As I'm zig zagging between Ohio and West Virginia

in the pouring rain at night at 65 miles per hour all I can hear is Jack Burton saying I never drive faster than I can see...and it's all in the reflexes.

So I had to give two of the bone tests today and it left me leaving later than I wanted to get to Athens for the writers meet up (i.e. me and MKF) and from there on to Marietta so it's about 80 miles of highway from here to there. Ah well I'm here, alive and well and apparently only a handful of doors down from Eddie Munster and several wrestlers who are all guests at the Marietta Monster Mash. It should be fun (and it starts an hour later than I thought so I should find something to do in the morning. I wouldn't mind going to Jeremiah's but the onstreet parking for that coffee shop sucks it hard)

And the lady I talked to last night did me a favor. I have a mini suite with two couches AND at the con rate of 70$ and she introduced me to the con's showrunner (guess she liked me)

Let's do fannish friday

Starting with my review of Hazbin Hotel's 3rd and 4th episodes

Episode 3
Ha I was SO close with my story based on seeing Snidley Whiplash train segment. I had it as Alastor rigging the train but it Vox.

Things I didn’t like – Charlie. Okay there has to be a better way to show her optimism and naivete. She doesn’t listen to anyone and I hope that Vaggie (or someone) calls her out more strongly on this. She has to be exhausting to Vaggie as a partner because she never listens to her. She even keeps crossing Angel’s boundaries even when he calls her out on it. She manages to make Husk regret speaking up. It’s not really a great look. And she’s a good character but this is just not really what I want from her.

I rather wished Vox and Velvette had come without Charlie inviting them there (again listening to no one). I wish Charlie had called her dad first so he’d know what happened. That seemed strange (but again pacing issues are expected) and between the two episodes we don’t even see Lucifer getting the news. Holy hell what a missed opportunity. That was the whole reason he hadn’t supported her, he didn’t believe it could happen. We needed to see him reacting to that.

Things that were weird – Husk being so quick to tease Cherri about liking Pentious and trying to make her admit it

Things that I did like – Cherri confronting Baxter and the flashback with Pentious (as for the song Prime is pushing, Piss (a love song) didn’t quite capture me (maybe on a relisten). Angel and Husk doing the whole train danger thing, Husk being angry over Angel risking himself for the likes of him. Also him calling Angel legs is now canon (which eh, I never liked that nickname) I loved that Cherri came to terms with her emotions and moved in for real.

I loved that Angel and Vox hate each other (I’ve said that before in fic) but man I did not expect Vox to be the one to force Angel’s trauma dump.

Things I didn’t expect – Holy shit Angel killed his father?!?!?!?! (there is jossing galore for me right there), Angel didn’t deny or confirm it. (also geez Val do you just tattle on Angel all the time) I had a story written for this by 10 pm. Angel fucking killed Henroin. OMFG. So that really changes the family dynamics. Can’t wait to play with it (and get jossed more in S3 because that one is about family and we know Arackniss is in it). Damn, Angel.

What I want to know, how did Charlie talk Husk into wearing that dress? And Angel, baby, did you have that cowboy outfit in your closet?

Episode 4 (much like in S1, this was a favorite)

Things that I didn’t like – Getting Fucking spoiled by YT reactors before noon that Rosie owns Alastor’s soul. But also WTF? It really made S1 feel like a lie.

Things I loved – on the other hand, that makes things very interesting. Why did Rosie pull him out of sight for 7 years? Why does she want him at the hotel? Did Alastor let Vox ‘capture him’ to screw over Rosie’s plans? (and because he does care about Niffty and Husk?!?) Is all their friendship we saw in S1 merely for Charlie’s sake or are they semi-friendly because Alastor willingly went into this deal. I wasn’t fond of seeing her calling him her pet but now we know why he does it to Husk.

Love that Al was tossing back fingers (so he is a cannibal). That Adam left him with a non-healing wound. That was good. Every damn thing about the fight was cool. ( whereas Charlie and Katie killjoy see my comments on S3, went on way too long) The fight was amazing. Velvette FINALLY steps up and does shit. Valentino in a fight was frightening and fun. Ditto Vox (omg his name is Vincent)

But let's talk about Rosie. Why is her chains an actual thread? How does she imbue power? The official handbook only has her listed as Overlord vs sinner/demon hmmm. Is the fan theory right? Is she somehow Lillith's puppet because Lil is too well known and she needed a stand in?

