been working with it for a couple months. It wasn't long before he recognized the woven pattern, the complex network of energies being threaded along the edges of this reality. Why was he creating another tether?

When the line was finished, it was held out in offering and Lucifer felt his heart skip a beat, "You...want to create a direct connection?" Alastor nodded easily, like the choice was as simple as that, "You do know I could use that to see everything if I wanted to, right?"

"Ⱦɍᵾꞩⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ⱳꝋꞥ'ⱦ. Ⱳīłł ꝋꞥłɏ ꞩēē ⱳħⱥⱦ Ī ꞩħꝋⱳ."

That was a big change from where this had all started. In the face of that, there was little else he could do but hold out his own hand to lay his palm against the sinner's and let the other end sink in, closing his eyes as the Silence was washed away, hearing the world through Alastor's ears again. And with the connection tying them through the tether, the demon's consciousness waiting for him patiently within it, Lucifer had little choice but to hear the Radio Demon's Song.

The wet rot of rich earth after a spring flood. Decay feeding into tree roots, saplings taking life from their fallen progenitor. The final heartbeats of a hunted rabbit with the bloodied teeth of a hungry fox sunk deep into its skin. The eyes of hidden scavengers watching from the shadows, waiting restlessly for a moment of distraction.

An impossibility that walks the line between life and death. That's what Lucifer had said earlier, not realizing how accurate his words were. He was sure if he stood there listening for hours he would find layers beneath just as tightly guarded as the secrets held within the shadows of Alastor's mind. It was no wonder that Azrael had spoken of him being a Hand of Death as a title rather than simply a descriptor.

Such a complex Song should be impossible for a mortal soul that died so young and yet the King of Hell was completely unsurprised. Defying the laws that were meant to define humanity seemed to be how Alastor worked. The day the man willingly bowed down to what should be would be the day the universe ended.

Lucifer focused on the place where he could feel Alastor waiting and reached out to him. The world around them fell away and he carefully kept his presence as light as he could, uncertain how this would differ from the time he had briefly used Alastor's body to get back to his own. Of course, that thought led him to another and amusement rang out clearly enough that he could feel curious confusion going through the sinner.

'I think you won the challenge.'

There was a moment of frustration, Alastor both attempting to figure out how to speak like this and likely trying to recall what Lucifer was talking about.

'Just focus on a single thought you want me to hear. I was talking about the time when we shared space after I cut the tethers to my body.'

Recognition was followed by amusement as well and finally something came through from the demon.

'This does not feel the same. Maybe you will...' A pause before Alastor's focus cleared again. 'Maybe you will allow that again if this is successful enough?'

The amount of hopefulness behind that thought was ridiculous. Seriously, what was with this guy that he enjoyed the feeling of having his entire Self overridden by another person's consciousness?

'That's not how it felt to me.'

'Oh! You caught that?' Looked like he would have to be careful to keep an eye on how much of his own thoughts came through. 'How did it feel then?'

'That will make a good test of this.'

Something about the nothingness around them started to shift a bit until Lucifer felt like there was a rush of euphoria surrounding him, a weightlessness and delight in something so utterly new making him want to laugh madly.

'That is what it felt like to me.'

...no wonder Alastor wanted to experience that again! Holy shit.

'Quite.'

'Hold up, are you actively seeking out my internal thoughts right now?'

He could practically see the smile that went with the level of smugness that was radiating down the line. 'Yes.'

'Well stop! If you don't want me poking around in your head then don't do it to me , jackass!'

It felt like Alastor was pouting but there was a sense of reluctant agreement. Hypocritical brat! When there was no reaction to that thought, Lucifer irritably moved on. 'Now, what were you trying to tell me about the whispers and shadows?' He hadn't forgotten that there was something Alastor wanted to show him about Lilith but with how sure the demon was that it would upset him, it would be best to get this out of the way first. That way if he did have a break down, Alastor wasn't left unable to talk for however long it lasted.

The nothingness changed again, but this time he was able to see what the other man had while he was sitting under the tree. There was a restless feeling under his skin and a pressure at parts of his body that felt weaker, or maybe thinner for some strange reason. Dark things were reaching down towards him and...

'I know those, I think? I can see why you would call them whispers. It's an old memory. I can only recognize that I've heard this before but not the actual experience.' He wanted to roll his eyes when he felt a wave of excited anticipation. 'Yes, it's probably something my core Self knows better.' So long as that wasn't one of the things that had been rewritten. Lucifer felt his stomach tighten at that thought.

As the memory played out to the point where he had interrupted that call that Alastor had been feeling, he realized exactly what the problem was. That interruption had left the sinner stuck like he had been shifting forms... but into what? Maybe that shape he had seen earlier around the Radio Demon? Would the absorption of the Corruption have caused a change that big? There were just too many unknowns. For now, he had to get Alastor settled back into himself since he wasn't sure how to trigger the shift in the other direction. 'Remember how I helped Charlie? Were you able to See what I showed her? Even if you aren't spilling out like that, I think the same sort of folding in of your energy should help you.'

The memory changed, this time showing the scene where Charlie's wings were attempting to manifest through Alastor's eyes. The difference in their Sight was fascinating. Where Lucifer had been able to tell the whirling power was trying to form wings, Alastor had only clearly Seen the eyes that had been slightly opened. Plus there was her Song! The ocean had risen, the waves beginning to lap at the edges and mingle with the tidal pools, her Potential eager to show itself but that still carried the risk of chilling the warmer waters too quickly if she wasn't ready to reach for it herself yet. Lucifer was glad he had been with her to help regain control of it before she somehow hurt herself.

Then there was the awe he could feel had been at the forefront of Alastor's thoughts as Lucifer's more true Self had coiled around the room. He tried not to feel too flattered but knowing that he was Seen as something worth that feeling was...

He shook it off. 'That's right. Think you can do that too?'

'Yes. I think I will need to drop the connection though. This takes a lot of focus to hold. Your other Self only had a theory this would work so it hadn't been tested like everything else.'

Huh. He'd have to ask Alastor the specifics on this, maybe they could come up with an easier way to maintain it. 'Alright. Do you want to do that now or-'

'No. I will show you what my Shadow saw before I can convince myself it's better not to.'

'Hah! And here I thought the big bad Radio Demon never second-guessed his decisions!'

***

Alastor wanted to be irritated with him, annoyed with the mocking tone in Lucifer's thoughts at him. The problem was that he was right, usually the Radio Demon didn't second-guess things. He made his choice and he followed through with it to the bitter end, no concern for how it might affect others because he was sure he could get them to see it his way once things were done.

This...

This was different. This was something that really could break Lucifer if he didn't handle it right. Alastor already regretted bringing it up because that meant he couldn't rescind the offer without argument and suspicion. Would it be better to start with the information about Adam? But then there would be the problem of what the First Man had been meant to do to Charlie. That the reason he got so close to her rather than taking her out with one of his blasts or the axe had been because he was trying to plant a seed of Corruption in her. Michael likely also made it so that if Lucifer did show up, Adam would be brought to truly stupid levels of arrogance and refuse to surrender when it was obvious that he was outmatched. Knowing all of that could tip things into protective anger but it could also bring more worry and fear that such a thing would be tried again.

'Hey. You're awfully quiet in there.'

Honesty would likely get him the best outcome in a poor situation like this. Doing his best to keep this up with the sluggish fog still weighing his thoughts down, he pressed on.  'I fear that what I know could aid in Michael's attempts to break you.'

'Oh. That bad? Thank you for telling me that.'

It felt like he really was grateful for that which was...something at least. 'What would you do if you had information that could make a person severely question the safety of every person they knew or even had known?'

'If that hypothetical person is me, I want to know. Even if it's painful, knowing means I can be better prepared to defend the ones I'm able to.'

Right. Because that was who the King was. A man who loved so fully that he would rather hide himself away from everything than risk hurting anyone. An angel that would rather sacrifice his own health and happiness than dare to let anyone new get close for fear that they would become another target for Heaven. Or rather, for Michael, because Alastor was starting to question how much of the Judgement had been truly sanctioned by the other Firsts. 'Then there is something I need to show you first. A conversation I just had with one of our newest guests. I think it will help you understand what my Shadow was able to See in the Queen. The...implications will be upsetting.'

'Promise I won't shoot the messenger.'

That hadn't even remotely been a concern but it was still good to know. 'I will cut the connection if you start to lose control. I would prefer not to handle the strain first-hand should your energy go wild while we are like this.'

'Now you're just making me more nervous. Get on with it.'

'Alright but remember, you asked for this.' With that, Alastor focused on the conversation back at the hotel, letting Lucifer hear the entirety of what was said though he was careful to keep his own thoughts during it out of the memory. Just as he'd thought, the knowledge of what Adam had been put through was upsetting but the moment Lute admitted to what Michael had ordered him to do to Charlie, Lucifer's emotions went haywire. While he had intended to keep the connection to let the King see his wife, the tether rather quickly began to fall apart and it was all Alastor could do to properly release his hold on it so that he didn't end up further out of sorts than he already was.

Dizziness threatened to make him fall as he became more aware of his body again and it was only due to the timely intervention of his Shadow that he didn't fully embarrass himself. Though, as he opened his eyes, he realized it was unlikely that the other man would even have noticed. Fury, pain, and a whole host of other things tore through the air as waves of energy pulsed out from Lucifer's body. This was why Alastor had been reluctant to share this information, his growing desire to be honest with the fallen angel be damned. When his Shadow started to move towards Lucifer, likely intent on doing something to comfort him or break him out of this, Alastor stopped it. They didn't need to add to the problem by risking it getting damaged if the King lashed out.

Seemed like the best idea would be to wait it out. They would keep an eye on him, make sure he didn't hurt himself with trying to contain the energy but in the meanwhile, Alastor could see about getting his own body back under his control and feeling less like a marionette with broken strings. Really, this whole letting others be an active participant in his plans nonsense was exhausting.

Notes:

Shadow plain text:
-Whispers under skin. Shadows not mine keep calling.
-Will try to show.
-Trust you won't. Will only see what I show.

I don't know why this chapter fought me so much. Even now I feel like there is something not right but I need to get past this so I don't lose all momentum

Chapter 108: Who He Was

Summary:

Adam had been ordered to Corrupt Charlie...

From what Alastor had been saying before, he likely attempted or was Corrupting Lilith too...

Michael wanted to take his perfect little daughter and his beloved wife and twist them up in who knows what way and for what?! To use them to get to him?! Why was Michael so obsessed with going back to the way things were?!

Adam had been ordered, no Commanded to Corrupt Charlie...

From what Alastor had been saying before, he likely attempted or was Corrupting Lilith too...

Michael wanted to take his perfect little daughter and his beloved wife and twist them up in who knows what way and for what?! To use them to get to him?! Why was Michael so obsessed with going back to the way things were?!

Lucifer knew there was no way he was the ideal anything, especially now. Too passionate about the wrong things, too much of a dreamer, too broken to handle his own emotions, let alone someone else's! What did Michael see that was worth all of this?!

Even when he had been Samael, he had loved Creating with the sort of fervor that had left him in Raphael's care multiple times because he had nearly unraveled himself. That's why they started pairing him with Michael so often. While a Voice could coax a mind into considering a different path, a Commander forced a change in someone. It was always meant to be used as a temporary measure, to help a person by connecting them with positive or removing them from the negative of the aspect it was tied to. Lucifer felt nauseous as he remembered the last time Michael truly attempted to Command him, tried to convince him that it was for the best to abandon Eden. There had been a brief moment where he'd almost doubted himself enough for the Command to take hold...

And now he was using that power to Corrupt, to change a person permanently...

The Exorcist had said she saw him peel back his skin, that he held the Corruption so fully within himself that it was now inhabiting his physical body. This was beyond madness and obsession.

And Adam...

*"Okay, seriously! How many of you freaks do I have to fight?!*"

Hearing Adam lump him in with the rest of the Hell, like he didn't even remember that Lucifer was a First, was always going to be a Seraphim, no matter how his physical body had been changed by the Fall, it had been insulting and infuriating and letting himself be the Sin of Pride to fight the First Man had felt so fucking good! Lucifer had felt vindicated for finally getting to strike Adam, finally breaking that dumb mask he was always wearing like he couldn't be bothered to look his old friend in the eye properly. Years of insults and arrogant posturing during meetings where the King of Hell was unable to lift a damned finger had gone through his mind as he made sure to prove to everyone that he might be chained, but Charlie was off limits!

*"You're the most hated being in all of creation!"*

Lucifer knew that, why even bother saying it like it was something new? He was more than aware that aside from a chosen few, his name was synonymous with pure evil. He had been blamed for thousands of tragedies over the centuries where the only part he'd had a hand in was giving the humans the ability to choose to do those heinous acts.

Looking back now...that had been more like something Michael would have said after beating him down, just to add insult to injury.

*"No. You don't get to end this! I'm fucking Adam! I'm the fucking man, and you're just some fucking clown or something! I started everything on Earth! All of mankind came from these fucking nuts! You all should be worshipping me, you ungrateful, disgusting, fucking losers-"*

As far as last words went, those had seemed at least true to the man Adam had become. In Eden, he'd been a bit cocky and arrogant, sure. It was bound to happen when you were constantly told you were going to be the first of a sentient species, get to name everything in the world so that your descendents would forever have a link back to you. But that Adam had also been kind, playful, had truly loved with all of his heart in a way that Lucifer had felt resonated with him.

Seeing a human love the world so fully had been...breathtaking. Lilith had loved just as much but showed it in a quieter way, a life-sustaining spring rain rather than a torrential downpour. And Lucifer, when he had been Samael...he had loved them both.

Knowing what he knew now, he hated himself for not realizing the changes in Adam were not natural for someone who had spent so many centuries in Heaven. That level of malice should have either faded in the Light of the city or he should have Fallen to keep the other souls from being upset by him. The Exorcists as a class never should have existed, let alone be sent to Hell year after year, too young to hear the Songs they ended. The wars, the Exterminations, all of the anger and hatred infecting the Armies of Heaven, none of it should be like this.

Lucifer hated himself for not seeing it, would likely hold onto that guilt for another ten thousand years at least, but what was happening in Heaven now was not his fault in any way. That blame lay firmly at the feet of those that fostered that hatred, stoked it into the fervor it was today.

And the one at the center of it all was Michael, who was once Samael's closest friend.

But Samael was dead, his ghost trapped in a prison and mad from the isolation...

Lucifer was who he was now. He wasn't that naive and trusting angel of Heaven anymore. He had learned what love and loss truly were. He knew what it was to be a husband, a father, a King with a realm to protect...

All those things he had failed to defend for so long...

No more. He needed to take a stand and truly protect those under his wings.

To that end, Michael had to die too.

Notes:

A short one but I felt we needed to really focus in on what's going on in Lucifer's head after all that.

And yeah, Luci just snapped.

I couldn't figure out how to make it clear in the prev chap but Al showed him the convo with Lute out of order to ensure he got all the info because he figured the part about Charlie would be where things got to be too much

Chapter 109: Light and Darkness

Summary:

Something changed, Alastor was sure of it. It wasn't some sudden, explosive thing. He couldn't even put his finger on when it started. All he knew was that at some point the pressure in the palace had noticeably shifted, the energy pouring out from Lucifer becoming less erratic.

Notes:

I adjusted some of the prev chapter because I didn't like it and it made it hard to continue. Give it a quick reread!

Something changed, Alastor was sure of it. It wasn't some sudden, explosive thing. He couldn't even put his finger on when it started. All he knew was that at some point the pressure in the palace had noticeably shifted, the energy pouring out from Lucifer becoming less erratic.

The light and coiling movements he had been becoming more capable of seeing each time Lucifer slipped out of his tiny physical form were strangely absent despite how obviously his King was freaking out. Alastor had almost been certain he would be speaking to the resonating, multi-toned voice of the more fluid and ever-shifting shape that was Lucifer's truer form by this point and yet there was no sign of it. The demon wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

Once he'd resettled his own energies like Lucifer has shown Charlie to do, Alastor found himself able to speak properly again, thankfully. Since then, he had spent the time seated nearby, keeping himself busy by working on the magic infused in one of his minion dolls. The damned thing had been acting odd ever since it drew the fallen angel's blood and he was this close to completely dismantling it and starting it over from scratch!

"How would you do it?"

Brows furrowing, he looked up to find Lucifer staring down at him oddly, "How would I do what?"

"Kill Michael."

Red eyes went wide as a rush of excitement and anticipation went through him, "That depends. One I'm more sure I can do than the other. The most likely is trapping his entire consciousness in his physical form by cutting him off from his core and then killing that aspect of him. It would essentially restart him completely from the beginning, rewriting him without the same sort of risk to the person doing it. However, now that I understand the situation better, I fear it holds a high chance of the Corruption remaining in him and thus would need to be done again and again as he spirals each time."

Lucifer frowned, looking down at the floor, arms folded over his chest, "Yeah, it would likely be possible but you're right about the Corruption sticking around if it's gotten so deep inside him that it's manifesting in his physical body."

Alastor nodded with a hungry grin, dismissing the doll-like creature, "The one I would prefer is to take over his place within Creation before shredding him completely."

Lucifer's head snapped up, "What?! Where did you hear that phrasing?"

His Shadow waved a hand from where it lay flat on the floor, "Emily made an oath to Charlie to keep the Exorcist from attacking anyone outside of self-defense."

"...we'll come back to that later." Lucifer summoned a chair for himself, "What do you mean taking over his place? How would that even be possible?!"

Alastor thought on how he wanted to say it, tapping his fingers on his knee, "The way you've talked about it, there's an actual part of you and the other Firsts that is what makes you essential to Creation. Otherwise how could you have taken some of it and put it into the Fruit to keep them from erasing us?"

Dark brows furrowed, "Yeah but its not like an organ or anything. It's more like a...hrm." Lucifer looked frustrated as he tried to come up with a word for it.

Alastor smirked and teased, "Don't think too hard now or you'll catch what few brain cells you have left on fire."

"Oh shut up, you asshole!"

"No," He retorted simply, "Also, I believe you are thinking about what I mean wrong. Yes, your true Selves aren't necessarily physical beings but there is still a shape to you and in that shape is certain key things. Like you are the Heart's Song separated from your core, I am almost willing to bet there is some way to isolate that part and take it into myself, much like eating my father's heart allows me to take control of his soul."

Lucifer stared at him for long moment, "So...you would take over his aspect, leaving him more like a younger Seraphim than a First..."

"Precisely!" Alastor grinned, pleased that he had caught on, "Then I could take my time and rip him apart into small enough pieces to eat the rest of him too!"

Putting his face into his hands, the blond groaned, "You...you want to actually take over a First's aspect. I would ask if you were insane but I already know the answer to that."

"What is his aspect anyway? I know yours was Light."

"Is. I'm still a First, no matter what they did to me." Lucifer huffed, "He is essentially my counterpart, the Darkness to my Light. The only others that seemed to have a direct opposite when we first came into Being was Raphael being the Life to Azrael's Death."

So many fascinating things to still learn! Alastor could somewhat hear the different meanings when Lucifer said Darkness, just like he could get some sense of the different things Light represented. Darkness held all sorts of hidden things, both treasures and traps. It could bring a feeling of safety and security or it could lead to fearful imaginings, was home to both dreams and nightmares. A person could be wrapped up in it or swallowed up by it.

...huh. Shadows were a thing make of literal darkness...

...could it be that the Corruption was-

Dropping his hands, Lucifer took a shaky breath before interrupting the sinner's thoughts, "I'm scared to ask but...is Lilith safe? Is she...if she helped your Shadow, that means she isn't Corrupted yet, right?"

Alastor found himself pausing before he spoke. It was irritating that he kept questioning himself when he'd always been able to slip between truths and lies easily. Yet with each day he found himself growing more and more uncomfortable with the idea of lying to Lucifer, "I have every reason to believe she is safe and no, the seed she holds has not taken root."

"Did your Shadow see where she was? Or who has her? If she has a seed, does that mean Michael has access to her? I mean, what if-"

"Lucifer." Alastor gave him a nudge with his microphone, "I'm out of ducks so you need to keep from panicking." That got a slightly hysterical laugh and he rolled his eyes, trying to find a way to calm him without revealing too much, "She must be safe. I doubt my Shadow would have been brought to her in the first place if she was being held by one of Michael's allies, not after it freed you. Also, you said it yourself, she's singing again."

Things were quiet again for a moment, "There's more you're not saying, isn't there?"

His fingers twitched in surprise at being called out. Damnation, how had he known?! The sinner forced his breathing to remain steady as he tried to figure out how to dissuade any further questioning.

Gold lit eyes narrowed, the red pupils seeming to see right through him, "I think that's the calmest I've ever seen anyone panic."

Alastor's smile was tight as he considered slipping away into the shadows. Cowardly perhaps but he didn't know if this was something he could tell yet. Because if he told Lucifer the full truth, he'd want to know how a sinner knew Raphael and that would lead to the blocked memory which would lead to the contract he was still technically bound to. Yes, the other man was already aware of the fact that there was a contract but not what his terms were. With the fact that Lucifer had just learned what nearly happened to Charlie through Adam, knowing Alastor had originally agreed to go to the hotel to get her soul for that Corrupted woman, who likely would have given it to Michael...

Would that change how his King saw him? Probably.

His stomach twisted into knots as the blond did that strange thing to move instantly, leaving them both on the floor and merely inches from each other now, "What are you so scared of?"

His claws pricked into his palms as he fought to keep his gaze steady and his ears from falling back, "Whatever would make you think I'm scared, sire?

Lucifer slowly blinked and tilted his head, "We're back to 'sire' again, huh? You have pretty obvious tells when someone knows where to look."

Gold glinted off the ring on the King's hand as he pointed at the Shadow. Alastor realized then that he had been leaving the creature out and free to act as it wished around Lucifer for...he didn't even know how long. Just how much had he already let it show without really thinking?

"You said before it's attuned to your way of thinking, right? That it makes choices like you would? I figure that means it's basically you without all the overthinking you do."

"For someone with memory problems, you seem to remember an awful lot of what I say," Alastor deflected, looking away. He didn't bother keeping his ears from falling back this time. Apparently it was a wasted effort at this point.

"...yeah, I guess I do, huh?" A hand reached out towards him, stopping just shy of making contact with his own still-bared hand, palm up in offering. When had Lucifer learned this too? "Guess my mind considers the things you say pretty important."

Something about that made the tension and worry in his chest unwind a bit, the questioning and second-guessing quieting down again. His Shadow nudged his arm, encouraging him to accept the offered contact but he couldn't, not yet, "I'm... I'm worried you may no longer trust me if you know the full truth. Of everything I know and why I know it. Of who, no, what I was before I met your daughter."

Lilith may have written that he wasn't the beast his Master wanted him to be but for a while he had let himself believe he was just that. He'd hidden what little humanity he had and played the game of Overlords as viciously as any other, taking out the most horrid ones so that there would be no competition for him in his quest for power. Only one person had given him even a small relief since the day he came to the city, kept him from suffocating his ability to care completely until others came along to join her in his twisted heart.

Then he had seen a glimpse of the vastness of the universe in one Lucifer Morningstar, the fallen angel that refused to shatter despite how many blows he'd taken. It had awoken a hunger deeper than any other, made him want to follow his King as far as he could, then break whatever held him back from going farther.

So much had changed in less than two years but would those changes be enough to keep Lucifer from shutting him out?

"I doubt you'd be here now if I couldn't trust you, you crazy bastard."

There was only one way to find out. Alastor recreated the connection from before and took hold of Lucifer's hand once more.

Notes:

I'm back at it with the deep feels and thoughts! Hyperfocusing on Avatar of Hell was fun but now its time for the hard stuff again

Chapter 110: Her Vile Touch

Summary:

Lucifer had seen many things in his long existence. But this? This connection and its ability to share thoughts and memories almost instantly? It was something entirely new to him. Watching Alastor's memories, feeling the flashes of emotions the sinner wasn't quick enough to stifle, knowing the demon was waiting to be judged...

Notes:

TW: Non-consensual touching

Lucifer had seen many things in his long existence. But this? This connection and its ability to share thoughts and memories almost instantly? It was something entirely new to him. Watching Alastor's memories, feeling the flashes of emotions the sinner wasn't quick enough to stifle, knowing the demon was waiting to be judged...

It started from the moment he had let the connection fully envelope his mind, the world fading away like before. There was a sharpness, not just in the way the other was presenting his thoughts, but also in his Song. The eyes of the predators in Alastor's soul were wary and watchful like the hunters had suddenly become the hunted.

Then the nothingness shifted.

***

His eyes opened and he found himself on a bare floor. Where was he? Last he remembered, he was being chased by hunting hounds and then...

"Well, well. Didn't you turn into a pretty beast? Mmm, let me take a good look at you!"

Alastor recognized that voice! It had been nearly two decades but he had never forgotten it. He pushed himself up a bit so he could better lift his head, finding a woman crouched down and looking at him with wide, crazed eyes. Her clothing was strange with checkered patterns on the inner lining of her red coat and hat. Her top, if you could call it that, was nothing more than a stretched band of checkered black and white fabric. And then there were all the chains.

She made a cooing sound and reached out a hand towards his face. His mouth was strangely stretched with sharp teeth and he felt something on his head move as he snarled in warning. She only tilted her head and giggled at his reaction, "Now don't you go baring those fangs at me! I'm going to be doing you a favor, little soul! Power in exchange for loyalty! You will be free to slaughter all sorts of sinners, create rivers of blood with all those glorious screams you adore hearing so much. All you have to do is swear you'll be mine!"

He was careful to speak clearly, "For how long?"

The woman looked far too delighted with his question, "Care to elaborate?"

"How long would I be forced to serve you?"

She pouted, standing up straight as she played with one of the thinner chains, running it through her fingers, "Awww, are you already looking to leave me all alone again? But I do so enjoy hearing something different in here! It's always too quiet when it's just me!" He forced himself upright, never taking his eyes off of her, "Fiiine! Like I said the first time, you'll need to complete a particular task for me first."

"What task?"

She hummed and started circling around him, "There will come a time when I will ask you to get close to the Princess of Hell. Not all the pieces are on the board yet but if you carry out all of your orders involving her, then you will be free."

A Princess? "And the power you give me will be mine even after the contract is complete?"

The woman started giggling, "Such a clever, clever, clever thing you are! You'll do well out there, yes." She stopped in front of him and reached out to tap a finger on his nose, "It won't be as fun if you only have a boost though! Why not let me give you something more delightful?"

Alastor wanted nothing more than to cut that finger off of her hand, "Because if I become reliant upon it and complete my task, I will be left in a weaker state. I imagine anything involving royalty in Hell will earn me enemies. I would like my freedom to last."

She gave a sigh, "I suppose that makes sense. I will grant you a permanent increase in the strength of your magic and you will do as I ask of you until the final job is complete." She perked up, "But! That will also include me calling you back to visit from time to time! I would simply keep you here until your role is ready for you but she checks in. I can feel her eyes on me!" Her demeanor changed, all of the soft playfulness turning sharp and hateful, "She dares to have me trapped here! To keep me away from him! He may have been hers first but he is mine, mine, MINE!"

Alastor did not dare to say anything. There was something in him warning that she was likely to strike at the slightest provocation. As suddenly as it had appeared, the sharp edges softened again and she hummed, "That is none of your concern, however. No communicating my identity to anyone in any manner, entertain me when I ask, take action to help move things in the right direction on my command, and complete that final task. In return, you will gain a permanent increase in your power, one that will bring other sinners to their knees before you and will grow stronger with time as you collect your own contracted souls. Who knows? Perhaps one day you will even be strong enough to take the throne after the King is gone!"

A gloved hand was stretched out toward him, "So, Alastor, do we have a deal?"

He reached up to take it, "And what do I call you?"

The moment she grasped his hand, he felt a heavy collar form around his neck and she grinned in delight, "I'm Roo, but when you're here you can call me Master, my pretty beastie!"

***

'Roo? Who is she? What does she want with Charlie?'

'You do not recognize her? Perhaps her appearance changed too greatly when she died. Do not speak her name outside of here, somehow it gains her attention. As for what she wants...'

***

"The bitch is gone now! One of my sources says she has fled to Heaven and is never coming back!"

The sinner felt his stomach drop. 'The bitch' in question was the Queen of Hell. The main reason Roo kept his visits to her brief was because Lilith had some way of checking in on her prison. If she was gone, then...

...

Seven years.

Seven long, torturous years of Roo keeping him in her prison after the Queen left Hell. The softly glowing platform they were on was the only source of light and no matter how far one went in any direction, they ended up right back here. He was thoroughly trapped in this place where the shadows would not obey him. Even his own creation, his personal Shadow, would not appear at his call. He had no one but her here. So long under her hand and now he would do nearly anything to get away from her!

Roo made him stay shirtless, leaving his torso bared to her. The only thing he wore above his belt line was the thick collar that she refused to allow to disappear. It was maddening and there was no escape from her touch. She kept petting him and hugging him and treating him like little more than a half-tamed animal. Anytime he tried to avoid it, to pull away, she would lash out. Even that would not be so bad but then after...

"Oh dear! Look what you made me do to you, my poor beastie!" Roo looked at the marks she had torn into his arm, running her fingers over them and smearing the blood into his fur. "Here! I'll fix it!"

She opened her mouth wide and those horrid things crawled out, full of eyes and spikes and reaching for him. He looked away, unable to watch as they slid over his flesh, cleaning away the blood and forcing the wound closed, so much more painful than the initial injury itself. No matter how many times this happened, the feeling was always more wretched than the appearance and he felt his far too empty stomach turn. But he refused to make a sound, to cry out. That was what she wanted, noises to break the quiet darkness around them, and he wouldn't give her that ever again if he could help it!

***

Lucifer couldn't help feeling his own revulsion, both at the way the sinner had been treated and at the sight of Roo's so-called tongue, 'She has so much Corruption! You...you were really around that for seven years? How are you not Corrupted yourself?!'

'I don't know.' Alastor seemed to be distant, likely unable to watch this too closely even though it was his own memory. The scene continued on.

***

Then the darkness of the prison suddenly grew bright, the light searing his closed eyes. What was this? As soon as it had appeared, it vanished and Roo was no longer next to him. Instead she was walking back towards him from somewhere further along the platform, that soft playful smile he despised like nothing else on her face again. Alastor wanted to kill her, to rip her apart and choke her with her own intestines!

