Helluva Hire - Waking that Which Slumbers

by SteinMon1920518

Remember: interview your new employees before you hire them, ask them what applicable skills they have, don't ask why they use a human disguise in Hell. And yes, it's okay to wonder how they know an Ars Goetia. Just make sure your wallet is still in your pocket and they don't try seducing your receptionist.

8. Chapter 7: Secrets that Change

A/N: I'm back! And now for Loo-Loo Land: Part 3!

That being read, I welcome your Reviews. If you have criticisms, I welcome those too. Please keep them constructive. I want to grow as an author, and I can't do that if people aren't willing to critique, or only want to tear me down. I'm not here to please everybody, but I am here to learn. There is a method to my madness, even if I don't always fully understand it. 90% of what I write, I don't write baselessly. If there is something not canon or changed from canon, there is generally a reason. If something doesn't make sense, feel free to let me know (constructively), and as long as it doesn't creep into SPOILER! territory, I'll do my best to explain it.

WARNING: This is rated M for a reason. In keeping with the spirit of Helluva Boss, there will be copious amounts of Murder, Brutal Violence, Senseless Violence, Child Violence, Gender-Equal Violence, Accidental Violence, Robot Violence, Drugs, Hard Drugs, Soft Drugs, Prescription Drugs, All-Natural Drugs, "All Natural" Drugs, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Visceral, Dissection, the occasional slow-crunch of Bones, and Cannibals contributing to said "slow-crunch", Physical Abuse, Mental Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Language, Offensive Language, non-Politically Correct Language, possibly butchered attempts at Foreign Language, Horny Demons, Hornier Humans, even Hornier Furries, and any number of things the average law-abiding citizen might consider "distasteful", but that I find hilarious because laughter is easier than being angry at people or the world all the time.

May also include some point-blank wholesomeness. No reason to warn about this, except that some of you might find it offensive because you have nothing good in your life, and therefore have to ruin everything good for everyone else. If you feel offended for me calling you out, then you know who you are.

This story is not for people who are easily offended, are offended on other people's behalf when said people really don't give a shit, squeamish around violence, think sex is naughty, or think jokes are like dicks and take them way too hard. You know the drill (haha! I just got that!)

If you don't like it, DON'T READ IT!

This is for Adults, or for any of you below the age of 18 who are so desensitized to this stuff because your parents never cared about your mental sanctity (Wow! Already getting in the spirit of things and insulting people! Noice!). All the same, Reader Discretion is Advised. (God I love this pre-story warning!)

But! Because this is my first "real" attempt at such mature content, don't expect me to dive head-first into 'X-rated' stuff. Or even dabble. No dabbling. That's not the vibe I got from Helluva Boss. That, and my mother would burn me at the stake if I did. Love you Mom!

Review Responses:

- Boss Teal: Cool. Part 3 done. Now I'mma gonna do some Interludes to make up for it ;)

- Bosseeyore6: Yes. Yes indeed.

- "Guest" 1: Ah yes. Indeed. And thus it has been updated again. As for Snow singing "Sweet Child O'Mine" (I'm assuming it's by Gun's & Roses), I couldn't see him singing it honestly. It's retro, and I love it as a song, but fitting with Snow's character felt... off. Much less something he'd sing to Loona. Sorry about that.

- DK676: Wish granted!

- "Guest" 2 & 3: And here is the update

- 55555gosha: Thanks. I appreciate the compliment. That honestly means a lot. Teenage drama? Pfft! Naaah! This is all adult drama with fewer suds! And... I'd argue that it's Hell; everyone and their step-mom's dog has a tragic past. Like... literally everyone in Hell. Still I'll take criticism where criticism is due, but I can't really guarantee that it'll change since I have it mostly planned out already.

*End of Responses

Disclaimer: I don't own Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, or any of its subsidiaries. Those rights belong exclusively to Vivziepop, and anyone else who had a hand in it's creation. I just get to enjoy it for all it's worth.

I would also like to point out that I don't own any other media or content that may be mentioned as further enrichment to the story.

I do however, own all Original Characters and Scenarios, so... MINE!

Without further ado. *Que the dimming of the lights*

---

Chapter 7: Secrets that Change

Blitz fired a barrage of bullets as that overrated robo-cuck continued to stalk toward him, slowly for the most part, right up until he decided to turn into a semi-living, robotic saw blade. Or send out strangely nimble and stretchy limbs, trying to reach him from a distance. The ass-wipe! He kept out of melee range as best as he could. If dodging was a skill, he was power-leveling it right now.

He'd never say it out loud, but he was glad Plaster Dust had blocked that first attack. The damage that stupidly OP sword of his had done simply from blocking was probably the only reason he was still standing. The robot was moving jerkily, parts of his outer chrome cut or ripped open, sparks lighting from exposed wires, and oil drizzling from the exposure as though it was bleeding.

The robot looked like shit, but he just wouldn't. Go. Down! Whoever manufactured this shit had gone all out. Where was that market dedication when it came to shit like the ten Hellphones he went through in a week?

Then again, he probably had to be durable. Some people liked to smack their sex toys around.

"D-uh-uh-uh-on't tell me you're s-s-scared of me, Blitzo!" it glitched, the smile on its face creepy. Like 'Catholic priest in a Kindergarten' creepy.

"Scared? No," Blitz retorted, yelping as he dived to the side, rolling to his feet quickly as a pair of arms stretched to try and snag him. "Incredibly disturbed? Yes. It's almost nice to be wanted by someone. You know… minus the tentacle porn bits. I already have enough holes being filled on the regular, thanks!"

Robo-Fizz's head rolled creepily, the neck twisting several times around beyond normal demon standards, it's eyes never once leaving their glare at Blitz. He was just waiting for the Exorcist spider-crawl to make it official. It was already weird with the inner wires and tubes flailing, trying to reconnect with the insides as though he were self-repairing.

'Holy fuck! Tell me he's not!' Blitz begged whatever higher power would listen. Of course, Big G, Big J, and Big L weren't listening, because the next moment, he saw a hose reattach, reducing the oil guzzling everywhere.

"Awww-aw-aw-awww! Just hold still B-b-b-b-lizo!" Robo-Fizz called, getting steadily less broken, even if he was more glitched as the fighting went on. Worst kind of opponent ever. "I-I-I-I'll give you a hug! It'll b-b-be over q-q-q-quick!"

Blitz rubbed his chin in thought with the barrel of his machine sniper, the other hand resting on his hip. "Huh. Tempting. But I'mma hafta give that a hard pass."

He barely registered the pain as one of Fizz's extend-o-hands bitch-slapped him into a nearby stand. The imp blinked the spots from his eyes, the continuous stream of green Hellfire was making that exceedingly hard to do. Had it been this stuffy before? The smoke was everywhere.

Blitz crawled his feet too slowly, kicking away some of the burning debris as he stifled the urge to cough. Like regular Earth flames, these ones wouldn't kill him. However, they would hurt like a bitch if they caught him. Robo-Fizz was too close for comfort, and getting closer.

'Welp! It was nice having a tight asshole while it lasted,' he mused, barely holding himself up as it was. God, was his gun always this fucking heavy?

As if sensing his weariness, Robo-Fizz grinned manically, reveling in Blitz's defeat as he continued to stalk forward like he was about to stuff Blitz inside animatronic suit.

PANG!

A flash of something smashed into Robo-Fizz's face, sending his head spinning in its gyro, and a large tent pole speared into the dirt. Fizz shook it off, revealing that his jaw had been dislocated as he aimed a glare at this new attacker.

Millie spun another tent pole around like it was a bo staff, holding it underarm as she gestured with her hands and a serious purse to her lips. Like a shaolin tai kwan motherfucker; whatever the fuck it was called.

Blitz was so relieved, he didn't even have a sarcastic or crass comment. Not even an innuendo or swear. Because FUCK! if he wasn't in serious shit. He almost started crying if he wasn't so busy trying to lift his gun so he could at least hip-fire.

Fizz grabbed the post that had hit him, ripping it from the ground with one hand while snapping his broken jaw back into place with the other, a sparking gnash of metal teeth. With a heave generated by a spinning top, the robot lanced it back.

BA-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-ANG!

Millie didn't so much as flinch or blink when a series of gunshots went off, reducing the impromptu spear to a scattering of splinters that danced harmlessly passed her. On signal, Millie dashed forward, spinning her weapon behind her as she began generating momentum to strike. More gunshots danced around her, intent to strike at the robot as he twisted and turned unnaturally to dodge. Millie brought the staff around and overhead, crunching the pole in half as the ground erupted into fissures and cracks from the force, Fizz barely avoiding it, stumbling back as he grabbed the errant half of the now broken pole, throwing it at the source of the bullet fire.

Moxxie flipped from his position, brandishing two pistols as he fired from his mid-air cartwheel before the pole could hit him, his hawk eye scoring several pings off the robots remaining armor. Even as he landed, he was kiting the fight. Millie swung upward with the remains of her pole as though it were a sword, an afterimage dancing just past Robo-Fizz's face as it contorted into worry. He threw out kick, nailing the imp-ress in the gut. She grunted as she was sent flying.

