𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐭

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐒𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐒𝐧𝐞𝐤

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It wasn't very often that the King of Hell, one Lucifer Morningstar, found himself exploring the overworld. But it was a booming age in America, the land ripe with sin. Hell's population was expected to grow tenfold over the next few decades, and Lucifer wanted to observe some of these new faces before their arrival in his realm.

Thus far, there were already so many unique characters he'd had the absolute delight to discover. A mafia family in New York with a track record of violence, drugs, and embezzlement. And then the lavish lives led by the top traders in the stock market. But amidst all that unholy glory, one future sinner of Hell in specific caught his attention. An unsuspecting man from New Orleans. Oh, don't get Lucifer started on New Orleans. What a place to be. A vibrant city abounding in sin. It was truly delicious.

And meticulously guiding the colorful chaos of this town was none other than this simply ordinary looking gentleman. A creole man with a killer smile, tall and thin stature, and otherwise completely normal appearance. The way he carried himself though, that's what originally got Lucifer's attention. See, generally, when one has been King of Hell as long as Lucifer, all the sinners start to blend together. You've seen em once, seen em a million times. An endless bore of people heaped in their criminal nature and cruelty. But Alastor- yes, that was his name. And that alone. Lucifer would never come to learn of the man's last name, if he still held onto one. He would learn why, and he would recall how grateful he felt to not have to share a last name with his own father after how fantastically their relationship fell apart. It was a blessing Lucifer never realized he should count, but once he did, he never stopped- he was different. He walked with a pride that rivaled the King's, a swagger that put even the greatest celebrities to shame. He entered a room and you knew . From the outside, he appeared so perfect, a good natured man with only the most pure of intentions, but Lucifer knew better.

This man, a famous radio host- quite possibly the most famous host in all of Louisiana- kept himself well concealed, but behind that graceful mask lay a cold-blooded sociopath.

It was on a warm summer day that Lucifer first glimpsed behind the facade. He'd been keeping a distant eye on Alastor, watching him from behind trees and through the camouflage of a crowd, ever curious where the sinner beneath that cool expression lay. The radio host was sensational for a reason, acknowledging every passerby with a nod and a greeting deep and rich in some mix between a creole and transatlantic accent. The sound of it soothed even the Devil's ears, so surely it would calm the hearts of those less accustomed to the vocal possibilities of humanity.

On this day, as he walked down the opposite sidewalk as Alastor, a simple visage in place to keep suspicions of his identity at bay, he noticed as Alastor's pleasant smile twitched ever so slightly. Truly, it was but the tiniest miss in his performance, but the Devil was a perceptive bastard and saw it all too clearly. He traced the path of the other's gaze until it landed on a brim billed, stocky white man. He laughed heartily as he held his midsection, all white facial hair showing his years in this realm. Lucifer knew immediately- it was a thing only the Devil could do- this man was a sinner through and through. And one of those real annoying sinners at that. Wore his ego like a badge of honor even though he needed it boasted by a yes man at his side every twenty minutes. One of those money grubby types, no real reason for his despicable actions outside of monetary gain and an elevated status with no true prowess to show for it.

Lucifer could feel the bile rise in his throat, disgusted at the sight of one of his more atrocious future subjects. See, Lucifer had standards. Sinners were far from created equal, even if their fates were doomed to unfold similarly. There were some sinners who had a greatness. They led a life of meaning, and in their wake was an impact on the world. And then there were those who abandoned the world just as unceremoniously as they were birthed into it. They claimed and stole and fed on greed, pride, gluttony; whatever their sin of choice may have been, it was always accompanied by a total selfishness that made everything else no more than a moot point. Lucifer held a respect for those who sinned with purpose, for a change, much akin to the way he went against his brethren in the hopes of bringing about a grand new world.