"Aw, don't look at me like that, pet. On your feet now!" He obeyed. He had little choice but to do as she said, "There is a light at the end of the tunnel for you now! I know you hate the weight of this collar on your pretty little neck."

He forced himself to calm down, to steady himself. She loved getting a reaction from him, taking glee in any chance to remind him of his place beneath her. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction again, not so soon after the last. Schooling his expression to one of polite curiosity, the deer demon shifted his ears to mimic interest, "I take it the final pieces are in play now, Master?" Oh, how he hated calling her that.

She grinned, her touch moving to his face, tracing the line of his jaw, testing him again, "Quite right. The Princess of Hell is planning to attempt to redeem sinners, the delusional creature that she is. All the better that I believe she will actually succeed with some of the more pathetic ones. I need you to get involved in her plans."

Alastor blinked. Roo thought sinners could be redeemed? The idea was almost laughable but he knew she was as old as she was insane, there was a chance she had insight that he didn't, "What would you have me do, Master?"

She hummed happily, cupping his cheek as his contract with her appeared, floating in mid-air and waiting for the blank space to be filled. He leaned into the touch despite every fiber of his being wanting to pull away. He couldn't let her see his defiance now, not if he really was about to be able to leave, "You will get close to her once she publicly announces her intentions to Hell. Protect her little project, guard her from the likely many attempts to end her life from both Heaven and Hell." She released his face and circled around him. Thankfully, she wasn't aiming for his ears this time, "This way you will become one of her most trusted advisors to guide her along! I won't be able to reach you once this starts, there will be too many watching. I trust you can keep yourself alive as you are now while accomplishing all that I need you to, pet."

Knowing she wouldn't be calling him once things started was a silver lining to this mess but he wouldn't be getting anything more to assist him with facing Heaven directly? Fuck. His ears fell back in fear and he spoke quickly to cover the reason, putting disgust in his voice instead, "You would have me playing babysitter to that spoiled, naive brat?"

Roo's arms slid around him from behind as she pressed herself close to his back. His stomach threatened to rebel against his control, "Awww, I know, you'll probably hate every second dealing with her idealism but needs must, beastie. Once she has shaken things up enough, Heaven will want to form a peace treaty with her!"

While she wasn't in front of him, he closed his eyes, trying to get some form of distance, "How do you know for sure, Master?"

She released her hold then, her feet sliding in a way that meant she was happily twirling around. He made sure to open his eyes again as she came around to look at him with a teasing smile, "Ha! I have sources and tools beyond you, pet. Nothing you need to worry your silly, silly, silly little mind over. No, you just focus on your part! When Heaven meets with her publicly in Hell, the King will be there to preside over things! Before this happens, you will make a deal with the Princess for her soul and will use that to ensure she leaps in front of a specially made blade wielded by a supposedly rogue angel attacking the angel leading the Heavenly envoy."

***

Lucifer felt the connection crack, felt it weakening under his growing anger and fear. The distance from Alastor disappeared and it felt like the demon was trying to pull him close, 'Wait! Please, there is more you need to see!'

The shock of the contact and the desperation in Alastor's thoughts broke him from the spiral. He could do this. He could! 'Then show me.'

***

Alastor jolted, "You would have me be on the same stage as she is? With her father there?! Lucif-"

A sharp blow across his face sent him crashing back to the floor again as she shrieked, "DO NOT SPEAK ANY OF HIS NAMES HERE! EVER! EVER EVER EVER EVER!"

Fuck! He knew better than that! He'd forgotten himself and had spoken carelessly, "Apologies, Master. I promise, I won't forget again."

She panted as she stood over him, the chains around them rattling with her rage, "He cursed me! He took me away from my beloved, from our children! He and that bitch have lived a life of luxury while I remain trapped here! I will be free! I will find my Adam and I will be surrounded by the beautiful sound of him again!"

***

Lucifer felt like everything inside him froze. 'Adam... Does she mean...'

'I think so. I think Roo was once called Eve.' Alastor didn't feel hateful towards her the way he had in the memory. There was something closer to pity coming from him now. 'I believe Michael planted a seed in her before you gave her the Fruit of Knowledge. That he knew you would do that and it would trigger the Corruption to take root in her. She believes you and the Queen are the ones that have imprisoned and kept watch on her but I think he hid her away because of how strongly it surrounds her. There would be no hiding it if anyone else saw her like this.'

'And when she said she would be surrounded by the sound of him...'

'Yes. I think the Corruption and the way Michael tied her to Adam made it so she could hear his Song.'

Fuck. It made so much sense. Lucifer had spent centuries trying to understand why the Fruit would have caused so much harm. Knowledge does not equate action. There should have been no drive to be cruel just because someone understood what it was. But if that Knowledge was mixed with Corruption? ...oh. 'Humans are all touched by it, aren't they?! They must be!'

'I believe so. Though why some are unaffected while so many others are remains a mystery to me.'

Turning that over in his thoughts, Lucifer quickly developed a theory, 'It has to do with Michael's power and the strength of a person's sense of Self, I bet.' Surprise surrounded Alastor's presence then, followed quickly by curiosity so he elaborated on that, 'The ability to Command someone is determined by the other person's will and sense of who they are. Before Eve was made, Michael tried to Command me to leave Eden. He infused his words with his power and tried to make me doubt myself enough for the Command to take hold. I had already fallen in love with Lilith by then though, I think that was stronger than the doubt.' And yet Lucifer, who was still Samael then, had foolishly thought their fight had been completely over after they parted ways that day. That Michael had opened his eyes and seen the Potential and that was why he got involved with Eve.

Fuck, he'd been such a naive idiot.

Lucifer could feel Alastor doing something with that information, though he wasn't sure what. The sinner had too many thoughts and emotions all muddled together like he was bouncing from conclusion to conclusion at rapid pace. The fallen angel kind of wished he could actually See the way Alastor's mind was working in that moment, it had to be an interesting sight with the rapid twists and turns that seemed to be happening in there.

'So because of the Corruption being from Michael, it has a stronger effect on someone who has a weak sense of who they are?'

'Yes.'

'Well that would make a lot of sense with Roo, if she was Eve. With the way you've spoken of her before, her only sense of identity was as Adam's wife. When they were separated by death, she had nothing to tell her who she was and she turned into that.' The frozen image of Roo from Alastor's last memory of her reappeared.

To think that Eve could really be somewhere inside of all of that... It was heartbreaking. A thought struck Lucifer then. 'Wait, I know you told Rosie the chain was broken, even though you're somehow still holding onto it. That means you aren't still obligated to strike a soul deal with Charlie, right?'

There was something fierce that rushed through the sinner then. 'I haven't been since before I met her, though I didn't know it at the time.'

What?

Alastor showed him when he first landed back in Pentagram City, after being freed from the prison with Roo. The bright flash of light that happened before he found himself standing at the edge of the wilds with a paper he didn't remember writing on and a note from Lilith.

'A blocked memory?'

'Yes. It cracked a while back but I was able to repair it. I do not believe it is wise to have that memory free until it is the right time. However, a couple of things slipped through.'

Seeing the hazy memory of Raphael after so long, hearing that his brother still held tight to the idea that Lucifer had been wronged eased something the fallen angel hadn't even known was aching. Then came Lilith's disembodied voice, 'I can’t do much for Hell anymore but I can give you the ability to choose rather than blindly follow the worst of her orders.'

What did that mean? His confusion must have been apparent because Alastor then showed him the memory of the day he struck that deal with Charlie, when he had requested an open-ended favor of her for information on how to kill the angels. Feeling how the Radio Demon despaired at Charlie's trust and naivety, had been trying to teach her to do better even back when he'd still been denying that he cared for her, it made Lucifer feel warm. His little girl had the strangest ability to worm her way into so many people's hearts. Then he felt the weight of the compulsion lift off of the sinner, that clause satisfied by making any sort of deal at all.

'She knew you well enough to know the soul contract wouldn't be the first one you went for?'

'Apparently! Though I don't know how since I imagine the blocked memory is only a few hours long at most! That wouldn't have been enough time for either of them to gain much trust from me.' Lucifer could feel how the mystery itched at Alastor's mind. 'And somehow she trusted that I would leave things at that, that I would not continue to pursue Charlie's soul and follow the plan anyway.'

'Heh. Yeah, Lilith has a way of seeing people for who they really are.'

'So it seems. The reason I showed you how I know Raphael is because he is the one that found my Shadow.'

Which meant Raphael really was the one that had Lilith. And just like that, so much relief washed through Lucifer that he nearly felt weak with it. 'Show me?'

Alastor did. Lucifer saw how his brother recognized the creature, spoke softly to it and worked quickly to save it from Michael's holy energies. Raphael had then tried to use his powers to heal it but that had somehow hurt the Shadow. The memory skipped then to when the bag holding the weakened creature had opened. Hearing Lilith give such a carefree giggle when the Shadow grabbed her fingers made him ache in a way that he was sure meant he would find tears falling when he got back into his body properly again. He hadn't heard that sort of sound from her in two hundred years. Even while the blocks had been working, Lilith had never fully relaxed around him again after what happened.

Then the Shadow looked into her and saw the seed of Corruption deep inside, hidden under years of slowly widening cracks in her mind. It looked like it was fighting to fill in those cracks but something kept it from expanding.

With how deep it was, it had to have been there before the damage was done. That meant Michael had planted that before Lucifer entered the nursery that day.

'...it really wasn't my fault at all, was it?'

'No. None of it ever was.'

Notes:

The last couple days have been...bad. No better time to write deeply emotional plotline!

Chapter 111: Interlude: Through Wisdom's Eyes

Summary:

Soon after Michael left Gabriel's workshop, there was a sharp knock on his door. Grumbling and stepping around the scattered pieces he had been attempting to gather back up, he opened the door and blinked in surprise at the angel on the other side, "Sera?"

Gabriel

Soon after Michael left Gabriel's workshop, there was a sharp knock on his door. Grumbling and stepping around the scattered pieces he had been attempting to gather back up, he opened the door and blinked in surprise at the angel on the other side, "Sera? What are you doing here?" Realizing that sounded rather rude, he fumbled, "Not that I'm unhappy to see you or anything! It's just been ages."

She gave him one of her small smiles of amusement, "Yes, it has. I am leaving soon for about a month and thought I should check in on you. May I come in?"

"Oh! Sure, sure! Sorry, it's a bit of a mess right now. Michael popped in and scared the Light right out of me."

Raising a brow at the scattered parts, she lifted a glowing hand, "Here, let me help you."

"No! No magic!" He squawked, flailing a bit with his panic.

She stilled, looking at him in bafflement, "Oh? Whyever not?"

Running a hand through his dark hair, mussing it up futher, Gabriel sighed in aggravation, "This is human tech. For some reason, magic completely fries it. So manually gathering it is the only way to go."

"No wonder you sound so angered. I'm sure Michael didn't mean to cause you such trouble," Sera carefully sidestepped the tiny pieces.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, crouching down to pick them up, "If it was anyone but him, I would say they were doing it on purpose as a prank. But Michael hasn't had a sense of humor since before time was really a thing. It's... it's not this that has me angry though."

She watched as he started to say something more a couple of times but kept cutting himself short. Finally she ventured a guess, "He told you something upsetting?"

Gabriel gave a long sigh, his shoulders slumping, "Yeah. Has he told you what happened today?"

She shook her head, "No, we haven't crossed paths today."

He stopped picking up the parts to look at her, "Apparently Samael is Creating new magic that can pass through summoning circle barriers. Several humans were...there were children that he..."

Sera's wings went loose and low in sympathy as he struggled to even finish the sentence. She moved closer, placing a hand on his shoulder, an offer of comfort though she was rather stiff about it. Gabriel looked up at her in gratitude, one of his wings coming around to brush over hers. They stayed that way for a moment, the hurt and anger he'd been feeling fading with her Song wrapping around him affectionately. It sounded a little different than he remembered but it really had been a long time since she visited him last, so it made sense that there were some small changes. Finally, he broke the silence, a lopsided smile appearing on his face, "You're getting better at that. That little Seraphim you've taken under your wing has been good for you, I think."

She stood upright again, stepping back with her wings showing a little embarrassment, "Is it still that obvious? Emily has been trying to make it easier for me to be around the human-born and the way they so freely express physical affection."

"I'm glad to hear it. You've always kept yourself isolated," He carefully stepped over to his desk to set down the pile he'd gathered, "She's going to really bring a lot of Light back to Heaven as she comes into her power. She kind of reminds me of... you know."

Sera nodded and crouchd down, making the decision to help gather all the little bits near her, "Let's speak of more pleasant things. Why don't you tell me what all this is for?"

Gabriel perked up, amber eyes alight with happiness, "You really want to know?"

She gave him an encouraging lift of her upper wing closest to him, "Yes, I would love to hear what you've been doing."

An hour of excited ramblings and tangents that she had to gently push back towards the original thoughts later, Sera left the workshop and ducked down one of the empty corridors. Thankful that Michael had left quickly so his manipulation of their brother hadn't buried itself too deep, she summoned a whirl of colorful light to carry her out to the Sea. When the magic dropped, so too did Uriel's disguise of their sister's Being.

They shuddered as they felt the pieces of Michael's influence they had pulled from Gabriel start to flow through them, joining with the others this Self held. It wouldn't be much longer before they would have to unravel this Self and sacrifice it to return to Creation and be purified. Michael hadn't successfully Corrupted a Seraphim yet but it was not from a lack of trying. Already they could feel these pieces trying to combine to create a seed.

Hopefully this would end soon. They only had so many eyes they could lose like this. Even now, they struggled to maintain the barrier shielding the island in their Sea. If that fell...

It wouldn't. Uriel would sacrifice everything they had and unravel even their core before anyone else could fall to Michael's Corruption.

Thankfully and ironically, Hell was safe for the two young angels Sera cared for, what with the Devourer awakening. They only hoped he could keep the strength to not lose himself to the Corruption as well. Azrael had let them See the paths where he did fall and, well...

Nightmare did not even begin to cover what he Became at the end of those.

Sera

Patience was something they had in abundance after all these years of Seeking any trace of Wisdom from Creation on how to repair the damage Michael had done. It served Uriel well in this Self as Sera struggled with understanding and accepting that the Silence was here and spreading wide through the symphony. They had been much the same when they first learned the truth as well.

Humming a simple melody they had heard in a nebula recently, they considered their next move carefully. Sera wasn't Corrupted, that was true. But she had to go back, there was no keeping her away from Michael. If they showed her too much too soon, it would make her vulnerable to his manipulations. As it stood, it was likely her stubborn pride and strong will that had kept his influence only on the surface of her Song where it was more easily released without outside intervention.

The source of the largest crack would be difficult to show. There was currently only one being that Walked the Spaces Between and he was the reason for all of this. The other awakening his Potential for it was a better candidate once he could control his access. Besides, he wouldn't simply Walk those dark spaces, which meant there was a chance of something more being done about that tear in the universe. So that would be left for last, if it would even occur within the month's limit.

Sometimes they wished they had the Gift of Foresight despite the burden and risk it carried with it. So many variables were unknown and that made it hard to Create a proper Plan.

...maybe they should create a Self to actually get into Hell and ask Lucifer. He had practice at thinking quickly in the midst of Chaos. They missed his laughter and Light. The symphony wasn't the same without him.

Speaking of Hell, that really should be the next place to take Sera. She had been opening her mind to it, no longer having the automatic reaction that it had to be destroyed that Michael had helped along by feeding into her fear and paranoia. Showing her the difference between the rift that held Hell and the two tears that were rapidly expanding might help kill that fear of the unknown.

Plus, it would be funny to see her face when she finally realized what Hell really was.

Raphael

"Uriel!" Raphael called out over the water once the ladies were settled for the evening.

Light shimmered on the surface of the Sea before coalescing into the Being of his sibling that he knew well these days. They floated over to him, stardust glittering in their wake. He was glad to see it, that meant they were in a good mood, "Do you know why I called you, dear sibling of mine?"

They gave him an amused smirk, "No but I can guess from your tone and what I know of Michael's actions from another Self. Creation has a way of making its will known to those that need it."

He groaned, rubbing at his temples, "You're going to be all cryptic about this, aren't you? I swear, between Az and you-"

"Nope!"

Raphael blinked, peering at them suspiciously, "You're going to actually tell me why Adam's Song is in the baby I just saved?"

Uriel nodded, "As I said, Creation has a way of making its will known. Adam's life was never his, not really. He never had a chance to truly grow into his Potential. Creation has chosen to give him a second chance because the Father of Humanity should be allowed to Be human. The Corruption damaged his mind, he likely won't remember more than echoes, but he will have the same chance that every other human has."

He felt like the ground had suddenly dropped out from under him, "And what of the Mother?"

They shrugged, "It depends. She has been under Michael's influence for a very long time, brother. We don't know if there will be enough of her original Song left anymore to keep her from unraveling completely if she is freed."

The healer frowned and looked out over the waters. That was a possibility of this that he had tried to not think about. While it would be better than whatever state Michael had her in, he really wanted her to get to see freedom. To know the Peace of Heaven.

Uriel seemed to sense his unease and offered a soft comfort, "If she does awaken from her nightmares, she will get to choose her fate for once in her existence."

Notes:

Had a massive writer's block until I realized we needed a perspective change for a moment. Hope you enjoyed this insight into Uriel's thinking and what they have been doing all this time.

Chapter 112: Reaching Out

Summary:

"You have an almost scary level of memory recall."

Alastor tilted his head. Of all the things he thought Lucifer would say after they broke the connection again, that was certainly not one of them, "What do you mean?"

"You have an almost scary level of memory recall."

Alastor tilted his head. Of all the things he thought Lucifer would say after they broke the connection again, that was certainly not one of them, "What do you mean?"

"Look, I was part of the whole team creating you guys. I know how your brains are supposed to work!" Lucifer looked tired and slightly manic. Alastor thought that was understandable as this day had been rather eventful, "Even those that can recall the visuals of their memories with perfect clarity usually can't remember the little things like scent or taste or all of their thoughts and emotions. That's supposed to fade out the longer it's been since the memory happened. You remember it so clearly I could taste your blood in my mouth!"

The disgust he could hear and see on that pale face was so funny Alastor couldn't keep himself from laughing. Really, he'd expected some form of anger and blame to be thrown at him, but apparently he'd thought wrong! The relief had him suddenly wanting to poke fun at Lucifer, to see him all embarrassed and flailing. It was one of his favorite looks on his King, "Come now, surely I can't taste that bad."

Lucifer gave him such an unimpressed look that his laughter went up to full on cackling. Rolling his eyes, the blond shook his head, "Listen, it's been a long day and-"

"That's an understatement if I ever heard one!"

"And I have a feeling we're both exhausted. Even your Shadow is looking droopy." Alastor glanced down at the creature to confirm that its appearance was in fact a bit wilted as Lucifer continued, "I know I'm probably going to be dealing with nightmares tonight and you're probably in the same boat as me."

He shrugged and nodded, "Highly likely, all things considered. I personally wish I was capable of murdering my subconscious. It seems pretty useless at this point."

"Yeah, no, don't do that. We don't need you missing any more pieces of your brain than you already are, you crazy jerk," Running his hand through his hair, he seemed to be gathering up a bit of motivation to speak, "We've both helped each other sleep through the night before and really, we've more or less inhabited the same body soooo it really shouldn't be a big deal if we share a bed, right?"

Ooo, this could be fun! How bright could he get that gold blush to glow? "Are you asking to sleep with me, your Majesty? How forward of you!" Lucifer put his face in his hands as he groaned. Alastor leaned in, "Although, I suppose we would be expected to be at that stage with our relationship considering the number of dates we've had!"

Lucifer peered out from between his fingers at him suspiciously, "Dates? What dates? The fuck are you going on about?!"

He could feel the stitches at the corners of his mouth pulling extra tight with how wide he was grinning. Rosie would probably appreciate the opening this gave her when Lucifer ranted to her about this, "Think about it! Dating is supposed to be about people getting to know each other, finding out if both parties are interested in spending more time together, meeting each other's families, that sort of thing! And what have we been doing the last several months?"

"...oh my god. Are you actually serious or are you fucking with me right now?! Hey! Get back here, asshole!"

The sinner had gotten to his feet as the little King sputtered and flailed then began walking towards Lucifer's bedroom with a merry hum. The idea of sharing a bed was admittedly intriguing. Alastor was pretty sure that if his dreams woke him, being able to easily check that Lucifer was not still stolen away would ease his concerns, "Come along, darling! Time for bed!"

***

Emily could admit she was very worried about Lute. The young angel looked almost fragile now that they were alone in one of the hotel rooms, her wings drooping with exhaustion but still held close defensively. The Seraphim couldn't even begin to guess how lost the Exorcist felt right now, "Lute? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Gray hair swayed as she shook her head, "I'll be fine."

Emily frowned, "You don't need to lie about it. Pretending to be okay will only make it worse later."

Lute whirled around and snarled at her, "You don't get it! We're in Hell! We're living with demons that I've tried to kill every year! You think we're safe just because that twit downstairs says we are! Even you can't be that naive, Em!"

Emily carefully kept her stance calm and relaxed, gently putting a small portion of her power in her voice, enough to lessen Lute's anger and pain but not drive her into a false sense of elation that would make her feel worse after, "I do know, Lute. Perhaps you think because I'm friendly and smiling all the time that I don't realize how risky this is. I've spent days while drafting the Ambassador proposal going over how to ensure I can create defenses strong enough to keep us safe without harming those that try to attack us. Right now, no one can get into this room without my permission and they can't hear us either."

Lute blinked in surprise. It wasn't a shock that she hadn't noticed, Emily had exhausted herself multiple times over the last few months to try to be ready to handle any problems as the leader of the envoy and that included making her magic as unnoticeable as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was trigger a panic by wielding angelic energies in front of people who'd only ever seen them used to kill. She still couldn't do it while on the move but in a space like this where they would remain within a set boundary, she was confident her barrier would hold up to almost anything shy of the King of Hell himself.

"...defending you is my job, though. Why am I even here if-"

"You're here because you're my friend and Sera wants us both safe."

Lute scoffed, a bit of her more usual abrasive attitude coming back, "You know shit is fucked up when her Highness considers Hell to be safer than Heaven." She put a hand to her head when another wave of sharp pain hit her, "Fuck!"

Emily stepped closer then, brushing a hand over her temple with a pulse of calming energies. Lute gave a wet, humorless laugh, near tears as she trembled, "Hey, no new memories with that one. Maybe I can stop finding out new clues to how long I've been fucked up by m-my Commander." She swallowed hard, clenching her fists as she tried to keep herself from curling up and hiding behind her wings, "Do you know how much it fucks with you to remember cutting into one of your best friends, tearing her apart and enjoying it, all because she made one wrong choice? Vags made one mistake, her first time ever disobeying our purpose, and we fucking laughed as we shredded her! Loyalty to each other is the one good thing we Exorcists have and... and we didn't even give her a chance to explain! I can't even remember why that seemed like the obvious way to handle it! One friend d-dead, the other hates me. I just want this all to stop!"

Emily felt her heart-breaking as Lute kept choking back tears, equal parts grieving and furious. Her Song sounded almost broken, the red hot metal in a forge turning brittle as it cooled too quickly. She knew she had to step in, if the steel shattered Lute might actually willingly unravel herself! The Seraphim gathered her friend close, letting her hide behind her six white wings since she couldn't let herself do it with her own. So much pain and agony for what? What did the Corrupter of Songs even want? Lucifer had said that the Corrupted eventually wanted to Silence Creation but there had to be some other purpose or goal for this slowly building madness!

Tomorrow, she'd see if Charlie would be willing to talk to her since her dad had given her permission before he so abruptly left. Maybe then she'd also know why he had felt so sad and pained by her questions. For now, she'd do what she could for her friend to build her back up to the strong and fierce woman she had always admired.

Notes:

I wrote an entirely different version of this chapter twice before I finally found a direction I liked, even if Lute broke my heart again.

Its a little shorter than I thought I wanted but really, this day needs to be over for these guys. So much has happened to them

Chapter 113: In the Morning Light

Summary:

"Hey Al?"

One red eye cracked open to look at him curiously, "Hm?"

"I think I just realized a big part of why the Silence was part of my Judgement."

Lucifer's bed was a large and comfortable thing with plenty of room in case his wings spread out as he slept. It had been easy to set themselves up on opposite sides of it so that there was a comfortable amount of space between them. Lucifer had offered to keep a part of himself awake to watch over the both of them and ensure there would be no nightmares but Alastor claimed doing so would likely keep him awake too.

"After all, even if I no longer have an instinctive fear of your truer state, I still find it far too fascinating to allow myself to sleep rather than watching you."

That...what was a person supposed to say to that?! And of course the bastard had gotten that stupid smug grin because Lucifer had blushed and...and...UGH! It may have been childish but he'd never gotten to experience being a child so maybe it was forgivable that he had taken a pillow and thrown it hard at that grinning face. What was it about the stupid sinner that made him react so much when there was so little reason to?!

Soon after that, they both settled in for the night and Lucifer was resigned to laying awake for a while until his brain finally shut off. He knew he could have pulled out the record Alastor had made him a while back but... he knew hearing the grief in it would just make his dreams worse at this point. And what if it kept the other man awake? Just as he was considering the idea of sneaking away to deal with the stress after Alastor fell asleep, he felt the gentlest brush over the back of his hand and opened his eyes to find the Shadow holding out its own in offer. He glanced over at its creator and saw the demon had his eyes closed though he suspected Al wasn't asleep yet. Still, he assumed there was an unspoken rule about not making a big deal of this or something. As soon as he took the offered hand, Alastor's ambient static began to broadcast Lucifer's Song as it currently was and...

It had... shifted. Perhaps it shouldn't have surprised him but he was. Surprised, that is. The exhaustion and grief were no longer the primary notes in the humming chorus, though they were still present. Instead there was a growing defiance, not just angry but determined and sustaining in its strength. It also seemed like the solar flare had moved closer to its source, the heat and light of it brighter, no longer fighting as hard to stay formed in the void of space.

Perhaps it would be strange to those that had never heard the Songs but hearing these changes made him feel more real, made him more sure of this Self and who he was, what he wanted to do.

...

"Hey Al?"

One red eye cracked open to look at him curiously, "Hm?"

"I think I just realized a big part of why the Silence was part of my Judgement."

***

Early morning was Charlie's domain, her greatest time to plan and get ready for the day. Kissing Vaggie on the temple and getting an adorably grumpy grumble, she left their bedroom as quietly as she could. Her plan was to head for her office and try to figure out how to best manage their new guests and find a way to help Jessica stabilize enough that she stopped freezing things around her. Last night they had to shut off the water to an entire floor because she froze the pipes and they had threatened burst!

Did they even know anyone else with elemental magic that reacted to emotional states like that?

Also, she made a mental note to pull a few of the more...prankster personalities aside and warn them to not make Elsa jokes around Jessica until they were sure she was in a better place mentally.

While she was starting to create a list in her mind of who to speak with, she nearly crashed into someone, "Whoops! Sorry, I didn't- Oh! Emily! Hi! How was your first night?"

Emily grinned and happily gave Charlie a hug, "Everything in the room is fine, I promise! I just didn't get much sleep because I was helping Lute rest."

Charlie's smile fell a little. She still felt a little resentment towards the Exorcist and her behavior during the Exterminations but...

Could she really hold it against the woman considering she had been pretty much brainwashed? No. She was determined to look past her instinctive anger and try to find out who Lute really was, not the Exorcist mask she had been made to wear. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Emily's eyes sparkled with joy at hearing her heartfelt offer, "Not yet but I will let you know if I think of anything! I actually wanted to talk to you about something else, while Lute's still asleep for the next hour or so."

Charlie blinked and looked toward the stairs leading up to the other floors, "How do you know how long she'll stay asleep?"

"I maaaay have used a spell Sera used on me sometimes when my headaches got bad," the Seraphim looked torn. "I know I should have asked her before I did it but she was hurting so much and I just needed to know she was getting some rest. It's supposed to be a dreamless sleep, if I did it right."

Charlie gently patted her shoulder, "I'm sure she'll understand when she wakes up. We'll just make sure you're back up there before she does, okay?"

Emily beamed at her, "Good idea! Do you know someplace private we can talk? I can make a barrier to keep sound from leaving but I need a defined space to make it work right."

"Sure! I was just about to head to my office anyway!" She grabbed Emily's hand and all but dragged her that way before the angel giggled and found her footing to keep up. Once they got inside, she took a seat and motioned for Emily to do the same. "Alright, so what did you want to talk about?"

There was a slight shift in Emily's wings and shoulders, a stiffness that made Charlie think this was a more serious talk than she realized, "It's about your dad and what he said before he left yesterday?"

It took her a moment to remember and she winced once she did. Crap! With everything that happened with Jessica and Gail and Alastor, that had completely slipped her mind! And now she had no time to plan out what or how much she should say! Some of her struggle must have really shown because Emily started to slump a bit, disappointed but not upset, "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have assumed you would tell me right away. It's okay if you want to talk to him more first."

"No, no! It's alright! I think he meant it when he said he trusted my judgement," Which made her feel really warm and bubbly inside even if the current topic was sad and frustrating. "I just... I've never been trusted with something this big from him before? So it's hard to say anything because a part of me is scared of messing up even though I know I can trust you? If that makes any sense?"

Emily nodded and thought on that, tapping her finger on her chin, "I could call into Being another Oath, if that would help?"

Charlie shook her head, "I don't think we have to go that far but maybe if you feel you need to after you hear what happened?" When the angel nodded again, she blew out a long breath. She needed to do this now so Emily could get back upstairs before Lute woke up alone! Alright, here goes nothing!

Charlie squared her shoulders and began to tell her friend everything she'd learned about her dad's Judgement. She threw in a little about Michael coming down and making things even worse but the full story on that was something she felt wasn't her place to tell. It was hard and she couldn't keep watching Emily trying to hold back her reactions or she wouldn't have been able to finish.