Things that stole the episode. HUSK OMFG his fighting abilities are amazing (but on the other hand, why did we not see at least a little of this in the finale last season) the cards, the whole magician thing. I never saw that coming (the cards, yes, he’s done that before but the magician stuff?!? But of course we know why we didn’t see it before, they didn’t know if they had more seasons coming and didn’t have the same animation budget. You know that fight scene cost a freaking fortune) Angel will regret not seeing his man in action. (also how much did I love Angel’s love of blobfish made it from old notes into canon)

ALASTOR’S BACKSTORY. Oh that was so damn good. I do wonder how closely related Black Gryphon’s crew is with the actual animators because their human Alastor is almost identical to the real one. (granted there was an early human Alastor design so they probably just used that) But the fact Alastor fucking made a deal while alive to be a ruler in hell is amazing. And what the hell IS Rosie? I thought she was a sinner (I swear Viv said so) but she was able to answer Alastor’s call. Can sinners do that? It was interesting to see him murder over getting wine sloshed on him. (I’m not sure how I feel about her new outfit).

Even Alastor and Vox’s backstory was great (and Val’s just fuck already, ha) The whole thing where Vox very obviously made Alastor watch him and Val screw was uncomfortable and just so perfect for Vox’s petty behavior. Even Val seemed put out and I can’t imagine he usually minds an audience (but he knows what this was all about)

Also not fond of the fact that Lucifer doesn’t even know Angel’s name (I mean he put him and Husk into the hotel in the décor but he doesn’t know their names? Yeah I wrote that myself but I hate that I was right about it) Him taunting Bambi was good though.

The music – Rosie/Al’s song and Al/Vox’s songs came close to being memorable. I need to relisten. On the other hand, Niffty’s song was nearly incomprehensible (or maybe it’s just my hearing). When it was in Japanese I was fine since it was subtitled. I did however love the kawaii chibis of all the hotel crew.

And I wrote a story for

spikesgirl58's challenge and yes it IS spoilery for Hazbin S2E3

Title: No Matter How Strong, I'm Gonna Take You Down

Summary: Anthony knows it’s either him or his father and he will do what he has to. The aftermath isn’t all he expected

Notes: Major spoilers for S2 Episode 3 and Angel’s backstory. Definitely watch the episode first.

Written for spikesgirl58’s 6 word challenge. The words were Harmony, Abort, Drug, Muddled, Slippery, & Apathetic

Also written for the allbingo prompt of I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. over my life and the lyrical titles bingo challenge for the prompt an angry song. I chose Dinner at Eight by Rufus Wainright

So put up your fists, and I'll put up mine
No runnin' away from the scene of the crime
God's chosen a place
Somewhere near the end of the world
Somewhere near the end of our lives
Dinner at Eight by Rufus Wainright

Anthony had numerous moments if he wanted to abort his mission. He took none of them. He’d suffered enough. He would never be good enough. He would always be the dumb son, the one would did nothing right. No matter how many people he shock down, or drugs he sold or mob hits he successfully carried out, he was always going to be worthless in his father’s eyes.

Would the perfect son guess what had happened? Anthony stood on a slippery slope but less of a danger than where he had been just a few hours before when he had heard Joey telling his papà he’d been seen down at Muscle Beach the night before, which was a lie. He actually hadn’t been there, too busy getting high with a lover at home but Papà believed it. No way he was going to let his fairy son live now that he knew the truth. Anthony hadn’t had much time to plan but he knew two things: his father didn’t know he knew he’d been ratted out and it was either him or Papà tonight.

No one knew they were supposed to be going over to see what the Rizzos had plotted for their family. It was just going to be him and Papà and probably a handful of dead Rizzos by night’s end. Giovanni was on the other side of Brooklyn dealing with one of their pimps who had killed a few of their girls. The Di Stefano brothers were spilling blood all over the city tonight.

