Hazbin Hotel: Some Random Charlastor Shit

Chapter 3: Scars

"Alastor...?" Charlie repeated even quieter. He had froze after her abrupt question, not turning around even after she called him again. Her voice fading to a dull murmuring in his ears, as waves of memories upon memories unfolded in his mind. He heard the voices again in his head, the voices he thought he had left behind on Earth.

"Chocolate boy." "Roll him in the mud! It'll make him even darker!" "No! Scrub him with stones. Maybe he's lighter underneath."

The pain of his father's beating. For not serving beer fast enough, for crying, for being the center of Mother's love. Again, and again, and again until Alastor, at last, had had enough.

Then came the familiar fear and phantom pain as he was torn apart by the hunter's dogs. Running in the dark, nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. No one to miss him, no one to miss. A gunshot, finally sparing him from his suffering, only to doom him again in this... well, hellish place.

"Alastor?" Charlie called again, slightly louder this time. "Are you alright? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He blinked out of his trance, the memories fading away like morning mist in the afternoon sun. He turned around, surprised to see Charlie backing away slowly, fear sparking in her eyes. Why? What was she afraid of? Oh fuck.

Alastor snapped his eyes shut, breathing deeply. gradually, his antlers retracted, and he felt his radio dial eyes change back into normal pupils. Only when he was sure he had rid every trace of his demonic form, did he open his eyes. Charlie was still standing in front of him, only the faintest trace of wariness remaining in her eyes.

Alastor inhaled sharply, "I'm sorry, my dear. I didn't mean for that to happen." "It's alright. I just, wasn't expecting you to..." she trailed off, studying his expression, "Why- Why did that upset you so much?" Alastor hesitated. Why was he hesitating? He could easily scare this pathetic princess away for good. And yet... there was something about the kindness in her eyes, the gentle curiousity in her voice. He hadn't told anyone about his human past except Rosie and... actually, that was pretty much it. Perphaps it would serve him well to finally tell someone else.

"Let's not talk about it here," Alastor sighed, opening Charlie's bedroom door and gesturing for her to step inside. He walked in after her, gently closing the door behind him. Not waiting for her to ask, he simply explained bluntly, "The small scratch marks came from bullies. The bite marks from a hunter's dogs, and the bruises are from the wonderful beatings my beloved father gave me. Ha! Bet he regrets that now." Alastor's voice was humorless and flat, emotionless.

Charlie blinked in shock. "That... is somehow both too much information and not enough at the same time." He barked a bitter laugh, "You asked."

Charlie cocked her head curiously, obviously expecting him to explain further. He sighed and sat opposite her, with her on the bed and him on her chair. "What do you want to know?" She replied after a short pause, "Well, why did kids bully you?"
"Why does bullying ever happen? They think you're different, weak. And somehow, taking advantage of that makes them feel powerful." His smile faltered ever so slightly. Isn't that what I've done, though? All those demons and overlords. Didn't I have the same reason?

His uneasy thoughts were interrupted as Charlie continued. "Then what was different about you?"
He closed his eyes briefly, produced an unearthly growl from the back of his throat as his supposed "friends' " taunts and flaunts came back to him. "My mother was black." His eyes were hard as flint when he opened them again, his voice filled with venom. It wasn't meant for Charlie, but of course, she didn't know that. He quickly blinked it away as she started shuffling away in alarm.

"What about- Oh. Did the dogs... kill you?" "Almost," Alastor replied, his smile grim. "Ultimately, it was the dog's owner who finished the job. His rifle, that it. He never even realized how much good he did for the world. Got locked away for life instead. Poor, poor fellow."

Charlie opened her mouth, no doubt confused about why the hunter got locked away if he killed a serial killer. Alastor beat her to it, taking control of the conversation. "You should know better than that," he smirked, "You really think I would have allowed them to figure it out? No, it was an accident." There was a slight hiss on his tongue at that word. "I was out in the woods, burrying one of my victims. The man thought I was a deer."

Alastor had hoped talking so casually about his bloody past had stricken fear in Charlie's heart. Instead, there seemed to be... sympathy? It certainly wasn't something Alastor saw often. "Oh, Al. I never realized your life on Earth was so cruel. I wish-" She never finished her thought. "See, this is why I don't tell anyone." he interrupted coldly, his voice harsher than he had intended, "I don't need your pity."

Charlie flinched back, looking crestfallen. Alastor instantly regretted his words but an apology refused to come. The awkward silence between them was interrupted by rapid knocking on the door. "Charlie? Are you in here?" came a muffled voice. She flashed Alastor a thoroughly apologetic look, before responding, "Yes. Come in!"

Vaggie burst through the door almost squealing with excitement which, to say the least, was not a common sight. "Charlie! Charlie you gotta come outside right now!" Only then did she notice Alastor. She flashed him a suspicious look but turned her attention back to her girlfriend. "We got a visitor! Well, visitors! Just- You gotta come see!"

Alastor's ears perked up with interest. "Well, you seem awfully excited, my dear. What is it exactly that you want us to see?" She frowned, ignoring him, instead dragging Charlie out along with her. Alastor followed them, not waiting for an invitation. When he reached the ladies, they were holding hands outside, both open-mouthed in shock.

Alastor couldn't blame them. Even he blinked a few times in disbelief. Standing in front of the hotel, was a young (well, young, considering heaven), nearly ecstatic seraphim, and standing next to her... was Sir Pentious.

Fun fact: the line "that's somehow both too much information and not enough at the same time," came from the 11th book in Wings of Fire, The Lost Continent.

Just arrived at China. I might be busy meeting relatives but we'll see. I'll try to continue updating once per every day or two.