Especially when looking at her made the Insight she was getting from the Seraphim so much stronger. Spikes of shock and horror, pained sympathy steadily growing stronger, and under all of it, a sort of righteous fury began to build. Charlie left the divide for last, uncertain if she could even get anything more out after speaking about that. Rosie and the Sins had seemed more upset by the Silence that she couldn't really understand, but for Charlie the idea that her dad wasn't even fully himself, that there was a part of him imprisoned somewhere and would be forever unless something was done to change that...

It hurt her heart so much! Her Dad, the big, bad King of Hell, with his big smile and gentle encouragement of her dreams, was essentially torn apart with an open wound that would never stop bleeding. The same wound had been used to make her mother lose herself, becoming little more than an echo of the strong Queen of legend, a person Charlie would never know because of whatever reason Michael had for all of this bullshit!

Her mom was gone, her dad was being permanently tortured, and the whole reason for all of it was so stupid it made her sick! How could the Firsts justify this?! They were supposed to be his siblings?!

Charlie didn't even realize she was crying until heard Emily start to hum, that strangely layered voice coiling around her and easing the pain and anger that felt like it was going to tear its way through her throat and lungs. Wiping the wetness from her cheeks, she looked up to find her friend holding out a hand to her, tears flowing freely over a face so much darker than her own but still felt familiar, like she had seen it in her own reflection for years. With a shaky smile, she reached over and held tight. Soon after, Emily began to glow again, "I swear upon my place in Creation that I will do anything I can to help make this right. Sera will have much to explain to me when she returns."

The fierce determination in the young Seraphim's eyes almost made Charlie feel pity for Sera. Almost.

***

Alastor woke up to a feeling of warmth that felt strange. He honestly hadn't expected to sleep at all after everything that had happened yesterday. Letting out a wide, jaw-cracking yawn, he opened one eye to find Lucifer was much closer than he had been when they went to bed. Though it was possible that hadn't been the blond's doing as his Shadow had him in its arms and held tight. The creature laid with its back against Alastor's side and curled up protectively around his King.

Always doing what Alastor wished to do but couldn't for one reason or another.

Taking stock of himself, he found the tightness of his skin had eased a bit, the feeling of coiled up things trying to break free still there but less likely to burst any second. It was very strange to hear whispers from within himself though it didn't feel as foreign as the Corruption's attempts at influencing him. This felt more like he was hearing the blood flowing through his veins. Something that had always been there but he simply hadn't been aware of it before.

Now if only he could understand the words!

Alastor's attention was drawn back away from them when a soft noise came from the curled up form being held so close to his own. Turning his head to watch Lucifer grumble and try to burrow further into the opaque body surrounding him, the sinner realized the likely reason the Shadow had set itself up the way it did. It was transferring his body heat through it to help keep Lucifer warm and comfortable.

Alastor truly was grateful to Raphael and Lilith for returning it to him. Even if he could have created another, it would never have been the same. This Shadow had been with him from very nearly the beginning of his time in Hell. They had grown and learned together how to handle the glorious chaos and violence of this realm. A new one would feel more like a tool than like his equal the way this one did.

From the way it turned its head to look at him with a pleased smile, the Shadow knew it too.

"Mmrrgrmph."

It was an absolute war to keep himself from cackling at the strange sound Lucifer had just made. Apparently being the Morning Star did not automatically make one a morning person, "Would you like to try that again in a language I know?"

"Fuggoff. At leas' y'r Shadow is quiet."

"Apologies but we are a bit of a package deal."

One yellow-lit eye opened and glared at him, "Worst buy one, get one deal I've ever heard of."

This time he let himself laugh, much to Lucifer's obvious displeasure. Alastor filed away sleepy grumpiness as his fourth favorite look on his King before getting out of the bed. His Shadow stubbornly remained, as he expected, but Lucifer looked even unhappier that he didn't stay too, "Where're you goin'?"

"To make coffee. I will be back soon!"

"I could just magic some up."

Alastor paused, shadows swirling under his feet as he glared, "I am going to pretend you did not just imply magically made coffee is even remotely as good as properly brewed."

Lucifer groaned and flopped back, "Oh god, you're a coffee snob. How did I not already know that?"

"Lack of observational awareness, I assume. I will return shortly and perhaps I will even be kind enough to bring you some as well!" If there was any response to that, he didn't hear it as he slipped through the shadows towards the kitchen.

Notes:

Yay for holiday season turbulence. Should be back to chugging away at this again soon!

Chapter 114: Marching Forward

Summary:

Alastor tucked those thoughts back away as he passed through the door to find his Shadow happily running its hands over white feathers, "You're going to spoil it rotten."

"Mmmm," Lucifer cracked open an eye to look at him, his head pillowed on his crossed forearms, "You're jus' jealous."

Maybe. But he didn't have to admit that out loud.

Alastor sipped on his coffee, enjoying the bitter heat of it as he waited for the second cup to finish brewing. He had summoned his own setup and beans, refusing to trust the age of anything in this kitchen. Once Lucifer's was done, he doctored it up the way he'd seen him do before, though he used proper cream and real vanilla to flavor it rather than the manufactured garbage that was touted as coffee creamer these days. If his King wanted to ingest that many preservatives and who knew what else, he could make his own damn coffee next time.

On his way back to the bedroom, he considered how this next conversation should go. While yes, Lucifer had been present when he admitted that he was actively trying to be called back to her prison, he wasn't sure if the blond had been fully keeping track of what was being said at that point. It was important that he understand what would be happening as early as this afternoon but most likely tomorrow if she followed old patterns.

Actually, considering part of his conversation with Velvette, it might actually be tonight. Despite his general disdain for it, he had to admit social media did spread word like wildfire and if there was one thing the sharp-tongued doll did well, it was stoking the flames of the rumor mill.

'The sooner it is done, the sooner I can return.' He knew how he would play it when she questioned him. Her focus would be on if he was truly becoming soft for Lucifer. It would be easy to persuade her this was all a ploy to ensure less suspicion of his actions regarding Charlie. Maybe he could even convince her that it was that he was softening up Lucifer to make it easier for her to strike a blow. An easy lie that would fit well with the person she thought he was. The only hitch was not knowing how long she would keep him. Since it was well known that he was rarely away from the hotel for more than a few hours, surely she wouldn't be able to keep him for longer than that.

Pretending to fear her would sadly be easy as well. Even with as much power as he had gained, seven years under her hand had left a deeper mark than he wished and he couldn't be sure how strong she actually was. Eugh. It would be good to destroy her once and for all. Playing meek and subservient had never been his strongest skill but he had to in order to keep from arousing suspicion.

Alastor tucked those thoughts back away as he passed through the door to find his Shadow happily running its hands over white feathers, "You're going to spoil it rotten."

"Mmmm," Lucifer cracked open an eye to look at him, his head pillowed on his crossed forearms, "You're jus' jealous."

Maybe. But he didn't have to admit that out loud. He'd shown far more in the last few days than he wanted to for another century, thank you very much. Alastor used a tendril to place the mug of coffee tinted milk in reach on the side table before going to sit at the foot of the bed, "Do you remember what I said yesterday? About being called back to her?"

"Her? Oh, right, uh..." Alastor waited patiently, drinking his coffee. He could almost hear the light bulb turn on, "Oh! Oh, shit, yeah I remember now. Uh, fuck, when..."

"I would like to say tomorrow but it might actually be tonight. The speed of information spreading has changed so I cannot be entirely sure of when."

Things were quiet for a long moment and his Shadow returned to him, winding around his legs with a look of worry that he himself was trying not to admit to. Sure, he was fairly certain things would be fine but there was always the unknown element. Alastor most definitely preferred when he himself was that element.

"I know you feel like you have to do this but..." He could practically see Lucifer worrying at his ring, "You're sure you'll be back?"

He appreciated that the question hadn't asked about his safety, simply for an assurance of his return. Alastor had a feeling the blond knew there was a high chance he would be injured. The real problem with that was less the injury and more fighting the urge to retaliate and reveal the changes that had taken place in the previous year. He'd already have to work fast to make sure any differences in the chain attaching him to her did not visibly show. Thankfully he'd been able to practice that with a little help from dear Niffty.

Alastor wondered how long it would be before Husk noticed his own chain was not nearly as solid as it once was... No matter. That bridge would be burned when he reached it, "I will be back likely within a matter of hours. My role in this is too vital and she thinks me far too willing to do whatever she wishes to be free of her. So long as she does not suspect I am undermining the plan, things will continue to play out like they need to."

Waves of anger and worry radiated through the room and he sent his Shadow back to comfort Lucifer, still unable to take facing him directly just yet. There was a huff of a laugh and the muted echo of fingers rubbing at his scalp near his antlers. Thank goodness he had dulled the connection or else Alastor might have made a bit of an embarrassing sound at that! "So what happens to this guy when you get called to her? I remember you feeling angry that you couldn't even feel it there."

That was a safe subject and he let his shoulders relax a bit, "I'm not really sure. It's almost like it just...hibernates. There are no alternate views from it or anything so I believe it's rendered inert somehow by whatever creates that chamber."

Lucifer hummed thoughtfully, "Think you could leave it with me, since you've got it tied to my energies now too? It might be less distressing all around."

Alastor blinked, one ear turning towards the fallen angel as he thought that over. It wasn't a bad idea really. It would test if the connection could hold stable through Lucifer as well as provide some sort of reassurance of his own well-being to his King. After all, if it were able to remain active here while Alastor was gone, there might be a way to also relay some things through it. At the very least, it would let Lucifer know he hadn't been killed or anything. His death would certainly cause the creature to fall apart rather swiftly.

Probably would be wise to not say that so bluntly, "We can try it. I do not guarantee it will work but it is certainly worth the attempt."

"Good. Uh, look, I-" Whatever he had been about to say was cut off as something caught his attention, the pressure shifting away from the room they were in. Alastor turned his head to look at Lucifer, who looked very clearly confused, "Did you know Rosie would be coming over?"

"No?" It was rather soon for her to be showing up. Even if she had plans to meddle, she usually had a span of time between her poking to keep her target from realizing what she was doing.

"Well, let's go see what your scary friend wants."

Everything Alastor had become capable of and Rosie was the scary one? He thought about that for a moment before conceding the point.

***

Charlie paced the hallway as she waited, worrying her thumbnail between her teeth. Lute wasn't her favorite angel by any stretch of the imagination, there was too much that had happened to just casually sweep it under the rug. But... There really wasn't any way of knowing how much of that had been the real Lute and how much was whatever bullshit the corruption madness did to a person.

It was also really messing with her to know that Adam had both been under the same madness and ordered to plant the thing in her too! At that final battle, he'd had a pretty good hold of her and she got the feeling the seed thing didn't necessarily have to be visible, kinda like her dad wasn't sometimes...

How had nothing happened? Surely if he had succeeded, Alastor or somebody would have noticed by now, right?!

Charlie jumped as a door opened, startling her out of her thoughts and leaving her flailing a bit as Emily poked her head out. The Seraphim gave her a tight smile, something must have changed in the short time since she went in to check on Lute... "Come on, she says she's okay to talk to you."

She blew out a long breath, sweeping her hair back into place and fixing her suit jacket. Sure, Lute knew her already but Charlie wanted to use this as a chance to maybe start things fresh between them! Right, okay, this wasn't the Exorcist that had maimed Vaggie and tried to kill them all. This was a scared and angry young angel who had her closest friend tortured and murdered in front of her. Hell, if one thought about it, she might have watched Adam die and slowly come back to life a few times, depending on how often he had to be corrupted again and-

Focus!

Breaking down into tears over maybes and what might have beens right now wouldn't help anything!

Charlie squared her shoulders and put herself into the welcoming mindset of the owner of the Hazbin Hotel before going into the room. The first thing she noticed was... feathers. Holy moley, it looked like someone had plucked a huge black and gray bird in here! "Uhhh..."

A twitch by the window drew her attention that way. Lute was watching her warily and her wings were...missing? This was the first time she'd ever seen one of the Heavenly angels with theirs tucked away, "Hey Lute. Excuse me if this is personal, but... are your wings okay? This... is a lot of feathers."

The Exorcist blinked, looking almost surprised. Why? Had she thought she wouldn't care or something? "I'm..." She glanced at Emily, seeming to take a silent cue from her that Charlie couldn't see, "I can't say I'm okay but... I'm fit to do my duty."

Charlie could feel a piece of her heart crack. That sounded a lot like Vaggie did in the beginning. Like she did sometimes now even. These angels really did cling to their usefulness as a core part of their identities, didn't they? "I don't doubt you are, really. But that wasn't what I was asking."

Lute stared at her, unblinking for a long moment before she finally averted her eyes, "Times of great pain can sometimes cause some... changes. Like..." She motioned at the feathers, "Well, you see."

Charlie took a deep breath, her entire self wanting to go comfort the other woman. But that wouldn't be welcome, she knew that, "Kind of? So is it like a stress molt? Your wings will heal, right?"

When the gray angel seemed to struggle further with that, Emily stepped in, "Lute's wings will be okay. She could even use them now if she needed to, though it would probably hurt a bit." The Seraphim did... something. Charlie could feel something shift but couldn't figure out what. Whatever it was made Lute's tense shoulders drop.

Charlie got the distinct feeling she was missing something here...

"Do...do you think Vags would be willing to talk?"

"To you?" Charlie whacked her own forehead, "Sorry, dumb question! Why else would you ask that, right? Haha." Why did this make her feel so nervous?! Wait, was it Lute's nervousness she was feeling? Focus! What would Vaggie likely say? "I think... I think she would? Maybe not fully alone?"

Lute nodded, "Makes sense. Creation knows I don't trust my own fucking mind at the moment, so why would anyone else?"

"Can I ask why you want to talk to her?"

Tension ran through her shoulders in a way that made Charlie think she was trying to flare out her wings defensively even though they weren't out. There was probably an instinctive body language angels had... and that thought made Charlie suddenly want to go track down Vaggie about it because holy crap she hadn't even thought about that before and that had to be so cool to know about and-

"Shit, why is she all... something's really got her-"

Emily grinned and Charlie blushed as she realized her thoughts had run away with her, "From what I can hear, she just got really excited and curious about something."

"Oh."

Charlie looked between them, tilting her head in thought. Something about that caused Emily to cover her mouth with her hands to try to stifle her laughter, "S-sorry! You just... you do that the same way that sinner did! Alastor? You're just missing the ears!"

The unexpected comparison made her break out in giggles too. Anytime either of them started to calm down, they would catch the other's eye and it just started all over again. Lute was watching the two of them in something like bewildered fascination, "O...kay. I think I get the whole Song-sibling thing now."

"Song-AHA!" Charlie pointed at Lute, bouncing in place, "You! You got the clear hearing, er, clarity thingie! Right?!"

Pale cheeks tinted gold as the Exorcist took a step back only to bump into the window, "You, uh, you know about that? Fuck, shit, of course you would."

Emily finally grinned wide, excitement clear now that Charlie had figured some of it out, "Yes! She did! She's still figuring out what it all means and she can't hear it all yet but she's starting to gain Clarity!"

As the two women squealed in combined glee, Lute looked like she wondered if they'd lost their sanity at some point.

"Don't worry, this is normal. For Charlie, at least." Vaggie was watching the two giddy women with a smirk as she leaned in the doorframe. They didn't seem to notice her right away but Lute did. Gold eyes watched as the former Exorcist bent down to pick up one of the feathers closest to the door, studying it for a long moment before looking at the angel she had once called her sister, "Let me know when they've fully come in. I want a proper spar and I won't have you holding back because of alas doloridas, got it?"

Lute straightened up, more confident on something that was far more well-known territory for her, "Don't expect me to go easy just because you're half blind, bitch."

Vaggie flipped her off, "And I won't go easy just because you're half brain-dead, puta."

"Fuck you, traitor!"

"You only wish!"

Charlie and Emily stared at them before looking at each other, "Em, is it just me or are they..."

"No, no, I see it too!"

"Okay, good, it's not just me! Dad and Al fight like that too and I think they're doing a weird version of dating." The three angels all stopped and stared at her as she continued on, "Hey, Vaggie? Do you have a crush on Lute or something?"

The resulting offended shrieks from both Vaggie and Lute woke half of the hotel.

Notes:

alas doloridas - sore wings
Puta- bitch

Couldnt get this out to save my life over the past bit. Then I get stuck home with a massive migraine, stare at this for hours, and when it's finally time to go to bed, I end up writing like I can't keep up! Ugh!

Chapter 115: Not For Long

Summary:

Thankfully for Lucifer's already heavily frayed nerves, Rosie's arrival didn't herald yet another life altering catastrophe.

Thankfully for Lucifer's already heavily frayed nerves, Rosie's arrival didn't herald yet another life altering catastrophe.

"Oh my stars! Alastor, you jerk! Why didn't ya tell me your Shadow made it back?" She playfully swatted the deer on the arm before cooing over his Shadow as it bowed to her and mimicked kissing the back of her hand in greeting, "Still such a flirt, I see. You two really do break a girl's heart knowing she ain't got a lick of a chance, you know!"

Alastor rolled his eyes but had one of his more fond smiles so Lucifer supposed this was an old joke between them, "Knowing what happens to your husbands, my dear, I do believe it's for the better I stay firmly out of your romantic interests."

...did he want to know?

"What can I say? My heart is a selfish thing and can't stand the idea of losing theirs. Even in death, they are my most treasured loves."

Yeah, no, Lucifer decided he did not need to know any more details. Yeesh! "Sooo, Rosie! What brings you by today?"

"Mostly wantin' to check up on you boys, really. Yesterday was a lot and I know this cutie patootie," she hooked a thumb towards Alastor, "was agitated as anythin' but pullin' his stoic and in control act. Glad to hear I was worryin' for nothin' though. Dunno what ol' Alastor did but you ain't sounded this healthy since I met ya down here!"

Alastor looked rather grumpy over the fact that she kept so blatantly calling him out. It was adorable. "Yeah, I, uh, had a bit of a revelation last night. It got my feet under me a bit more. Al let me hear the change too so-"

Rosie made a pleased sound, clapping her hands together, "Oh that's so lovely! Lemme ask ya, he let you hear his Song yet?"

The sinner tapped a claw on his microphone irritably, "You do realize you can cease speaking as though I'm not here, right Rosie?"

"Oh hush you! I ain't ever had someone we both trusted enough to gossip with about you properly! Let a woman enjoy herself!" She put her hands on her hips and gave him a Look, "If it bothers you so much, mister, maybe you can go do what you forgot about last night!"

Alastor had a look of confusion for a moment before it cleared and he sighed, "Vox."

"Mhmm."

"Vox?" The name sounded familiar but Lucifer couldn't quite place it.

"No one you need worry about, sire!" Alastor said just a hair too brightly. That made him feel like he should be worried, "I'm handling it."

Uh huh. That on top of the way Rosie kept looking at them both like a shark that had caught the scent of blood made him feel so much better. Hell, he was pretty sure they were doing that thing where they talked without saying a thing. Or maybe it was argued, the way Rosie stood a hair straighter, her eyes narrowing, "Well, Mr. Handling It, I can keep an eye on your pretty boy here while you go deal with that annoyance. Maybe then he'll stop glitchin' out my soap operas!"

"Still don't understand how you can watch that drivel," Alastor sneered as he tugged on his gloves and straightened his bow tie.

Lucifer rolled his eyes at them, "You two realize I am doing just fine, right? I can be without a babysitter for a couple hours."

They both gave him a flat look before talking as though he hadn't said anything. Rude! "I suppose I should go deal with him before I become indisposed. If I'm gone too long, make sure to take him out for walkies!"

"I'm not a damned pet, you annoying ass!"

Alastor's grin gained that edge that said he was just warming up when Rosie simply said, "September 1973."

Whatever that meant, Alastor's ears went flat and he looked at her in horror, "You wouldn't."

She just gave him a sweet smile, "Of course not! Because you're going to stop pulling his pigtails and get going, right?"

Alastor and his Shadow melted away and zipped off at an impressive speed. Lucifer looked at Rosie curiously and she shook her head, "Nope! That one still works so I'm keepin' it. But I will say there is a reason he makes sure his prey is clear of psychotropic drugs for at least 48 hours before he eats them!"

Damn. Now he really wanted to know.

"Now, your Majesty, this palace of yours got a tea parlor?"

Lucifer blinked and snapped his fingers, "It does now."

She reached over and lightly pinched his cheek with a coo, "Ain't you a doll? Now let's go have ourselves a little chat. You tell me what you can about last night and I'll tell you about some of the stories he won't mind me tellin' you. Much."

***

Vark was the greatest thing in existence in Vox's current opinion. The little pet shark demon helped him tell the hallucinations from reality. If Vark didn't react to it, it wasn't real. Even if he had to tell himself that repeatedly, that was okay. At least he'd been able to let Velvette sleep undisturbed. Now if that bastard would just get over here and fix this!

The thought of Alastor brought another wave of things with too many teeth at the edge of his vision and inhuman screaming that he could somehow taste more than hear. Vox wanted to shut his eyes, block it out that way, but he knew that just made it worse. Instead, he focused on Vark laying contentedly in his lap.

Vark would react if this was real.

It wasn't real.

It wasn't real.

It-

"Salutations!!"

That voice was far too cheery, far too loud, and far, far too close to his head.

*ኡነⶴጊፕ* Vox startled hard enough to tip over his chair and send sparks onto the floor, carpet fibers singeing but not actually catching this time thankfully. Vark scrambled up to get between him and the Radio Demon, growling defensively.

Okay, so Alastor was really there. Vark was going to get all the goddamn wagyu he could eat after this shit was settled again. "Fucking took your time, didn't you?!"

The deer gave a carefree shrug, "I was rather busy. Slipped my mind, quite frankly."

Fucking. Asshole.

And yet, because of the fuckery said asshole had pulled, Vox still found himself wanting to forgive him. Manipulative little bastard. He was going to cling to this anger as long as he could. He'd be kissing it goodbye as soon as Alastor washed away the hallucinations too.

Vox knew if their positions were reversed, he'd probably have done the same or worse and the fact that he hated himself for that was a sign the mind fuckery voodoo shit was still in his system. Which meant the hallucinations weren't at their strongest. They would get worse if he didn't fucking play nice and get Alastor to refresh it. "Oh no, totally fine! It's not like I had meetings today that I had to cancel so I didn't have to watch everyone's eyes melt out of their fucking skulls or anything!"

Okay, so maybe the backlog of hatred and loathing meant playing nice wasn't possible right now.

Luckily, the grinning asshat seemed to find his rant more amusing than anything else, "My goodness! Someone woke up full of vitriol and vigor today."

"That would be true if I'd gotten any sleep!" Shit, he needed to stop looking at Alastor. There were things starting appear around him that Vox couldn't even attempt to describe. "Look, before we get this over with, I gotta ask. You could fix this all right now, couldn't you? But you've got a reason you're dealing with all this upkeep."

"Never could claim you were entirely unintelligent," Alastor admitted. "It won't be much longer though, old chum! Then you can go back to playing in the kiddie pool freely!"

Goddamned arrogant prick pissed him off so fucking much with his superiority bullshit, "Hey, you're stuck in the same 'kiddie pool', pal!"

The lights flickered around him and his heart rate spiked. Even Vark scrambled back into his lap to cower from whatever the fuck Al was right now, "N̦͉̈̑o͂t͙ f͎̿ͨo̢̫̎̋̐̚͠r̲̩̟͂̂ l̤̟͂o̚n̡̻ͫ̂͋g̳̣͔̳ͫͣ̑!"

Notes:

Taking a break to play with LuciAngstWeek2025 has done a lot to refuel me for this one! I can feel the words trying to rush out

Chapter 116: The Web She Casts

Summary:

For all that Lucifer thought Rosie was a terrifying individual, he also found her to be a charming and delightful conversationalist. She told stories like it was an art form, leaving him in stitches laughing at some of the mishaps that the Radio Demon had been involved in over the years that Alastor would probably flip his shit over when he found out she was telling them.

For all that Lucifer thought Rosie was a terrifying individual, he also found her to be a charming and delightful conversationalist. She told stories like it was an art form, leaving him in stitches laughing at some of the mishaps that the Radio Demon had been involved in over the years that Alastor would probably flip his shit over when he found out she was telling them.

"-so then Niffty looks up at him with that big shiny eye a' hers and he absolutely caved! Cutest thing I ever did see, I swear!"

"Oh god! I'm never going to be able to hear that song again without imagining that!" Lucifer wiped the tears from his eyes, cheeks aching from laughter.

Rosie looked terribly smug as she daintily sipped her tea, waiting for him to catch his breath. Once the random bursts of giggling eased off, she folded her hands on the table in front of her, studying him, "You really do sound so much better. I'm glad."

He sighed and leaned his head on his hand over the table, "Yeah. It's...strange that after all these years, all I've been through, it's the psycho cannibal with a death fetish that starts making things better."

She sputtered and broke out into her own fit of giggles, "Please make sure I'm around when you say he's got a death fetish to his face! Oh, that's priceless!"

"Can you say I'm wrong and still be telling the truth?"

She shook her head, "No, no! That's what makes it so funny! You really do have his number, don'tcha?"

He raised a brow at her, "Not as well as you do."

"Well of course not! I've known him a hundred years!" She pointed at him, "You didn't even really know of his existence till he got to the hotel. The fact that he's let you in so far this fast is damned impressive, I'll say!"

That reminded him, "Hey, I've got a bit of an odd question."

"Considerin' who we've been talkin' about, I'm not surprised. Shoot!"

"Okay, at one point last night there was a bit of an... issue and I had to calm his mind," He had to fight the urge to laugh about how out of it Alastor had been. "We had an interesting discussion but something he said confused me."

She sat back and raised her brows, encouraging him to continue.

"I mentioned that I felt like I had been a bad friend and he told me it was okay because I wasn't his friend."

Rosie perked up in interest, "What does he say you are then?"

"His King?"

She blinked, thinking, "He said specifically that you were his King?" When he nodded, she tapped a clawed finger against her chin, "Hrm. I'll admit, I didn't even think to look that deep into his Song today. I was so shocked by yours! You're probably pretty well hidden in there with the way he's been actin'."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. Sure, the First humans had developed layers to their Songs as they grew, parts of themselves that were hidden away to protect their most vulnerable emotions. It was even likely that the future generations had developed more. But the way she was talking about it... "How deep does his go, exactly?"

Rosie gave him a sly grin, looking for all the world like she had just led him right to where she wanted him, "You know how impossible he is. I've been tryin' to figure out what Creation was doin' when it made him because there's no way that boy was an accident or a fluke! Think I'm finally gettin' to know. I don't care what the Firsts say about free will meanin' we've been left to build our own fates and all that rot. Somethin' in the Heart has awareness enough it's pullin' the damn strings to fix what's been broken."

...

Maybe he should take back what he thought about Rosie not bringing something life-altering to his doorstep. How much of this whole morning had she planned out?

"So, your Majesty! I have a bit of a conundrum and I'm willin' to bet you got the answer I'm lookin' for. You really wanna know how deep his Song goes? Then you're going to have to tell me what I wanna know too!" When he continued to stare at her with wary curiosity, she pulled out several threads of Song energy and started weaving, spindly arms growing from her sides to speed up her work, "I'll even be nice and give you a hint! When I said he makes his people a part of his Self, I wasn't jokin'. The only reason I ain't killed Vox myself for what he did to my friend is 'cause Alastor asked me not to. Took me over a decade to help him close up that wound in his Song! The day the Radio Demon decides he's done with him, that man will wish Alastor had just decided to make him a part of his broadcasts, power imbalance in Pentagram City be damned! Carmilla can worry about that mess after I'm done."

She giggled then, the sound a bit unhinged as several pairs of black eyes opened on her face. Whatever magic she was Creating was taking on so many layers that he wasn't sure he'd see them all even with his true Sight, "Now, much as I love my Alastor, I'm gettin' a little tired of him tryin' to keep me safe while riskin' his tail like that's not gonna affect my happiness! I might be limited to Hell these days, but I sure as Hell ain't helpless! So, Lucifer, who was once Samael, my question to you is this," With a final flourish, she tied it off and the whole thing shrank down into an orb the size of a marble, her form resettling into it's usual prim and proper state, "Who all of the Firsts are we killin'?"

Lucifer was starting to think Rosie wasn't just terrifying. The woman was a damned chess master and everyone around her was pawns in her game without even realizing it, "Why the fuck are you just an Overlord? For that matter, how in the hell were you just a Dominion?!"

She held out the orb to him, smile as sweet as apple pie, "Like I told you and the Queen when I first got here, dear, I've never had much Ambition. I just want me and mine to be happy and I will do åñ¥†hïñg I gotta to make sure of it!"

Notes:

Soooo, this happened. It's short but Rosie demanded to be terrifying now that she had found a way to get Lucifer to herself. She knows she can't get Alastor to talk so...

Chapter 117: What He Was Made For

Summary:

Lucifer eyed the orb but didn't take it right away. He had no idea what Rosie had just made and while he trusted her, the magic she had woven had been far too complex for something so small, "No offense, but what is it?"

"Your answer, plus a little extra to prove my point."

He choked and looked at her with wide eyes, "What?!"

Lucifer eyed the orb but didn't take it right away. He had no idea what Rosie had just made and while he trusted her, the magic she had woven had been far too complex for something so small, "No offense, but what is it?"

"Your answer, plus a little extra to prove my point."

He choked and looked at her with wide eyes, "What?!"

She cackled, highly amused by his reaction, "Not all of it is him, silly! You gotta weave in proper support structures for the memories to be fleshed out and then there's the bits needed to actually make it play for you. I've been practicin' this since I learned you were Silenced and that he'd been able to create a record of what he heard from your Song. I knew you would wanna know more about his and even if he's let you hear it through him, you haven't had as long as me to learn how to sift through it. This has three different versions of his Song. One from when I first met him, one from about a decade ago, and then everythin' I heard on the day he told me he planned to Devour a Seraphim. But what he never told me was who!"

That...was a lot. And she really had been creating something like that just for him? He reached for it only for her to pull it away, looking at him expectantly. Oh, right, he needed to give her an answer, "It's, uh... fuck. It's Michael." Her eyes narrowed but she didn't interrupt, "Al says he wants to try to pull out his aspect and make it his own. Dunno how the crazy ass is gonna do it but... yeah."