"Millie!" Moxxie cried, before gritting his teeth in a snarl. He walked forward with ease as he provided cover fire, every shot nailing the bastard, even if it only did miniscule damage.

Fizz vaulted forward, his rope-like arms moving to gain purchase on the smaller imp. To his credit, the Wrath imp, parried and blocked like a champ, using the butts and barrels of his guns as he flipped and spun them, though clearly the actions were unconscious and unpracticed as he seemed to fumble over himself. Accidently dropping a pistol, he dropped with it, surprising the robot when he landed on his side, both weapons pointed upward as he unleashed a flurry of shots into the robot's crotch.

Robo-Fizz just cocked an eyebrow, clearly unharmed as Moxxie chuckled nervously. "Heheh. Oops." He exhaled sharply as the robot's hand seemed to enlarge, smashing down on him before dragging him across the ground before chucking him.

Before Moxxie could fly too far, Blitz was suddenly cushioning him with his body, two shotguns in his hands going off from the force of impact, causing Fizz to recoil backward from the double-tap. Both imps rolled across the ground.

"You okay, sir?" Moxxie asked as he pushed himself up, quickly grabbing his nearby guns.

"Get your pussy-crotch up, Mox! I don't have time to babysit your fat-ass!" Blitz bit back, wincing from where Moxxie's elbow had nailed him in the ribs. "Though, that was a nice cock-shot."

Moxxie just smiled in relief and pride. "Yessir."

HEEEEEYAAA!

Millie flying double-kicked Fizz in the back while his attention was on both her boys, driving it into the ground before flipping away.

"You alright, babe?!" Millie asked, as she jogged over, wrapping her arms around him.

"That should be my question," Moxxie retorted, frowning at her wince.

"Asmodeus' ribbed dildo! Save that shit for later!" Blitz snapped.

"EN-N-N-N-NOUGH!" the robot raged, his limbs seeming to grow longer as the shadows pressed in around his body. His eyes grew brighter and deadlier as they zeroed in on the three imps. His mouth grew larger as his teeth grew longer, revealing a second set just inside his jaws. The spikes on his back grew larger and the jester droops around his head elongated into larger semi-sentient tendrils. Small glowing green lines formed on his body, almost making the clown seem part neon, if it wasn't for the tangible feeling of weight in the air.

"Oh, of course they gave a fucking robot a demon form," Blitz bit out bitterly. "Especially since imps don't naturally have none'uh that shit!"

Before any of them could react, the green flames around them flickered violently, causing all of them to raise their weapons in caution. Moxxie quickly tossed a gun to his wife, while Blitz handed over a shotgun to Mox, each of them reloading quickly in preparation for whatever was coming.

"W-W-W-What are you d-d-doing, Blitzo!" the animatronic growled at them, oil pouring from between his teeth like blood. Or venom.

"That's not me you Pennywise ripoff," Blitz shot back.

They all froze as the flames began to convert to white, blue tinges seeming to reach up and over them as the flames arched through the air, slowly drawing away from their fighting in a skyward blaze.

"The fuck?" Millie asked. Moxxie just nodded in agreement.

---

Stolas ran through the park, holding his little owlet close as he towered over panicking denizens, merely stepping around them as he followed the flames. They curled and danced and slithered across the sky and ground like serpents, defying the nature of fire itself as it congregated.

"Nononono," he whispered insistently. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. He'd taken every precaution, made sure that his son understood the dangers involved. They'd gone over everything, touched on every subject. This should have been avoidable.

"Dad! What is it?!" Octavia asked, feeling panic rise in her at her dad's silence. She gripped his shirt in a frenzy, keeping her eyes closed and hoping it would all be over soon.

As he stepped around a charred tent, he stood fast, blinking in surprise and panic. Overhead, a large, raging ball of spiraling flame gathered, absorbing the serpent-flames as they added their might to the whole, growing bigger and bigger still.

He swallowed, his face blanching as all four eyes widened in fear.

Snow stood underneath, one hand holding it aloft as though he were Atlas holding the Earth. But it wasn't Snow. Some partial emergence of his more demonic traits beginning to manifest in fur and shadow and glowing eyes. Only a sliver of his true form. Not the whole. A mere glimpse of the demon within. Stolas couldn't help but sigh in relief at that, even if it didn't do anything to suppress his mounting terror. Anymore, and there would be no hiding him, but they couldn't interrupt.

He could see the effort-born sweat pouring down the boy's face. And the strained tears drawing down each eye. The smallest slip in focus, and all that untamable power could explode. Born of a fire that could incinerate even greater demons. The Goetia could protect him and his own should worse come to worse, but he wouldn't be able to save his son from the sheer volatility of his own power.

"Dad?"

He looked down to see his precious little owlet shivering in fear of what she didn't know and didn't understand. Even if she knew most of it. He pulled her closer. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's all okay," he assured softly, letting her enough room to see what had worried him so.

At the sight of her brother summoning the raging white-blue sun, she gulped, the sheer enormity of his power reflecting violently in her eyes. The entirety of the blaze that had crossed the amusement park was gathering into the palm of his hand. Literally.

"C'mon Fluffball," she whispered encouragingly, watching him strain against his own powers. Watching as they fought for a dominance he wasn't willing to yield. She blinked though when she noticed the hellhound just behind him, just as entranced by his demonstration of arcane might.

Loona swallowed, unable to take a step back, even though the heat was scorching. Unable to blink even though the light was blinding. The sheer difference malevolent clash of hot and cold air was whipping winds at a violent rate, sending her fur flowing behind her. Her thoughts were still muddled, half-caught between the scorching feeling of his lips on hers that blazed with every luminous pulse from the gathering sun, and the sheer awe. This was magic. This is what people meant when comparing a candle to a raging inferno.

Her candle to his raging inferno.

But up close, she could see him struggling to hold it. To contain it. It was so much power threatening to burst, and he was holding it back with all his might, and still he tried gathering it further. That little parlor trick she'd seen him pull his first day at I.M.P. was nothing compared to this.

"Loona! I'm gonna need you to back away!" he gritted out, pops sparking before being forcefully subdued, and tendrils of flame curling down his arm almost threateningly. "Not sure… how… long–" He was cut off as he strained.

A cry startled her, causing her ears to erect. Some random parkgoer's kid by the sounds of it. She might not have thought anything of it since it was just some random demon in Hell, if she didn't notice Snow double-down for the how many nth time, watching as his gleaming canines gnashed, saliva dripping down the sides of his mouth as he raged in effort. It was too much for him. Even she could see that. But he still held it; still gathered it.

'What do I do?' she wondered helplessly. 'What can I do?' It wasn't the first time she'd asked that, and it would seem, it wasn't the last.

The imprint of his lips on hers scalded again, setting her mind to ease and causing her chest to clench in some belated form of excitement once again. A heat that electrified the tips of her hair, down to her toes. And yet it was him holding up the sun that scorched her, setting some strange part of her to smoldering embers that was attempting to catch fire.

And it wasn't the fucking time to start questioning that shit!

She blinked when she noticed bird-dick and Octane standing not too far away, watching intently. Growling in frustration she moved right in front of him, grabbing hold of his cheeks so he was forced to look at her, and not the very potent fire storm above his head.

"You and I are gonna have a very long talk after this shit," she stated firmly, making sure he understood.

"About… what?" he hissed in effort, guttural tones slipping, his hand tensing as he did his best to prevent from losing control of all the power in his hand. Which was hard. Super hard. Not unlike other bits that were wanting to make themselves known with her so close to his face. He could smell her shampoo, and for some fucked up reason, it was getting him horny. 'Fuck! Focus!'

Even so close, she couldn't exactly make out the shape of his face. All she could catch was emerging of fine silvery fur on his face, five eyes, and lips curled back to a mouthful of sharpened teeth. Tempting though it was, she'd have to figure out what he was later. Instead….

A soft peck to his cheek just about set off Hells largest and most unstable firework as his brain nearly fizzled out in surprise.

"That," Loona stated softly, the image of her biting her lip in contemplation about to cause more than one explosion. At least if the one above his head went off, there wouldn't be evidence of any others, because damn if he wasn't bothered. It might be a mercy. "So no dying. M'kay?"

Before he could think too much or ask any more, she was quickly stepping back.

"Just had to kiss 'er didn't ya?" he grumbled under his breath, as he returned his attention back to the fireball in his hand, the gathering flames having slowed with his distraction. "Should have at least taken her out for drinks first. Talked about useless shit. But no. Had to be stupid about it." Still, it was annoying how his lips kept twitching. Or how his cheek was suddenly too warm for discomfort.

Biting her tongue to keep from laugh at his soft-spoken words, Loona stepped back closer to the Goetia.

"What happened?" Stolas demanded, suddenly not the easy-going dad taking his daughter to the park. Suddenly he was a Goetia in all his might and authority, and the suddenness had Loona shrinking under his gaze, instinctively tucking her tail.

