Chapter Three
Sleep did not find Alastor, though it rarely does, but this time it illuded him due to spending the night most unpleasantly dealing with an internal struggle that he considered utterly ridiculous and beneath him. He had never been so unable to silence and ignore his thoughts and residual human emotions as he had been ever since that corny ducking king first set foot in this place. If he were honest with himself, his inner turmoil regarding the king already plagued him even before he met the pint sized pain in his posterior. It wasn’t that upon Alastor’s arrival in hell he had learned that the myth of man was real had irked him. No he quickly reconciled with that. Alastor told himself that the devil didn’t blatantly ignore his summons, he was just too busy running hell. That or Alastor had messed up the ritual in some way such that it wasn’t quite enough to actually summon Lucifer.
He had made a deal with the first demon he’d successfully summoned, figuring he might not get another chance, and decided to become powerful enough to earn the devil’s attention. Imagine his regrettable reaction when he learned just what kind of sap the all powerful king of hell really was. It had taken Alastor years of toppling overlords and building his reputation and seat at their table despite Rosie’s deal making him the most power sinner. He had to prove it. Finally, he’d gained recognition and he knew his broadcasts reached all corners of hell, even, the other rings, yet he never managed to catch the notice of the one being he’d been aiming for.
Apparently that man never bothered with commoners. Alastor had seen his likeness and heard tales of him, but it was only his illustrious wife who bothered with the people. This didn’t truly bother Alastor, he’d expected as much from an ancient and powerful being. However, something about it had felt too pretentious. It wasn’t until later he realized it was because, this ancient and powerful being, who should be above the flaws of mortals, behaved exactly like the wealthy, privileged men on Earth.
Although the thought that immortal divine beings could be just as prone to classism as mortals sickened Alastor, he reasoned with himself that this was hell so it must be expected the surrounding corruption might make such beings susceptible. After all it was Lucifer who damned humanity by being imperfect and becoming the first sin, thus allowing evil into the mortal realm. So Alastor once again allowed logic and understanding to quell his frustrations. Though his disappointment was growing. Finding that posh high society still existed, even in hell, was vexing. However, he still allowed himself to have high expectations and regard for the fallen angel he had idolized from scripture. He who challenged and questioned God himself. He who opposed and eventually defied God, giving humans ancient knowledge and allowing them to choose for themselves. Gifting mankind with freewill. A gift, in which, Alastor relished.
The true disappointment and final straw had been to learn that the king was nothing more than a selfish absent father who cared nothing for his people or his family. Lucifer had I all; fame, wealth, respect, power, but most importantly he had a family and he squandered it. He ignored his own daughter and she practically had to beg for his help when they were threatened by the exorcists. She had been so reluctant to even call her father and obviously embarrassed to have to plead with him in front so many desperate eyes looking to the royal family for help.
Alastor thought back to when he saw the hotel residents and Charlie scurrying about the lobby, going out of their way to set it up to welcome, and hopefully impress the king of hell. Alastor had sneered at the very site of it all. Why should they have to go through all of this, especially when time was of the essence, just to convince the sovereign to do his job? His one damn job as king was to protect his people and his one damn job as a father was to protect his child. They shouldn’t need to beg. Oh how the upper class were so insufferable! How they thought everyone else so beneath them and couldn’t be bothered. At least not without the masses sucking up to them and stroking their egos anyway. Ha! I’ll show them! Or so he had thought.
When Lucifer finally showed himself in person real disappointment set in. This short, soft, corny joke of a man had the nerve to parage about the hotel and look upon everything, Alastor’s charitable and impressive hard work included, with flamboyant distain. As though every last bit of it was of no importance. Seemingly everyone, including his daughter, were incredibly meaningless. He couldn’t even take the trouble to learn who his child had chosen to surround herself with. Who she had invited to live under the same roof. The pompus fool of a king didn’t even know of the radio demon. Really? A powerful, renowned, feared overlord is staying in his daughter’s hotel and he couldn’t even afford me a second glance? How typical of those so decidedly above the mere common folk.