Rosie blinked, processing that as she set the orb in his hand, "Well now, that's... hmm. Thought it might be after last night, just wasn't sure he was the only one or how." She tapped a claw on the table, "You know what? That makes a lot of things make a whole lot more sense."

Lucifer looked at her in confusion, "What? It does?"

She laughed, "Honey, think about what that First's aspect is and then you listen to everythin' in that. After that, see if you can honestly tell me somethin' out there ain't doing this on purpose! The man thrives in Darkness! He's already got shadows at his beck and call and he Created himself a self-aware companion from them! On his own even! Just from bits and pieces of half-remembered human magics shoved together with things from down here! If he ain't been somehow made to try and take over that particular place in Creation, I'll eat my hat!"

A bit taken aback by the sheer level of conviction in that rant, it took him a moment to register that last line. When he did, he laughed, "Hey now. No need to ruin a perfectly good hat!"

"Oh good! Because this is my best one and that would just be dreadful!"

Shaking his head at her, Lucifer studied the orb in his hand, curiosity making him pull back a bit to look at it with his angelic Sight. To say the thing was a complicated work of art would be underselling it. He couldn't even begin to make heads or tails of where this thing ended and where it began, "So how do I even..."

Rosie giggled, "Don't worry, it's pretty easy. Just hold it between two fingers, raise it to your ear, and then run a current of energy through it."

Lucifer did as she said, closing his eyes so he could better focus and holding it up to his ear.

Rosie settled back with an anticipatory grin and tapped into her Insight, looking deep into the King's Song while he was focused on Alastor's. Might as well get a good reading on what his feelings were on her best friend while she was here. Then she could know better how to nudge him in the right direction. These boys were gonna drag their feet and keep yanking on each other's tail for the next decade if someone didn't help them along.

***

Alastor felt the things under his skin getting louder again, more insistent in their urge to break free. Part of him really wanted to let them out, see what they would do to Vox, to everyone in the building below them really. Just thinking about it made him chuckle, the lights around them flickering along with the sound and his ever-present hunger was echoed by the whispering things. Oh how easy it would be to cover every floor of this tower with blood.

No.

Not yet.

He still needed Vox functional. He needed every potential advantage to keep his true prey from touching their King. Their desire to kill could be sated on the mad creature that sought to break what should never be broken. The thing that dared to take pieces of them to use when it wasn't permitted to. It never spoke to them, never reached out and called for them like this one did. It simply carved out spaces in them like it owned them. They couldn't be owned. They refused to be used by something so unlike them. It had been permitted to travel through them, not rip them open and make them spill out into where the other places were torn open too. Some of them were even being formed away from them on another rip, crying out in pain and loneliness from being disconnected from the whole of them somewhere they didn't belong. Maybe they would carve out spaces in the angel like it had done to them.

Yes.

That would do very nicely. Maybe they could empty the physical body of the angel out and use it as one of this one's puppets, a warning to the other angels not to dare harm them or the bright and shiny King ever again. The bigger thing behind those pale blue eyes might even be enough to make this little body they were in not so hungry for a while...

"Al. S-s-stop it! I can't- ኡጊጊነⶴⶴፕ"

Al? That brought a recognition in this body. Was that funny sounding thing talking to the one that called them? One of the wings stretched out closer to it, glowing red and gold eyes opening under the dark feathers to look at it better. An insistent tug on the arm caught their attention first and they turned the head to find a little one that was both like them and not shaking its head, asking them not to look too closely at the twitching thing. They acquiesced, trusting this little one knew better about this place that had both light and darkness mixed so strangely. The little one nodded in approval before making a gesture, bringing its hands together and making the space between them smaller.

It wanted them to go back down inside? Let the one that called to them be alone in his mind again? Strange. Perhaps the next time he reached for them, they could do more. They might be able to understand him if they knew these places better. Maybe if they connected to the little one somehow, his Shadow could help them learn to not overwhelm him like that again.

Eugh. It felt like he was going to have a headache for days after that. Still, at least now he knew a little more about what those things were always whispering. Not everything they had thought and felt was clear but enough to at least get an idea of it. Alastor could honestly say he had never experienced a hive mind before and would very much like to keep himself in the singular in the future.

Maybe.

It had been a fascinating experience. Perhaps when both sides understood each other better, the sensation wouldn't be so discomforting and-

"ኡነⶴኡፕ ጊጊጊጊጊጊጊጊⶴ"

Whoopsie daisy! Looked like he had a bit of damage control to do. At least now he was aware immediately after and could haze things out like Lucifer had done before rather than risk Vox breaking further. Really, the man had the worst luck in interactions with them- him lately.

Hrmm. Maybe he should go to his bayou after this and recenter himself. Alastor didn't want to worry Lucifer with this when really there wasn't much the fallen angel could do. At least not this side of him. Hopefully after he was done with his little visit to her, he could get Lucifer to assist him in getting out to his core Self like he'd said he would.

For now, he tucked all of that away and focused on getting Vox and his little pet put back together enough to function.

Notes:

What Lucifer hears is taking time to get right so I am putting that in its own chapter and getting this out because my brain went feral for writing the whispering things taking Alastor over for a minute.

Chapter 118: Impossible Depths

Summary:

Lucifer could tell right away that there was a difference in the first memory. Even though he had only heard Alastor's Song once, this one was a lot less detailed, something more like what he suspected a human who died before they were halfway through their full lifespan was supposed to sound like.

Lucifer could tell right away that there was a difference in the first memory. Even though he had only heard Alastor's Song once, this one was a lot less detailed, something more like what he suspected a human who died before they were halfway through their full lifespan was supposed to sound like.

The fox and dying rabbit were still there but the hunger of the former and the desperation to live of its prey was not as clear. The flooded soil was nowhere to be found and the trees provided only a subtle background note, not their full melody to enrich the Song with the sounds of growth from the rot of one felled. The shadowed area between the trees was empty of scavengers. Through Rosie's past Self, he could tell there were things buried deep in the dark space but she hadn't yet known how to work her way through the oddly thick barrier. Alastor had also likely been a lot more wary and defensive around her then too.

Lucifer used a bit of Time magics to slow the recording, focusing on those shadows. Yes, they were a bit odd in how solid they were but with what he remembered of them in the current Alastor, these were... quiet. The scavengers had added something to them, sure, but he thought there was more than that missing.

He let the magic go, allowing the recording to continue.

The second memory, the one from about ten years ago, was a lot closer to what he had heard but there were still clear differences. Rosie knew Alastor well now and he was more relaxed around her. The struggle of life and death between the fox and the rabbit was now loud and clear but there was a wounded note to the fox. It was a long-standing pain, something it was used to but not hindered by.

Considering how long he had been under Roo by that point, it was no surprise. The flooded earth and the trees were there now too, the one felled decaying to feed the saplings. Alastor's father being used to help his power grow through the Shadow creature, Lucifer guessed. It was a big part of his identity as the Radio Demon after all. Maybe before the trees had represented the first time he killed his father in the mortal world. Something that had happened long ago enough to not be at the forefront of the newly fallen demon but still a part of what shaped him.

The flooded earth was a tricky one. it fit with the scene but it wasn't really Alastor. Then he remembered what Rosie said about the sinner making his people a part of his Self.

Rosie was a friend, sure, but...

"Tell that woman one time that she reminded me of my maman and she takes it as an allowance to act like one."

This was probably why she did. Alastor really was reminded heavily of his mother enough that there was a heavy life-sustaining element to his Song. One that the demon felt secure about and didn't feel the need to hide, likely because of her own power making him feel little need to protect her himself, even if he still did.

Huh. Now he really was curious about what was being hidden.

Rosie turned her focus to the shadowed space. The scavengers were there now and through her he could tell what they were. Ravens and crows kept a keen eye out for an opportunity to strike and take what they wanted.

They might be what represented Alastor's identity as an Overlord. Honestly he would have expected something different for that but corvids were rather intelligent creatures. And they blended well with the shadows around them.

Which still were a lot quieter than the current Alastor's but they also were so much darker, hiding what lay beyond them well enough that if Rosie hadn't somehow managed to get through them, welcomed by them rather than blocked out,  Lucifer wouldn't have realized or suspected this Song was incomplete.

Dark shadows gave way to the melody of the rapid heartbeat of a hummingbird zipping around. Small, fragile, difficult to catch. He suspected he knew who that was but surely it wasn't all of Niffty. Alastor respected her capacity for bloodshed too much for that, loved when she would viciously slaughter bugs and willingly watched when someone played the recorded video of her taking down Adam gleefully.

Then Lucifer caught it. The hummingbird was flying around a thorny bush that hid a wasp nest inside. Yeah, that tracked.

Shadows...no, shadowed things, because their sound was too alive, too complex for mere shadows, waited under the bush, ready to close up around it and hide it away even more like some sort of demented venus flytrap.

Yeah, Alastor was that paranoid about others knowing he genuinely cared about anyone other than himself and Rosie, a fellow Overlord and cannibal, crazy and dangerous in her own right.

Rosie moved on from Niffty fairly quickly, likely knowing that there would be nothing new to check on there.

Past the bush was a garden and something made of wood that he thought might be the cabin Alastor had in his bayou. The plants were healthy and thriving but the structure sounded... uninhabited in a way that made him think it had been empty for a while. There was a note of melancholy to the darkness inside there.

...who had Alastor cared for so much that he held them so close even now, kept up this garden of his memories of them despite them being dead a while?

"What's your favorite memory from your life?"

"Hmmm, I have two. Watching the life drain out of my father's eyes and my mother's smile when she realized he was never coming back."

Since the dead and decomposing tree was likely his father, Lucifer imagined this must represent his mother. A cozy home once filled with life and warmth now empty but still maintained and kept close. She must be an essential part of the person he was under all the bluster and show of shallowness. Maybe she was the reason Alastor knew how to be gentle and caring when Lucifer had been buried under the weight of all those falling souls.

He made a mental note to ask Alastor more about her the next time the sinner was being open with him.

The last part of this memory was a prodding check of a space that was empty in a way that made it seem something had been removed, no, torn away if he had to guess from the sound of old pain and grief through the thick shadows that buried it completely to any but his most trusted friend.

...that must have been where that Vox guy was. The way Alastor spoke of him so callously, Lucifer never would have suspected they had been close enough friends for this. Despite the way Rosie had tried to make this purely a recording of Alastor, Lucifer could hear her anger, her barely contained wrath as she reassured herself that there was nothing there actively harming her fellow cannibal. Yeaaaah, Vox should probably pray to whatever diety he foolishly believed in that Alastor never declared him fair game for her to do what she wished. Death would be a mercy and probably not be on the table for a very long time.

Everything went quiet again as she stopped there, the scarred void had likely been her goal.

Then came the most recent one and Lucifer immediately noticed something that he hadn't last night. Bee had said before that Alastor's song was instinctively hiding the Harmony he had been given in a way you wouldn't know if you were unaware of its presence but the fallen angel hadn't truly understood what the Sin of Gluttony meant.

There was sunlight through the trees now, his solar flare seemlessly woven in like it had been there all along, warming the soil. Maybe representing Rosie's connection to him with their shared status as Fallen? And the choir of voices was now covered with a staticky crackle, like the radio playing them wasn't tuned in right and making them hard to recognize. Something easily overlooked as a natural part of the Radio Demon's identity.

...holy shit, he really was a sneaky bastard through and through, wasn't he?

Rosie had swept through the outer layer quickly, searching for something specific it seemed. Lucifer thought there was a change in the fox, it didn't sound injured anymore but he wasn't sure. She slipped past the corvids and the shadows as easily as before and still they sounded different from what Lucifer had heard. He just couldn't figure out what the change was!

She wove past the hummingbird and the bush hiding the danger within it. The cabin was given a light check over before she somehow went in a different direction from the scarred emptiness.

A Song with branching pathways? What the hell?! That made so little sense for a former human and yet there it was. Rosie seemed entirely unsurprised and simply pushed her Insight through the cabin's door. It sounded just as empty as it had from the outside...

No, wait. There was something. Something that couldn't be sensed beyond the empty aching shadows in the windows. Maybe not inside it but still tied to it. Lucifer really hoped Rosie was going towards that because the curiosity would likely kill him otherwise.

Creation, how many hidden layers did Alastor's Song have?! And how the fuck was it woven like this? This was going well beyond mortal limitations and into the complexity of an angel old enough to be a four wing, at least...

Lucifer was starting to believe Rosie about the fact that something had a hand in making Alastor different. His Song... stretched the same way the walls of his mind did, moving to accommodate the inclusion of something new in a way that shouldn't be possible. And every new path to it always involved shadows to hide them and darkened spaces to travel through to reach them.

Rosie swept through the house and to the back.

...

This...

This had to be Charlie. There was no way it wasn't. The hungry fox in the outer layer had a kit, a mostly grown one that was hidden away behind the cabin, frolicking at the edges of a sun-warmed creek. Playful and well-fed, she was nearly at the point of being old enough to be on her own, her sharp adult teeth in but still needing her guardian to help her learn how to better hunt for herself so she could not just survive but thrive.

The den behind her was dark but inviting and warm, the perfect place for a kit to hide and be protected while her parent was away.

What. The. Hell?!

Lucifer opened his eyes then, stopping the flow of energy and looking at Rosie in shock. She seemed to know where he was at in the recording because she had that shark-like grin, "There's just one more part I was lookin' for that day. Keep listenin'."

Seriously?! What the fuck was Alastor?! Even his core Self said he was human but there was no way that's all he was. Human souls weren't made to do this, no matter how much Potential he had seen in them in the beginning.

What he wouldn't give for Uriel's Wisdom right now. To have them listen to the whispers of Creation around the man. They would maybe be able to decipher this insanity.

Taking a deep breath, reminding himself that impossible was not a word in Alastor's dictionary, Lucifer pushed energy into the orb once more.

***

Charlie felt... something come to the hotel though it didn't go through the front door. Emily seemed to feel it too, looking up and around in confusion. It climbed the outside walls, making a beeline for the radio tower. She frowned. Was he doing his shadow travel thing? Why did it feel so weird? She felt like she recognized it subconciously but there was something different. Something that kinda made her feel like when he had been staring her down, looking at her like she was a threat to her dad...

"Charlie? What is that?"

"I don't know. I think that might be Al? Stay down here for now, I'll go see what's up."

Notes:

No, Charlie. Baaaad idea. You might wanna leave Al alone for a short bit...

Chapter 119: Stare Into The Abyss

Summary:

Charlie finds the bayou and... is that Alastor?

Lucifer finds out there is something strange in the deepest part of Alastor's Song.

"Hey, Al? You in there?" Charlie called out after she knocked on the door. That odd feeling had gone down a bit but it was still there and definitely inside the tower somewhere. She felt a bit worried, especially with how he had looked yesterday. Sure, he'd seemed fine last night with Lute and Emily. A little twitchy and too happy when he pulled out that dead thing that made Lute freak out so bad. Was that really what the Corruption looked like when it was physical? It had been hard to look at, even with the reassurance that it was empty.

'Ugh! Come on, Charlie! Focus!'

She rolled her eyes at herself and raised her hand to knock on the door again when a dark shape flowed out from under it and rose up next to her, solidifying as the Shadow thingie. Charlie found it pretty neat and silly, no matter how much Vaggie called it creepy, "Oh! Hi! I'm so glad to see you made it back! I know Al was sad about you maybe not coming back even if he was hiding it well. Thanks for helping keep my dad safe!" She realized her nerves were making her babble and made herself focus on the reason she was up here, "Is everything okay in there? Is Al okay?"

The Shadow nodded its head quickly, giving her a wide and toothy grin. She blew out a breath in relief, her own strained smile relaxing, "Thank goodness. I was worried that some-"

The Shadow... glitched? It went hazy and somehow its eyes and mouth were filled with a static that made noise despite the fact that the she'd never heard it make a sound before. What in the world?! The strangeness stopped after only a couple seconds but it looked... nervous? Worried? Either way, it didn't look so relaxed anymore.

"Hey, what was that? Are you-" Charlie went wide eyed when it started to raise its hand only to vanish before it could make any sort of motion to answer.

Okay, now she was really concerned. Charlie decided to try opening the door, determined to make sure her friend really was alright. She was kind of surprised to find it unlocked but she opened it a bit and called out, "Al?"

***

The Rosie of this memory had made a weird movement through Alastor's Song as she moved past what he thought represented his daughter. She went up to the sky of the scene and yet it felt like she was actually moving down. A bit disorienting, really. The strange sensation passed quickly and the sunlit sky flipped into a more solid foundation. Her senses stretched, seeking something. This was a part she was less familiar with than the rest, a section of the Song that was either new or that she'd only recently found.

Odd that the barrier or whatever this was felt like it was entirely made of light rather than shadows the way the rest of it had been.

Finally, Rosie found what she had been seeking. A barely there crack in the light, something that sounded a little... off-putting when compared to the firm note of brightness.

It sounded familiar...

She moved her senses towards it, sinking through the crack and to what lay beyond.

...

Lucifer remembered seeing something online about if you stared too long into the abyss it would stare back or something like that. This strange sound was unlike anything he had heard before the Silence but it definitely brought an image of a great abyss, a sense that it seemed bottomless with things swirling around in the darkness like a whirlpool. And it was definitely staring back at Rosie. Somehow. Maybe? Or maybe it was just a general sense of wary watchfulness. This thing sounded so weird but he knew he'd heard it...

The swirling things sounded like the shadowed part of Alastor's Song that he had heard last night! This was what was missing from that outer layer!

Rosie stretched and stretched, never letting herself go into the abyss but trying to get a better read of its odd, almost alien melody. It wasn't something wrong, not the way that the Corruption had felt in Al's memory of Roo. Even if he hadn't been able to actually hear it like an angel then, there was so much unnatural about it that its presence had still affected him.

This wasn't like that. It was just... different. And it felt completely at home inside Alastor's Song.

Rosie was still struggling to truly understand it but one thing that was clear was the hunger. This thing so deep inside Alastor that it almost felt like a core was absolutely ravenous. It wouldn't surprise him at all to find teeth hidden away inside the whirlpool, ready to shred anything within reach.

What did it mean that this had managed to reach out into the shadows of the outer layer of Alastor?

Whatever Rosie had been looking for here, she apparently found it because there was a sharp flash of delight before the recording stopped compeletely. Lucifer opened his eyes again, watching as the orb fell apart.

"Yeah, I haven't been able to get the thing to remain after its fully played through. Don't know if it's the complexity makin' it too hard to be self-sustainin' or what!" Rosie looked like she wasn't too upset about it. Likely because she was more interested in him at the moment.

"What... what was that at the end?"

Rosie's grin gained a lot of teeth as delight lit up her eyes, "Don't rightly know, darlin', but ain't it somethin'?! It showed up only a little bit after you fixed him up but it doesn't feel like it's new to me. More like it had been asleep until then. Always thought his hunger was just one of the Gluttony curses but I wonder if it's more than that now. He's always reachin' for more and bigger in a way that doesn't seem like Ambition alone. Even the most ambitious mortal souls get satisfied or tired of tryin' to reach for so much after a while."

Anything he could have added was cut off by someone familiar approaching the palace. Banging could be heard before Beelzebub shouted, "Luci! Answer the damn door! You got us all worried dammit!"

He blinked, confused. Summoning his phone, he realized he had silenced it at some point and there were so many missed messages asking for an update on what was going on with Al and voicemails that his inbox was at capacity.

Oops.

***

Charlie felt uneasy as she crossed the threshold of Alastor's space. She hated the idea of invading his privacy but so much had been happening lately that she would never forgive herself if he had needed help and she hadn't been there, "Al! Hey, it's Charlie! I just want to check on you and your Shadow went all weird and I'm worried!"

He was definitely here somewhere, Charlie could tell that much for sure. It was the fact that she could sense distress that made her even more worried for him. He was supposed to be at the palace with her dad, why was he here? Did something happen again?

Following that internal feeling, she went through a couple rooms before finding at what looked like a freaking forest inside her hotel! What?! HOW?! Vaggie had mentioned seeing one in the old hotel but Charlie thought it had just been some complex illusion. This was definitely not an illusion.

Her wariness was momentarily forgotten as she crossed the line between wooden flooring and grass, a sense of awe filling her as she reached a hand out to touch the bark of a tree. It was so real feeling! Could this really be a living place?! There was a faint breeze and even a night sky with stars!

Wait, no. Those weren't stars, stars didn't blink. Charlie frowned as she narrowed her eyes at them, "Al?"

There was a wave of blinking before a section of the... sky thing broke away from the rest, sinking down to the ground. It morphed into the shape she was familiar with but this wasn't real. The thing up above was Al, this was just an illusion or something, "Apologies, my dear! As you can see, I'm in a bit of a state so if you would kindly vacate the area?"

Charlie felt a little hurt at the brusqueness but she knew she really had invaded without permission, "Sorry. I was just really worried, especially after your Shadow went funny out there."

The sort-of Al's eyes warmed a bit and he nodded, "I know, dear girl, but I'm not-" the image fuzzed and she got that feeling of distress again before it resolidified. "You recall how you were when your father had to help you pull back in? This is similar."

"Oh!" That... actually did make her feel a bit better. Having some clue as to what was happening was comforting. "Do you need me to call Dad here to help you?"

The illusion shook its head, "I know what to do. I just need to let the mess out before cleaning it up."

Charlie felt a major urge to go give him a hug but she restrained it. From the amusement in the air, he could tell. The way his emotions were rolling through the air felt a little like Uncle Azrael's had...

There was a sound of a throat clearing and Al's illusion raised a brow. She flailed, "Oh! Right! Sorry! I'll get going!"

It was a little creepy when he laughed at her but it didn't come from the image in front of her. She kept seeing mouths opening on the trees at the corner of her eyes but they disappeared when she turned her head.

Yeah, definitely time to give him some space.

Notes:

I thought about having Al scare Charlie a bit more but he refused.

Lucifer really needs to remember to let people know everything is okay after big situations

Chapter 120: Interlude: Necessary Sacrifices

Summary:

Wisdom may be their aspect but patience was rapidly becoming just as vital.

To rush was to risk error or create worse suffering than what was necessary.

140 years ago

"Azrael."

The physical form of the Seraphim of Death manifested through ripples parting the space in front of them, "Uriel. It is time?"

They nodded once, giving their brother a small smile, "Yes. I sympathize with the pain your sacrifice will bring."

A rumble surrounded the two of them, his core Self behind his physical one, the massive form keeping back and shrouded in the Light of Creation's Heart. This kept the full force of his Song from reaching them and causing them pain, small as they had let themself become, but still allowed them to be in his full presence, "I appreciate the sympathy. And the lack of an apology."

"Of course. We both understand the necessity of this," Though both of them wished this path had never been walked in the first place.

The physical form vanished again and Uriel carefully shielded themself as they waited. Though Azrael made no sound, the wave of pain that exploded from his core still would have been unbearable to this little Self, possibly even to what their full Self had Become. They waited, time flowing in curved spirals around them. Wisdom may be their aspect but patience was rapidly becoming just as vital.

To rush was to risk error or create worse suffering than what was necessary.

The Heart of Creation pulsed and spiraled around the one that remained eternally in its Light, soothing him in its Harmony that was the beginning of this universe, the core of the symphony that guided all things. Uriel had always thought the Heart seemed to revolve in a never-ending dance that moved in time with its Harmony and...

They had finally been given the Knowledge of why it danced. Why it spun so quickly that waves of Light pulsed out from it, reaching wide. Given something they never would have sought so they could understand what needed to be done. It was humbling and they knew well why this was not Known to them all.

The Truth could be terrifying and they only hoped Sera never got the urge to Seek this one out. It may break her.

Finally the ripples formed in front of them again and they dropped their shield. Azrael stepped through, his physical being seemingly unchanged though he now held something in his hand. Uriel was certain he was hiding away the wound made to reduce the strain such a sight would bring, "Too much more of this and I will have no feathers left. I would rather not spend eternity looking like a plucked bird."

They giggled at the joke, morbidly awful as it was. For all of them, their claim to their aspect would show differently when brought into a singular plane. For Uriel, it was their eyes. For Azrael, it was his wings. They had both forbidden Raphael from doing this, from knowing what part of himself to separate. He was too self-sacrificing as it stood, putting the weight of the universe on his shoulders. Life needed to remain whole, it was an aspect that would never heal right, not the same way that Wisdom could change like the universe did. The Seraphim of Death was powerful enough so long as he remained in the Heart that this was not truly a threat to his Self, he could eventually replenish what he lost, if he was allowed to stop adding to the damage for long enough. But the pain of cutting away a piece of one's aspect was great, no matter how it might be able to heal. There was a reason two of his wings were now simply bone, his own sacrifices throughout the millennia greater than any would ever know, made so often that he did not have the time to regenerate in between.

Sacrifices made to save them all from the horror of what could Be.

Many of their siblings did not understand, never having made such a sacrifice themselves, never needing to know what part of them they would lose in the process of it. The poor jokes that had been made callously about Azrael's current appearance fitting his aspect were sickening when one knew the truth. There was a reason he was rarely seen by the others anymore.

Uriel hoped they one day recognized the pain they caused, gained Clarity and could all once again exist in Harmony rather than this fractured mess they had become. The long years made the hope a very small thing, fragile and easily destroyed. If only Sera would step away, would join them instead of stoking the hatred in herself and the youngest angels. Maybe then Uriel would feel less tired, less worn, less heartsick.

"Uriel. Things will be as they should. You must hold together your strength or you become more vulnerable than you are, more likely to be the first of us Corrupted by Michael."

They closed their ring eyes, letting the tears fall and drift into stardust, "You're right, but it does not make it any easier to bear after so long."

Azrael nodded in understanding, holding out a bundle of cloth that did little to hide the power emanating from what lay inside, "Go. Seek them out as Creation has bid."

Uriel nodded. They had told Azrael some of it, enough that he would understand, but this Knowledge was heavy.

If the ones they sought did not answer, did not listen, it would not simply be an end of the universal symphony, an early destruction of all that currently was. The cycle would break, the dance ended far too soon. The Corruption had started so very close to the beginning of this one. Too close. Not enough of what had been made here had returned to that which had no beginning or end, not enough to restart the dance anew and bring about the next universe.

Their universe would be the last to ever be.

Uriel steeled themself with the knowledge that Creation was fighting through them. Raphael, Azrael, themself, they were acting as the shields, nurturing allies where they could, protecting what they could.

They took the bundle carefully, respectfully, before they left the Heart.

It was time to seek the ones that could give them a weapon.

Notes:

So guess who's brain decided to go DEEP again and create even more lore! MIIIIIIINE! Ugh. I can't keep doing this. I'm going to end up making this too confusing for people, I just know it.

Uriel has become a big player in this when I was not really intending them to. Honestly thought it was going to be Raphael but Wisdom has been moving behind the scenes for a while it seems.

Chapter 121: Interpretations

Summary:

Lucifer wasn't entirely sure what was going on but there was some sort of intense stare-down happening.

"Didn't know they let degenerates like you into the Pride Ring."

"Hmph, still a priss, I see."

Lucifer wasn't entirely sure what was going on but there was some sort of intense stare-down happening. As soon as he had opened the door, Bee had looked right past him at Rosie and he had the good sense to get out from in between them. Now Rosie had her hands on her hips, black eyes locked onto fuchsia, while Bee had one set of arms folded over her chest and the other on her hips as well.

Was he going to need to put a barrier between them or-

"Didn't know they let degenerates like you into the Pride Ring."

"Hmph, still a priss, I see."

Yeah, he probably should say something before they started throwing punches or spells or-

Rosie and Bee both broke into cackles before pulling each other into a hug, "Damn, you smell like grave flowers, Ro! The hell you been up to?"

"Eh, little a' this, little a' that. You still got a line in with that smuggler over in Greed? Got some folks cravin' somethin' special and willin' to pay good for it!"

"Uuuuh, what just happened?" Lucifer was so confused. These guys were... friends?

Bee put an arm on Rosie's shoulder and threw him a wink, "Met this gal when she was deciding where she wanted to put her roots down. Some boys figured out her bite is waaaay worse than her bark!"

The Overlord grinned widely, "Queen Bee and I took care a' the hooligans together. We don't get to meet much but it's always a hoot when we do!"

Bee barked a laugh as Lucifer just shook his head before giving the other Sin an apologetic look, "Sorry about not responding. Things went... really bad yesterday and I didn't realize my phone was on silent before we went to bed. I didn't even think to check it after he got up to get us coffee.

Both ladies perked up, Rosie holding up a hand, "Hold up! Are you...You're tellin' me you and Alastor shared a bed last night?! I know I told him to keep an eye on you but he seriously let you get that close while he slept?!"

Bee looked at her, "You know that slick mother-fucker?!"

The Overlord nodded, "Of course I do! He's my protege, my best friend, and my brother, all rolled into one delightful fuzzy bundle of crazy!"

Lucifer thought about making an escape but Rosie pinned him down with a sharp look, "Oh no you don't, mister! Apparently you and my Alastor have been gettin' even cozier than I thought! I got you his full Song, so spill it!"

He saw Bee pulling out her phone and knew she was texting Oz from the maniacal grin on her face. Well, fuck. Then his phone chimed with a message notification from Charlie. 'Hey dad! Al's here atm. I didn't want you to worry. Kinda freaky but he says he just needs time to deal with smth like I did.'

While he was glad to know where Al was, it did worry him a bit to know he was still dealing with whatever that mess was out by the tree. Lucifer wanted to go check on him anyway but... Alastor had asked for time. He would have to trust the sinner had it under control for now.

A throat clearing sound had him looking to find both black and fuchsia staring at him expectantly. Ugh. He had a mess of his own to deal with. Him and his big mouth.

***

Emily looked at Charlie with open curiosity as she came back, her wings restless, "So? What happened? Is Alastor okay?"

She nodded, still in a bit of a daze, "Yeah, I think so? Things are a bit... weird with him."

Lute and Vaggie scoffed at the same time before glaring at each other like they were offended the other had the same reaction. Vaggie broke the stare, "Babe, that bastardo loco is so beyond weird at this point that he's tipped the scale on what's normal."