"W-We were just trying to go and help Blitz," she muttered, quietly eyeing the continuously growing flames. "But we couldn't do that with all the fire everywhere. I mean, he could have just pushed it out of the way I think, but…."

'But he's too kind,' Stolas finished silently. 'Stubborn, angry, bitter, and alone. But kind.'

His gaze didn't let up, although it did soften considerably. "Both of you, stay here," he ordered, striding toward his ward.

"What's going on?" Loona asked, shivering as the fire pulsed again, pulling Snow's coat tighter around her.

Octavia just shook her head unknowingly, a worried and distressed gaze all that the hellhound could read. "I don't know."

Loona bit her lip, wondering how she could help. He couldn't bear that all alone, and he shouldn't have to. But she didn't know how to. "C'mon you pasty ass bastard," she whispered. 'You owe me drinks.'

Stolas blinked sadly at the uncontrollable torrent the child was attempting to subdue. His magic was wilder than most any others. Deadlier. Untamable. Explosive. A force of nature that left the idea of control an illusion. It had awakened to violence, so it was violent in turn. Trying to wrangle it, control it, fight it, was gradually tearing him apart.

His own magic was his worst enemy. Decent in small and controlled amounts, but in such large quantities, a monstrosity that refused to be docile; especially when attempting to restrain it.

His son didn't even seem to look at him as he stood in front of him, all five eyes narrowed in effort. "My boy. My dear, sweet, tragic boy." He put a hand to his cheek, pity rolling off the Goetia.

"That hand jerked off my boss, Stolas. Please remove it," Snow grounded out with snark.

Stolas clicked his tongue. "Cheeky."

There were too few ways he could help. Most of them would reveal the child to early, but he might yet live; condemned, but alive. He reached over to Snow's sword, clasping softly to the hilt and hand that held it.

Snow pulled his sword away defensively, the blade pulsing an angry violet glow in response. "What're you doing Stolas?"

"Releasing your full might is foolhardy. And I'm not as proficient with the Elemental arts as you are, so I can't contain it for you," Stolas admitted with a sad smile. "All your gifts are sealed, yes?"

Rage blazed in Snow's eyes for a moment before he nodded firmly, holding firmly to the fire.

Stolas once again put a hand on the sword. "Then perhaps it's time to meet your companion in his current glory."

"Current?"

Stolas just smiled as a series of strange red archaic seals expanded from the blade and hilt respectively, forced to appear as though the katana was just as eager to have them removed. Their characters were ancient, forming intent that was older than even Hell, even if the weapon was still young. "Such tools are capable of growing. Their creator insured it."

While Snow sniveled at that, but he didn't argue as he felt his grip slipping more and more from the fire. He felt the blade humming in his hand, reassuring him, just as it always had. More real, more alive, and more loyal than just about any creature had ever been to him. "Do it!"

("The Flash Theme (At the Speed of Force)" by Samuel Kim Music, on Youtube.)

Without more than simple pulling gesture, the seals dissolved, cracks forming in the blade as if it was systematically breaking into carefully calculated and intended pieces, whispers slipping through the cracks, as if speaking.

Stolas watched as a strange kind of peace overcame Snow's face, his breathing morphing from strained, to a deep ministrations. Some of the flames began to wander, a smile adorning his face as they began morphing into varies shapes, no less powerful, but more warm and alive. This is what he had missed from the boy; how he had looked at magic as though it was the most beautiful thing in the world….

The Goetia turned back, watching as a lone flicker of flame danced over to Blitzy's daughter, enticing her own smiles as more and more flames began to draw toward her, almost as though they were curious fish.

…Or the boy had found someone he desired to demonstrate magic's wonders to.

Stolas almost sighed in relief. It would seem there wouldn't be a need let the boy's power release from their seals. And all the consequences that would come from that. For now though, he could breathe in relief.

Suddenly the tempest of wind quieted. The fires that had been drawn to the raging sun paused from their positions for just a moment, flickering in uncertainty.

Then it continued to gather, the bluish-white sun rotating at an increased pace, and in turn, drawing the flames faster and faster. It was growing, stronger and larger than it had mere moments ago as such a simple invocation seemed to empower the demon so immensely.

Octavia backed away in wonder, almost curious where this sun would find its place in the vast multitude of stars. With how quickly it was growing, she could only imagine the vastness of the brilliant nova it would create upon its death. Or how terrible the black hole if it imploded.

Loona on the other hand watched as the fires continued to grow, amazed at the display. How they all gathered, morphing in fires unshapable form. This is what magic was capable of. Not just power and intensity. There was a beauty to it that didn't quite match what words could say.

Snow simply looked up, eyes alight with wonder, his half-revealed demonic traits unable to subtract from the amazement that had settled across his visage.

He suddenly moved. Instinct and whispered guidance from his blade, his sword hand thrusted upward, stabbing his blade into the heart of raging flames, relieving the arm that had held it aloft as he breathed. With shimmer to his eyes, he whipped his sword down, the sun now bending as an extension of the blade, as though it's blaze had been made of liquid, trailing a starburst of blue and white on its extended, flaming edge, every spark dancing and dazzling in his awe-struck eyes.

"Cazal'guur." That name had Stolas backing away in surprise, eyeing the blade in his boy's hand as the fire-coated metal began to reverberate the air in excited anticipation. Even as the blade consumed the fire. And those eyes. Those glowing blue eyes. Their slits shimmered in a truly demonic fanged grin. "Wake your ass up."

The blade burst forth, the starburst forming a rapidly morphing shape from it as the sword answered its master's order. The flames that had once been blue now tinged with violet, the black and white flames and branches of its once solid silver edge warring for dominance as it took the form of its denizen, contorting as the flames became their own form of denizen.

A shape began to rapidly fashion from the blade's edge, almost absorbing, consuming the flames as a catalyst for it's form as it used the almost liquid form of the sun to fashion itself a body out of its masters power. A body of pure flame. A creature of it's own caliber.

The creature in the flames grew longer, coiling and dancing as the hilt was released from its master's hand, giving it free-range to grow and exercise its own will. An enlarged mouth formed, fiery antlers branching like mountainous crags from the back of its head. A blazing mane shook from his jowls and began to flare and wave down the spine of it's back as its arms and legs emerged from an elongating, snake-like body that ended in an equally billowing horsetail. That it was comprised entirely of the formerly uncontrollable flames only it made it that much more intimidating as it stood on its hind legs, details fleshing themselves in fire like the peeling of ash from burning wood as it's tail trailing behind it as it easily towering over them all, its serpentine body bending like a spring coil to balance its weight bipedally.

What fire the sword didn't gobble up, continued to dance above Snow's head, gathering to him as though it were trying to recreate a familiar shape that it couldn't quite hold. And the fire just kept coming. How much of the amusement park remained in flames when so much of it already drawn to him?

With both his hands free, his fingers tensed as his wrists rotated, the fire spiraling back into a new orb, both him and the creature at his back continuing to gather fire to their number as they both continued to consume and absorb. With a look of pure intensity, his fingers clenched harder, the fires shuddering as the flickering in the flames began to diminish, a sharp hum enunciating the air before his hands clapped together.

(song end)

The intensity and light all suddenly ceased as the flames disappeared vanquished, the more manageable sun collapsed into nothingness. Where the scalding heat was greatly reduced, a cooler wind blew in, leaving only the fiery monstrosity his sword had become as proof of its existance.

He almost fell slack at all the effort, finally able to half-collapse to his knees. His fur was drenched with sweat, and his chin was dripping with panting saliva. He could taste his lungs. They didn't taste good.

Overall, he just felt nasty.

"Need. A. Shower." One sniff to his arm told him that he'd have to use industrial-grade 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash to get out the smell. Probably the stuff that hadn't been animal tested yet. "Or three." He was tired. Just wanted to sleep.

Oof!

He was suddenly tackled in hug, falling back on his ass. A pair of hands mushing his face in. "Fucking Hell! Are you alright Fluffball?!"

Five eyes just deadpanned at her, two eyebrows trying quirking while the middle one just kind of twitched. "'M fine," he muttered out.

A hiss sounded next to them from burning earth, and Octavia looked up, her eyes suddenly shrinking in terror. The massive flaming creature stood over them, but had bent it's neck down to look at them with one of its massive eyes, it's front claws folding over themselves warily. It's mere presence scorching the air in the absence of fire. "Oh… right."

"Better?" Stolas asked as he moved forward again, offering them each a hand up.

"Better," Snow agreed as his more "human" traits began reasserting themselves, taking one of his hands as Octavia got off him. He briefly bent his neck so he could look up and back at the addition to his gear. "And kick-ass! Aren't ya Caz? You little toaster oven. Why didn't you tell me you could do that?"

The flame-composed creature made a hissing crooning noise that was just… way too cute for Hell. 'Awww! My little flaming razor blade's first words,' he cooed to himself, ignoring the sparks that accompanied the noise.

