Like A Dark Paradise (A Hazbin Hotel story)

And Now It's Easier

A/N: For those of you that are following the updates on the story via Discord, I fucking lied~ But seriously, I couldn't fit it all into one chapter so the next chapter will be the "surprise". For those of you who are caught up with the recent chapters and is following the conversation through Discord, you already know who is the next cameo. 

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So many unique and colorful flowers extended beyond the evening horizon. Everything was just as prettier and vibrant up-close. You had no idea that Alastor had a garden like this near his house. It was just like the ones in your dream.

"Dear, you shouldn't be lolly-gagging for too long," Alastor reminded as he watched you from a distance. "Your job starts in an hour."

"Just a few more minutes, Alastor," you promised, kneeling next to an exotic pinkish chrysanthemum while closely observing it with curiosity. For some reason, out of all the ones in the large garden, this particular flower stood out to you. You admired the eye-catching hues on the chrysanthemum, its petals curved upwards towards the sky.

Admittingly, you were a bit nervous at first when Alastor asked you to come with him out of nowhere, thinking that you were in trouble for something you weren't aware of. Once he brought you out to the same garden you've seen outside the bedroom window, your heart felt more at ease as your eyes wandered around the area. He figured it would be a good idea for you to enjoy the scenery before work and you were glad he took the time to bring you out here.

Alastor approached you from behind, waiting patiently for you to finish up with whatever it is that you were doing. Fully aware of his presence, you straighten up to a seated position.

"Alastor? Where is Madame Aura?" you asked without looking back at your master. "I haven't seen her all day. Did something happen to her?"

"No need to worry, (Y/n). She decided to take off for the day," the deer demon said as he knelt down aside from you. "She can't exactly be away from the forest for too long. It takes a toll on her magic which drains her energy."

"How long does it take for her magic to recover?"

"Usually a day or more. If you ask me, she should just stay there for the sake of her own health and leave us be--"

"I say. Feeding your servant more lies, are we?" Aura stood over the two of you, leaning over with her arms crossed. You collapsed on your side startled from her sudden appearance. "Why am I not surprised?"

Where the hell did she come from and how long was she there for?? You didn't even hear her coming!

"A-Aura...!" you cried out in surprise. "Isn't it too soon for you to come back here?"

"Don't believe everything he tells you," she sighed. "Most of the things he says are either a white lie or a downright lie." The witch doctor snapped her fingers, causing several more flowers to rise and bloom in place. The pollen embedded in them began to disperse into the air before disappearing. "I may be a forest witch, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I have to return to the forest exclusively. As long as there's a moderate amount of lush greenery in the area, I can use it as a temporary recovery point. It would be a nuisance to travel from the forest to the city and back every time my magic weakens."

"Very interesting. And useful, too!" you smiled.

"And I see you have taken interest in that spliced chrysanthemum," Aura said, pointing her finger towards the plant in front of you. "It took many tries and experiments to achieve the desired appearance."

"So... this is an artificial flower?" you wondered while you glanced back at the vibrant flower.

"Oh please," she laughed. "I am very against all things artificial."