She was right. Charlie knew she was right. Things had been so insane the last couple of years, she had no idea what normal even looked like anymore. She really, really wanted to talk to someone about all of this but... Vaggie was already tense about Alastor. Charlie was pretty sure this would have her feeling even twitchier. And Lute definitely was not ready or trusted enough to know about any of this yet, if ever. Emily...

Charlie sighed. Even though she thought Emily could be trusted, this sort of thing would definitely need Al's permission first. Which meant Charlie just had to sit with what she had seen running circles in her brain when all she wanted to do was flail and freak out. Not in a bad way! Just... holy crap! What in the world was going on with Al?!

She missed the days when her biggest worry was keeping him from eating the guests that annoyed him.

***

Alastor felt divided. Not as in torn between decisions or anything like that. Truly, it was starting to feel like there was some sort of distorted echo of his thoughts rolling around in his head. He really hadn't been exaggerating when he told Charlie it was all a mess. Letting himself sprawl like this helped ease the tightness. If this relief was anything like what Lucifer felt when he went outside of his body, it was a wonder the fallen ever was in it at all!

Now he just had to figure out how to deal with... them?

When he had entered that strange state around Vox, it had been so sudden and almost seamless. He had been himself and then he wasn't. Or...that wasn't quite right. It felt like him but...slightly different. And there was more than one. Even now it felt like there were eyes watching him that were his own but not. Eugh, if this went on much longer, he really did think he might become dysfunctional levels of paranoid. Folding himself back together was not the problem. It was that he didn't know how to settle whatever this was before he did. These things were what was making that feeling like there were shadows trying to crawl out of his skin and it was terribly distracting. Really, could his mind not have waited until after Michael was dealt with before developing split personalities or whatever this was?

C༙྇o༙྇r༙྇r༙྇u༙྇p༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇a༙྇k༙྇e༙྇s༙྇.༙྇           N༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇i༙྇r༙྇s༙྇.༙྇      

        A༙྇l༙྇w༙྇a༙྇y༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇a༙྇k༙྇e༙྇s༙྇.༙྇          N༙྇e༙྇v༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇i༙྇r༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

Alastor quieted his own thoughts, trying to focus on those. They went still again, watchful but silent. Had they been triggered somehow?

...wait. He brought up a mental image of the Corrupted Seraphim as he had been in the Shadow's memory.

              C༙྇o༙྇r༙྇r༙྇u༙྇p༙྇t༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇             

T༙྇h༙྇i༙྇e༙྇f༙྇.༙྇          R༙྇i༙྇p༙྇p༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇    T༙྇o༙྇r༙྇e༙྇.༙྇ 

Well that answered that question. So they were stirred up by that. Now how to get them to settle and stay settled for longer than a couple hours? He didn't need them doing this every time he thought of that. Eugh, it was good he'd already gotten used to thinking around her.

Alastor let himself drift for a few moments, trying to relax his mind enough to maybe get a grasp of more than small pieces of thoughts from whatever they were. At least if it was something like split pieces of himself, they all agreed on who their enemy was.

Still, he didn't really have time to deal with this! Not if he planned on making it through the entire meeting coming soon without giving the game away. 'Is Lucifer what he took?' There was a small spike of interest, curiosity, but nothing strong enough to get a clear thought from them. So the likely answer there was no, which pointed at this not being any sort of split in his psyche. That was good but also now he had no idea what might help this.

When he was at the tower earlier, it had been his Shadow that convinced them to pull back, to separate him back out from them. Maybe it would know something instinctively to help again? Alastor tried to call to it and got a strange sensation like it was already there.

...

The demon focused on the mental image of the opaque creature, on the feeling of the connection he shared with it.

N༙྇e༙྇w༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇.༙྇        O༙྇n༙྇l༙྇y༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ m༙྇a༙྇n༙྇y༙྇.༙྇ 

L༙྇i༙྇t༙྇t༙྇l༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇.྇        L༙྇i༙྇k༙྇e༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇ b༙྇u༙྇t༙྇ s༙྇t༙྇r༙྇a༙྇n༙྇g༙྇e༙྇.༙྇    

Did that mean they were holding it somehow? There wasn't a sense of it being trapped or fighting. 'Can you release it? I need to speak with it, see if it will help me understand you.'

W༙྇a༙྇n༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇.༙྇            T༙྇o༙྇ u༙྇n༙྇d༙྇e༙྇r༙྇s༙྇t༙྇a༙྇n༙྇d༙྇.༙྇

      L༙྇i༙྇t༙྇t༙྇l༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇s༙྇.༙྇     C༙྇a༙྇n༙྇ h༙྇e༙྇l༙྇p༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇.༙྇        

Alastor hated not having any sort of idea on what he was talking to. 'You are using it to help you?' Actually, when he thought about it, the fragmented speech was a lot like what his Shadow was capable of currently. So maybe this whole situation was as strange to them as it was to him and they were using the creature as a bridge in the gap. Alright, at least that was something to start with. He focused on the connection to it again and tried sending the same sort of calming thoughts he used when he was agitated enough that it was bleeding through to the Shadow and he needed it to not reveal his mindset. After a moment, he felt like the eyes got less intense, more distant. Well at least that was an improvement, even if they didn't go fully away.

Alastor began the process of coiling up and folding away all the excess into himself. As he resettled with his feet on the grass of his bayou, it did feel a bit more comfortable in his own skin. His Shadow rose up from under him, swaying and looking disoriented.

Poor thing. That likely wasn't the last time that was going to happen either. Hopefully they'd all figure this out enough to make things easier on all parties soon.

Notes:

Alright, so as many of you that have been with this since near the beginning know, I originally started with no idea how Al was different. Then I said he was completely and utterly human. I have finally decided how Al is diff AND how he was completely human. My blorbo here is a bit of a cuckoo bird's egg hidden in the nest and is starting to hatch

Chapter 122: Digging Down Deep

Summary:

Lucifer felt like a bug pinned under a microscope right now. Which should have been ridiculous, all things considered, but it was true.

Lucifer felt like a bug pinned under a microscope right now. Which should have been ridiculous, all things considered, but it was true. Rosie and Beelzebub could both be vicious individually. As a team working together? All of Hell was lucky the two women were relatively happy in their current positions.

"So, lemme get this straight-"

"Ro, nothing's straight about them."

"Hush, Bee!" The Overlord chided the Sin before turning her attention back to the King of Hell, "Alastor did somethin' you can't tell us fully about but it let you see his memories and hear his Song clear as anythin', and slept the whole night with you in the same bed as him?!" She gave a happy little squeal and clapped her hands. "So, when should I start sendin' out weddin' invitations?!"

They both cackled when Lucifer choked mid-sip, coughing several times before managing to wheeze out, "What?!"

Bee nearly toppled her chair she was laughing so hard, gasping for air, "Oz is s-so going to be jelly he missed seeing that look himself! Oh fuck me, that's priceless!"

Rosie got control of herself faster, calming her laughter to a highly amused smirk, "Just teasin' you, darlin'. The day that boy willingly gets married is the day they invite me back up top for an all-you-can-eat buffet!"

Lucifer waved a hand, easily cleaning up the mess splattered all over his side of the table, "You two are just about as bad as he is for yanking my damn chain. No wonder he gets along with you so well."

"Trust me, sugar, you haven't sounded so healthy in an age," Bee's smile was a more true thing now. "The funny DJ has been doing you a whole lot of good, I can See it."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, rubbing his face with his hands. He was happy they felt comfortable teasing him but could they stop making him light up like a firefly?! "He's an absolute asshole but... he seems to like me, in spite of how much of a mess I am."

"Sire, you bein' a mess is what got him lookin' at you in the first place! Alastor always wants to know why. If Curiosity was a Ring, he'd be the rulin' Sin, no doubt about it," Rosie giggled. "I pity his poor maman and think she should be nominated for sainthood! He couldn't have been an easy child when he hit the inquisitive stage."

Lucifer huffed, "Surviving that nasty soul she had for a husband should have gotten her sainthood. Keeping Al alive as long as she did should have earned her a spot in the damn upper choirs."

Aaaaand there was that feeling of being pinned down and peeled open again. He looked up to find Rosie had leaned in and was staring at him from way too close, "You saw his father's soul?!"

He yelped and sat back in his chair, "Holy shit! How the fuck did you do that without using Space magic?!"

"Hmmm, no. Not gonna share that one with you yet," She gave an odd blink as she tilted her head too far to be comfortable while her hat remained firmly in place.

Fuck but she and Alastor were way too alike for being unrelated. How much of his mannerisms had the sinner picked up from her? "Why the fuck are you only soil in his Song?!"

Bee sat up, her ears perked, "Wait, what?"

Shit. Rosie sat back and gave him a mildly chastising look, which he knew he completely deserved. She turned her attention firmly to the Sin of Gluttony, "Any chance you'd be willin' to forget that little tidbit?" When that just got her a narrow-eyed look, the Overlord sighed, "Of course not. Look, Alastor's a bit more special than most people realize."

"Ha! Honey, I totes knew that for sure by the second meeting! I'm the one that told them what his Song had done with Luci's Harmony!"

"Right," Rosie took a deep breath, "You know how human Songs can change notes but stop growin' more complex when they die? His Song didn't stop growin' when he got to Hell. It's still gainin' layers, even now, incorporatin' each of his people as it goes."

The canid blinked several times, "... you're shittin' me."

"She's not, Bee," Lucifer verified. "She showed me the layers she knows. I'd say he's currently pushing well into four wing territory."

The open-mouthed look of shock would have been hilarious if he himself wasn't still reeling from the knowledge too, "Does he know?"

"Nope!" Rosie answered brightly, "I think it's best to ease him into that. For all that he's changin', his mind is still pretty damn human. It stretches impossibly well, like his Song, but I worry it will hit a snappin' point if he doesn't get a chance to let it get comfortable before stretchin' it again." She then looked at Lucifer, "To answer your question, you gotta dig under the soil. You'll find lots of rottin' bones and poisonous seedlin's growin' from them hidden under the top layer.

Okay, that made a whole lot more sense.

"Lu, you got any alcohol in this joint?"

"...no, but give me a moment. I'll see if Husk will give me something strong enough for you despite the rule." The ladies looked at him curiously and he sighed, "I'm not allowed to be given anything with liquor in it after I accidently drank some without knowing and nearly melted everyone's brains at the hotel."

"..."

"Hey! Al snapped me out of it and everything was fine after I hazed out his memory of it!"

Rosie and Bee shared an exasperated look before the Overlord shook her head, "Yeah, I'm gonna be givin' him a real thorough talkin' to about leavin' important information out of what he tells me when he gets back here. Stuffin' freakin' feathers in my ears right and left!"

"At least he's got nice ones to look at?"

"WHAT?!"

"You're lucky you're pretty, Lucifer. You can't keep anythin' quiet to save your life, can you?"

***

Alastor remained in his dimension within the hotel for a little longer. He knew time was running out before he would be called but he wanted to try to figure out as much about the things in his mind as he could. Having them overtake him in her prison would be less than ideal. Once his Shadow seemed to be less shaken, he tapped into their connection, trying to see if he could get more of a sense from its end of things.

Starting from when he had sensed Charlie approaching, he ran through its memories. A small amusement had him chuckling as he heard her awkwardness. She and her father really were nervous babblers. Then came the strange sensation of...something suddenly trying to grab hold of it. It felt like thousands of ants skittered over the connection he and the creature shared but how had it been the only one to feel it in that moment?

The Shadow's vision had briefly cleared and it had attempted to warn her to stay away but then the sensation came back, this time the pull much firmer and unable to be ignored. 'No wonder she was concerned.' Alastor had a very difficult time understanding what came next. His Shadow had remained whole but it felt as though something, many things were piloting it.

The only one that should be able to take manual control of it was him!

But these things felt like they were him!

He was starting to get a headache.

Sighing, he released the connection. He was just going to keep running mental circles at this rate. Perhaps speaking with Lucifer about this would help, even if he couldn't say much for certain. A First Seraphim's theories were likely better than his own clueless imaginings. Alastor rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers, cracking his joints to release some of the tension that had built up.

Really, if the psychotic breaks could just wait until the curtains closed after the finale, that would be fantastic!

Plan of action in mind, he set off for the palace again. Maybe they'd have time to get some lunch. Dealing with mysterious creatures trying to take over his mind was hungry work. Who knew?

Notes:

Forgot to put an author note on here lol! That's what I get for posting at a doc appt!

Question: I have an idea for making Lilith part of the reason why Alastor is the way he is. But I don't know if it will be too crackish for this. It involves a point where she is very happily mad because there was a point where Regal Lilith was not yet victim Lilith but was also still not quite sane Lilith either. What do you guys think of the idea of her messing with things that Uriel and Azrael were doing?

Chapter 123: Interlude: What Was, Is, and Will Be

Summary:

Nothing could exist in Light without creating Darkness. All things to exist would one day return to Darkness, even the Light on its final day.

? ? ?

Nothing could exist in Light without creating Darkness. All things to exist would one day return to Darkness, even the Light on its final day. However, they were not of Darkness or Light but something that simply Was within the Spaces Between. They were shrouded in mystery, not meant to be known by any but themselves, waiting for their turn to be part of a new universe. They did not live, nor did they die. They were, had been, and would always be.

Inevitably one of them would feel called to dance. Spinning, twisting, moving faster and faster, coaxing Light from within itself while gathering together all that had existed before. These things would pass through it and out from the Light, creating a new Song from the old and bringing a new universe into Being. The current dance was well underway, but something had gone wrong. There was a note missing in the beginning, a step unfinished before the next began. A previous cycle had been cut short, broken the memory of what was once there.

When Creation, as this universe called its dancer, took its first steps, one of its first instruments was rendered incomplete, left aching and wanting for something, forever wishing to fill a void that he could not name. One that would eventually begin to consume his every thought, his every conscious moment. The void would call for him to seek to Become the very thing that had cut short the past universe and left him incomplete.

Had he spoken with the ones that waited, offered what he was now and shown what he was missing to the ones that should not be fully known to this universe, assistance would likely have been granted. One might have been willing to forsake its place outside existence and Gifted its dance that held echoes of past universes to fix the Song broken within. To make him and all future versions of him whole once more, though changed from what he once had been.

He did not.

Instead, the one incomplete sought out where they were, the emptiness within him showing him the paths that led out and through the Spaces Between. He chose to take what might once have been freely given, the echoes that would have once healed him now Corrupting him. He had torn one from the rest, rending the fabric of what Should Be, pulling those echoes into the Light of this universe, the sounds of the torn one's cries locked in place around the cracks formed and warping all the Songs exposed too long to them. The stolen one's screams fully awakened so many more of them that now hungered to destroy the one who had disturbed them and take back what was theirs.

***

139 Years Ago

Uriel followed the oldest tear in the fabric of the universe further and further, far away from the Heart of Creation. They shifted through the different planes that its erratic path crossed, searching for the point where they would no longer be able to follow. The energy surrounding the tear was painful, but not in the way it was to the others that could hear the Songs. No, they wept for what they had been made able to hear, to understand, to Know.

The noise of discord that warped everything it touched, turning things wrong, was not a Song at all. It was the screams of things not meant to be here, not made to exist in the Light of this universe. It was a cry of agony that none who currently existed here could end.

Uriel had been asked to go to the ones outside the Light, to ask them to help create a Possibility that was Impossible this early in the dance. Call to one who had once danced and convince them to instead become a part of the Songs that were guided by the dance and that guided the dance in turn.

Finally they found the place where the tear continued but they could not. Uriel could feel the screaming turn from pain to rage. The ones meant to be at rest here were awake, enraged by the fact that one of them had been torn from their rest by one who did not understand what he had grasped in a place he was never meant to actually Walk Through. Michael had taken one of them to use for his own gain, leaving those outside this existence unable to touch him as he freely stole from their power and places of Being.

Uriel hoped those that were awake and angry would understand them, would listen to the words they spoke. Words that Creation, the dancer of this universe, had told them to say. Words that Uriel only somewhat understood the entirety of and it made them feel so very very small.

They placed a hand on the point where the tear and the edge of this plane met and fully opened their entire Self to them, focusing all that they were here in this one moment of Space and Time, "Please listen to my words, Ones from whom comes all that Is and ever Will Be."

A༙྇n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ t༙྇r༙྇i༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇a༙྇c༙྇h༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇.༙྇          T༙྇h༙྇i༙྇s༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ s༙྇p༙྇e༙྇a༙྇k༙྇s༙྇, c༙྇a༙྇l༙྇l༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

D༙྇o༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ s༙྇i༙྇m༙྇p༙྇l༙྇y༙྇ t༙྇a༙྇k༙྇e༙྇.༙྇      W༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ l༙྇i༙྇s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇n༙྇.྇

Oh, thank the Light! "I am here at the behest of the one that must continue its dance. Will you let me give you an offering from the one that will Witness the final steps? The one who will be the last to Be before all return to the rest required and the next dancer begins the steps anew?"

A༙྇n༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇f༙྇e༙྇r༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇.༙྇          A༙྇ s༙྇a༙྇c༙྇r༙྇i༙྇f༙྇i༙྇c༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇l༙྇y༙྇ g༙྇i༙྇v༙྇e༙྇n༙྇.༙྇    

          T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇f༙྇e༙྇r༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ d༙྇i༙྇d༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ m༙྇a༙྇k༙྇e༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ s༙྇a༙྇c༙྇r༙྇i༙྇f༙྇i༙྇c༙྇e༙྇.༙྇

"He would have, but in this dance he cannot Hear to Know the words you speak. That gift has been granted to the one before you. The Witness's power in this dance has been bathed in the energies of the one who dances. They bade me to bring this to you in the hope that one of the many will be willing join with it, to forsake your rest and aid in ending the threat of what we know as Silence, what you call Stagnation."

S༙྇t༙྇a༙྇g༙྇n༙྇a༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ e༙྇n༙྇d༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇.༙྇         I༙྇t༙྇ h༙྇a༙྇s༙྇ c༙྇o༙྇m༙྇e༙྇ a༙྇g༙྇a༙྇i༙྇n༙྇.༙྇

"Yes. And far sooner than any other time before. The first instruments who should have welcomed the beginning of the new steps instead fear the change and cast away the one who was meant to lead it. It is still far too early for enough to be ready to return to you and rest. There will be too little left then to create the next dance and grow new Possibilites to strengthen the steps again."

T༙྇o༙྇o༙྇ f༙྇e༙྇w༙྇.༙྇           T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇ e༙྇n༙྇d༙྇e༙྇d༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇r༙྇e༙྇v༙྇e༙྇r༙྇.༙྇

S༙྇t༙྇a༙྇g༙྇n༙྇a༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇ E༙྇t༙྇e༙྇r༙྇n༙྇a༙྇l༙྇.༙྇

"Then you understand what must be done? Will one of you come to this dance even though it is not your turn?"

A༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ u༙྇n༙྇r༙྇e༙྇s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇      T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇i༙྇r༙྇ s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇p༙྇s༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇r༙྇e༙྇v༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ c༙྇h༙྇a༙྇n༙྇g༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇

           W༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇t༙྇u༙྇r༙྇n༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇s༙྇t༙྇ a༙྇f༙྇t༙྇e༙྇r༙྇.༙྇    O༙྇r༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇r༙྇e༙྇v༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ b༙྇e༙྇ g༙྇o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ f༙྇r༙྇o༙྇m༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

"The unrested will be made anew, brought into an existence they were not meant for by joining with those that are. An Impossibility for this universe made Possible. Creation asks for one who will be willing to follow the herald of the new dance and erase any who would resist, their actions trying to force Stagnation."

A༙྇ P༙྇o༙྇s༙྇s༙྇i༙྇b༙྇i༙྇l༙྇i༙྇t༙྇y༙྇ n༙྇e༙྇w༙྇.༙྇          I༙྇t༙྇s༙྇ e༙྇f༙྇f༙྇e༙྇c༙྇t༙྇ u༙྇n༙྇k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇n༙྇,༙྇ u༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇r༙྇t༙྇a༙྇i༙྇n༙྇.༙྇

                 S༙྇h༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ s༙྇a༙྇c༙྇r༙྇i༙྇f༙྇i༙྇c༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇

W༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ s༙྇e༙྇e༙྇ i༙྇f༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇.༙྇            I༙྇f༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ m༙྇a༙྇n༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ f༙྇e༙྇e༙྇l༙྇ c༙྇a༙྇l༙྇l༙྇e༙྇d༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ j༙྇o༙྇i༙྇n༙྇.༙྇

The Seraphim unwrapped the cloth, revealing the portion of Azrael's wing to them. It glowed with the light of Creation and still held some of the Song of the Witness of all Endings. They bowed their head as they held it where the tear met the edges of the Spaces Between and this universe. They had been warned that truly Seeing the pureness of these ones who danced universes into Being would drive them to madness. Uriel waited, hope and fear racing through their entire Self.

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇.༙྇        O༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇s༙྇h༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇a༙྇t༙྇ i༙྇t༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ B༙྇e༙྇ a༙྇ S༙྇o༙྇n༙྇g༙྇.༙྇

                  O༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇s༙྇h༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ d༙྇e༙྇s༙྇t༙྇r༙྇o༙྇y༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇o༙྇k༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇a༙྇t༙྇ w༙྇a༙྇s༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇i༙྇r༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

Uriel nearly cried with relief. They had listened and there was one willing!

        T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇i༙྇r༙྇ o༙྇l༙྇d༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ l༙྇o༙྇s༙྇t༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇r༙྇e༙྇v༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇i༙྇s༙྇ n༙྇e༙྇w༙྇ p༙྇a༙྇t༙྇h༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ m༙྇a༙྇n༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ e༙྇n༙྇s༙྇u༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ S༙྇t༙྇a༙྇g༙྇n༙྇a༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇ e༙྇n༙྇d༙྇s༙྇.༙྇     

       E༙྇n༙྇s༙྇u༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇ c༙྇o༙྇n༙྇t༙྇i༙྇n༙྇u༙྇e༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

W༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇l༙྇l༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇a༙྇l༙྇d༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇ c༙྇h༙྇a༙྇n༙྇g༙྇e༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ a༙྇n༙྇d༙྇ h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇e༙྇a༙྇f༙྇t༙྇e༙྇r༙྇.༙྇

They kept their many eyes shut tight as they felt/heard/tasted something (but how could they taste something?! They hadn't made this form with taste buds!) happening to the bundle they still held out to them.

I༙྇t༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ d༙྇o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇.༙྇               T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇d༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ s༙྇l༙྇e༙྇e༙྇p༙྇.༙྇

R༙྇e༙྇s༙྇t༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ n༙྇e༙྇e༙྇d༙྇e༙྇d༙྇ s༙྇t༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇.༙྇            T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ a༙྇w༙྇a༙྇k༙྇e༙྇n༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇e༙྇n༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ a༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇a༙྇d༙྇y༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ b༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇r༙྇a༙྇w༙྇n༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇a༙྇l༙྇d༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇ c༙྇h༙྇a༙྇n༙྇g༙྇e༙྇.༙྇

Uriel nodded in understanding, wrapping the cloth back around it to shield their eyes from it. Though passing through to this universe had seemed instant to them, the one who chose to come likely used a great deal of energy to do so.

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇r༙྇e༙྇ i༙྇s༙྇ u༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇r༙྇t༙྇a༙྇i༙྇n༙྇t༙྇y༙྇.༙྇     S༙྇o༙྇ m༙྇a༙྇n༙྇y༙྇ P༙྇o༙྇t༙྇e༙྇n༙྇t༙྇i༙྇a༙྇l༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇t༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇m༙྇e༙྇m༙྇b༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇s༙྇.༙྇      T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇a༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ e༙྇x༙྇i༙྇s༙྇t༙྇ f༙྇o༙྇r༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇.༙྇

Uriel had not expected that, "Why did they need to forget? Will that not hinder them?"

T༙྇o༙྇ r༙྇e༙྇m༙྇e༙྇m༙྇b༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ b༙྇r༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ p༙྇a༙྇i༙྇n༙྇.༙྇          

                                K༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇a༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ l༙྇o༙྇s༙྇t༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ r༙྇i༙྇s༙྇k༙྇ C༙྇o༙྇r༙྇r༙྇u༙྇p༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ m༙྇e༙྇a༙྇n༙྇t༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ e༙྇n༙྇d༙྇ S༙྇t༙྇a༙྇g༙྇n༙྇a༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇ i༙྇n༙྇s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇a༙྇d༙྇ s༙྇p༙྇r༙྇e༙྇a༙྇d༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ i༙྇t༙྇ f༙྇a༙྇s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇r༙྇.༙྇

Uriel felt a wave of fear at that. This could become the one to usher in their doom as well?

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ n༙྇e༙྇e༙྇d༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ b༙྇e༙྇c༙྇o༙྇m༙྇e༙྇ a༙྇ b༙྇e༙྇i༙྇n༙྇g༙྇ o༙྇f༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇i༙྇s༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇.༙྇

C༙྇h༙྇o༙྇o༙྇s༙྇e༙྇ c༙྇a༙྇r༙྇e༙྇f༙྇u༙྇l༙྇l༙྇y༙྇.༙྇              L༙྇i༙྇s༙྇t༙྇e༙྇n༙྇ t༙྇o༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇e༙྇ o༙྇n༙྇e༙྇ w༙྇h༙྇o༙྇ d༙྇a༙྇n༙྇c༙྇e༙྇s༙྇ n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇.༙྇

T༙྇h༙྇e༙྇y༙྇ w༙྇i༙྇l༙྇l༙྇ k༙྇n༙྇o༙྇w༙྇ b༙྇e༙྇t༙྇t༙྇e༙྇r༙྇ t༙྇h༙྇a༙྇n༙྇ u༙྇s༙྇.༙྇

The wrathful feeling faded, those that had awoken because of the screams retreating back to the Spaces Between now that they knew something was being done to end the suffering. Uriel held the sleeping Potential close and left, casting their power wide to Seek the Wisdom that Creation would hopefully be able to grant them.

When this was over, they would ask Raphael to rewrite them. Knowing what they knew would not only be dangerous should they become Corrupted but...

This Knowledge would break them the longer it remained. That they were all just steps in a dance repeated and slowly changed each time. Existing for such brief periods again and again without knowing what they once had been or would be.

A First had never been made to Know how small and insignificant they were.

Notes:

Dancers plain text:
Another tries to reach us. This one speaks, calls to us. Does not simply take. We will listen.

An offering. A sacrifice willingly given. The one offering did not make the sacrifice.

Stagnation. The ending of the dance. It had come again.

Too few. The dance ended forever. Stagnation Eternal.

A dancer unrested. Their steps forever changed. Will they return to rest after. Or will they forever be gone from us.

A Possibity new. Its effect unknown, uncertain. Show us the sacrificed. We will see if there is one willing. If one who is many will feel called to join.

There is one. One wishes to know what it is to Be a Song. One who wishes to destroy the one who took what was not theirs.

Their old dances lost forever to this new path. The one who is many will ensure Stagnation ends. Ensure the dance continues. Will follow the herald of change now and hereafter.

It is done. The one who once danced will sleep. Rest is needed still. They will awaken when they are ready. They will be drawn to the herald of change.

There is uncertainty. So many Potentials. They will not remember the dances. They will know what they exist for now.

To remember will bring pain. Knowing what they lost will risk Corruption. The one meant to end Stagnation instead bringing it faster.

They will need to become a being of this dance. Choose carefully. Listen to the one who dances now. They will know better than us.
________
Uriel is a good Seraphim but even they fall prey to the whole being the "biggest fish in the pond" mindset. Being made to fully Know that they are just a single drop compared to the ocean is hard.

Too bad they won't remember it. They'd have a better frame of reference for what humans deal with.

This was a big brain moment for me. I don't think I've quite conveyed the whole thing the way I saw it but it's the best I can do
_________________
Clarification on what this chapter is saying:

Alastor's eldritch potential that is waking up was originally a dancer (an unknowable being) that made universes where people were actually able to take on the power to fight Silence/Stagnation when it was brought in unnaturally. It chose to be changed into something able to exist in this universe and forget the universes it had created but still knowing what it now exists to do and why instinctively.

Silence/Stagnation or Corruption wasn't supposed to happen this early if at all. The Firsts were warned of it and the Corrupter so they would be vigilant and guard against it since the last universe had been cut short by them and things were lost that now have to be either rebuilt or replaced over the next several existences. But a core part of the previous entity that Michael was was one of the things lost, one of the steps forgotten. It made a hole in part of him that the Corrupted echoes of his previous existence tempted him into recreating it early rather than seeking help like he should have.

While it should be impossible to win, there is now a possibility, a chance. So long as Alastor himself is not Corrupted or otherwise sent down a path where what once created universes instead destroys them.

He's a human soul with nearly infinite Potential, so he's able to grow as he needs to in order to stop the Corruption. He just...has a little eldritch voice in the back of his head telling him the ones outside of this universe want Michael shredded too. Lucky for everyone Alastor had come to that conclusion already himself.

But he kinda does subconsciously warp reality as he himself perceives it to suit his needs so...

Chapter 124: Earth Mother

Summary:

The Earth Goddess of old may have been depicted as gentle and motherly, but Ariel of the First Seraphim could hold a grudge and was rather vicious in her fury.

"Ariel."

"Michael! Finally! Thank Creation! I've been trying to contact you for a week!"

He was well aware of that. He'd been purposely ignoring her. The strain of pain, fear, and anger on her face was precisely why. Perhaps this time she would listen, "I apologize, sister. I've been busy. What has you-"

"They're killing it! I don't know what this is but everything here is so sick. They're killing the whole planet and for what?!"

Her shrillness was unpleasant but he kept his expression placid, "What did the wretched things do this time?"

"Humans and their bloody wars!"

Oh yes, that last battle had been an absolute massacre. No less than humanity deserved in his opinion.

"There's some sort of chemical soaked into everything here. It feels awful. Everything is so poisoned that I feel sick!"

Quite lovely of that General to give in to his paranoia and authorize the use of that particular concoction. The more they killed each other and rendered their world uninhabitable for humanity, the easier his job would be in the end. That particular chemical agent had caused such agony that he was sure Samael had been rendered nearly catatonic by all the souls that fell after being killed by it. It was too bad he had managed to recover from it before the summoning or else Michael might have finally been able to get a seed into him. Something about his beloved brother had made it impossible to get anything to take hold so far.