"Little?" Octavia asked in disbelief, craning her neck to look up into its ember eyes, far to life-like to be anything but alive, even comprised entirely of flames.

"Um…." They all turned to see a Loona shifting nervously, as she eyed the raging flaming beast standing over them. "…Weren't we trying to help Blitz?"

All five eyes blinked, as if Snow was suddenly just remembering why he'd originally started playing tug-of-war with fire. "Oh yeah." His words were enunciated by a grunt-huff from the creature overhead.

'He's still Snow,' Loona thought in relief. All that badassery and power, but he was still the goof that had pointed spells in her face the first time they'd met.

"Right! Yeah! I'm going!" he hopped up quickly – if stiffly – roughly ruffling Octavia's beanie, before gesturing to his… blade? "We'll have to formalize introductions later Caz!"

The creature's body heaved, it's front claws slamming on the ground as its mouth opening in a trilling roar that shook the ground of Greed, as if challenging all seven Rings to bring it.

"That's my boy," Snow agreed with a grin of his own, reaching out his hand. The creature's nose lowered, flaming flesh crackling as it nestled against his palm without so much as a singe to his skin. "Let's go bud. I gotta go save my boss from a creepy ass clown."

Almost instantly, the fiery beast began to fade into embers, almost instantly compressing from flames to ash to dust as it began rendering back into beginnings of a blade. The hilt formed, then the blade as each particulate began reforging itself into place. Within a moment, the colossal burning creature was now a katana, each piece glowing like molten crags of magma and layered like mismatched scales before pulling themselves together and sealing with a hiss of steam. None would have been the wiser.

Snow just snorted with a smirk. "Show off." The sword hummed back in response.

Tired as he was though, he had a long way to go before he could get a proper washing. Sighing gutturally, he stepped pointedly forward, the soles of his boots jetting harsh wind that blew a refreshing, revitalizing chill up his body before sweeping up his hair. His grip on his blade reversed, his free hand lowering to the ground into a sprinter's start.

But before he went, he just could help the tired smile to his face. "Loona, you're on guard duty." And suddenly, he flickered at unblinking speeds, a blast of wind venting outward.

"Wait, what?" the hellhound asked, ears perking in confusion as his words finally processed, noticing his abrupt absence was met with a wind that blew her hair everywhere. "Oh you SON OF A BITCH!"

Octavia looked up from securing her beanie to her head, looking put out by the sudden gust. "Who's the showoff again?"

"His shirt was still on, so it's not gratuitous," Loona commented as she hugged his coat closer, still seething at her impromptu promotion. "Um… he can do things other than fire, sparkles, and basic cleaning magic?"

Stolas watched in wonder at the device Snow had held before his disappearance through the ash and char of several remaining stands. 'You truly made wonderful gifts,' Stolas thought to one creature in particular. It was a pity that Snow was only one who would ever truly appreciate them for what they were. And the name the boy had chosen; 'Cazal'guur', such a complex name; deadly and beautiful all in one. And old. So very old.

Octavia just smirked in excitement. "Girl, you haven't seen anything. You should see him–" Her gushing was interrupted by a gentle hand on her shoulder from her dad. Before she revealed too much too soon. Thankfully, Octavia seemed to catch on to that.

"The Elements bend to him far easier than most," Stolas stated firmly. "An open mind grants him access to many affinities. Many branches of magic." He looked at her with an amused smile on his face. "As it does you, it would seem."

Loona nervously looked away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Child, I may regularly let your father do ungodly things to me in private," he pointed out candidly, making both girls choke on the smoke-acrid air. He bent down to her level, with a conspiring look. "But I know the touch of magic." His tone grew more serious though. "And it's a good thing he did. Magic is unpredictable at best. Better he guided you through it than let you discover it for yourself."

"I mean, I could kinda already use your grimoire," she admitted, no small amount of pride in her voice.

"That was magic inherent to the grimoire," he stated simply, though it was still an impressive feat. "Personal magic is a whole different beast." He smiled. "Maybe I should have Octavia learn along side you. What's the saying? Iron sharpens iron?"

"Let's start with something that isn't going to send mum into a tantrum," Octavia pointed out before frowning. "How did that fire start anyway?"

"Aaand let's go rescue Blitz," Loona stated with a forced grin, chuckling nervously as she tried to quickly divert their attentions.

Amidst Getting Their Asses Kicked

GAH-HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Robo-Fizz's cackle echoed as he hunted them down. 'Five Nights at Loo-Loo Land' was suddenly starting to look more like 'Dead by Hell Light', but with less hooks, and more getting thrown through walls.

"I miss the simple jobs," Moxxie stated, a little bruised and battered from where he'd been backhanded through a half-melted terror-go-round. He quickly, popped the clip in his Glock, weighing it blindly before reloading it with a wince. "Aaand I'm low on ammo."

"I miss 'em too, sweetie," Millie agreed, gently rubbing his arm in comfort, nursing her own wounds from crashing into a razor candy machine. Her hair was still dotted with the metal filaments. She'd run out of bullets first, and had already chucked her gun at that creepy fuck to no avail. Didn't mean she didn't try using everything she could get her hands on as a weapon. They just had a tendency not to do jack shit when she clubbed the robot with them.

"We just gotta hold out," Blitz insisted, looking over the charred wall of their hiding place. The amusement park wasn't as up-in-flames as it had been, but the area they were hiding in was still a smoldering mess. Spying no sign of their present tormentor, he quickly crouched back down. He'd already spent his ammo, and now his machine-sniper laid on the ground as a really fancy, really expensive club.

They were batted and beaten down, each of them sporting brand new scrapes and bruises from getting crushed, smacked, thrown, and just plain getting toyed with.

"Maybe we should stick to killing people," Moxxie sighed in exhaustion, slumping down. "No more of this bodyguarding stuff."

For once, Blitz didn't feel like calling him a pussy, considering the willpower it took not to piss himself right then and there. And he'd never admit it without getting one helluva rimjob, but he agreed.

"Hello-ooo!" All the imps clenched their assholes, clumping together fearfully as glanced around. "B-B-B-B-Blitzo! Come out, come ou-u-u-ut wherever you ar-r-r-r-r-re!"

Just hearing the voice made the shade of their little hovel seem to grow darker. The sound of metal scraping on… something, grinded on their non-existent imp ears, adding to the terror factor as they were hunted down by a sadistic killer contortionist clown robot fashioned after an imp… with the added bonus of a demonic regression form.

"I really hate that sonuvabitch," Blitz grounded out under his breath, unable to stop himself from shivering in terror.

A soft mechanical clinking caused their spines to go ramrod stiff, Millie gently pulling Moxxie close as Blitz "gently" put a hand over Moxxie's mouth to keep him quiet.

"Blitzo, I c-c-c-c-can smell youuu?!"

'Ugh! With this creepy fuck,' Blitz groaned silently, his spine still shivering though.

The clinking continued, until a single mechanical hand began… slowly… draping itself on the wall of their hiding spot, the fingers gripping one by one with slow intention.

"Blitzo. Come out of hidd-d-d-d-d-ding!"

A second hand peered up and over, following the same ministrations as the first.

'This is it. It was nice getting my balls tickled while it lasted,' Blitz thought dejectedly, tightly closing his eyes. If he was going to die, he didn't want to see it.

Snn.

A soft sniffle halted all movement, breathing ceasing as they strained to listen over the sounds of their pounding hearts. The sounds of soft sobbing were sharp, and distraction of enough that the hands that had loomed over them suddenly darted away. The cast of I.M.P. gently let out the breaths they'd been holding in.

Snn.

Even after the beating and burning he'd received from all of those pests, most of him had pulled back together. Although… his outer shell refused to reseal; exactly where that super dangerous sword had grinded into him. He knew that fucking albino-thing was dangerous, but to think he'd been unable to reconstruct. Weapons like that were rare. Very rare.

Snn.

Multiple rows of grinder bladed teeth chomped together into a sadistic grin as he stalked forward. He was still a clown at heart; as long as he was having fun, what did it matter. Oh, he'd get plenty of laughs out of it. Passing by burnt and burning wreckage, he followed the sound, barely able to contain the chuckle clucking in his voice box.

He followed the noise until he rounded the corner like a malignant shadow, whipping around as he found his brand-new quarry in a little impling kneeling on the ground, having fallen and evidently left, luckily untrampled.

"He-e-e-e-ello there little impling!" he growled out, bearing his teeth in a crooked grin. The animatronic loomed ever dangerous, gangly, limber, and far too terror-inducing to be a kids' attraction anymore. Even in Hell.

Startled, the impling turned around, tear streaks staining his little face as he was suddenly starring up at the demonic clown as the jester droops of his hat writhed, accentuating the glowing green that accentuated its shadowed visage.

Whimpering in terror, the impling began bawling, tears renewing and wail piercing. "Mommy!"

GRRRRRRR!

"Stop crying!" he ordered through an annoyed growl, only making the impling cry harder. Robo-Fizz's enlarge hand trembled for a moment before it clenched shut at how annoying that noise was. He fucking hated the whining little shits. "Shut up. Shut up! SHUT! U-U-U-UP!" His hand reared back over his head before dropping, intent on squashing this nuisance. There were hundreds of other imps that could come to see his show. What was removing one of the little pests?