Furthermore, even Lilith knew who Alastor was and had taken the time to meet with him. Hmmm I suppose that might come up in conversation sooner or later too. Okay, yes, I’ve met her before, but it had been she arranged the meeting through Rosie. She had taken an interest in me, which anyone in power ought to do if they are to remain in power. The queen had been nothing like the snob her husband was proving to be. Comparatively Alastor had found her rather jovial.
He wondered if Lilith would still be so obliging during their impending reacquaintance after learning of Lucifer and Alastor’s less than cordial interactions. Seriously all they ever did was bicker. Though, somehow, it seemed less snide than it had been initially. That first day was unexpected to say the least. Alastor had been so put-off by Lucifer’s brazen display of conceit and contempt that he had admittedly provoked the king. Perhaps that was beneath me, but so is Lucifer! Ha! I really shouldn’t stoop to his level. It’s bad for one’s back, much too low. Besides, so long as maintain a healthy posture, I can quite literally look down on him! And I regularly do! Oh, what joy! That pesky little gnome of a monarch is just too easy! Why, I hardly need to make an effort to get under his skin.
Unfortunately, it would seem it also didn’t take much for Lucifer to get under Alastor’s own skin. He may be small, but Lucifer gave as good as he got. Alastor had surprisingly found himself flustered on more than one occasion, including that very first introduction between the two. What’s worse, Alastor had been so enthralled with their tumultuous encounter that he’d been completely unbothered by both Lucifer’s proximity and their physical contact, at least until after the fact. Recalling their stand off later, he realized they had actually been nose to nose, literally, when Mimzie had burst in, also literally, and interrupted their rather interesting and oddly enjoyable musical number. Now that was entertainment! Unfortunately, reflecting on the events of that day tend to leave Alastor a bit unsettled.
Since then their quips have been intermittent, but amusing. Apparently, they hardly stand to be in the same building as one another, let alone the same room. It’s not as though I hate the guy. I have observed that there may be more to him than I had first concluded. For one thing, I’m not entirely sure one can really call him an absent father. He’s certainly not uncaring towards Charlie. He’s obnoxiously the opposite, in fact. Though he does seem he was still notably not around during her childhood. Perhaps that’s why he’s so doting now. As if being an incessant annoying dolt now is going to somehow make up for whatever time he lost with her during her youth. Still Alastor couldn’t shake the suspicion that something else had prevented Lucifer from engaging with his daughter and all of hell. He just couldn’t put his figure on it.
Regardless, lately Alastor has once again found himself intrigued by the devil, desiring to learn more, despite disliking him. The allure behind just who Lucifer is under that ridiculous facade renders him at least somewhat tolerable…until he starts purposely plucking one’s last nerve. Never mind that I have absolutely no reason to tolerate his presence. He’s still a prideful prick, no, THE prideful prick. He’s the actual sin of pride. He openly looks down on sinners and has no problem voices his discuss allowed. I, myself, AM a sinner. The most powerful one, but still a sinner. So even if Alastor had begun to understand and even tolerate Lucifer, there’s no way Lucifer would ever come to tolerate him.
The guy had even put a sign outside his bedroom that rea ‘NO ALASTORS ALLOWED’. How petty! Though, at least not only remembered my name, but he even spelled it right. I suppose it goes to show he finally noticed hell’s infamous radio demon. Ha! And it would seem I had quite the impact on him! Still, it had especially prickled him when Lucifer had referred to him as useless. How dare he! I nearly died to protect Charlie, LUCIFER’S DAUGHTER, because of course he was nowhere to be found, yet he still had the gull to call ME useless?! It just goes to show how expendable the king thinks his subjects are. Well, the queen certainly doesn’t share that belief.
Just wait until Lucifer sees how his wife greets me when meet again. Oh, what fun! The look on everyone’s faces should be amusing, but Lucifer’s reaction, I’m sure, will be the most entertaining! Alastor hopes to see a look of pure jealousy on that stuck up face of that arrogant monarch and watch him fly into a fit of rage in front of the queen and all present. That’s sure to get create some royal discourse. What a performance that will be!
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