Friend to Foe

Chapter ten: That's Life

Vox listened painstakingly as Alastor's latest victim screamed for help. Just as Vox suspected, every plead that poor overlord made was clear as day. He was delighted to know that his technology worked and was being showcased on such a wide scale, but he had to admit he wished it were Alastor's voice that was this clear.

"w-wait!" The overlord cried. Alastor pulled back for only a moment at the change in tone.
"what is that x on your f-" and with one loud screech followed by a squelch all of the noise stopped. Vox played the tape back multiple times to try to pick out what was said... An x? On his face?

"My dearest viewers, I hope you enjoyed today's broadcast! Please do let me know if you noticed a difference in quality. I had recently been gifted a new microphone... I think I quite like it for recording screams. Well done." Chills ran through Vox's spine as he knew Alastor was speaking directly to him. He turned on some miscellaneous jazz song and Vox sat back in his chair.

Vox and Alastor had decided to meet twice a week since they always seemed to run into each other anyways. Alastor enjoyed his weekly entertainment, and Vox was head over heels. However, one day Vox seemed rather frustrated as he ordered a hard drink at the bar.
"Hm? What's wrong my dear? Drinking to forget?" Alastor leaned his head to the side. Vox sighed as their eyes didn't quite meet.
"I'm just frustrated is all, nothing for you to worry about really..." he spoke. Alastor sighed.
"Well even if I will not worry, I'd like to know why." Alastor spoke as he ordered himself a black coffee.
Vox leaned back and sighed.

"Everything is just starting to feel impossible..." he opened up. Alastor had to suppress a laugh.
"How so?" Their eyes met until Vox closed his.
"Ever since the attack, we had to rebuild, which set all of my progress behind. And now that I'm in a place where I can start working on technology again, I feel like I've lost what I had going. I feel like no one's watching." Vox began to ramble as if he weren't sitting next to who he considered the single most important soul in Hell. Alastor gave him a confused look.
"Well, I'm watching, aren't I?" Alastor said. Before Vox could respond he spoke again.

"Dear, you said you were a television show host on Earth, yes?" Vox was thrown off by the sudden topic change.
"Yes... why?" He said.
"And had you never failed then?" Alastor shot back. Vox furrowed his brows. He didn't often have to recall his past life, no one here did.
"I mean sure, but I ended up succeeding so it didn't matter." Vox said as he downed his drink. Alastor let out a slight chuckle.
"Do you not see the hypocrisy in that statement?" He said, "who's to say you won't succeed just like you did then?"

"I guess, but I had connections on Earth. Everyone thought I was made to be a star. It's easy for you to say Alastor, you were destined for greatness here." He spoke, the alcohol beginning to take affect.
"Tsk tsk. Are you belittling my hard work to gain status Vox?" He smiled as the lights flickered. Vox jumped.
"No of course not! I-I'm just saying you didn't seem to have as many set backs is all!" He tried to defend himself.
"Oh darling..." Alastor drew out the nickname,
"You don't know the half of it!" He exclaimed as he stood. Vox just watched in confusion as Alastor walked to the stage. They were in the middle of a conversation! What was he doing?

All the lights went out as a synthesizer began to play. Alastor's shadow appeared to be playing it. Vox, along with everyone else present, glued their eyes to the stage. A spotlight came onto Alastor, who had taken off his jacket to reveal a black dress shirt with vertical red stripes. Alastor took hold of his iconic microphone as he began to sing.

"That's life!"
"That's what people say."

A green light began to grace the stage as Alastor's voodoo faded into reality. Images began to show through a green smoke of what seemed to be Alastor on Earth, succeeding. Vox looked around to see if everyone else was witnessing such an intimate look into his life, but one by one everyone seemed to disappear from the bar, forcibly so.