SMASH!

The ground crumbled underneath his hand, his grin growing as the crying went silent. "Fucking finally!" Now he could go back to hunting down Blitzo. He paused for a moment as he looked down where he'd smashed the ground, a distinct lack of a blood smear catching his attention. Confused, he was surprised when his attacking hand started sparking before it fell limply to the ground, blue shocks erupting across the casing, causing the joints to seize.

Sliding across the ground with a child in hand, a flurry of blue electricity arced off of Snow's legs as he slowly turned, the impling passed out from the shock of nearly getting turned into bug juice.

"THE FUCK!" the animatronic raged, flopping his stunned arm. Growling, he turned back and forth for the interference, only to catch sight of the leucistic glaring pinpointed daggered eyes at him. But the thing that really caught his attention was the silver blade that danced between black and white in his other hand. "O-O-O-O-Oh! If it isn't the dangerous one!" He couldn't help the smile on his face.

"And if it isn't the pedo-clown. Smacking around little kids because they're easy?" Snow shot back, gently laying the kid on the ground, tenderly brushing a hand across his brow and newly developing horns. "You know something?"

Robo-Fizz cocked his head in curiosity.

"Greed's always held a special place in my heart," Snow stated humorlessly. "I mean, just every time I'm here, I think it can't get any worse. And then you guys have to fuck it up and prove me wrong, every. Single. Time." His eyes were a mixture of helplessness and resignation as he a shuddered breath exhaled from him. Then his eyes turned cold as burning ice. "And I've had enough."

Gently, Snow looked at the child, a familiarity and sympathy crossing his face as he put a lid on the torrent of emotions that threatened to spill out. Or more accurately, began channeling them into fuel to counter his exhaustion.

"Powdered Sugar?" Looking over, Snow was relieved to see his co-workers were alive. Roughed up and in need of some bandages, but alive.

"Blitz, take care of the kid," Snow ordered, refocusing on his foe.

"We are NOT adopting another kid!" Blitz protested. "One company child is enough!"

"Just get him out of the way!" he snapped back, canines growing longer as the silver hair on his neck prickled. The air around him hummed with unbidden magic… and more. Moxxie and Millie were quick to grab the impling, even as Snow and Robo-Fizz stared each other down, daring the other to make a move.

"What about you?" Millie asked worriedly.

He sighed tiredly. "I'm just so fucking sick of this place, I don't even care anymore."

Snow was done. He was tired, he needed to blow some steam, and he ached with more than just physical exertion. This entire fucking Ring paper cut into parts of his soul that he had spent years clamping down on, and it left him open and raw, even if he could easily hide how he felt. As fortune would have it, there was a very convenient punching bag right in front of him.

As if demonstrating his words, his katana hissed as its patterns solidified into white branches over the silver gleam, its pieces lightly separated, molten blue in its crags. His free hand glided along the edge, arcs of blue electricity began to dance through the cracks and along the blade before he inhaled, an earthy glow about his fingers. His eyes closed; absorbing, incentivizing, calculating.

The cast of I.M.P. watched the glow in his weapon and around his hands, how his whole posture changed, how the air around him held its breath.

"What the fuck is that?" Blitz whispered loudly.

"I think…." Moxxie swallowed as the present evidence made it self-explanatory, resulting in a strange combination of wariness and awe for his co-worker. "…I think he knows advanced magic, sir."

"WHAAAT?!"

Practically vibrating with excitement, the animatronic roared as it charged, arms reaching out like warrant shadows that haunted children's closets, long and limber and fully prepared to snatch them from the comfort of their bed.

Snow's eyes snapped open, a pulse of electricity ripping a current through his brain and body, speeding him up to the point where time seemed almost inconsequential. He was running more on adrenaline than anything else right now; and the pure, unadulterated promise that he would get to beat the absolute Abyss out of this fucker. Every moment was ground to a meticulous pace, allowing him to process it all in his own time.

(Jenix "Catch Fire")

~Born in Captivity, time's your worst enemy

~Your face is getting older

~You try to keep your age, inside this golden cage

~Your heart is getting colder~

He gently braced himself as he listened only to the rhythm that came to mind, unwanted and unnecessary, but a kind of familiar soothing that allowed him to ride the current. To adhere to the waves and move with the flow of the wind.

To "dance" as Loona had simplified it.

~Don't you feel, you're slowly dying

~Day by day, they treat you like an animal

~You've gotta fight, you've gotta start a riot

~So let's wake up, your sleeping lion~

In an almost practiced flourish, his katana came to bear as he slowly settled into stance, the fizzling of blue sparks trailing in slow motion behind the movement. The blade hummed in anticipation, and who was he to deny it. The segments all clattered, the newly evolved blade just as eager to prove it's mettle in combat. Where once it had simply hummed in response to its wielder's orders, now it could roar.

And with the painstakingly slow pulse of wind from the sole of his foot, he took a single running step forward.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~And use your mind~

Already caught in his flow, Robo-Fizz's hand elongated outward, swiping with all intent to crush his opponent. The appendage met air, Snow dashing in a blur as he slid under his reach, the earth almost pulling him forward with a flourish of his fingers. The animatronic's other hand snapped out to intercept him, only for Snow to leap from his slide, the appendage passing under him as momentum carried him up, landing and running on the robot's extended arm straight for Robo-Fizz.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~Do you feel alive?

~Don't let it get you down~

The other hand rebounded back in a flash, palming Snow and shoving him into the ground, metal claws clenching to lock him down. Almost immediately, Snow slammed his fist on the ground, dropping into a rapidly formed hole in the ground that snapped close around the appendage before he popped back up from a conjoined tunnel, shaking the dirt off as he quickly closed the distance. He aimed for Fizz's arm, only for the robot to yank himself around by his bound hand, flexing to pull it out as Snow detoured to follow.

~Do you know the reason why

~Why they never let you sleep at night

~And you're running round in circles~

They clashed, metal and make sparking as they collided, sword on arm. Of the two, it was clear that Snow's blade was superior, but being a weapon of finesse, didn't do any damage as Robo-Fizz did everything in its contortionist, whip-like body to avoid the single edge. Metal struck against metal, each of them moving at a blur as their speed whipped the air around them. With every slice, Snow sent a wave of electricity through the robot, and the blade cackled in delight. Every return swipe had Snow on the defensive, pulling back as he tried to dance through the much more limber and malleable limbs.

Scratches ripped across Snow's arms from whip-like snaps of the robot's arms, and metal was rent from Robo-Fizz's own. Neither of them losing or gaining ground.

~Their frozen fingertips, against your burning lips

~A fight without heroes

~ You've gotta fight, you've gotta start a riot

~ So let's wake up, you're sleeping lion~

Snow's clawed hand found an opening as he deflected a particular swipe, pushing forward until he struck the animatronic's chest. Plumes of ice crackled to life, erupting like miniature glaciers and spines as they began to envelop the robotic chassis, the temperature immediately dropping to dangerous levels. Noticing the metallic hand rebounding to him, his entire arm enveloped in said ice, using it to guard his side as Robo-Fizz smashed into him, sending it shattering and him flying, his boots clenching as he flipped back, sending a spine of stone, hoping to impale the robot's ice-fragile chest.

Robo-Fizz contorted around it, capitalizing on his strike as he skittered like a gangly harlequin spider after his prey. His jaw unhinged, splitting as mechanics clattered and opened to reveal strange machine weapon, Hell energy gathering and crackling as it powered up, only to get detonate prematurely as a rock smashed him in the face, Snow having grabbed the ground and flipped back to his feet.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~And use your mind~

Shaking his head, Robo-Fizz dashed in, snaking his arms around Snow's free hand before ripping him forward, headbutting him and disengaging rapidly, avoiding the angry, almost sentient swipe of the sword; but not before lashing at his face with his clown droops. Pushing back in, Snow stepped over a low kick before smashing a fist into Fizz's face, breaking the light in one of his eyes.

Fizz responded by clamping down his metal jaws on Snow's forearm, pulling him in close before thrashing at him like a wild animal.

Snow had to consciously resist screaming as his arm was shredded, but couldn't help it as Fizz lifted him with his mouth, and hurled him away.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~Do you feel alive?

~Don't let it get you down~

The landing was less than graceful, barely taking his weight with his bleeding injuries. Wincing through the pain, Snow dashed back, barrel rolling over a strike before ripping into the arm with his own claws, exposing more wiring and tubing. He lifted his blade as the other hand came around, slicing into it, closing his eyes as oil spurted in his face.

That was all the time Fizz needed as he contorted his body like a snake, wrapping around Snow, pinning his free arm to his side while his sword arm tried to thrash. Fizz began to squeeze, coiling tighter as he roughly grabbed Snow's head with one hand while the other held his sword arm still to keep it from hitting him. With the pest at his mercy, Fizz began to delight at the sounds of groaning bones as he began to constrict.

