When the main stage had still been dark, Alastor's shadow had found Angel. It relayed its findings back to its master, receiving an immediate response wreathed in ice cold static:
Sweep the studio. Learn every nook and cranny.
It mutely giggled in malicious glee to itself as smaller shadow creatures gathered to assist. These were locals to the area and had grown bored of the comings and goings of this place but it was the most excitement they typically saw. They'd picked up on Alastor's presence, eager to get in on the fun. This wasn't Alastor's favored hunting grounds. This was new and exciting, and they eagerly shared their intimate knowledge of Valentino's studio and clubs with Alastor's shadow who relayed the knowledge back to its master.
A new command came through their connection:
Get ready for a show.
Alastor's shadow silently reveled in evil delight. It had been far too long since the last grand performance. It was about time Alastor reminded those beneath the Pentagram that the only reason he wasn't running the place himself was due to lack of interest, not power. The Radio Demon's shadow shifted into the shape of a stag with red eyes and a grinning mouth. The small shadow creatures mutely cheered, darting about in their eagerness to join in the carnage they all hoped would follow.
---
Alastor walked with calm, confident strides towards Porn O Studios. He began humming along with a jaunty little tune that he'd come up with years ago as the radios across Hell began crackling with his arctic rage. His song hissed within the static, a hint that a major broadcast was potentially coming.
♪♫ Hello, it's nice to meet you! Can you tell me where I am? I don't know how I got here But I think I'm starting to understand. ♪♫
---
Across town Vox was suddenly inundated with virtual blackouts spreading rapidly across Pentagram City like an invisible tsunami. Anything using a wireless signal was suddenly jammed and unusable. Digital transmissions that typically flowed freely through the air died. His electric empire wasn't completely crumbling, but it would take hours to get things back to normal once the cause of these "blackouts" stopped.
He plugged himself in directly to the network via cable connection and started seeking the source. It took only a few moments to determine the cause. Had Vox's body possessed actual blood rather than coolant, it would've gone ice cold when he heard the song near-hidden in the static:
♪♫ I don't belong among the angels, But, darling, that's just fine with me! The things I did up there were high school, But now I'm going for my degree! ♪♫
Vox made sure to keep it very, very quiet, but the fact was that the wireless signals that flowed across the Pride Ring were ultimately Alastor's to command. Cellular signals, wifi, even television broadcast signals, they all ultimately relied on radio waves. And Alastor knew it, him having toyed with the radio waves as wireless technology grew ever more popular. Alastor had no interest in the modern conveniences piggybacking on his signal, but he liked to periodically remind Vox through localized virtual blackouts that he was well aware that, ultimately, Vox needed him.
Vox made a map of the virtual blackouts, searching for the epicenter. Had he any saliva, he would've choked on it as he saw just how massive the signal interruption truly was. It was all sweeping outward from one area but not one that Vox would've expected: the heart of Valentino's territory.
"Oh fuck. Oh fuck!"
Without thinking, Vox disconnected the wire giving him a direct connection to the internet and pulled out his cellphone, dialing up Valentino to warn him. Belatedly, he remembered the lack of cell signal and cursed his lack of foresight in keeping an old fashioned handset nearby for just such emergencies. He could hear his employees panicking just outside his office as his empire shuddered. It'd take ages to push past them all, get to his car, and drive to the studio.
He prayed that Velvet was with Valentino. The three V's tried to stick together for a reason: The old overlords had fallen one-by-one as Alastor had wiped them out during his grand entrance to Hell. Valentino, Vox, and Velvet as a united front was a deterrent even to the older demon. Over the years, Alastor had gone largely quiet, occupied with more solo interests and performances. Vox now realized he and his fellow V's had gotten complacent, no longer constantly in each other's orbits. The deterrent was no longer effective.
And now the Radio Demon was on the warpath.
---
There was a long line of sinners outside Porn O Studios. It was easy to tell which demons had been in Hell the longest as they immediately picked up on the crackling radio static and the music weaving in and out of it:
♪♫ Hey! Sorry but you just got in my way! I promise, honey, I can feel your pain! And maybe I enjoy it just a little bit, Does that make me insane? ♪♫
Those who hadn't been in Hell as long were initially excited as the line got significantly shorter from suddenly fleeing demons. They attempted to call friends to tell them that the wait wasn't as long as normal only to find that there was no cell or wifi signal to be found. And then they heard the malevolent static and faint jaunty music, realizing that something Very Bad was about to happen.
The security guard outside the studio watched as the line vanished in moments, paling in horror as the humming deer demon emitting static and music approached. He tried his walkie talkie, but the signal didn't go through. So he did the reasonable thing: He fled inside and started shoving his way through the unaware throng in an attempt to reach his boss to warn him.
---
Behind Angel, a shadowy stag with red eyes stepped in front of the neon pink spiderweb lights. It grinned maliciously at Valentino. The bass music began warping as static and the faint echo of a completely different song began slowly overpowering it.
♪♫ Haven't been the same since I expired, But that doesn't mean that I plan to retire! And now I have the power to bathe all of you in entertaining fire! ♪♫
My turn to ramble on and on it seems.