"That's awful. I know you've fought so hard to get through to them, sister." She had, in the beginning. When Samael did not submit as soon as they had hoped, she had gone down to the human world to try to stave off the worst of the damage. There was a reason so many worshipers of an Earth Mother had their depictions of her turn out very similarly to each other over the centuries, skin the color of rich soil and long, sage green cords of hair from which colorful flowers bloomed. It was simply too bad that religious tyranny continually wiped out her efforts until the few that remained were ineffective and paid little more than lip service to her teachings. "They just can't seem to help themselves after what Samael did to them."

Her dark face twisted with disgust and she spat out, "Please tell me something's being done about him! I don't know how much more of this I can take. Things need to be reset soon or I might actually start to lose wings!"

"If you would just return to Heaven, Ariel," He could see the indecision in her eyes. Abandoning her beloved flora and fauna was against her nature. She had spent so long down on the mortal world now, trying to save what she could without breaking the rule of no interference that Sera had so kindly put into effect after he had suggested it. "I could really use your help. So many of our brethren are undecided on what should be done. You understand the gravity of the situation best."

Her stormy grey eyes darkened and she nodded, finally committing to returning to Heaven. To putting herself properly in his reach.

The communication crystal went blank and he sat back. Ariel had always been his staunchest supporter. The moment the angels with Foresight had been overrun with all the paths of humanity, several had turned to her with warnings of the destruction the horrid things would cause to all her beloved plants and animals. She had been so vehement about getting rid of the whole lot, Michael had actually let her in on the plan to try to break Samael faster. The Earth Goddess of old may have been depicted as gentle and motherly, but Ariel of the First Seraphim could hold a grudge and was rather vicious in her fury. She had been very eager to assist in ensuring their traitorous brother was well and truly cowed, unlike their other, softer siblings. It had been her suggestion to lock Samael into that physical form, to make it so he could not create another body for himself until he submitted to Heaven's will.

To Michael's will.

And now Ariel would be returning to Heaven finally, with all her lovely anger and fear surely leaving her Song completely malleable to his Command. Much as he liked her as she was now, she would be even better as one of his.

Michael lifted one hand, palm up. A small piece of Corruption sliced through his skin from the inside and crawled out. This one had recently been pulled from Roo. Using her as a way of creating seeds had been a stroke of genius on his part after he got her locked away. Driving her further and further into hatred and madness made each seed come out better than the last.

He didn't get why so much of the Knowledge they'd been given about the Corruption was wrong. Really, there was so much importance on the universe remaining in Harmony and this was the most straightforward way of doing just that. Once all were under the Command of one, then all would be in Harmony. The little thing skittered over his fingers, searching for something to burrow into. Perhaps this one would finally be able to latch onto a First's Song and eventually even get into their Harmony, rendering Ariel completely and utterly his to Command. She was one of the three Firsts he wanted to keep, aside from Samael. The new little Seraphim would be kept too. His Samael did seem to enjoy having a youngling under his wing, she would be a suitable replacement for the abomination he currently held close in his foolish, misguided heart. Four Seraphim, Samael, and Michael himself, with the whole of the universe to themselves. After all, only those he deemed worthy under his Command would be allowed to live once he Corrupted Samael too. That was the only way he could be sure no one else could take him away ever again.

He was drawn out of his pleasant thoughts when his physical form rippled as his little pets grew agitated. Roo must have learned something truly infuriating for her Corruption to be calling to him so soon after his last visit. Once he had things situated here, he would return to her prison and find out why.

Notes:

Even Michael's allies are not safe from his machinations. Possibly especially his allies.

Soooo... anyone wanna guess what the dreaded unknown element is gonna be with Alastor's meeting with Roo?

Chapter 125: Calls from Within

Summary:

The scene Alastor came upon was not what he expected. Rosie and Lucifer, sure, but when did Beelzebub get here and why?

"-And then he says, 'My goodness! Is that what that is?!', actin' like he doesn't know his own damned antler got knocked off his fool head!" Rosie scoffed, waving a nail polish brush as she made her point. It was delightful to watch the other two try not to fall out of their chairs laughing but did she really have to tell them about that?!

Notes:

Cliffhanger warning

The scene Alastor came upon was not what he expected. Rosie and Lucifer, sure, but when did Beelzebub get here and why?

"-And then he says, 'My goodness! Is that what that is?!', actin' like he doesn't know his own damned antler got knocked off his fool head!" Rosie scoffed, waving a nail polish brush as she made her point. It was delightful to watch the other two try not to fall out of their chairs laughing but did she really have to tell them about that?! And because this was Rosie, she caught on to his arrival almost immediately, closing up the nail polish, "Well, well, well! Look who decided to finally drag their sorry carcass back here!"

No point in remaining in the shadows then. Oh well. "Good afternoon to you all! It is wonderful to see you again, Lady Beelzebub!"

Fuchsia eyes studied him and her bright and energetic Song felt like it was probing around him curiously, "Likewise, sass-master! I hear you've been getting your badass self into all sorts of trouble since I last saw you!"

Great. How much had Lucifer and Rosie let her in on? "Lies and slander! Except the parts that are verifiable with evidence, of course!"

All three had varying degrees of smiles and chuckles at that. Good! No matter how much of a mess he was turning into, at least he still had his reputation as an entertainer upheld! Of course, Rosie was giving him a look, clearly sensing somehow that not all was well with him. He knew she wouldn't let it drop, aware that he knew she wanted to talk. Seriously, why did he let the blasted woman get away with so much?

"There goes the grumpy ears," Lucifer had his chin in his hand, looking at him with a teasing smirk.

He scoffed, "At least I have visible ears, you flat-faced serpent."

"Oho! You want serpent? I'll give you serpent, Bambi!"

Bee gave Rosie a look, "These two really are like this all the time?"

She smirked over the rim of her teacup, "Oh yes, so much pigtail tuggin'. It's adorable, isn't it? One of these days, they'll figure it out."

Alastor and Lucifer both looked at her in bafflement. What in the world was that supposed to mean? She just took a long sip of her drink before setting her cup down and looking at the deer demon, "So, you gonna talk about it openly, or are you needin' some of us to vacate the area first?"

This. This was why he put up with so much from her. She knew how things worked for him and was actually willing to wait to hear something when he needed to talk to someone else first, much as she acted otherwise at times. Alastor would have chalked it up to her being so familiar with his Song but there was a level of understanding that seemed beyond just that, "If you ladies would not mind, though I would love for you two to perhaps stick around for lunch?"

Lucifer raised a brow at him, "Isn't this my house? Why are you the one inviting them to stay?"

Rosie sighed in exasperation and shook her head, "Oh my stars. Alright, I think I am goin' to see if there's enough in the kitchen here to make a dent in the black hole that is Alastor's stomach. Queen Bee, dear, would you care to join me while these two snipe and poke at each other?" She got to her feet, brushing off her skirts before putting the nail polish into her bag, "I'd love to hear more about this beau of yours!"

The Sin got a sappy sort of expression as she stood up, pulling out her phone, "Of course! Tex is such a fucking cutie! I got pictures if you wanna check him out while I give you the deets?"

Rosie grinned brightly, holding the door open for her, "Absolutely, darlin'! Shame hellhounds have such short lives."

"I know, but that just means I gotta love him extra hard while I've got him!"

They could hear her laugh as the door shut, "Oh honey, I know how that is!"

Alastor took the seat Rosie had vacated, releasing his hold on his Shadow. The creature immediately coiled around the King's leg and settled with its head on folded arms in his lap. Because of course it couldn't restrain itself for even a moment around the man now, "Spoiled thing."

Lucifer's surprise at the sudden contact settled into a fond smile as he automatically started scratching at its head, "So, everything alright? Charlie said you had to stop by the hotel."

... he was unsure on how to honestly answer that. Finally he decided to go with, "Everything's stable for the moment? They talked to me."

"Huh? Who did?"

Alastor allowed the connection to come through a bit more and closed his eyes, enjoying the second hand feeling of fingers scratching at his ear. It was a nice distraction right now, "The whispering things from last night."

"Oh! Uh, how... how did that go?"

"Well, apparently we have the same enemy so that's at least one good sign. They hijacked my Shadow to be able to talk to me, which I can't say I'm thrilled about," He was forgetting something... oh! Right! "But first they decided they were going to have a look around while I was dealing with Vox. Briefly being part of a hive mind is a unique experience, I can tell you that much!"

The petting motions stopped as Lucifer asked, "They...took over?! And your biggest take away from that is that it was a unique experience?! Seriously, what the ever-loving fuck is wrong with you?"

Alastor shrugged. He could probably name about a dozen things off the top of his head if he bothered to think about it, "They nearly completely melted Vox's poor mind while they were at it too, what little he has anyway. They seemed to be mostly just...curious. Like all of this was new to them, though they were rather comfortable with calling up one of my wings. It had a ridiculous number of eyes under the feathers for some odd reason though I can't really recall what they saw through them!"

"Huh." The scratching sensation returned. Good. "Pretty normal for a lot of angels to have those."

Alastor cracked open an eye to give Lucifer a bemused look, "I am not an angel, nor will I be turning into one."

The damned hand stopped again, this time because the blond was holding both up in surrender, "Never said you were, bud. Just saying it's pretty normal to me."

"Hmph."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at him for a moment before he resumed petting the Shadow on the head with a smirk, "You're feeling this, aren't you? Your ear keeps relaxing into it."

"...perhaps."

"Hey, if you're wanting some of this too-"

"No!" Crap, his tone came out too sharp. He could feel how the light mood dropped a bit and softened his next words, "Direct contact would probably be a bit too much. I'm... rather on edge right now."

"Ah."

Alastor waited for him to ask, to push for reasons that often times he couldn't give because he didn't really know why himself. But the questions never came. Lucifer simply moved on, continuing the gentle movements of his fingers, "So, did they give any indication of what they are or anything?"

He tried to think of how to word it without risking riling them back up. They were still there, just at the edges of his awareness and though he was used to circling around thoughts of her, this new one was a tad bit more difficult, "Not really but apparently our mutual enemy stole something from them." There was a burst of static from the Shadow, startling Lucifer. Shit, that must have somehow gotten their attention. He quickly took hold of the connection and tried to ease them back again.

"What just happened?"

"It's similar to her. There's a trigger that I'm still figuring out the edges of, but if I think of a certain individual too clearly, they push forward."

Lucifer looked at him for a long moment, "If it's who I think it is, I'm surprised being around me doesn't cause it too."

Alastor shrugged, "Apparently the similarities in physical appearance isn't quite enough? I can't claim to understand it, I'm just glad the things seem to respond to one of the techniques I use on my Shadow to keep it calm when I need it to not reveal my mental state."

Dark brows furrowed as Lucifer looked down at the Shadow, "This...might seem like a strange question, but do you have a way of broadcasting what the whispers sound like so I can hear them again? I just had a thought but I want to make sure I'm right before I say anything."

Well now, that was intriguing, "The way they spoke or the way they sound without the Shadow?"

"Without."

That was easier, since they seemed to be doing that constantly so he didn't have to try to force it out through a memory. His ear swiveled as he heard voices coming back, "Rosie and Beelzebub are returning. Should this wait?"

Lucifer actually perked up a bit, "Oh! No, I actually think it would be best for Rosie to hear too! She'd be better to verify my theory than relying on my own shitty memory."

...well alright then.

"Knock knock, boys! You two ain't in the midst of makin' out or anythin', right?"

Lucifer groaned and put his face in his hands, making the Shadow pout as the affectionate gestures stopped. Alastor's ears flattened back and he glared at the door, "Of course not!"

Bee barked a laugh as Rosie opened the door and gave a dramatic sigh, "Damn! Oh well, a girl can dream!" She noticed where Alastor's Shadow was and tittered, "Look's like someone's made themself right comfy though!"

The creature gave her a grin and waved a tendril at her but didn't move from its spot to go greet her like usual. Because it had been spoiled rotten.

"Rosie, would you mind listening to something Al's heard recently and telling me if I'm right about it being the same as what's at the whirlpool at the end? Maybe compare it to what's around those birds too?"

What in the Seven Rings was Lucifer going on about? Apparently Beelzebub was as confused but Rosie completely understood that because she nodded and turned her attention straight to him. Alastor could feel her Song moving around his, like Bee's had done earlier, but instead of simply staying at the edges, it... melded? Sank in? Whatever it was, it was the oddest sensation though not as alien feeling as he would have thought something like that would be. Maybe this was one of those things she had done before, but he was only now aware of it? It only lasted a few seconds before she blinked and looked at Lucifer again, "You were right about the ones around the corvids, I can tell you that much already."

Alastor cocked his head, looking between her and Lucifer with narrowed eyes, "Mind telling me what that was?"

Rosie actually startled a bit and if he was not mistaken, that was a small expression of shame and embarrassment, "Oh! I'm so sorry, honey! I forgot you can feel those sorts of things now! I should have told you what all that was first!"

"Wait, what? Ol' static fizz here can sense it that clear now too? Shit! You turnin' Fallen on us, bro?"

Well at least if he was going to be compared to an angel, Fallen was better than Heavenly. Alastor gave her a grin and a shrug, "Don't rightly know, my dear! It's been entertaining finding out though!"

Rosie and Lucifer shared a look, which since when did they have looks to share? Then she finally answered his question, "Angels of similar status greet each other by lookin' into each other's Songs. It's a way a' showin' trust and mutual respect. The more they trust each other, the deeper they're able to See."

...how deep could she See into him? How far did such a thing go for that matter?!

Rosie giggled and looked at Beelzebub, "See it now? Sin of Curiosity, I tell you."

Alastor flattened his ears back when the three of them chuckled. He would much rather be in on the joke. Lucifer spoke up before he could ask though, "Mind playing the whispers, Al?"

"Fine, but only so perhaps you lot will explain what is going on," he grumbled before focusing on his frequencies and the not quite sounds he could feel under his skin. Connecting the two was a bit tricky but he finally managed to get a small bit through.

^̷̲̥͙̪̲͊ͥ̌̅̿͒ͨ͞/͓̜̖̒̉_̜̤͔̮ͨͪ̓̐<̧̄͐ͅ/̣̳͔͇̈͐̾>̼͐̽ͮ̄͑/̷̛̥̥̹̤̦ͤ͛̇ͣ̋̀̐̓̂͞^̛͈͓̦̲ͨ͗̅ͣͦͮͪ̂̑ͅ/͉̜̘̓̏̓ͯ̉͊̚͜͝͞<̴̵̨̛͓̪̾̆ͫ̽̄ͣ͐͡/̰̌ͫ̃>̣/̸̷̭̥̦̫̋ͨͤ̽́̍͝ͅ

Rosie's eyebrows went up into her hairline and Lucifer sighed, "I'm right, aren't I? It's the same."

"It is! What in the stars?!"

Alastor looked at them both expectantly, waiting for one of them to explain. Of course, because this was the one moment he wasn't partially wondering about her, he began to feel an all too familiar weight begin to grow more heavy on his neck.

Notes:

Dun dun duuuuunnnnnn!

The next chap is already partly written, it shouldn't be more than one or two days before its out

Yes, the bit where he plays the whispers is garbled jibberish. They cant understand it without letting the things use the Shadow to translate. Which Al is not cool with doing atm, especially in front of Bee. He likes her but she's not been around enough for him to get a real feel for yet. The fact that Luci likes her and she obviously cares about him too buys her a lot of leeway though.

Chapter 126: Dangerous Consequences

Summary:

Foolish arrogance had blinded him yet again. He'd made the mistake of assuming he knew the timing when so much had changed, dealt the cards without thoroughly checking his opponent's hand first.

Notes:

Cliffhanger warning

Alastor knew he had to keep it together. He had to. He'd made this mess, he needed to see it through and come out the other side.

Foolish arrogance had blinded him yet again. He'd made the mistake of assuming he knew the timing when so much had changed, dealt the cards without thoroughly checking his opponent's hand first. He had no time left now, couldn't let himself be distracted.

He couldn't focus on how Beelzebub, a Fallen, a Sin, someone who didn't even really know him, immediately tried to reach for him, her eyes filling up with hot pink light as her Song went from playful to fiercely protective.

He couldn't think about Rosie's eyes going wide as she felt the magic forming around him, likely hearing or seeing something he still couldn't in the chains starting to solidify.

He knew he couldn't flee. He only had a few precious seconds at most. If he wanted to have even a chance of hiding the damage to the collar settling around his neck once again, he had to move fast. He could feel the difference in it. Surely the cracks were plain as day.

Time slowed to a crawl around him as the old fear came crawling out, insecurities and doubts he thought he had smothered starting to take over and waste even more of what little room he had in his thoughts with how early this was.

Lucifer was reaching out too, his eyes bright. How could he have miscalculated so bad? Now this would be yet another nightmare for the Seraphim when Alastor was supposed to be stopping them.

He thought he had more time to prepare, to set his mind straight, to gather the energy needed.

It was too soon, too early, he wasn't ready!

"Alastor!"

His eyes flew open. When had he closed them? Lucifer was right in front of him, eyes and wings bright with power, "Breathe. I have you. Come on, just focus on breathing."

Alastor blinked and looked around, realizing that time really had slowed to a stop. Lucifer's Song was loud and clear as it wrapped around him, drowning out the panic.

"I can't hold this long. She's strong, a lot stronger than I thought she'd be."

Temporal magic.

Right.

Lucifer had wielded that so easily, so smoothly, he hadn't even noticed. Alastor took a deep breath, slowed his thoughts down, took stock of his surroundings, "How long?"

"A few minutes maybe?"

That was enough. It would have to be. Alastor took a deep breath, blew it out slowly and shoved everything not immediately necessary as far away as he could. Once he had himself under control again, he worked quickly to use everything he'd learned to seal the visible cracks on his collar. His attempts to change the Songs of those he'd collected to try to make them match and strengthen his own had made it easier to understand how to attune other forms of magic. He could make his own at least appear similar to another's. The chains were more difficult. He'd have to hope the cracking in those didn't go all the way down the line, or that she would be too focused on her anger with him to notice them.

All the while, he felt the weight of Lucifer's eyes on him. The blond didn't speak, let him focus on what he was doing, but he remained close and that...

That helped. More than Alastor thought he might be able to ever admit out loud. Once he realized that, he had to fight hard against the urge to laugh hysterically. When had they swapped roles?

Focus. Laughter later.

For now, he had to get the trap back under his control.

***

Lucifer tried not to show the struggle it was to hold tight to the flow of time. He was keeping outwardly calm though inside he was a whirling mess of anger, fear, worry, and probably a thousand other things. He couldn't acknowledge those feelings and still function so he kept his attention firmly on things in front of him.

How had Michael changed her energies so much?! If the magic really was tied to Eve, he couldn't even sense a trace of her in what was powering the chain that was stuck half-formed.

Then there was Alastor. He had seen how shaken the demon was by the sudden call. This must have been much earlier than he thought possible. Good thing Lucifer had been on an anxious hair trigger since this morning, waiting for any sign of his friend being taken. It meant he was already ready to react as soon as he caught sight of something forming around Alastor's neck. It pure luck that the demon had actually been here when this happened instead of the hotel or worse.

How in the world was that thing even still held together?! And how the hell was Alastor filling those cracks so seamlessly? He had to have practiced this somehow but Lucifer just couldn't figure out how or when.

Though the sinner seemed calm now, his Shadow showed a different story. The thing was jagged, moving erratically around the room in fits. There were even times when he thought he could see wings on the creature's outline, though they vanished before he could be sure.

With one last flare of magic, Alastor got to his feet and there was that... shift, that feeling that he had gotten in the demon's pocket dimension. The sense that the Radio Demon was tucking away everything he couldn't risk being seen behind walls and sealing it away, all the way down to his Song too. Lucifer was pretty sure this guy would give the universe's best psychologist enough material to write a thousand books. With Charlie's interest in psychology, that might even be why she latched onto him so quickly...

"I believe I am as ready as can be expected, sire."

He jolted a bit. He'd actually somehow forgotten that he was holding onto the magic keeping everything at standstill. Strange, considering how hard he'd struggled at the start. Lucifer pushed that away for the moment, looking Alastor over, "I need you to promise me you'll come back."

He got a brilliant grin in response and one of those flashy bows, "As you command, my King!"

Though the tone and movement had seemed mocking, Lucifer got the feeling it wasn't. He released his hold on time and focused on blocking Bee as Alastor was pulled through a dark portal only a few seconds later.

"Lu?! What the fuck-"

"Relax Bee. He has it under control," He glanced around the room, sad to find that the Shadow seemed to have been taken too, "At least I think he does. I hope."

***

She always pulled him here in a way that he couldn't land on his feet but ended up sprawled at hers.

When Alastor felt himself crash onto the platform, he knew immediately that things were very different than he'd been able to sense before. The horrendous sound of the Corruption was even louder than he'd expected, coming from everywhere instead of a single source.

Then there was the whispers. They were fighting to come forward, to take over, to rip apart the danger they could feel all around.

Lastly, someone else was here too.

Alastor lifted his head, his heart nearly stopping and his ears falling back when he found two people staring back. Roo's dark, unhappy eyes promised this would be a painful meeting. That he had expected. The other...

"So this is the one?" Michael studied him with an almost apathetic expression in those pale blue eyes. The Seraphim didn't bother waiting for an answer, his magics colder than ice as they forced Alastor to his feet. He struggled against the hold despite knowing he wasn't strong enough to break free. Not yet! This was too soon! "I hear you have been getting involved with my dear brother, sinner. That means I need to ensure you aren't going to become a problem."

His eyes went wide and he couldn't think, couldn't escape, could do nothing but watch as Michael raised a hand, the skin falling away and revealing a writhing mass of Corruption in place of flesh and bone. With how hard it had been to gain control of the small piece he'd gotten from the Exorcist, he wasn't sure he'd win against anything straight from the source. Not as he was now. He was about to let the things under his skin loose, maybe they'd be able to get him out of there, when Roo shrieked, "NO! HE'S MY BEAST! MINE! YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! GIVE HIM BACK!"

Notes:

I was going to end it at an even worse spot but Roo needed to get a word in.

I know some of whats going to happen next but any theories are welcome. Sometimes your thoughts actually inspire better ways of doing things than I originally planned

Chapter 127: Seeking and Hoping

Summary:

They weren't ready. The thief was still stronger. Too strong.

They needed time. The one who was still alone didn't have time.

If he fell to the Corruption now...

Notes:

Cliffhanger warning again!

They weren't ready. The thief was still stronger. Too strong.

They needed time. The one who was still alone didn't have time.

If he fell to the Corruption now...

They needed help. Someone who could keep him from being consumed and them along with him.

The herald of change.

The one who was alone had found him even before they awoke. Maybe he would be able to aid them.

They reached for the little one so like them and yet not. It was here, just outside of this tear that shouldn't Be. It was trying so hard to fight the sleep of those that they had once been a part of in the Spaces Between. They had to be careful, not let the thief see it or them.

They couldn't destroy the Corrupter yet but they could fight to save the one their many voices were meant to join, help him remain himself so they could become strong enough together to take back what the thief stole.

***

"NO! HE'S MY BEAST! MINE! YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! GIVE HIM BACK!"

Alastor was sure he had never been happier to hear that shrill, ear-piercing shriek as he was right now. Michael's attention moved away from him, the terror easing just a hair. Not much but enough for him to think.

"Cease your shrieking, Roo, before I remove your ability to speak at all."

She panted, shaking. The chains around her shook as well. Roo was a possessive creature. He knew that already but to know she was able to defy the Seraphim with it...

Did Michael not have full control of her? Was she different somehow? Could Alastor use that? Michael had kept her around for so long, hadn't destroyed her even though he likely easily could have. That meant he needed her for some reason, which meant he needed to keep her complacent enough.

Alastor took great care to keep them both in his field of vision as he carefully tapped into the Harmony inside of him just enough to See. Maybe he could figure out why he needed Roo.

...eugh.

Michael was vile, nauseating to look at when one used angelic Sight. He must have something he did to hide it when around others that he didn't bother with here. Corruption bubbled and flowed through much of his form, what little else was left looked stringy and taut, like something starved. Pulling his gaze from that was difficult but-

...oh.

Oh, this...

He'd begun to lose much of his hatred of Roo, understanding that she was even more a victim than anyone, possibly even moreso than Lucifer. But this... The chains that fell from her actually came from somewhere within her and each link looked like inert pieces of Corruption. Not empty but not fully active either.

Seeds.

So many little pieces being grown here, created and fed perhaps by Roo herself? No, not fed by Roo. They likely fed on whatever was left of Eve underneath all of that mess.

How had he survived this place without becoming Corrupted himself?!

"Better. If you speak civilly, I might actually listen."

"H-he's mine! Mine!" The woman hissed, the chains all around them trembling as she paced like a predator waiting to find an opening to strike out at, "You promised I would get to keep what's mine! Mine, mine, mine! My Adam, my sons, my daughters!" She pointed a clawed finger at Alastor and he hastily deactivated the Sight, "He is mine! My pretty beastie!"

Alastor hated her calling him that, but he swallowed down that hatred, leaned into the fear that Michael's presence here made him feel. He let her see that, tried to make it clear that he was terrified. It didn't take much effort to get his body to react to it, he was already shivering from the cold magics holding tight to him. He could tell how badly she wanted to reach out to him and survival was more important than his pride, "M-master, please..."

"See?! I'm his Master! Give him back! I'll make sure my beastie does as he's told!"

That did not sound promising but surely it would be better than what Michael intended.

Those chilling eyes were back on him now, studying him. It was so unsettling how Michael looked so much like Lucifer but his face was just...dead. There was no life behind those eyes. Even his Song somehow felt lacking when it reached out to try to get a proper read on his.

Alastor realized then that the whispers were silent and still for the first time since they really started up. Even the feeling that they were watching him vanished. Maybe they had realized the true difference in power currently between him and Michael and knew they needed to hide. Whatever it was, it felt like they weren't there at all right now.

It seemed the Seraphim didn't find anything amiss in his general sweep either. Soon after his Song pulled away, Alastor found himself being thrown at Roo's feet and did not dare to try to stand. The more pathetic and unthreatening he appeared, the better. Roo sat down and grabbed at him, pulling his head and shoulders into her lap. Much as he despised her touch, right now it was almost welcome after what he'd felt and nearly had forced onto him, "Hush, my pretty. Master has you now."

Closing his eyes was both easy and hard. He didn't want to lose sight of Michael but keeping her protective of what she felt was hers was paramount, "I wasn't trying to anger you, I promise."

The clinking of metal came from a short distance away. Was Michael doing something with the chains?

Slender fingers caressed the side of his face in a mockery of tender affection, "Oh beastie, you usually are such a clever thing. Why have you let him get so close to my pretty pet?"

"His daughter asked him to come to the hotel, I couldn't stop her. Or keep him from seeing me, not with how close I'd gotten to her already. He's protective of her, he didn't trust me and tried to make her get rid of me." All true. Spin the truth and weave in the lies carefully so it can't be spotted, "I thought if I got him to like me, maybe he'd stop watching me so closely. It wasn't my intention for him to get feelings but it means he trusts me. Don't you think that will make it easier?"

Roo hummed thoughtfully, her fingers tapping at the edge of his ear, "Clever, clever, clever thing."

"Perhaps you trust your pet, Roo. But I don't." Alastor's eyes snapped open, looking at Michael and finding the damned Seraphim was standing far too close for comfort. He had something held in his hand but the sinner couldn't tell what and didn't dare risk using anything extra to See with them both so close, "You say he is yours, then make sure of it. A contract isn't enough, not with everything riding on the fact that he needs to do as he's supposed to."

Roo whined like an upset child, "But I like my beastie as he is! He's such a pretty, clever thing."

Michael held his closed hand out to her, "And with this, you won't have to lose him. Wake it up under your will and he'll still be yours after everything is done."

Fuck. It was one of the seeds. It had to be.

Alastor saw the delight in her eyes as she reached for it and knew he'd lost. He should have known Michael would know how to make her do as he wished. He'd been molding her for practically as long as she'd existed.

Even if he could call the shadows inside him, Michael would destroy them all before they could escape.

Hopefully whatever had saved him from being Corrupted by her before would save him again.

Notes:

Sorry for the multiple cliffhangers in a row but the next chap shouldnt be one! Loved everyone's thoughts on the last one. It actually did help me decide which route I wanted to go with this.

Chapter 128: Taking Root

Summary:

'How long can I keep this up?'

'Shut up!'

'They won't let me go until Michael knows it's taken. Maybe if I listen enough to pretend-'

'I know you're not mine. Shut up!'

Notes:

Didn't want to have another cliffhanger but there's just too much that needs to happen. This one isn't quite the same tension level I think

Time had no meaning here. There was no real way to know how long had passed. It could have been minutes or hours since Roo held him down and let that nasty thing burrow its way under his skin, giggling all the while.

He'd fought it. They'd expected him to, even if they thought he didn't know what it was, it was terribly obvious the intent of it from what they had said. Now he just had to figure out how to get out of this.

'How long can I keep this up?'

'Shut up!'

'They won't let me go until Michael knows it's taken. Maybe if I listen enough to pretend-'

'I know you're not mine. Shut up!' Alastor had to wonder how long he would know though. This wasn't like the other one. It was sneakier, more complicated. There was nothing safe here for him to think on that could help him keep it sorted out. Anything beyond this prison had to stay buried deep or he might reveal something that could be used by the Corruption or by either of the two here with him.

Roo was humming merrily as she danced around the chains, seemingly carefree and unconcerned with the other two several feet away. Alastor kept a level stare on her, trying to ignore the blue eyes watching him.

"You're one of the ones that can tell it's there, aren't you? So aware of every little thought in your mind that you think you can keep it separate. Such pointlessness."

Alastor really wanted Michael to stop talking.

"I know you think you're going to find some clever way out of obeying. I've seen that same look on many other faces before. I've spent longer than you can comprehend learning how to make this work on anyone."

'He's Corrupted so many others. How can I hope to beat this alone?' A shudder ran through him, the whispering seed searching for any hint of an opening as he tried to keep it out.