~Come on baby, come on baby, burn tonight

~One step across the border won't hurt your mind

~The fire will get you baby don't you know

~Easy come, easy go~

Snow could barely breath as his body was crushed, his vision dancing with blackened spots. He was tired. Exhausted. Bleeding. Every thought took a supreme amount of focus. The clattering of his blade in hand kept him centered, grounded. Even if it was Robo-Fizz holding his arm up.

A thought rapidly came to mind, and he looked up at his weapon, all five eyes fiercely glowing in desperation. Sword held skyward from his constricted stance, magic gathered overhead, the clouds of Greed rapidly forming dark and ominous. It was like containing the fireball, a mass of wild magic being drawn and beckoned, but fighting his will; but such magic was always strongest when it was only barely contained. As if sensing his thoughts, the katana clattered in anticipation, cracks glowing brighter. Focusing on the point of his sword as the slow reduction of oxygen began to dampen him, he howled, bearing his teeth at the sky as he commanded the gathering clouds.

A streak of white descended instantaneously, dancing on the tip of his blade as it arced through him, and into the animatronic. The force of the blast sent them flying apart, crashing and rolling from the impact.

~Now run baby, run baby, run tonight

~One step across the border won't hurt your mind

~The fire will get you baby don't you know

~Easy come, easy gooo-ooo!

~Easy gooo-ooo-ooo~

Time seemed to slow again as Snow pushed to his feet, muscles spasming and jerky as he forced himself to absorb the errant shocks that ran rampant in his nervous system, shivering as it temporarily revitalized him. He eyed the robot as its spasms were worse than his, but it was still recovering faster than he would've like.

Without complaint, he allowed that power to flood his body, gritting his teeth as his wounds rapidly sealed, fleshy sinew knitting itself back together like a million ants crawling under his skin. Magic electricity evolved into wild lightning as he put his blade in a sheathed position, arcs buzzing and dancing and singing. His free hand glowed, the earth around him lifting simple rocks.

Smooth movements of his fingers – like that of a puppeteer – began to form, the rocks glowing with rapidly accumulated heat, and with a clench, began to compress. The rocks began to shave down, minute, very specific dust particles lifting off the crumbling rocks, forming into a smooth black orb the size of a golf ball, hovering along the inner curve of his katana, raw lightning dancing over the blade and inducting the orb as it began to hum.

With a flick of the draw and a blur, his blade sliced out in a reverse cut, sending the inducted orb flying with a sound not unlike cannon fire, breaking the sound barrier as electricity danced over the shot. Robo-Fizz launched his hand up to guard, only to watch in surprise as the compact marble punctured and blasted, shredding up and through his recovering arm, tearing through it as though it was paper. Suffice to say, the hole it created was larger than the pure iron ball itself, diffusion force decimating the limb into a crumbled, sparking, oily heap.

That proceeded to ignite.

A garbled, electronic wail of outrage broke out from the animatronic, unable to feel pain as a machine, but clearly able to process the extent of the damage.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~And use your mind~

Using that time, Snow stabbed the blade into the ground, not even watching as it atomized, almost absorbing the earth around it in a churning slurry. Without needing the order, the same creature crackled from the ground, now composed of the rock and dirt and stone under their feet before diving downward, disappearing into the ground as though it was swimming through water.

Rolling his arms outward as he darted forward, his wrists loose and his movements fluid, as if he were attempting the beginning stages of a kata. Just as naturally, fur began to sprout along his arms, flowing and flourishing in the wind… except that it wasn't fur. White, and tinged with blue, flames flowed over his body as though it truly was fur, short, flowing, and subject to the breeze generated by his movements. Loosely behind him, three tendrils of flame began to grow from his lower back, each comprising of smaller knitting and intertwining tendrils, like the roots of a tree. And at the top of his head, two horn-like protrusions flattened back as he bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes. The sharp red markings around his eyes expanded, new marks bleeding through the flames on his arms; there were others, but they were thankfully hidden by his clothes.

Robo-Fizz growled, glaring pure hate at the demon that had taken his arm, only to for that rage to turn to confusion, and then recognition as his processors finally identified the demon before him, the last pieces finally calculating and correlating. The patch of removed skin revealed on his shoulder was telling… but so was the very distinct flame that was forming. Where no identity had been presented before, now there was only flashing warnings behind his one working eye.

~Catch fire, catch catch fire! Wake up the sleeping lion

~Do you feel alive?

~Don't let it get you down

Before he could do anything about it, the earth opened up under him, rapidly forming into a gaping toothed maw that snapped around his legs, pinning him. Trying to pull away was futile, he could only look up to see a vision in flame walking toward him. Had he been a true demon and not just a robotic replica of one, he might have actually felt deep-seated terror. As it was, all he felt was metal-chattering fear. In his haste, his jaw opened up, revealing the weapon in his mouth once more to charge up.

All the fire licking off Snow flared, and gradually began to crawl from their attempts to replicate to his full demonic form, fading as they once more drew to the palm of his hand. Where once it had been a magnificent sun, a smaller flame was easier to manipulate… and easier to evolve. In an instant, the swirling fires condensed and solidified into pure mass of white glowing energy, hued in blue as it took on the properties of the fourth state of matter.

Desperate to get a shot off, Robo-Fizz shot a beam of Hell energy from his mouth, a small feeling of crooked triumph fading as the monster in front of him simply held up his own gathering attack to intercept. Almost instantly, it was absorbed, making the orb of energy grow larger, if only slightly.

~Don't let it get you down

~Don't let it get you down~

Snow pounced forward, drawn to his stationary enemy as he lifted the orb, thrusting it forward as it continued to siphon off his magic. Robo-Fizz let out a cry as they collided, super-heated gases burned through the robot like a blast torch, melting a hole right through his chest unimpeded.

And with the orb molding to his claws, Snow made sure he couldn't recover… by completely searing out the robot's side. The heat from the attack ignited the oil, engulfing the robot with no detriment to the creature holding it.

(song end)

His eyes were wide as he huffed in relief and exhaustion, the flaring heat that surrounded his claws dissipating as he bent over to take deep breaths. But his heart wouldn't slow down.

A stitch in his side was slowly beginning to make itself known as the adrenaline faded, and he might have also over-extended something in his arm. He'd already healed a lot, so he would need to suck it up for now and get some rest before he tried again. All the same, his gaze never left the immolated, slowly crumpling heap in front of him. Even pinned by Caz, Snow didn't trust the robot not to pull a fast one. There was no victory until the enemy was dead.

Robo-Fizz was dimming. That much was obvious. His joints sparked and twitched from the dying embers of whatever powered the stupid thing. And of course, fire. Snow just waited until it was obvious that he wasn't going to rise again.

Almost at once, all his strength began to fade out, and his red markings reabsorbed back into his skin. His body ached and shivered from the exertion, and all he wanted was a hot shower, a blowjob, and a nap; in no particular order. And maybe some takeout. Takeout sounded good.

Unfortunately, he still had a job to do

Sighing, he turned, only to meet the wide, awe-filled gazes of his co-workers.

'Aw, fu–'

"The fuck, Face Job!" Blitz snapped, glaring daggers at Snow. "Since when the FUCK could you do that!"

"There wasn't an interview."

Blitz blinked incredulously. "Say what now?"

"I said, 'There wasn't an interview'," Snow repeated in irritation, doing his best not to stagger, much less fall over. "So I was under no obligation to share the extent of my skills and abilities with you." It took everything in his power not to snap. He was just tired. So tired.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" Millie cheered, despite the very clear fact they had all almost bit the bullet.

"You… know magic?" Moxxie inquired uneasily.

Snow just sighed, nodding glumly. He'd give a demonstration, but he wasn't sure he could manage even party sparklers at this rate.

"So. It's… you." The wiry, electronic tone had everyone on edge again, the imps all prepping whatever they could use as makeshift clubs while Snow whipped around. It was almost funny when the lingering grasp of his katana's evolved form clamped down harder on the metal shell to keep him from moving. Caz was apparently more independent than he'd though; if not just as loyal.

"You know of me, huh?" Snow wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. Maybe cry. Of all the things to happen. Of all the times or places.

"You're… reputation… pro-o-o-oceeds you," the animatronic practically wheezed, but the oil dribble out his mouth caught fire as he grinned, his one good eye flickering weakly. "System… re-re-re-recognized… those marks. That sc-c-c-car. Those flames. Very distinct. And who… w-w-wouldn't?

"The Blue Crematorium… the Ghost in the Mine… the Immolator of Greed." Every word, every name was like lashings to Snow's heart. To his mind. Dredging up memories he'd kept buried, namely for his own sake.

"Who's that?" Moxxie asked, rubbing his chin in confusion.

"Yeah… local myth has it some guy took out near ten Greed tycoons in one blow," Blitz stated off-handedly before his eyes widened as he whipped around to his newest hire. "Wait an ass-fucking minute! You're that guy?"