Anthony pulled his big feet back before his father’s blood ruined his shoes. He looked at his father’s slack face and then down to the gun in Papà’s hand. The bastard really had been about to shoot him before he pulled the trigger first. He should feel sad because this was his father. He should feel glad because the bastard couldn’t beat him anymore, wouldn’t say hateful things to him, wouldn’t raise his hand to Mama or Molly ever again. All he felt was apathetic. He had imagined spitting in his father’s face or pissing on him but now the urge wasn’t there. His dreams of killing his father over the years had been far more violent than this. He’d put his bullet straight through Papà’s eye and dropped him instantly.

With a sigh, he walked away, leaving Papà’s against his car. It wasn’t far to the train from here. Wiping the gun down, he flung it into the first sewer grate he could find and walked home preparing to be surprised when he got the news. Would Mama be relieved? Would she mourn? Would Molly? Even Giovanni might be a little relieved and his brother was ready to step in as capo. Antony had done him a favor. All he wanted now was to be in his private space with some cocaine to numb it all away now that the deed was done.

# # #

Anthony had hoped for some time of harmony and peace once his father was gone and there had been so little of it. Living with what he’d done had been so easy; it worried him less than any other killing he’d done for the family which should frighten him. Molly had clung to him as tightly as she could. Giovanni looked at him with suspicion every time they were together. Mama joined a knitting club and was happier than he’d ever seen her.

But it didn’t last. His head remained a muddled mess. He hated helping with the pimping side of the business. He didn’t like killing people who infringed on their turf. He helped his big brother with whatever Giovanni needed but things were never easy between them and after one vicious fight too many, Anthony had stumbled home, his eye filled with blood. The cocaine he snorted to quiet the muddle in his mind quieted it forever.

Hell had been his reward, not that Anthony was particularly surprised by that. Where else would a killer like him go? The mouth service he gave prayers sitting next to his mother and Molly in the pew weren’t going to save him. At least cocaine was plentiful here but there were still a lot of bigots who carried over their hate from their lives, not that he cared. In hell he could beat anyone who gave him lip for being a fairy and no one gave a shit.

He'd found work that almost paid enough to keep him in coke with enough left over for food and a roof over his head and for the times when it didn’t, well, he knew how to make a little extra on the side even if he hated it. Carmilla was a good enough boss. Keep your head down and do your job and she took care of you well. Evans It wasn’t his dream job but who the hell knew you had to earn a paycheck in actual hell? As if keeping your head on your shoulders and barbed wire wrapped nonsense out of your holes wasn’t hellish enough. Why the fuck wasn’t coke free in hell? It should be, would be if he were in charge.

Anthony laughed at that thought. But he could be in a three-way with Lucifer and Lillith, right? He’d seen strap ons in sex shops here that she could have. Oh, being free to buy toys and explore himself was the best part of hell.

“Ragno,” Carmilla called him by his nickname. How much did he hate he woke up in hell looking like a spider? He hated spiders but still all his pink markings were cute. He loved them and the extra arms had perks.

“Yeah, boss?”

“There is a birthday part for Odette tonight at the Copas y Confesiones club. Join us,” Carmilla invited. “No presents, just companionship.”

“Sounds great. I’ll be there with bells on.”

When he clocked out, Anthony hustled home and put on his flashiest suit in deep purple, his second favorite color after pink. He picked the fedora with the peacock feather and his amethyst tie pin and cufflinks. He had splurged on this outfit for fancy nights like tonight. Carmilla really did treat people like family if she liked them and he was on her good side. How could he not be? He was charming.

The Copas y Confesiones club was hopping when he got there and he hadn’t even had time to get a drink before Odette pulled him on the dance floor. She, Clara, and her mom loved to dance and so did he. He’d end up kicking up his heels with all three before the night was through. After a couple of fox trots and one wild Charleston later, Odetta let him escape to the bar for an aviation cocktail, a paler shade of purple than his suit.

Carmilla beckoned for him to join her, Clara, and some of her upper echelon weapons masters at the head table. Anthony gladly joined them. He sipped his floral cocktail, enjoying its sweetness as he settled in.

“It’s a great party, boss,” he said.

“It’s more crowded in here than usual,” she replied. “I am surprised you didn’t go talk to the other spider sinners.” Carmilla inclined her head to the far corner and his heart sank, even without looking to confirm his fears. “I’ve noticed that sometimes families resemble each other even here.”

His hand shook so hard he sloshed some of his cocktail on the table. He dabbed it up with a napkin as his heart raced.