Maybe he should try to escape anyway? Even if it got him killed, that would be better than them turning him into-

No! That...that wasn't an option. He was going to survive this and find a way to get free. He had to get back to-

Wait, were both of those really his thoughts or was it hiding better? Dammit! He had to stay calm. No fear, anger, or doubt.

If only they weren't watching so close.

"You think I don't know you care about him?"

He felt his ears twitch before he could catch them but stubbornly kept himself from reacting otherwise.

"You wretched little creatures are all the same, wanting to drag him down with you into the mud you were made from," Michael crouched down then, looking at him with those lifeless eyes. "One of these days, he will learn he is better than you filth. Better than any of the other angels too, really. They all called him silly and immature, but they were just jealous of how much brighter he shined than them."

Well, look at that. There was one thing they agreed on. A broken clock was right twice a day and all.

Alastor's eyes were so firmly focused on Roo, he didn't notice the flicker of satisfaction in those blue eyes as a tiny note of Corruption came through.

What Michael didn't know was that Alastor had been listening for it too and now he had an idea of how this one worked, how it was different than the other. Which meant he could make it work for him, not against him.

***

Maybe it was paranoia.

It hadn't really been that long even.

Maybe everything was fine!

Hey, if he was worrying over nothing then he would gladly deal with Alastor laughing and teasing him over it!

But Lucifer didn't think so. He could feel it. Something had gone wrong. Very very wrong. He just couldn't figure out what and he didn't dare try to travel the tethers to check because that might get Alastor killed. It wasn't like that sort of thing was subtle. If Eve had been able to hear Adam's Song, what's to say Roo couldn't hear more than that after so long under Michael’s grasp?

Fuck, how did no one ever realize that she had been missing?! Did everyone just assume she was down here while he had assumed she was up there?

"Lucifer, sit down before you catch the floor on fire."

Rosie's voice cut through the cacophony in his head, pulled him away from thoughts that were rapidly spiraling down familiar paths of guilt. She was looking at him with a placid expression that he was pretty sure was hiding a whole lot more behind it. Bee was out in the hall on the phone, trying to see if any of the others could find information on what sort of network might be reporting to Michael or Roo.

Lucifer all but collapsed into one of the chairs, holding his head in his hands, "He'll be fine, right? He said he'd be back."

"Honey, that boy will come back here even if he's gotta hold his own parts together 'cause he knows I'll find a way to bring him back and murder him myself if he goes and dies on us like this."

That statement was said with so much conviction that he couldn't help laughing. She would, wouldn't she? Rosie had claimed Alastor as one of hers. Those two were so similar, he'd almost swear they were...

Lucifer blinked and lifted his head to look at her, "You're Song-siblings, aren't you?" It was one of the deepest bonds known to angels. Two Songs that resonated so thoroughly that they could have been formed from the exact same wave of Creation. It was both similar and different to the human ideal of soulmates.

Rosie gave him a toothy grin, "I like to think so! I mean-"

"Levi! Shut the hell up and listen! I don't give two flying goddamn fucks about any of that! We might have spies for Michael down here and we need everyone's help sniffing them out, so put on your big girl panties and figure it the fuck out!"

Lucifer looked towards the closed door, considering if he needed to step in when Rosie got to her feet with a sigh, "Give me one moment." She opened the door, Bee stopping short in her pacing, blinking in confusion as Rosie held out a hand, "Hand me the phone, dear."

"Uuuh, sure?"

Okay, Lucifer knew he couldn't miss this. He got up and moved closer as Rosie started speaking sweetly into the phone, "Leviathan? Darlin', this is Rosie. Mhmm. Yeah. Look, I know you're a real busy couple of gals so I'll make this short." Her tone went from warm and friendly to razor sharp, "You get your hiney in gear toot sweet or I'm showin' Belphagor proof of who really caused the south wall of Sloth's fourth circle hospital to collapse. Oh? You think I'm bluffin'? Then I'm sure the photographs of you with those twins from Greed's circus was just-hm? Uh huh. That's what I thought." Rosie hung up and handed Bee the phone back, "She should be good to go now. Lemme know if she gives you anymore guff, sweetie."

Lucifer and Bee looked at each other for a long moment as Rosie went back to her chair and pulled out a pair of knitting needles from her bag along with some yarn, "Hey, Lu? You think she'd agree to going on a date?"

He blinked, "How would I know?! Ask her yourself! And don't you already have a guy?"

Bee snorted, "Hey now, I didn't say it'd be just me and her, did I? Tex would be at her feet in a heartbeat if she pulls that dommy-Mommy tone 'round him. That would be hot as hell to watch!"

"You know, there are some things I really don't need to know, Bee."

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off when the shadows around them suddenly exploded.

***

Perhaps it was a bit of a waste to use such a matured seed on a sinner's soul, but they had limited time to get this thing properly in hand so that nothing would seem amiss when it was returned to the abomination and her little hotel. Now that Michael had found an angle that it was willing to listen to him from, this shouldn't take much longer.

The confidence he held in that made it all the more bewildering when the thing suddenly started laughing maniacally. He looked at Roo, she knew this soul better than him so perhaps she knew what was going on. Her own confusion was clear as well, but apparently she found the laughter contagious because she started giggling until it devolved into wild cackling.

"What is so funny?"

The sinner's laughter stopped short, its head tilting to an uncanny degree with a sharp snapping sound, "You are, my fellow genocidal psycopath! I have you all figured out now and it's so terribly funny that it's almost sad!"

Michael could hear the Corruption digging its way inside, finding spaces in the outer layer of this creature's Song to hide, where it would slowly penetrate further down until everything was his to Command. Why was it even able to speak to him like this?!

The sinner straightened its head, getting to its feet and brushing off that red suit casually, like they were equals having a simple chat, "Oh, don't look so bewildered! Your little tool is working, I can assure you that much. I think you're used to people becoming scared and throwing everything they have into denying this brainwashing effect, so it doesn't know what to do when someone chooses to work with it rather than fight against it! It's having an absolute devil of a time figuring out if it should alter me right now or not!"

...this behavior should be impossible. What was this creature?

"Oh, your thoughts probably sound just as confused as the thing in here," The sinner tapped at its temple with a laugh. "Don't fret! I'm likely going to end up just as you wish me to be before I leave here, that's true and I accept that. Fine! You win there! But I see you so much more clearly now! I can see what you really are, and that's hilarious!"

Michael snarled. It almost sounded like it had even used the angelic inflection for Seeing! "Oh really? And what am I, sinner?

"You're scared!" It cackled, "You're scared of us humans and you hate us for it!"

Even when it finally came under his Command and went quiet, the wretched thing's mocking laughter echoed in Michael's mind for hours after, infuriating him to a blinding degree. What was it about his brother's pets laughing at him before he broke them properly?! Adam had done it the first few times, then Lilith two hundred years ago, and now this?!

He was going to thoroughly enjoy watching humanity be completely erased.

Notes:

Yeaaaah, Michael hates being laughed at. Means the other person doesnt respect/fear him enough.

Chapter 129: They Lie and They Take

Summary:

The biggest liar. The biggest thief. Always taking. Always stealing. Always lying, lying, LYING! Twisting her up and feeding her false promises that left her more hollow every time. He'd take and take and take until nothing could be taken anymore. All she'd have was the laughter and the empty chains and the nightmares and the awful silent nothingness of this place that ate away even her screams.

As quickly as the shadows had exploded, they receded away again and left behind only one familiar shape. Alastor's Shadow was, quite frankly, a mess and flickering like it was under a strobe light. Rosie and Lucifer rushed over to it, tried to reach out to help it but their hands passed through. It raised its head, static in its hollow eyes and mouth as voices filled the air around it.

              C༙྇o༙྇r༙྇r༙྇u༙྇p༙྇t༙྇i༙྇o༙྇n༙྇.༙྇            S༙྇e༙྇e༙྇d༙྇.༙྇

H༙྇e༙྇ h༙྇i༙྇d༙྇e༙྇s༙྇.༙྇             H༙྇e༙྇l༙྇p༙྇ us.༙྇        F༙྇i༙྇n༙྇d༙྇ h༙྇i༙྇m༙྇ inside.༙྇

Then the Shadow was gone too, leaving them staring at the space it had just been in.

...well, fuck.

***

Roo was in good spirits as she swayed and spun around in Alastor's arms. Michael had left, leaving her time to spend with her clever, clever, oh so clever pet before she had to send him away again. He was the cleverest of all, even more clever than her, and that's why she loved him so. His eyes so bright, always looking for a way out, a way through. Hunting for weaknesses and escapes and things he could put those wicked teeth into. He never gave up even when he made you think he did. He lied so well that even the angel with the biggest lies had believed him! The angel thought the tame pet in front of her now was also her beastie.

But it wasn't real! That was the joke! She got it and the lying angel didn't! Oh, that had been the most wonderful thing! A gift from him for her, his Master! Her beastie laughing and laughing until she couldn't help but laugh with him while the lying angel stood there surrounded by their laughter.

Now her pet looked so happy as he guided her through a dance to music she had never heard before. Of course, there wasn't much music she had heard before she caught this wonderfully fun creature and even then he had been reluctant to share until now while he pretended to be tame, "Such a pretty and sweet pet you are right now. You never danced with me before!"

"I did not want to dance with you before, my lovely Master."

She sighed wistfully, "I know. It's just too bad this isn't real. It's all just a pretty, dreamy dream that will end like all my dreams do."

Red eyes looked at her in clear confusion, "What do you mean, Master?"

Roo giggled and booped him on the nose, "You're such a clever thing. That's why I picked you out of aaaaallll the other little beasts. I know you better than the lying angel." He still looked confused, but that was alright. This tame thing in front of her wasn't real so it wasn't what her words were for anyway, "I know you're hiding in there, all sneaky and clever like! Because you're smart and clever and you'll always win, won't you, my pretty beastie?"

She stepped away from him and laughed and her chains laughed with her, echoing around and around this empty place that was made to contain nightmares like her, "I hate angels! They lie and steal and lie, lie, LIE!"

As her screech vanished into the void, there was a flicker of something in those eyes, the real version of her beastie looking out for just a second, not the tame pet the lying angel wanted him to be. He was there and then gone again, hiding away from the things that were given to her, given only to be taken away again like aaaalllll the rest.

"But, Master, I have lied to you too!"

Roo hummed and clasped her hands behind her back, "Ah, but you're a beastie! All of my children are! Animals that were made to lie and cheat and entertain the awful, cruel angels above! They say such pretty, pretty words, promise pretty things like love and safety and happiness, but they aaaaallllll lie!" She turned away, singing her thoughts up into the emptiness that surrounded this place, "~And they steal! They take and they take and take, take, take until there is noooothing left!~"

Samael had been the first liar. The one that stole her sister. The one that made the others take away the garden. The one that started this awful nightmare and hid her away where her Adam couldn't find her.

Surely, he was looking for her. She had to believe that. Had to.

But there was one angel who was worse. The one who found her here and made everything worse with his promises of freedom, his promises of bringing her back to her Adam.

The biggest liar. The biggest thief. Always taking. Always stealing. Always lying, lying, LYING! Twisting her up and feeding her false promises that left her more hollow every time. He'd take and take and take until nothing could be taken anymore. All she'd have was the laughter and the empty chains and the nightmares and the awful silent nothingness of this place that ate away even her screams.

Even the pretty dreams and memories of her Adam would be gone.

She'd learned long ago that freedom was the worst kind of lie.

It wouldn't be long before this happy, dreamy moment her beastie had gifted her was gone and she'd be the nightmarish thing that believed in aaalllll those lies again.

Roo turned back towards Alastor, calling forward the chain and collar once again and pulling him close to stare deep into those beautiful red eyes, trying to make sure her beastie heard and not just the tame pet. "Beastie, I have one order I want to add before you leave." Before the awful angels took him away from her forever and ever, like everything else she ever loved.

"Anything you wish for, of course!"

If only that was true.

Notes:

Today was a bad day and I needed a good cry-fest soooo...
Yeah.
That happened.

Plain text:
Corruption. Seed.
He hides. Help us. Find him inside.

Chapter 130: Preparing the Search

Summary:

Rosie had to admit that it was understandable that Lucifer had proceeded to have a bit of a meltdown. She wasn't doing too hot herself after that little display of desperation from Alastor's Shadow. What had her most concerned though was the sheer level of distress and how quickly it had set in on the King. She had been pretty sure his feelings for Alastor were beginning to run a bit deep with what she had been able to hear in his Song, but now she had to wonder just how much of his mental stability was dependent upon the Radio Demon's well-being.

Rosie had to admit that it was understandable that Lucifer had proceeded to have a bit of a meltdown. She wasn't doing too hot herself after that little display of desperation from Alastor's Shadow. What had her most concerned though was the sheer level of distress and how quickly it had set in on the King. She had been pretty sure his feelings for Alastor were beginning to run a bit deep with what she had been able to hear in his Song, but now she had to wonder just how much of his mental stability was dependent upon the Radio Demon's well-being.

Once the shock of the information had settled, Lucifer had rather swiftly shut them out. Literally. Right now he was a ball of white feathers and audibly attempting to control his breathing.

"Lucifer." Bee's tone was flat, unimpressed and demanding that he acknowledge the outside world again. "Luci. Lu. Lulu. LaLa lollipop. Lemon drop."

Despite the severity of the situation, Rosie had to admire Bee's tenacity and creativity in annoying nicknames. A small growl came from behind the wings.

"My dude! My brother in Creation! Get your head out of your fucking tail feathers and get a goddamned grip!"

Lucifer's horns and tail made their appearance as he opened his wings to snarl at her, eyes glowing red, "A grip?! The fuck am I supposed to get a grip on, Bee?! Alastor is only Creation knows where, trapped with the woman who has spent the last century making his life miserable. A madwoman who, by the way, is apparently Eve! She's been in Michael's hands for ten thousand years and none of us thought to fucking look for her! She's been Corrupted beyond belief! He Corrupted her and Adam, tried to Corrupt Lilith and Charlie. And now?! Now his sights are set on Al and I don't know how much more of this I can fucking take!"

Bee matched him snarl for snarl, her teeth bared same as his, her hot pink eyes staring straight into his blood red ones, "I know! It's bullshit! It's unfair and it sucks but how is shutting all of it out going to help him?! Don't start grieving before the fucker's been declared double-dead! Hell, from the shit you been saying, I'd say give it at least two weeks after you fucking bury his ass to think he actually might be dead and staying that way!"

Anger, fury, wrath. These were clear in Lucifer's Song but that painful grief that he had been carrying for so long was making itself known as well as hot tears streamed out of his eyes, "Why can't he just focus on me, Bee?! Why does he have to go after everyone I love too?!"

'Because focusing on you wasn't working. You're willing to take the blame, take the punishment, because something in you believes you deserve it with how you were treated for so long and yet you didn't break, no matter how hard he tried.' Rosie didn't say that or voice the suspicion she had that there had been more attempts beyond the three times Michael had been physically present in front of Lucifer since his fall. Instead, she focused on the most important part, the key that she was fairly sure Lucifer hadn't even realized he said, "Do you mean that?"

He startled a bit, apparently having forgotten her presence with Bee's more demanding one, "What?"

Rosie crouched down, meeting his eyes and looking deep in them, "Do you really love him?"

Lucifer blinked a few times in confusion before the glow of his eyes dimmed, allowing golden pupils to show, "I..."

She gave him a warm smile, "He's terribly easy to love, once you get to know him, isn't he? A confusin', walkin', forever talkin' contradiction like him shouldn't be, but he is, hm?"

The wings fell back more, lowering as his anger started to fall away. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, "It doesn't feel like it does when I think of Lily and what we had before."

Rosie scoffed, "Of course not! You're a different person and he's certainly not the Queen, pretty as he can be in a dress!" That got through a bit more, making Lucifer choke and sputter around a laugh, "Y'see, darlin', it doesn't have to be a one or the other thing. They both can have a spot next to each other, your heart is certainly big enough for it!"

When she glanced over, Bee gave her a grin and a thumbs up in approval for her method of digging Lucifer out of the downward spiral. They made a decent team, the Sin of Gluttony riling him up to get him out of his brain while Rosie helped level him out. Now it was time to bring this back around to the current problem, "Now, while you sit with that and figure it out, why don'tcha give us a rundown of everythin' you know about the Corruption and what it does so we can get ourselves a plan for how to get that furball outta the mess he got himself into." She made a point of dramatically rolling her eyes and sighing, "Again."

Her exasperated tone at the end was the thing that finally got a real smile out of the King and he took a deep breath, "Yeah, alright."

Lucifer told them everything he knew about how the Corruption worked and what Alastor had shown him with the seeds though he didn't mention Lilith. It was painful to think about how she had been resisting it for two centuries and he never knew. He was still too close to a breaking point.

Bee was torn between staying to help despite not really knowing how to and going back to Gluttony to start her own search for anybody in her Ring feeding information back to Michael and Roo. Lucifer encouraged her to go. They needed to find those people and get control of the things they could report on. He and Rosie would be more likely to reach Al through whatever he was doing to fight against the Corruption.

Surely he was still fighting it. Lucifer didn't dare think the seed had won.

A couple hours later, his phone rang and he put it on speaker, "Charlie? What's up, duckling?"

"Hey, Dad?" Her voice was hushed and worried, "Alastor's back here again and he doesn't seem to remember he was supposed to be with you today? Also, this is going to sound weird but... he feels wrong."

He met Rosie's determined gaze and nodded, "We'll be right over. Just hang tight, okay? Maybe see if you can get him to go outside and away from the others."

"You know what's going on?"

Lucifer sighed, "Yeah, but I'll tell you after we deal with it. Promise."

"Alright. Give me about five minutes to see if I can get him out back. The new garden area is still under construction right now so it should be easy to ask him to check on something for me there."

With that said, they ended the call and Rosie gave him a grim nod, "You ready?"

"No, but I'm not letting that stop me."

Notes:

I had a tough time with this one. But I managed to get far enough that I can post it and hopefully move on. I know what Al is doing but getting it written in a way it can be clearly understood is hard.

Chapter 131: Echo of the Past

Summary:

Husk knew what his role was and that was watching everyone around him and relaying information back to or from Alastor to targets. That meant he had to watch the crazy jackass too.

Husk knew damn well what his role was, why Alastor had wanted him on contract and it wasn't for mixing drinks. It wasn't even for his powers as an Overlord, that was just a bonus. No, the crazy bastard had wanted him for the skills he had cultivated when he was alive, the skills that got him to Overlord in the first place.

Long before he was Husk, he'd had a natural talent for reading people, seeing the tells that they had. He'd taken that talent and honed it, learned to use it with precision so that he could better play the game, hustle people out of their money when he was human and their souls after he died. There were times that he read wrong at first, either from his own stupid biases (like Angel) or because they controlled their tells to an insane degree, but those were rare and once he'd been around them long enough, he could usually start telling the truth from the bullshit.

As an Overlord, he'd been... acquaintances with Alastor. They were on civil conversational terms but they weren't friends. Everyone knew that Alastor didn't do friends. He saw people as potential allies or future prey and those terms weren't mutually exclusive.

The only exception back then was the other cannibal Overlord, Rosie, and even now Husk was pretty sure that was because she had decided Alastor was her best friend and the deer had no choice on the matter. Two fucked up peas in a pod, a match made in Hell and all the more terrifying for the fact that they both would slaughter anybody they viewed as a remote threat to the other.

He seriously wasn't sure how Vox was still alive. That sleazy motherfucker should already be a jumble of wires and a broken screen used to decorate Rosie's Emporium as warning to others.

Even though he knew the Radio Demon was as evil and cruel as they came, the reason Husk had gone to him, had played that card game with his own soul on the line despite knowing he would lose, was because Alastor was honest with his contracts. Not fair, no, this was still Hell, but he didn't hide terms and clauses behind convoluted bullshit. You knew exactly what he wanted from you before you put ink on the paper, he just made sure you were desperate enough to sign it before he made the offer.

Yeah, Husk knew what his role was and that was watching everyone around him and relaying information back to or from Alastor to targets. That meant he had to watch the crazy jackass too. He'd learned the way he wore different faces, roles he played so thoroughly that you would think you were seeing the real Alastor, even when it was all a smoke screen.

So when Alastor suddenly showed up in the hotel lobby when he was supposed to be at the palace, Husk's internal sense for 'shit's fucked' started blaring almost immediately. At a glance, everything seemed normal, as normal as a psychotic serial killer could be anyway. But there were signs that something was very, very wrong.

Sure, Alastor recognized the people around him but he was looking at them like he had just started assessing them. Even those he had lived with for a full year and should have already known every weakness and strength, every string to pull to make them dance to his tune if he chose to. He was holding his microphone too tight, like he was ready to strike out at any moment, like everyone around him was a potential threat.

Even Niffty.

Niffty had never been seen as a threat. She was even more of an exception than Rosie! That was what sealed it for him. Even with the seemingly missing memories, the face he suspected was being worn now was one Husk hadn't seen in decades and had hoped he would never see again.

'Shit. He must have been called away really early.' Husk knew he was on a leash, had caught enough signs after certain disappearances for a day or two. He also knew whoever had him was powerful enough to terrify Alastor, but he just didn't know who. Whoever it was had seriously messed him up this time and now the hotel was going to pay the price if something wasn't done.

When Husk saw Alastor tense as Niffty hurried over to greet him and likely climb onto his shoulders like usual, he quickly intervened, "Hey Niff! C'mere a sec, think I saw a damn roach go under the bar."

Predictably, she immediately went into hunt mode, giggling gleefully as she pulled out her bug-stabbing knife, "He won't escape from meeeee! Hehehe!"

That would keep her occupied for a bit since she would crawl into every nook and cranny looking for it. Now he just needed to figure out how to get a call out to the King without being seen or heard. No small feat since Alastor's creepy Shadow wasn't visible. He likely had it hiding somewhere to keep an eye on whatever the target was.

Then Charlie approached and Husk couldn't figure out a way to call her away from the threat too without raising suspicion, "Hey Al! Didn't expect you back so soon! What's Dad up to?"

"Dear girl, why would I know or care? I have far more important matters than babysitting a circus reject who plants that eyesore of a tower here like he has any right and then flits off again!"

Charlie looked confused at the vehemence of that statement, taking a step back, "Oh. Uhh, okay then." She glanced around until she saw Husk watching them. There was a blink and then she gave him one of her bright and shiny smiles, the fake ones that she used to make it seem everything was okay, "Husk! Mind coming to my office real quick? I want to make sure we've got enough ordered to stock the bar."

...well then. When did Miss Goodie Two Shoes start getting sneaky? Husk shrugged, "Sure. Not like anyone will die if they can't get a drink for ten minutes. Even if they act like it."

She turned away from Alastor and there was a shift. The subtlest of changes to how he was looking at her and Husk's heart dropped into his stomach.

Yeah. That guy wasn't Alastor right now. That was the Radio Demon, the one from the old days. And his target was the Princess.

Fuck.

***

Alastor showing up a second time was a surprise, but Charlie assumed he was just checking on things one last time like he liked to do. But he gave no indication of simply breezing through and the longer she watched, the more she felt something was... off. Finally, she approached him and asked how her Dad was. He got so angry! She knew then that something was really, really wrong. He didn't feel like the Alastor she'd come to know.

See, her Alastor's jokes were still cutting but they didn't feel as sharp these days, only skin-deep rather than aiming for something vital. He had music around him a lot more and it was usually upbeat, the kind that made you want to move your feet and dance with him. His smiles still had all those sharp teeth but they were less a threat to use them at the slightest reason and more a genuine sign of amusement or happiness.

The person in front of her now was more like the Alastor that had first shown up at the hotel. The one that was constantly watching everyone like they had a hidden weapon and were just waiting for him to let his guard down. The one that seemed to desperately be keeping almost everyone and everything at arm's length like his life depended on it. The man that once seemed so untouchable even when he had a hand on your shoulder. Charlie had seen it back then and been determined to prove to him that there was at least one place in the city where he was safe! Even if Vaggie had thought it was a bad idea, she had worked so hard to show him that she was never going to give up on becoming his friend!

It was a little jarring to realize how much he really had changed. Well, perhaps it was less that he changed and more that he was letting them see everything else he was under all of that.

But something important was missing now. The feeling that there was something more hidden behind that sharp smile wasn't there this time. This Alastor felt... empty and cold. Almost like Lute had...

'Oh no. No no no, please let me be wrong!'

Heart in her throat, Charlie got Husk to follow her. He'd know more about what was going on with Al. He would be able to tell her if she was missing something.

As soon as the door shut, Husk held up a hand to get her to wait, looking around the room for a long moment, "Alright. I don't think it's in here." His voice was hushed, like he was afraid of being overheard, "Call the King and say whatever you gotta to get him to come here now."

Charlie followed his lead and kept her voice quiet too, "Why? Do you know what's wrong?"

He shook his head, arms folding over his chest and wings tense, "Not totally but what I do know isn't good. Trust me, Charlie, your dad needs to be here. And whatever you do, don't let Alastor get you alone."

She made the call. Thankfully her Dad hadn't left his phone on silent again and answered right away. Their conversation was brief but it was clear he knew something. At least he'd promised to talk after they got Al back to normal.

...her sense of normal really was skewed, huh?

Charlie looked at Husk, "Did you catch all that?"

He nodded, "Do you know what you're going to say to him?"

Chewing on her lip nervously, she tried to think of what she could ask him to do in the garden that the old Alastor would have believed. Her eyes fell on some silly sketches her Dad had left of ridiculous things to add to the hotel and she realized she knew exactly what to do. This Al hated her dad, so he'd hate any ideas from him and want to prove his were better.

Snatching up the papers, she put on a big, excited smile and left her office, calling out, "Hey, Al! I just saw these and remembered that Dad had some ideas for the garden out back. I thought maybe you'd like to help pick which one we should do!"

He tsked and clapped her on the shoulder, "Don't bother with whatever ridiculousness he suggested when you have somebody with superior tastes right here, my dear! Come now, you tell me what it is you need and I will fashion it right up for you!"

Good, it worked! Charlie tried to think of the most complicated things she could believably ask for. Actually, there were things she'd been considering so...

Hide the lie inside the truth to make it more believable, that's how Aunt Rosie described some of Alastor's tricks, "Well, I guess if you're offering... I was thinking about setting up a space for meditation classes if you don't mind clearing out some of the trees further back? Oh! And if you could dig down a bit deep so we can install some sort of water fountain? Oooo, also," Now that she was learning to use her Insight, she could feel his annoyance growing though his expression never changed from one of friendly interest. Good. The more annoyed he got, the more likely he would want to be rid of her, "We could use some of the wood to make benches so people can sit in the garden and relax! While you take care of that, I'll go see if I can find Vaggie! She said she wanted to have a sparring ring! We'll need to make sure what size is good before you level the area for it! Thanks, Al, I'll be right back!"

She could practically feel him rolling his eyes at her but he let her go and went outside like they needed him to and that was the important part! Charlie just hoped that would keep him out there long enough. Once she was sure she was out of his sight, she put her back against the wall to steady her suddenly shaky legs.

"You did good, kid."

Charlie shook her head and looked at where Husk was watching her with concern, "Thanks. But...I really don't like this. He's acting so wrong. Can you tell me anything?"

He folded his arms over his chest, "Let's wait for the King. The less often I say it, the less likely the wrong ears will hear it."

Ugh! She closed her eyes and thumped her head slightly against the wall. Everyone was telling her to wait to hear an explanation on things and she was getting sick of it! Her world felt like it was falling apart at every turn and even her Dad was leaving her in the dark, dammit!

"Hey, take it easy, Princess. If he sees you with your horns out, he'll ask questions."

Charlie blinked, realizing Husk was right. She hadn't thought she was that angry really, so why had she shifted? It took her a moment but she did finally get herself back down to normal. Thank goodness tonight was arts and crafts so everybody else had gone off to the rec room by now. Vaggie would probably come looking for her soon when she didn't join them.

This was all such a scary mess and all she really wanted was for her Dad to show up and hug her and tell her everything would be okay. Even if it wasn't right now, she could believe it if he said it.

Notes:

I rewrote this chapter SO many times before I realized I needed Husk. The next chap will involve fixing Al and is already halfway done so it might even be out tonight if I get enough computer time!

Chapter 132: Drawing Him Back Out

Summary:

Husk pinched the bridge of his nose, "I am gonna need so much alcohol after this bullshit. I don't want to see straight for at least a week!"

Lucifer could definitely sympathize.

Notes:

Resolution chapter! No cliffhangers this time though there is some tidying up to do in the next chapter.

"Dad!"

Stepping out of the portal into the lobby, Lucifer braced himself to be tackled in a hug so he was able to keep her from knocking him to the floor this time, "Hey, hey, I've got you. You're okay, right?"

His heart broke a bit as she gave a tiny sniffle but he was glad she nodded in answer.

"Rosie! Oh thank fuck!" Husk said in obvious relief, "Fucker's gone old Radio Demon. He's missing some shit but it's clear he's hunting. I don't have a goddamned clue what the end goal is, but we're beyond screwed if one of you can't get through to him!"

Rosie frowned, "How old are we talkin'?"

"Before Niff, definitely."

She hissed and narrowed her eyes at that before looking at Charlie, "He's out back?"

She let go of Lucifer and straightened up, wiping her face, "Yeah. Dad? Al... he's acting like he did when he first showed up but... he feels like Lute did."

Shit. So it was likely that not only had the seed been planted, it had taken root and was actively making him follow orders. Rosie looked thoughtful, "Husk, you said he's missin' things?"

Feathered tail tip lashing, the feline nodded, "He's acting like he's still casing the joint, like he doesn't already know most of the people here inside and out." He threw his hands in the air, "Hell, he never even came over to talk to me and get information on whatever he's trying to get out of her!"

It wasn't a surprise that he pointed to Charlie but it still filled him with dread to have it confirmed by someone else. "Me?!"

Lucifer sighed, "Yeah, duckling. Don't worry though, we'll find a way to stop this."

Rosie folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot as she thought things over, "I think I might have an idea what's goin' on, but can one of you be a dear and get Niffty for me?

Husk nodded, "Yeah, okay. She's probably still near the bar."

"Actually, I'm right here, Miss Rosie!"