"R-R-Right. How many was it? Men… women… children. Immolated in one mass-murdering event. Bones and a-a-a-all. N-N-Nothing but ash-sh-sh-sh-sh. Greed's v-v-very own genocidist. You've got your own bedti-ti-ti-time horror story here."

Snow ignored his coworkers as his eyes blazed, stalking back up to the robot that should have done the sorted world a favor and punched out already. But no, he was still talking. "Funny how that works, huh?" he growled out. "I kill two-thousand nine-hundred seventy-six demons indiscriminately, and they call it genocide. But Greed's Overlords? Arch Demons? Demon royalty? Hell! Probably even your fucking Circus Ringleader; murders, enslaves, imprisons, prostitutes, and rapes millions. And no one bats so much as a fucking eyelash. Priorities much?"

Robo-Fizz just chuckled. "So you d-d-do know the number. And you still have… qu-qu-qu-qu-quite the bounty ou-u-u-ut… on you, but no one… c-c-c-could find you. To-oo-oo-oo bad… I couldn't… collect." The flickering in his eyes was getting dimmer, motor function grinding to a halt. "And t-t-t-to think… such powerful demons got their ass-s-s-s-s-ses handed to them… by a–"

"Caz!" Snow ordered before the animatronic could finish. The stone and dirt mouth clamping down on Robo-Fizz shot up, enveloping the robot before it suddenly clenched, and blue flames ignited in its crags like magma, flaring like a compressed blast furnace with how hot it suddenly became. There wasn't even a sound to signify if the robot was truly gone this time. He just was. Melted into hot scrap.

Snow breathed. He didn't know what else to do. That was… more than he'd ever wanted to unpack in single day, much less in his entire lifetime. But he couldn't help one last glare at the robot; especially since the fuck had been going for the jugular on that last comment. And that "jugular" always revolved around the phrase, 'What kind of demon are you?' He knew when it was coming, as sure as a child knew what day Christmas was.

"Oh dear."

'And it just keeps getting worse.' His thoughts barely contained their manic hysteria, bordering just above the tears of frustration that threatened to emerge all his eyes. And just after they'd settled under his disguise too. For the moment, he refused to look behind him, preferring to keep the remainder of his wits about him.

"Caz, spit him out," he ordered.

The creature huffed, easily crawling out of the ground with a strange sound that could only be described as rocks grating together. Robo-Fizz – or whatever was left of him – was spat out with large chunks of charred dirt, the now large metal can of slag clunking as it hit the ground, still slightly glowing from the red hot.

Lifting his hand, the creature lowered its head once again, nose brushing his palm before Cazal'guur once more began to reform, this time, dirt and stone falling away from its fashioned body as he returned to his more familiar katana form.

The familiarity of the hilt was comforting. And Snow needed all he could get in the next few moments.

And Just Nearby

The sound of fighting had made it pretty obvious where they were supposed to go, and they had of course followed it. And what a display it was. He couldn't have been more proud, even if his son had pushed his current set limits too far for his liking. What neither Goetia had expected was for the mouthful to come out of that terror-bot, most of it far too close to the truth for their liking.

They had heard everything.

Stolas had taken measure of the imps. More specifically, Blitzy. He supposed he should be grateful on some level that he was looking at Snow with a conspiring gleam in his eye, rather than fear or disgust. Though this was most likely born of some business scheme, and not some attempt to cash in his son's bounty. Hopefully. Clearly, it would be harder to convince the young imp couple though. Their fear was warranted; displays of power always left others either in struck in awe or terror. Much like Snow, it was one of the reasons his own true form was never displayed. But he could wait a moment, if only to assess the situation.

Octavia was giving a fur-rigid hellhound the side-eye, even as she snuck glances at the dope-ass sword her bro got. Both were high priority. At least for a moment. Then there was the amalgam of emotions crossing the hellhound's face that held Octavia up. There was confusion. And anger. And fear. Sure, she could pretend that she hadn't seen that peck on the cheek Loona had given Snow, but all of this seemed deeper seated than the mere face-value of their relationship that she was reading.

And she could clearly see her dad's fingers fidgeting, just like they always did when he contemplated whether or not to use a spell. She wasn't an expert, but she was pretty sure that haze weaving in his hand was an amnesia spell. Again, not an expert, but… 'Damn dad.'

"What are you all staring at?" The imp couple flinched, even though Snow's tone was flat and apathetic, not even demanding as he sheathed his weapon, carefully gauging just how much they heard and understood. He'd probably have made a crack about something being on his face if the tension wasn't thick enough to spread on bread.

"Snow? What was the trash-bot talking about?" Loona asked carefully, taking one tentative step toward him.

He bristled, eyes almost snapping to her movement as though she were a predator trying to sneak up on him. "A lot of things. But none of them are your guys' business, so don't worry about it."

"None of our business?" she repeated slowly, almost incredulously. There was a brief pause that left only the crackling of dying embers on the wind. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Nope."

"Uh, Loony, sweetie, I don't think–" Blitz tried. He really did. There was no shortage of ways an employee like that would come in handy. But his daughter was now arguing with that exact same incredibly powerful – very incredibly dangerous – employee. Who had just bodied a killer robo-clown they had struggled against while clearly tired. Exhaustion didn't look like it was going to stop him if he was motivated.

"What part about the title "genocidist" doesn't make that my business?!" she snapped, earning a wince from the leucistic. "I mean, I get this is Hell, but holy fuck Snow! No one gets that title down here!"

The leucistic snarled, his lip twitching. "And your point?"

"Why?"

Snow blinked, one word dredging up more pain that he'd have thought possible. A single memory; and yet it was seared to him like a brand. Almost reflexively, he felt his rage begin to swallow it up, his teeth baring against his conscious judgement. "What's it to you?!"

"Because I need to know if the guy who's training me is the same guy that snapped and killed three-thousand demons!" she bit back. "I need to know that there was a good reason for it. So bitch, why kill all of them?"

"That's enough!" Octavia stepped in, surprising most present as she put herself between the leucistic and the hellhound, pink eyes flaring. Fortunately, that's all they could do. For now.

Almost immediately, she turned her eyes on Snow. "I get it, Fluffball. You know I do, so get the stick out of your ass before you say something you'll really regret. Dad knows, and I know, so cool your tits." Snow's lips curled back into place, leaving only his eye twitching as he held back a biting retort. Of all demons, he wouldn't do that to Octane. Unless she did something especially stupid.

"And you." Now her ire was turned on Loona. "Do you honestly think my dad would have taken Snow in if he didn't trust him explicitly? Or put him in the same vicinity as his…." She shivered. "…fuck-buddy?" Loona didn't respond, watching them both critically.

"It's none of your business what he did, how he did it, to whom he did it to, or why he did it," she stated in finality. "If we wants to talk about it, he'll do it in his own time. Until then, bugger off."

Loona opened her mouth to talk, but was cut off as Octavia continued. "He's my brother, and he's been nothing but sincere, so you lot better think about that before you start treatin' him like shit."

A firm hand on her shoulder kept her from continuing, meeting a pair of electric-ice blue eyes as Snow shook his head softly. "Leave it be, Octane. I'll deal with it later."

She made to protest but Stolas decided to interject quickly. "Perhaps... we should call it a day," Stolas offered, striking now that the heat had died with his daughter's impressive display. "Loo-Loo Land has just burnt down, and I'd hate to be around when the leeches step in to point fingers."

"Leeches?" Blitz cocked an eyebrow.

"Lawyers," the Goetia simplified.

"Ugh! Those fuckers are worse than Stalin. Well, that settles it! Loona, you can fight with Sparkles later about his… impressive… body count!" Blitz stated with a lip-bite. "I'll go get the van before those blood-sucking parasites show up! We ain't barely got two Souls to hump together for this shit!" With that Blitz quickly began marching back toward the park's front gate.

Loona narrowed her eyes at Snow again. "We are not done with this conversation." She followed quickly after her adoptive father.

"You do know she has your coat, right?" Millie commented, cocking her head.

"She can hold on to it for now," Snow stated with a sigh before giving the imp couple an understanding, but exhausted smile. "She needs to process it too. It's a lot, and I never intended for you guys to find out."

"Uh, why?" Moxxie asked. "Sure it makes you scary as Hell, but you've been decent… for a mass-murderer."

Millie elbowed her husband. "Babe! Don't be rude. It's cause they're sweet on each other that she's so mad."

"Oooh! Eh-heh, right," he chuckled nervously.

Snow just snorted, even if Moxxie's comment was still a little raw. He purposefully ignored the comment about him and Loona though. Things were looking about as rocky as gravel right now. No need to read into something that wasn't there otherwise. "I appreciate that. For whatever it's worth, "Mass Murderer" beats the Hell out of being called a "Homicidal Maniac"."

The couple nodded so-so in agreement.

"We best be going," Stolas urged along, gently herding them all a little swifter.

