Chapter Text
Chapter 81: No Good Deed
Soon Sweeney Todd was ready to be promoted. Stella and a few of the other cast members, mostly her girls, spent the day putting up flyers all around Pentagram City.
Stella made herself take breaks often, so she was the last to return again. “Go ahead of me, I’ll just take a quick shower and meet your guys at the playhouse.” Stella called to them as she headed up to her room.
She quickly showered and put on a fresh dress. It was a newer dress Lily had sewn for her, it was made from red cotton with a dropped waist that went into a pleated mid-thigh skirt. For Stella, it was perfect for these hot summer months, it was cool, sporty, but still looked professional.
She quickly dried her cinnamon colored hair and pulled it back to a low ponytail and put a red headband on top of her head
She wiggled her feet into a pair of red flats then raced out of her room and out of the hotel. She didn’t want to be late for rehearsals. ‘A director should be the first to arrive, I shouldn’t have gone so far into the city today.’ She thought as she felt a twinge in her ankle.
Stella was so engrossed in her thoughts, she didn’t see the figure step out in front of her as she reached the edge of Cannibal Town, until it was too late and she ran straight into them. “Oof.” Stella gasped as she stumbled backwards a few steps.
She looked down to see a familiar face, Diamond.
Diamond’s face was pale and she had some nasty bruises and char marks on her long neck, she looked like she had been through hell recently.
“How fucking dare you!” The swan sinner spat at her as she glared up at her with her black eyes. She wasn’t even wearing her outrageous false eyelashes.
“Well, if you hadn't been standing in the middle of the sidewalk.” The mink snapped back.
“I don’t give a fuck about that. How dare you cast me out for what I did when you’re doing the same thing!” The Madam squawked.
“What are you talking about?” The singer asked her patience wearing thinner by the second.
“I’m talking about you sleeping with the Radio Demon!” Diamond shouted.
The crowd around them stopped and stared for a second before going back on their way. “They must be crazy.” A voice muttered.
“Or delusional.” Another replied.
“Are you on drugs now too? You sound insane.” Stella remarked as she shook her head.
Diamond grabbed ahold of Stella’s arm and pulled her close. “Vox seems to think Valentino was killed at your club, and that the great Radio Demon Alastor did it.” She seethed. “Why would Alastor protect you if you weren’t making it worth his while?”
“How do you know that?” Stella gasped, unable to hide her reaction in time. She had caught Diamond off guard with her honesty and suddenly everything clicked into place for her. “You sent Valentino.” She accused.
Diamond tried to run away, she dropped Stella's arm and turned but Stella was quicker. Her hand went straight for the back of Diamond’s head.
Stella grabbed a fistful of the white feather-like hair, taking a deep breath taking to control her form.
Her claws easily crushed the feathers and began digging into her palm. “You sent him?” She repeated.
The swam just looked up at her terrified, her silence was all the answers the mink needed.
“You’re coming with me.” The overlord ordered as she began to drag her former coworker into Cannibal Town.
It wasn’t an easy task getting her to the theatre, the swan kept kicking and dragging her feet.
“Help!” Diamond yelled as she tried to reach out for help, but it was no use. Everyone just stepped out of their path and out of her reach.
“Stop causing a scene!” Stella snarled, her influence rendering the swan mute.
Just before they reached the theatre, Stella switched her restraining method, switching to a purple collar and chain. Diamond was too stunned to speak. “Downside to being my first contract, I don’t know how to break it.” She informed her with a sickening grin. “God, you piss me off so much!” Stella snapped at her feeling her jaws elongate.
Once inside the theatre, the commotion caused Stolas and Moxxie to immediately rise from the chairs.
“Star, what’s going on?” Moxxie asked, looking confused as the were-mink dragged the swan towards the stage.
“Diamond?” Ruby gasped as she looked between the chained sinner and her boss.
Stella was now in her overlord form. She was now over 7 feet tall, her fur was now the color of dried blood and looked thicker and unruly. Her muzzle was bigger with an extra row of razor sharp teeth that were dipping with red saliva. Her nails were now claws and once yellow eyes were pitch black.
The air around Stella warped in convection, as she got closer the actors could feel the heat radiating off Stella and the aura around began to shimmer brighter.