Sweep the studio. Learn every nook and cranny.
It mutely giggled in malicious glee to itself as smaller shadow creatures gathered to assist. These were locals to the area and had grown bored of the comings and goings of this place but it was the most excitement they typically saw. They'd picked up on Alastor's presence, eager to get in on the fun. This wasn't Alastor's favored hunting grounds. This was new and exciting, and they eagerly shared their intimate knowledge of Valentino's studio and clubs with Alastor's shadow who relayed the knowledge back to its master.
A new command came through their connection:
Get ready for a show.
Alastor's shadow silently reveled in evil delight. It had been far too long since the last grand performance. It was about time Alastor reminded those beneath the Pentagram that the only reason he wasn't running the place himself was due to lack of interest, not power. The Radio Demon's shadow shifted into the shape of a stag with red eyes and a grinning mouth. The small shadow creatures mutely cheered, darting about in their eagerness to join in the carnage they all hoped would follow.
---
Alastor walked with calm, confident strides towards Porn O Studios. He began humming along with a jaunty little tune that he'd come up with years ago as the radios across Hell began crackling with his arctic rage. His song hissed within the static, a hint that a major broadcast was potentially coming.
♪♫ Hello, it's nice to meet you!
Can you tell me where I am?
I don't know how I got here
But I think I'm starting to understand. ♪♫
---
Across town Vox was suddenly inundated with virtual blackouts spreading rapidly across Pentagram City like an invisible tsunami. Anything using a wireless signal was suddenly jammed and unusable. Digital transmissions that typically flowed freely through the air died. His electric empire wasn't completely crumbling, but it would take hours to get things back to normal once the cause of these "blackouts" stopped.
He plugged himself in directly to the network via cable connection and started seeking the source. It took only a few moments to determine the cause. Had Vox's body possessed actual blood rather than coolant, it would've gone ice cold when he heard the song near-hidden in the static:
♪♫ I don't belong among the angels,
But, darling, that's just fine with me!
The things I did up there were high school,
But now I'm going for my degree! ♪♫
Vox made sure to keep it very, very quiet, but the fact was that the wireless signals that flowed across the Pride Ring were ultimately Alastor's to command. Cellular signals, wifi, even television broadcast signals, they all ultimately relied on radio waves. And Alastor knew it, him having toyed with the radio waves as wireless technology grew ever more popular. Alastor had no interest in the modern conveniences piggybacking on his signal, but he liked to periodically remind Vox through localized virtual blackouts that he was well aware that, ultimately, Vox needed him.
Vox made a map of the virtual blackouts, searching for the epicenter. Had he any saliva, he would've choked on it as he saw just how massive the signal interruption truly was. It was all sweeping outward from one area but not one that Vox would've expected: the heart of Valentino's territory.
"Oh fuck. Oh fuck!"
Without thinking, Vox disconnected the wire giving him a direct connection to the internet and pulled out his cellphone, dialing up Valentino to warn him. Belatedly, he remembered the lack of cell signal and cursed his lack of foresight in keeping an old fashioned handset nearby for just such emergencies. He could hear his employees panicking just outside his office as his empire shuddered. It'd take ages to push past them all, get to his car, and drive to the studio.
He prayed that Velvet was with Valentino. The three V's tried to stick together for a reason: The old overlords had fallen one-by-one as Alastor had wiped them out during his grand entrance to Hell. Valentino, Vox, and Velvet as a united front was a deterrent even to the older demon. Over the years, Alastor had gone largely quiet, occupied with more solo interests and performances. Vox now realized he and his fellow V's had gotten complacent, no longer constantly in each other's orbits. The deterrent was no longer effective.
And now the Radio Demon was on the warpath.
---
There was a long line of sinners outside Porn O Studios. It was easy to tell which demons had been in Hell the longest as they immediately picked up on the crackling radio static and the music weaving in and out of it:
♪♫ Hey!
Sorry but you just got in my way!
I promise, honey, I can feel your pain!
And maybe I enjoy it just a little bit,
Does that make me insane? ♪♫
Those who hadn't been in Hell as long were initially excited as the line got significantly shorter from suddenly fleeing demons. They attempted to call friends to tell them that the wait wasn't as long as normal only to find that there was no cell or wifi signal to be found. And then they heard the malevolent static and faint jaunty music, realizing that something Very Bad was about to happen.
The security guard outside the studio watched as the line vanished in moments, paling in horror as the humming deer demon emitting static and music approached. He tried his walkie talkie, but the signal didn't go through. So he did the reasonable thing: He fled inside and started shoving his way through the unaware throng in an attempt to reach his boss to warn him.
---
Behind Angel, a shadowy stag with red eyes stepped in front of the neon pink spiderweb lights. It grinned maliciously at Valentino. The bass music began warping as static and the faint echo of a completely different song began slowly overpowering it.
♪♫ Haven't been the same since I expired,
But that doesn't mean that I plan to retire!
And now I have the power to bathe all of you in entertaining fire! ♪♫