Outside of the park looked relatively untouched, and most importantly, so was the parking lot. But the park itself? Burnt to a eerie charred crisp. Every ride was marked in some way by the former green flames, the roller coasters were pretty much collapsed, the food stands were crispy fried, there was even a series of demonic creatures roaming from the former petting zoo; overall, it didn't look like Loo-Loo Land would make a recovery, especially since Snow had melted its main attraction into slag.

Or maybe it would. Robo-Fizz was a factory reject, so they'd probably just make another one.

By the time he got to his bike, the van was all started up and ready to jet, Blitz waiting impatiently in the driver's seat while Loona vegged on her phone, shotgun. She pointedly avoided looking at him, and he was still trying to figure out why she was angry beyond the obvious, but he knew they wouldn't solve anything today. Or tomorrow. Or probably for the rest of the week. Never if he could help it. He was burying that shit ASAP.

While Moxxie naturally migrated over to Snow, Octavia gently stopped him. "I'll go with him this time."

"Oh. Okay." He didn't argue further as he pepped his way over to his awaiting wife.

Stolas resisted the urge to call negative on her decision, sighing deeply as he took shimmied his way into the van after the imps. No one even bothered to pack up whatever remained of their gear, too put out by the day to really care. "Drive safely, and I'll see you at home!" the owl demon called out, brows furrowed in worry.

"See you there!" Octavia called back, giving him a small smile as she climbed behind Snow, even as Stryx started of her own volition. Just as she tightened her grip around his waist, they took off, already gone by the time Blitz had pulled the van out onto the road.

It was silent for several moments, no one willing to break the tension that was obviously running as rampant as their thoughts. "So, straight up Stolas," Blitz finally opened with a sigh, "is Pop Rock gonna be an issue? As much as his skill set turns me on–"

"There will be no issue," Stolas cut off resolutely. "If there is any dissatisfaction, you may inform him. And if that is too much to ask, you may inform me. My daughter has already summed up all that has needed to be said."

His tone caused Blitz and Loona to both wince slightly. "Sooo… he's not a threat?" Blitz clarified with a quirked eyebrow.

Stolas could only sigh at that. Because in all honesty…. "If Snow truly had a reason to oppose your company, there would be nothing left to salvage from the ashes." 'Because even I don't know how powerful he'll become when all is said and done, and no bars are held.' The boy always had a nasty habit of breaking his limits when tested.

It was fitting that it would be quiet for the remainder of the ride home.

---

Octavia hadn't talked the whole way back to her house. And oddly enough, Snow was grateful for that. She was simply there without any of the need to make conversation, just holding him without needing anything in return, even if it was mostly to keep from becoming pavement splatter. He couldn't begin to describe how much he needed that. How much he missed that.

Of course, it ended far too soon as he turned in the gates. While he was tempted to leave his bike at the mansion again and catch a ride with his co-workers (if they were even that anymore) back to the office; the briefest flicker of one of the curtains at the windows had him changing his mind. He didn't trust Stella Goetia as far as he could throw her, even if she wouldn't be able to do anything to Stryx. That, and he wasn't eager to be stuck in a metal death box with his fellow employees after today. It was too much to ask for at the moment.

They would have questions, and there were so many of them that he wouldn't be fond of answering. Some had answers that were fresh and raw from that fucking robot's dying words.

So rather than tempt it, he immediately left. He just hoped that the day wasn't as terrible for Octane as it was for himself. Hopefully she'd found some closure, and Stolas hadn't put his talon in his mouth more than expected.

The drive back to the office was nothing short of tense, his claws occasionally peaking out of his disguise as he rode. If it weren't for Stryx and Caz, his faithful companions for all these years, the stress and exhaustion might have overwhelmed him. As it was, their gentle hums, vibrations, and purrs were like a balm for his soul, where the rest of the world felt hostile and unwanting.

When he pulled into the parking lot, there was only one open parking spot; a space Blitz had bought for I.M.P. Rather than deal with the potential bitch whining he'd hear all day if he parked there, Snow calmly picked out a car in a non-associated spot, stepped off his bike, walked over, reached under the car frame, and proceeded to yeet it out of the parking lot. The crash in the middle of the road and combusting fuel might have been a beautiful sight any other day. But today, it was not.

He gently guided his bike into the newly vacant spot, before entering the building, and making his way up to I.M.P.s office on the sixth floor via a slightly more tolerable elevator and the music that tuned with it.

He walked right in, not bothering to knock as he entered. As much as he preferred to go home and just veg, he was still technically on the clock. Call him whatever you want, but he took his job seriously; even if doing so currently tore him apart inside. He really didn't want to adult right then. He wanted to curl up in bed, and wrap himself in a comforter for… well, the comfort. Just lay in his den until he felt safe again.

Fucking demon emotions.

He had just stepped across the threshold before he stopped. Just glancing at the two occupants had his suspicions raised as he quirked an eyebrow at both Eddie and Mrs. Mayberry; Eddie on the couch and Mayberry in a chair settled right in front of him. Both tried to look as innocent as possible, which only served to make them look guilty as sin. Also telling was the splatters of browning red along the sleeves of Madelyn's sweater sleeves, and the blood that dyed around Eddie's mouth that she was trying to wipe off with a wet napkin.

Snow just looked back and forth between the two of them, not so much as a greeting leaving anyone's lips as they stared at each other, deer caught in headlights.

"So what the fuck happened to you two?"

---

Author's Note: Don't forget to READ and REVIEW! ^^

Finally of Loo-Loo Land!

Some I.M.P. tag-team kickassery! Blitz is a walking arsenal, Millie is strong as fuck, and Moxxie is a deadshot.

I made Robo-Fizz a lot stronger. Was it necessary? No. Purely gratuitous reasons. But I couldn't have him keel over from a love-tap, now could I? We see only a brief moment of a "possible" (key-word there) Demon Form from Robo-Fizz in the episode, so I just gave it to him. He's stronger, more powerful, deadlier, etcetera. Something that could initially be overcome by a handful of assassin imps, but then shifts (read: ignores) the status quo.

The 'sex toy' jab is actually from one of the posters in the episode that reveals that Robo-Fizz's services can be bought... as a sex bot.

... Yeah...

As far as we know from the series, imps don't have full-tilt demon forms (probably a potential reason why they're so low on Hell's hierarchy).

I wasn't exactly sure how to capture Snow holding up the Blaze of Loo-Loo Land, and I hope I did it justice as it was actually one of the initial scenes that inspired me to write this story. Combining it with POV's from Stolas, Octavia, and Loona to give this sense of Snow's character but also the extent of his will and abilities was part of the execution.

I obviously don't own "Flash's Theme (At the Speed of Force)". Not sure if it was devised by Junkie XL or Tom Holkenborg, because they both keep showing up with their names attached to it. I also don't own the rendition reimagined by Samuel Kim. But this song was the epitome of that moment. It captured all the strength, power, and most importantly, wonder that could cross through that moment as Snow gains control and Cazal'guur is revealed. Somehow, this song is pure magic to me. I may never get it completely right in words, but in the built in movie theatre in my head, it was spot on.

If there's one thing I'll do if I go back over this story, it's make sure there are some time stamps for the music. Might have to extend that whole scene later. BUT! Worth it for now.

Yes, Snow's power is largely sealed. And honestly... I'm not going to share any more than that X)

Cazal'guur ("Caz" for short) is the full name of the katana Snow wields. Names now, meaning later. And yes, the katana just got Bankai'd... and I just noticed that as I started writing this. *sigh* Don't sue me. And no. Caz won't be a panic button solution that solves everything. He's an addition to Snow, and has his limitations. Namely that he needs a substance to build his form around, and can't katana while he's Bankai'd.

The cast of I.M.P. here was a prelude for that comment Blitz made to Stolas in 'The Harvest Moon Festival'. Plus, it was fun thinking up stuff that might be in a Hell-based Carnival.

Snow's arrival only slightly inspired by One Punch Man. Only slightly.

Also don't own "Catch Fire" by Jenix. While I thought of a few songs that fit the Snow v. Robo-Fizz fight, "Catch Fire" caught the timing and rhythm best. I may have gotten carried away with the subtext between the lyrics, it's all happening relatively fast, so I emphasized details... because I like details. It also gave more combat depth to Snow's skills and magical abilities. And yes, he can be hit. "Dancing" doesn't make him impossible to hit. Just harder to hit.

His magic skills are open to his co-workers now, as well as further hints to his... less-than-stellar backstory.

I liked bringing a little more depth to Stolas and Octavia's characters with their protectiveness of Snow. That little bit of family orientation may not have been necessary, but it made it clear where they stood. No one messes with their family.

Snow and Loona's reactions may seem dramatic or OOC, but I actually have a reason for writing it like this, and it will be addressed a little later. Probably in more subtle text.

Heads-up: Next chapter will be an Interlude chapter before diving into "Spring Broken" (which I just realized is also a innuendo) with two parts. Part 1 will cover some of what Madelyn and Eddie were up to (because I wanna try writing from their POV's for a little bit), and Part 2 will cover Loona and Snow's confrontation. I think both scenarios can be wrapped up in a single chapter, so that's what I'm gonna try to do.