“That crowd usually hangs out in the La Bella Notte club,” one of her capos said.

Before Anthony could utter a word, his head exploded in pain as he was knocked from his chair. Through his clouded vision, he barely had time to spot the upswing of the baseball bat and get an arm between it and his face. He screamed as bone broke. He couldn’t dodge the kick that followed. Anthony rolled, manifesting his gun but the large, looming spider fired first. Anthony took two to the chest before several other tarantulas pulled his father away. It had to be him; even without him speaking a word, Anthony knew it. Where else would his father had gone?

Carmilla put herself between Anthony and his father. “What are you doing? How dare you disrespect me and mine?”

“Henroin, leave it,” one of the spiders said, trying to yank Henroin back further. “Listen to your big brother.”

So, Zio Guiseppe then. Right. Naturally he was here too. Anthony could barely think on it. Everything hurt. Blood pumped out of him like an ocean.

“Look at you. Pink and white like the little fairy you are,” his father snarled.

“Leave him alone,” Odette snapped.

Anthony tried to pull himself up onto the chair but failed. “Odette, this is between him and me.”

“You’re hurt. I’ll have my driver take you home, Anthony,” Carmilla said. “And again, I ask you, how dare you disrespect me like this?”

His father didn’t back down even though he had to know who she was and him standing there wearing a badge from her biggest competitor. “The little cocksucker is my son, the son who murdered me.”

Carmilla turned to Anthony and raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged, coughing as the movement drove more blood into his tattered lung. “He was going to kill me. He found out I was queer. I did what I had to. I was just quicker than Papà on the trigger.”

Zio Guiseppe laughed at that. “Yeah, you got killed by your useless fairy son. We’re still laughing at that one, Henroin.”

Henroin back handed his brother. “Did you think you could grab my spot as capo once you killed me?”

“No, that was Giovanni. I didn’t want power. I just wanted to live my life as who I truly am. I needed control over my life and not be a puppet on your string. I didn’t want to die because I love men.”

Henroin curled his lip in disgust and pointed the gun at Anthony again. “You stay out of my sight. If you’re ever in my territory….”

His father shot him in the head to make his point. It was over a day before he respawned in one of Carmilla’s backrooms. It was another day after that before he could make her, Odette, and Clara a huge apology dinner for ruining Odette's birthday party. He would need to figure out all the places his family usually hung out - La Bella Notte for certain – and avoid them like the plague.

“Do you regret it?” Odette asked as he put a dish of pasta frutti di mare in front of her.

“Shooting my father? The man abused me, my brother, mother, and twin sister our entire lives. He was going to murder me for being gay. He turned me into a killer long before that since we were mobsters. No, I don’t regret it but it weighed on me.” Anthony frowned. “More than it should have.”

“Killing a parent is no easy thing,” Carmilla said, giving him a strange look.

“No but I did what I had to. I won’t bring it to your doorstep again, not if I can help it.”

“You didn’t do it this time. You had no idea they were in the club. It is forgiven, Ragno. Just don’t go looking for trouble. I don’t want to have to deal with any skirmishes with Getty if you mess up his men.”

“Understood. I hope you like the pasta and leave room for dessert. I made enough cannoli to feed half of hell.” He grinned.

“Unnecessary,” Carmilla said. “But welcome. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. I love to cook.”

Clara took a bite. “Make him our personal chef, Mom.”

Carmilla savored her forkful. “I just might at that.”

“You know what, I’m good with that if that’s what you want from me. I love to cook.”

Cook, weapons runner, Anthony didn’t mind. He was happy his boss didn’t blame him for his father’s shit behavior or his own. He just hoped hell was big enough for him and his father. God, just wait until Giovanni joins us. Anthony was not looking forward to that day so he helped himself to some pasta and let the flavors melt away his worries. If nothing else, he’d gotten what he wanted. He made his own choices, free from family interference and that was enough for him for now.

Note – Of course we don’t know how exactly Angel killed his father but I took a good bet given who and what they were. Heck, I was shocked that Angel had even done that. I thought (as much of the fandom that I’ve been reading) Henroin died after Angel (ah, to all the other stories I have that are now canon divergence. Ha) but learning that might not be true was a plot bunny spawner, oh yes it was.

And all the fandom recs will have to wait maybe til tomorrow. It's quite late.