“If you’re squeamish, I highly recommend you leave, now.” Stella announced as she wrapped the chain tighter around her fist.
Several cast members quickly scrambled towards the lobby, leaving Stella with who she wanted, the cannibals.
Stella yanked Diamond up to her height, her feet were dangling off the ground. “I never want to see your pathetic face again, got it? If you ever come near me, my girls, or my club again, I will not hesitate to kill you a second time.” She whispered into her victim's ear.
Diamond just stared in wide eyed terror as she turned towards the crowd of hissing cannibals, clutching at the collar around her neck. (under rated song? Chow Down)
“Do you want to know one of my favorite villain songs?” The singer asked as she looked at the approaching crowd. “Supper Time.” She then threw her down to the ground and walked away.
She released her control, so the cannibals could enjoy the screams of their victim as they ate her alive.
Stella went to the left wing of the stage and tried to think of the calming techniques Charlie and Sojo had been teaching in therapy recently. She began to solfege through the scales. ‘Fuck, I went full overlord, I haven’t done that in so long.’ She thought. “Do, re, mi, fa, sol. Do mi sol do do sol mi do.” She muttered as she tried to focus on her shaking bloody hands. “Every truly cultured music student knows. You must learn your scales and your arpeggios
They slowly began to shrink, starting with her palms then her fingers then her claws.
‘I need to be back to normal before I go get the others out of the lobby.’
“Sol, fa, mi, re, do. Do mi sol me do mi sol me fa la sol, it goes. When you do your scales and your arpeggios” She muttered as her hand went to her muzzle. It was slowly returning to its normal size with each scale she went through.
She closed her eyes and focused on the words with each controlled breath she took. When she opened them back up her vision had returned to normal and were no longer just shades of black and white, she could see colors again. “If you're smart you'll learn by heart what every artist knows. You must sing your scales, and your arpeggios.” She finished off.
Back on stage, the cannibals were cleaning themselves up, having eaten Diamond in a record breaking two minutes.
“Ugh, the feathers.” Alice commented as she pulled a feather from between her teeth. She was Ruby’s understudy as the beggar woman.
“Now, now, it's rare for an outsider to bring us a treat, especially one so delicious.” Victor tutted as he licked his lips.
Rosie glanced from her citizen to Alastor who was staring towards the left wing where Stella was, returning to her normal self.
“Alastor a moment.” She whispered as she nodded towards the opposite wing,
“Of course.” He replied as he followed her.
“You still seem hungry.” The leader commented as her black eyes stared into his red ones.
“Well, sharing one sinner isn’t exactly filling, it's not like a swan is a deer.” The radio demon replied.
“I think you’re hungry for something else.” She whispered as he placed a hand on his lower chest.
Alastor scoffed but then Rosie pinned him with a knowing look.
“I have been hungrier than usual as of late, no food, drink nor my favorite cuisines have quenched it. I can’t explain it. I don’t know what this hunger is.” He confessed. ‘Her abilities are terrifying.’ He thought.
“Prehaps it’s not the food, but someone’s attention you want to consume.” Rosie prompted with knowing eyes as she glanced over to Stella.
“Someone’s attention?” He questioned as he followed her gaze. “Don’t be preposterous.”
Stella was paying them no mind, checking her reflection in a compact mirror to see if she had returned to normal.
“Sex is power, Alastor, so if you don’t sleep with her I will. She can neither be beneath you or your equal, your choice.” Rosie avowed, catching Alastor off guard as she swatted his rear, giggling at the high pitched yelp he let out.
Alastor grumbled under his breath as the few left in the theatre shot them a few glances.
“Stella isn’t a sinner you're gonna keep the normal way. She’s too smart for that. She’s gonna need a little extra effort but we both know she’ll be worth it.” The feminine overlord whispered into his ear from behind as she walked pass she gave him a smirk.
“Everything okay darling?” She called out as she made her way across the stage to Stella.
“Just peachy.” Stella called back as she shut her compact.
‘What have I gotten myself into.’ Alastor thought, not for the first time as he watched Stella walk up to Rosie. ‘What have we gotten ourselves into.’