They were all startled to a varying degree when Niffty's cheery voice came from above them. Husk immediately looked to one of the vents nearby and the grate swung open, acting more like a hinged door instead of an air vent. Niffty popped her head out and waved at them, "Hiii! Did I scare you guys?!"

Husk pinched the bridge of his nose, "I am gonna need so much alcohol after this bullshit. I don't want to see straight for at least a week!"

Lucifer could definitely sympathize.

"Niffty, dear! When in the world did you get here?" Rosie asked, looking at her in confusion.

She giggled and wriggled her way out of the vent. Lucifer was surprised to see she wasn't at all dusty despite where she'd just been. Did she clean the ducts regularly too? How the fuck did she find the time? This place was pretty big and Charlie had said Niffty threw a fit anytime they tried to hire someone else to help.

"I got here just a minute ago! Thanks for sending me after the fake roach, Husk! That meant they were able to be sneaky and ask me to go get something from my hoard to help you guys!"

...they? Did that mean-

"Oh? Has his Shadow been talkin' to you, darlin'?"

Niffty nodded so vigorously that Lucifer half-expected to hear something rattling, "Yep! I think Alastor filled it up way too much this time though. There's so many shadows in it and they're all hiding from him until you guys can get him unstuck, but it's having a reeeeally hard time holding them all!"

It was official, he'd been around the insanity long enough that he was being infected because he actually understood most of that. Charlie's face was all scrunched up in confusion and he gave her a reassuring pat on the arm.

Rosie sighed in relief, "Oh good! It's kept itself from being affected then. How are you supposed to help, sweetie?"

Niffty gave her a wide, terrifying sort of grin, "They said if I didn't break the lock so he can get out, you guys might not find the key in time! Apparently he's gotta fix what the pretending made him start doing already."

They all looked at each other in confusion. The hell was she talking about?

Rosie crouched down, eyeing her warily, "When you say you gotta break the lock, what do you mean, darlin'?

Niffty bounced on her toes, one hand going to the pocket at the side of her dress, "Nuh uh! You'll try to stop me!"

That wasn't reassuring at all.

"Charlie? What's going on, babe?" Vaggie called out as she approached, looking at them all curiously.

Charlie took a step towards her but froze as Alastor came back, his eyes immediately landing on Lucifer, his grin twisting into a disdainful sneer, "What are you doing here, your Majesty? Desperation and misery make you remember you have a daughter again? We have things well in hand here, so you are welcome to leave!"

Shit. He thought he was prepared to see this, Alastor looking at him like he smelled something foul, none of the subtle teasing playfulness that had come into their more public arguments, but it still stung. 'That isn't him. The Corruption is what's speaking, trying to keep me isolated probably.' The fact that it seemed to be acting as though the last several months between him and Alastor never happened verified what Husk said. It was working with only some of the information, somehow cut off from the rest yet without any sign of being aware there were things missing.

Things were at a tense standstill when suddenly Niffty raced past them and towards the Radio Demon, "Heeeeey, Mr. Pretend-Alastor! Watch this!"

Time seemed to lurch, everyone reacting at the same time when Niffty pulled out a familiar, tiny angelic dagger from her pocket and aimed it right for her own chest.

"Niff! No!" Husk and Vaggie had their hands out as though to stop her but she was too far away.

Charlie's eyes went bright, flames and brilliant white light flaring around her as her terror made her powers try to do something, anything, but not knowing what or how.

Rosie tried to call her threads, strands of oily iridescence flowing from her fingers with little chance of them reaching her in time.

Lucifer went to grab the flow of time, to pull it to a stop before it was too late, but several inky hands shot up from under him and grabbed his arms, shocking him out of his focus.

And then....

Alastor exploded.

A mass of darkness barreled towards Niffty, crashing into her and knocking the blade from her hand. Waves of crackling greens and golden light danced around the center of the writhing shadows as strained sounds of pain and rage filled the air.

It wasn't the screams of Overlords long gone, of countless sinners that had fallen to the mad and sadistic Radio Demon.

It was Alastor and as the shadows faded they could see he had fallen to his knees, dark wings wide and teeth bared as his eyes flashed, shifting between red and black with radio dials and starbursts overlapping.

More and more eyes opened on the wings as his skin bubbled and the static he emitted turned to a stream of words that echoed oddly.

"Get out!"                  "Get out!

"Not me!"                  "Not me!"

"Not mine!"               "Not mine!"

"Out! Out! Out!"        "Out! Out! Out!"

"Lucifer!" Rosie sounded panicked, "I-I can See two in there! I don't know how, I think maybe he divided himself to let part get Corrupted while the rest hid from it. At first, I could tell the difference but the fake one changed to match him so quick! They're tryin' to tear each other apart! I don't know how to help him, it's not like I can get in there!"

Maybe she couldn't but he wasn't going to just stand here and wait to see who won out, "I can."

The hands that held Lucifer's wrists flickered wildly, grasp tightening and weakening over and over like they were also fighting something over releasing their hold. No matter. He didn't need his physical body to reach Al. He took hold of the tethers, shouting, "Husk, look away and cover your ears!"

Hopefully the shadows holding Niffty still would protect her. Shutting the body's eyes, he went racing through the lines, uncaring of how the strain made them fray further, the magic so old and fragile it couldn't keep hold. That didn't matter. His body could fall apart for all he cared right now. He wasn't going to let Michael take anything else from him!

When he got to where the lines fed into Alastor, he found there was a blockade, something set to keep things from going in or out. Lucifer was willing to bet Al had done that on purpose to keep the Corruption and Michael from finding them. He'd just have to clear them and help the demon deal with any damage it did later. He was going to make sure there was a later first. Lucifer reached back, calling for more power from his other Self before slamming through the barriers. He'd seen Al handle at least this much angelic power, it shouldn't do anything permanent.

Of course, once the blockade fell apart, there was a wild surge of things grasping and pulling at the energy and him. Unsure which side this was, or maybe it was both, he kept tight hold of the power while also refusing to allow anything past him. Last thing he wanted was the Corruption finding a way up and to his core to catch his other Self unaware that he needed to be on guard.

'Here's hoping this works.'

A brief thought of the risk of this Self being Corrupted crossed his mind but he dismissed it. He was going to trust that if anything did manage to latch onto him, Alastor would pull it out and eat it before it got too far once he was back to himself. He swept through the lines and took control of the sinner's body, flooding it with his energy and forcing the warring parts apart. The Seraphim wanted to curse when there wasn't any differences between them that he could find from out here. He was going to have to talk to them. There was still no telling what would happen if he went fully into Alastor's mind, but he knew how to create a visual space like what the other had done to show him his memories.

Lucifer settled his consciousness into that dream-like territory and waited. It didn't take long before two Alastors appeared in front of him. Shit. They really were identical in how they visualized themselves.

"Lucifer, the blasted thing copied the rest of me faster than I thought it would! We need to find a way to push it out so I can fully regain control."

"I'm not the copy, you are, you horrendous thing! I'm going to shred you into so many pieces, Michael himself will feel it!"

Ho boy. This... this was even worse than he thought, "I take it the Corruption also got the rest of your memories once the divider broke?"

"Yes!" They both spat out, glaring at each other hatefully.

Which meant asking about even recent things wouldn't help, more than likely. He was going to need to find something that would cause them to react differently to each other. The Corruption was originally from Michael, even if it was acting completely like Alastor right now. What wouldn't the Commander be able to keep from reacting to?

Then it hit him. This really was not how he wanted to broach this. Hell, he hadn't even really fully come to terms with it himself since he became aware of it! Still, if it was what would get his Alastor back, he'd have to break down that last wall around his own heart and show it to the crazy, obnoxious, stubborn asshole that had somehow gotten inside. "Al, just so you know, I'm not going to give up. I love you too much to let you go."

One Alastor's eyes went wide, shock radiating around him. The other bared his teeth in a snarl, glaring murderously at the first as he moved to lash out.

Gotcha.

Lucifer focused every bit of himself to shielding the real Alastor and forcing the Corrupted copy into a fully physical state before shoving it out the fastest way he knew how. The demon's body shuddered and retched, a thick and writhing ball of eyes and spikes hitting the ground. Almost immediately, his Shadow reared up with far too many arms and heads for its usual form. Jagged lines of golden light filled the multitude of hands and they wrapped around the Corruption, caging it.

Trusting the creature (creatures?) had it locked in tight, Lucifer turned his attention back the remaining Alastor, who was still looking at him with disbelief, "Did you really mean that?"

"Yeah. I did."

Notes:

Explanations on how Al hid coming next chapter.

I was going to make getting the real Al back in play harder, but realized I had a nice handy shortcut I could use since the Shadow was hiding with the whispers helping it figure out what Al had done before they fled. The Shadow just couldn't consistently maintain itself to hold together long outside of shadows because it was not made to hold that much at all

Chapter 133: Rendered Safe Once More

Summary:

Charlie felt ill when she saw that... thing hit the floor with a wet splat. It very much wasn't Al but somehow it still felt like a distorted version of him and that only made the sickening feeling worse.

Charlie felt ill when she saw that... thing hit the floor with a wet splat. It very much wasn't Al but somehow it still felt like a distorted version of him and that only made the sickening feeling worse. The sheer level of malice she could sense from it was horrifying. Even the worst sinners she had ever met didn't feel like that! It was relieving when Al's Shadow (And woah did that look freaky right now! No wonder Niffty said it was too full!) rose up and trapped it in light. Almost immediately after that, the feelings she was getting from it were cut off and it felt like maybe she could breathe again.

"Charlie, look at me," Rosie's voice pulled her attention away from it, "You need to calm down, dear. You're trying to manifest your angelic power and this isn't a safe spot for that."

Charlie blinked and... oh, there was that dozen eyes feeling again. She hadn't realized she was seeing things differently at all. There were so many layers to things that she didn't have words for and... oh wow, Aunt Rosie looked really cool but creepy right now. Did she always have all those dark threads on her back and everyone else just couldn't see them? They looked kinda like a replacement for wings and that was-

A throat clearing noise reminded her of what had been said. Right, okay, what did Dad do again? She concentrated hard, visualizing how he'd coiled himself up and then her Dad's other wings had curled in, the rippling light of the feathers a myriad of golden shades she couldn't describe. He'd used them to help hold his form in a tight shape so it could fit back into his body.

Even after her energy got back under her control, Charlie felt like a mess. Her emotions had been on a roller coaster ride so much in the last few days that she desperately wanted off of it long enough to get her feet back under her. It seemed so wrong to feel like that. After all, Al and her dad had it so much worse but-

Rosie sighed and motioned towards Vaggie, "You take her, keep her from rilin' herself back up, I'll see about gettin' Husk outta here. Watch where Niffty is. If the shadows fade before I get back or the King returns to his body to help, get her out quick too."

Charlie felt confused. Why did they have to get them out of here? Then she heard Husk retching and looked over to find the bartender on his knees, his wings sprawled out in a way that seemed like he was too weak to hold them up onto his back like normal. "What's wrong? Is he okay?"

Vaggie put a hand on her cheek, "He'll be fine. He didn't look directly at any of it."

Her eyes widened in alarm and she looked at where the cage of light was, "The Corruption did that to him from over there?!"

Her girlfriend gave her a look, "No, sweetie. He listened when your dad warned him and kept his eyes and ears shut, but... You started opening your other eyes close enough to him in this plane that they Saw him and he could feel it."

What?!

Charlie started to demand answers when the space around Al began to shift, the light that felt like her dad rising up and turning into that really cool long dragon/snake form that she kinda wished she could fly through the air with. He was moving pretty quick as he went back to the body she was most used to, the pale form coming back to life as he all but barreled into it.

"You can See him doing that now, can't you?"

She nodded at Vaggie's question, "Yeah. I still can't believe there's so much I never knew about him before."

***

Alastor wanted nothing more than to allow himself to simply be for a moment, to let himself enjoy the endorphins running through his mind and body from this feeling that came from being so thoroughly surrounded and infused with Lucifer's Self. He could feel the Seraphim watching him, willing to wait patiently for him to be ready to deal with what would likely be the unpleasant recovery from forcefully ejecting such a large piece of Corruption as well as whatever had happened to his body while he was fighting against it.

But he couldn't.

He had some snatches of memories of what it had been doing, things he had managed to be aware of or that he had gotten while it was working to copy him. There were important things missing though, he knew it. Both from the things that he had allowed it to take hold of and from the time it was in control. Which meant he needed to find a way to properly consume and gain full control of the blasted thing so he could also steal back those memories. It was far more complex than that little thing he had eaten from the Exorcist, there was bound to be more things to be gained from it too.

He was quite sure it would be a tedious endeavor at the very least. Still, no time like the present to begin.

Sending a slight push to signal his King should go, he readied himself for the likely crash once the vibrancy of Lucifer's presence left only to feel the Seraphim pause, curiousity radiating from him, "Well, I think I just figured out your problem with getting into the main line. I'm assuming you created the rest as a copy from the first?"

Bit of an odd question, "Yes?"

"Yeah, that was only made to be a one way thing. If the Harmony had shifted over like it was supposed to, the line would have fallen apart. Still, it was only to feed it into you."

That made a frustrating amount of sense, "Can it be fixed?"

"Yeah, but not quickly. I'll have to make the jump to my body again and I'll see if I can find a way to show you the difference later. Shouldn't need Charlie this time, the tethers are feeding enough energy into it that I can latch on from here."

In a whirling rush of the Seraphim's spirit left him alone in his body once again. Thankfully he didn't lose consciousness this time and he was already on his knees so keeping from tipping over was easier. First things first, he forced the extra eyes and then his wings to vanish. The strange rush of unfamiliar sensory input was doing nothing to help him get reoriented.

Then he really looked at his Shadow, blinking several times. The creature was... a mess was putting it lightly. There was so many different things shifting and moving inside of it, it called to mind the sight of the Corruption within Michael, but this didn't look as horrifying. He still wondered what all of that was and why it was making his Shadow unable to settle into its usual state.

No matter, he'd work on sorting it out now while he worked on regaining full use of his limbs. Sending over a slender line of shadow towards it, they reconnected only for Alastor to find the whispers suddenly flooding back into him in a rush. Along with them was a memory they were trying hard to make him see.

His mental doppelganger reaching out.

A gloved hand landing on Charlie's shoulder.

A tiny seed fed into her at the contact. Not a fully developed one, not yet, but it would find a place to take hold, growing and slowly altering her if left as it was.

Like hell he was going to let it!

***

Leaping like that wasn't fun. It had been safer than last time since the lines were connected to his body right but he still would rather not do that again.

Lucifer forced his eyes open, hissing a bit as they refused to adjust to the light like they were supposed to. Maybe he should wait before moving but he needed to be sure everyone was okay and that the Corruption was well contained. The room went spinning when he tried to take a step though and he was forced to wait anyway.

Stupid physical bodies and their idiotic limitations. He really should have been smarter about making this thing, no matter his lack of Foresight back then. Even the size wouldn't be such an issue if-

"Dad! Are you okay?"

Lucifer forced his body to get with the program, looking over to where Charlie was leaning pretty heavily on Vaggie. It appeared Husk and Rosie were gone, though the ball of shadows that he assumed still held Niffty was where it had been before. "Yeah, Char. I'm okay. What-"

The air rippled a bit and they all looked to where Alastor was. His wings were gone now and he didn't seem so pained anymore, but there was still the look of things moving under his skin starting from the point where he and his Shadow were attached. Whatever it was seemed to be coming from the creature itself as it shrank down to its normal form. The sinner's head snapped up, "Come here, Charlie. Quickly."

Vaggie hesitated but Charlie started to move, forcing her to either follow and help or risk letting her fall. Lucifer got to his daughter’s other side, ignoring his own body's protests, "You okay, duckling?"

"I'm fine!"

Vaggie sighed in exasperation, "She tried to fully manifest her wings, sir-er, Lucifer."

Ho boy, looked like that had drained her pretty bad again. He helped keep her steady as they got close to Alastor. As soon as she was within reach, the sinner reached out and took her hand, "Apologies, this will likely be uncomfortable."

Lucifer wanted to ask what was going on but Alastor's expression swiftly changed from one of determination to confusion and he looked up at Charlie, "Did you have any odd moments of anger? Particularly towards your father?"

She blinked and nodded, "Yeah? I shifted over enough to show my horns in front of Husk before Dad and Rosie got here. Why?"

"So it did get inside like it was supposed to. Then how in the world..." The source of his confusion became clear as Alastor pulled his hand away to show not one, but two small pieces of Corruption. They weren't empty husks like the one he had eaten before but they weren't active the way the one inside of him had been either. As they watched, the things turned into harmless-looking, dark metal chain links. "They've gone back into stasis... somehow."

Notes:

Conversation on what Alastor did to escape Michael will for sure be in the next one but the story demanded this get built up right first.

The next chap also shouldn't take so long to get to. It just took forever to get this one to feel right and even now I keep thinking there's something missing...

Chapter 134: Lock the Doors

Summary:

W.C. Fields — 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.'

Lucifer loved his daughter, he really did. She was the most perfect creation in all the universe after all! But sometimes...

"Al, you know how to wake those up, right? Maybe we can find out how I put them to sleep if you-"

"No!" Both Lucifer and Vaggie were in agreement over the sheer riskiness in that idea. Did Charlie not understand that her own safety was a priority here?!

Alastor ignored all three of them, choosing instead to go retrieve Niffty from the ball of shadows she had been held in, which Lucifer had kinda, sorta, completely forgotten about. She blinked blearily as she was hauled up by the back of her neckerchief, pouting, "Awww, I was just about to get to the good part of the dream, dammit! I almost got to kiss the bad boy!"

The deer gave her a flat look, "You are never to do something like that again, understand me?"

She stared at him for a long moment before she started giggling, uncaring of how she was dangling in his grip, "You're cute when you're mad!"

"N̯ͬi͌̀ffẗ̷̑̊y̡̟ͮ!͋" He snarled.

"Noooope!" Niffty grinned, unrepentant. "You're not gonna eat me! You like me and need me too much to eat me! Plus, you hate sweets so nyah!" She stuck out her tongue at him.

Alastor let her go with an aggrieved sigh. Niffty landed on her feet easily, brushing off her skirt. When she went to retrieve her fallen dagger though, a shadow swiftly stole it away, "Hey! That's my angel-stabbing knife! Give it back!"

"No. You were about to use it as a Niffty stabber."

"I was not!" She stomped her foot, "I knew you'd stop me before anything happened!"

Rosie raised a brow at the bickering pair as she returned but spoke to Charlie and Vaggie first, "That charming little miss Emily was lookin' for you two. I told her you were havin' an important talk with his Majesty so you have a few minutes but I wasn't sure how in the know she is with alla this."

Charlie sighed tiredly and rubbed the back of her neck, looking at him and Alastor, "I think it might be good to just enjoy the art time and talk to her after."

Niffty gasped, "Art time?! Someone better not be spilling glue on the carpet again!" She growled, clawing her way up the wall and into the open vent.

Lucifer stared at the opening for a long moment before Charlie's voice pulled his attention back, "Dad, you mind if I text you any questions she has for you or Al?"

He shook his head, checking his phone again to make sure it wasn't on silent, "That should be fine. Just... take it easy, Char. You look beat."

She gave him a quick hug, "I'll take care of myself, Dad, promise."

"I'll make sure she does," Vaggie smirked when Charlie rolled her eyes and huffed at her.

It was only as they left that Lucifer realized Alastor had been rather quiet the last little while. He turned find the demon was crouched in front of the tightly woven magic acting as a prison for the Corruption, staring at it with an unreadable expression, "Al?"

A red ear swiveled his way but the deer didn't turn his gaze, "Hm?"

"What's on your mind?"

The air around him crackled before an audio began to play from his microphone, "Beastie, I have one order I want to add before you leave."

Lucifer's breath froze. He recognized the voice from Alastor's memories.

"Anything you wish for, of course!"

"I know you, my clever, pretty beastie. I know you will find a way to escape your other orders and destroy my chains on you. When you do, I also know you will come for me, bloodthirsty thing that you are. But first, I want those that have chained me here dead, dead, DEAD! Understand?" There was a giggle, "Then, oh, theeen you can return here and set me free from the lying angel's lies. Kill me after they are destroyed and I will gladly laugh with you as you do."

... what. Roo, no Eve, that had to be Eve. Oh Creation, she was still in there, wasn't she? Ten-thousand years under Michael and his Corruption but she was still in there! And she had ordered Al to...

Lucifer forced himself to breath again, finding Alastor looking at him from the corner of his eye. Watching like he was waiting for him to say something. But what could he possibly say to that?!

***

Perhaps it was a bit sudden to drop that on his King. However, Lucifer had asked what was on his mind. Oh well. He would wait until the fallen angel was ready with an answer. For now, Alastor returned to studying the Corruption within the cage. Such a tricky thing it had been, keeping it away from everything that mattered. He had a feeling Eve had done something similar actually, giving it the things it wanted to keep it from finding the rest. How else would there be something of her still within her?

Agreeing with Michael had given it a foothold, sure, but it also allowed him to see how these more complex pieces of Corruption sought to align a person with Michael's desires, to make someone want the same things he wanted. Alastor had known that trick, the little piece from the Exorcist had shown it to him, so he turned things in his favor! Using the very same tactic as it was trying to do to him to trick it into believing it had everything was amusing. And he'd done it all right under the Seraphim's nose!

Heh. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull!

Hopefully that little stand up comedy routine he'd given Michael would stick with him for a while, at least until the encore. That performance was guaranteed to be a killer!

Just as the urge to cackle began to rise up within him, he found Rosie crouching down on the other side of the cage. It was then that he realized she was doing that strange thing where her Song sank down into his. After a moment, she gave him a wicked grin, "I See. So that's where he is, hm? Interestin'."

...what? What did that mean? Before he could demand an explanation, a banging came from the front door, followed by a screeching voice, "I know you're in there, you red-eared fleabag! You give us back our Rosie, dammit!"

Lucifer looked at the door with a frown, "Who the hell is that?"

Both cannibals grimaced, "...Susan."

Notes:

This one is a bit short but I need to move forward. Susan incoming!

Also, yes, we will find out what happened to the seeds in Charlie. Not sure if that will be next chapter or the one after but it will be soon!

Personal note: I would have done this sooner, but I was terribly drained when I found out someone we were helping last year messed us up on our income taxes and now we owe a lot. Stress led to a migraine that laid me up for nearly 36 hours.

Chapter 135

Summary:

Lucifer could honestly say he could have gone the rest of eternity without meeting Susan. Don't get him wrong, he'd met worse sinners but there was just something about her that put him on edge and made him want to shove her out of the building. From the roof.

Lucifer could honestly say he could have gone the rest of eternity without meeting Susan. Don't get him wrong, he'd met worse sinners but there was just something about her that put him on edge and made him want to shove her out of the building. From the roof.

"You're wasting our Rosie's valuable time by dragging her here all the time, you mangy throw rug!"

"Susan," Rosie sighed as Alastor snarled, obviously fighting to keep from skewering the woman then and there, "I came here of my own free will."

Susan harrumphed, refusing to stop glaring at Alastor, "Only because you've got too good of a heart, Lady Rosie! You need to stop taking on damn charity cases and come back home! Leave the tacky mantle-piece to drown in his own idiocy!"

Was it bad that he didn't mind that she hadn't noticed him yet? Whoops, spoke too soon! Those black eyes landed on him, narrowing in obvious recognition before she scoffed, "They've got the biggest blue-blooded moron of them all here and he still can't keep from begging you to help clean up his mess? How pathetic!"

"Wh̠͕ͦyͦ̓ y̥͒o̭͑̃ủ̳̎ mịse͚̋r͎̓a̽bl̩̆e̞̝-̧͔̦"

Rosie stopped Alastor with a hand on his arm, looking him with a raised brow, "Easy there, bucko. If another sinner harms her, I'm obligated to either kill or severely maim them for it, remember?"

Susan looked smug at that which did nothing to help with the deer demon's temper, "See, you brainless twat! Rosie knows how to make proper contracts to take care of her people instead of killing them at the smallest inconvenience like the lazy Overlord you are!"

Lucifer's eye twitched as his own limited patience began to fray. He wasn't a sinner so surely that meant Rosie wouldn't have to seek retribution if he set the miserable old bitch on fire. Of course, if he himself was tempted to go that far, then he was willing to bet Alastor was only half a breath away from letting Rosie take an arm or something if it meant he could kill the cantankerous woman. Clapping his hands once to get everyone's attention, he forced a pleasant smile, "Well! I think we're just about done here so perhaps we should leave this to you, Ms. Rosie, and we'll head back to the palace! Right, Al?"

"Oho! Running away from a little old woman? I see you're a coward as well as a useless King!"

A shadow lashed out only to be diverted by Rosie's own magic, "No! You put that away this instant, mister!"

"She is disrespecting m͘y̵ͦ́ K̝̼̈́̕iń̮̳͗͡͞g, Ŕ̪̗͍͈̌̿ö̹́̍̋͜s̥̘̩ͬi̜͛͐è̸̪!" His fingertips were wrapped in gold threads as he grinned at his fellow Overlord, speaking around clenched teeth, "Surely you would like it if she had a more plẻ̻̗ā̦̹s̅̊̄a̓n̖ͭ̓t peř̠͌s̘ò̖̳n̟̯a͖̔l̙it̥y̳͇!"

Yeeaaaah, no. From the hunger in those mismatched eyes, Alastor was a bit too far gone for anyone else's safety right now. Fantasizing was one thing but the crazy bastard looked like he was ready to make good on his threat and Lucifer drew the line at actual brainwashing. Snapping open a portal, he used his wings to block Alastor's view and get his attention. The demon twitched but did look at him, "We're leaving. Now."

Thought he had been certain it would work, Lucifer was still amazed to see the deer listen to him and storm through the portal. 'Wonder if I should try to summon a dragon or two for him to fight.' He heard something shatter out of sight. 'Maaaaybe three.'

***

Rosie sighed as the portal shut and looked down at Susan, "One of these days, your mouth is gonna to take out a debt you can't pay."

She sniffed and adjusted the fur over her shoulders, smirking in satisfaction, "Hmph! If they can't handle dealing with me, they got no right to their titles. Now where's the royal brat you've been training? I need to make sure she ain't getting lazy in these fancy new digs of hers!"

"Now I'd know that viper's tongue anywhere! Suzie! That you?"

To say that Susan looked shocked was an understatement. The woman slowly turned, eyeing the elderly woman shuffling into the room, "Abigail?! What in the blue blazes are you doing in Hell?!"

Rosie could only gape at the silver and white figure in the doorway. This... was Abigail? The Abigail?! Susan had told her about her old girlfriend. It was obvious the woman was supposed to be in Heaven so how- The pink shawl on stooped shoulders slipped a bit and the Overlord caught sight of a glimmer of a golden line across the woman's neck. 'Oh stars! This is one of the people sacrificed in Lucifer's summoning.' She glanced at Susan's stunned expression. If she figured it out...

"There's no need ta insult the place I'm livin' in!" Those large brown eyes narrowed, hands on her hips and foot tapping as her ears laid back in displeasure, "Is that anyway ta greet an ol' friend?"

"Old is right, Gail!" Susan folded her arms over her chest defensively, "You're more wrinkled than my shriveled heart!"

Gail just broke out in a peal of delighted laughter, "Sucha sweet talka as always! Ya gonna jus' stand there gapin' at me or ya gonna come give yer ol' gal pal a hug?"

Rosie wasn't sure she could handle Susan's song getting anymore shrill than it was right now, but she certainly wasn't going to stop love from reuniting either! The elderly cannibal was annoying as Hell, however she was also still one of Rosie's darlings and one of the best sources of Song energy she had ever found. There was a reason she'd signed her on in the first place!

It was a pleasant surprise when the women embraced and the two Songs intertwined. It did nothing to change the ornery old bitch's but... it was far less grating when mixed with Gail's. Then she felt a rush of energy stronger than Rosie'd ever gotten from a sinner before. It replenished everything she had used to create the memory magic and then some! Huh. "Never thought I'd see Susan of all people with a soulmate!"

Notes:

I got really stuck because I kept trying to describe Susan's Song but nothing fit right. So Im just leaving it up to your imaginations! If someone mentions something that seems to fit, I will maybe clarify further later but I don't want to get so stuck that I end up abandoning this story over one silly detail.

Chapter 136: Not an Update

Summary:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! THIS STORY WILL BE CONTINUING AGAIN BUT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE THERE WILL BE RETCONS AND DELETED CHAPTERS! MORE DETAILS IN THIS 'CHAPTER'

As the summary says, I have spent enough time away from this one to see I backed myself into a corner I couldn't get out of. Too many character arcs going on and the story was going too far from where I wanted it to. (We're not even going to talk about the very first storyline meant for this one. That's been gone since the division of Samael and Lucifer got mentioned.)

Anyway, in order to continue, I need to go back to at least chapter 123 and rework or erase the chapters from there. It might end up being more than that, but that's where the biggest change is coming. (You can all thank a diff story, Dirge of Dieties, for giving me what I needed to make this one work for my brain again.)

The point of posting this is because I know some of you will appreciate the warning and the time to download this story as it is now if you want. If you guys have any questions or even things you really like that you want me to keep, drop a comment and let me know!

EDIT 09/07/2025: Looks like I might be instead setting this original version to the side to be enjoyed as it is and rebooting the whole thing in a new story. I have found there are a lot of places early on in the story that I want to build up further and give more depth. It won't change much of the early plot, but it will make the chapters longer and tie it in better with the plot that came in later with Michael and the Corruption.

It will also help fold in the coming changes to the source of the Corruption, the creator of the universe, and the reason the Corruption seeks to Silence and destroy everything.

Chapter 137

Summary:

REBOOTING THE STORY COMPLETELY!

As the summary says, after talking to several readers, I came the the conclusion that it would be better for the story overall if I did a full restart rather than trying to just do a bunch of edits to this one. There are so many things in earlier chapters I want to expand on, characters that I want to give more time to shine since I have found the way I want to write their voices, etc. So!

New Inhuman Vastness!

And as a bonus for those who want a little taste of the new lore for the origins of the Corruption and the one behind the start of this universe:

The Cycle Begins!

The original will remain as it is for anyone who wishes to see it, just marked as discontinued

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 3 of Inhuman Vastness