"Blossom! It's time to go!"
The children and Vark quickly stood up and cleaned up a bit before she yelled back. "Okay daddy! Let me help Emika pick up our mess first!"
While they placed the toys in the toy box, they nodded and went out of the room down the stairs to meet with Vox and Brooklyn.
"Come on sweetie, we need to go back home before your mother gets freaked out that your missing." Brooklyn kneeled and ruffled Emika's hair a bit, making her giggle, "And I'll see you around. Take care of your old man huh?"
"Hey!"
Brooklyn chuckled as he stood up straight.
"Well then, we're ready to head back, Vox."
"Yeah, Yeah, let's go." But before he followed them, he fixed Emika's hair a bit and smiled. "And it's time for you to go to bed."
"Aww, do I have to daddy?"
"Yes you do, if you want to Santa to bring your presents, you need to listen and be good."
"...Okay, but can I take a shower before I go to bed?"
"Of course. Just make sure you clean after yourself if you make a mess in the bathroom." He said as he followed Brooklyn and Blossom so he can take them home.
"Okay daddy! I'll be done by the time you come back!"
A chuckle was heard with a light from the portal as it appeared and slowly disappeared. Leaving Emika and Vark alone in the house, but it was also part of her plan. She quickly went to her room to pick out her pajamas her wanted to wear for the night and went in the bathroom to turn on the shower to make it look like she took a shower.
"Vark, go look out for daddy. When he arrives, let me know right away before he comes up the stairs."
He nodded and and went over to the stairs, on the look out for Vox.
She went over to one of the house phones to call someone she has in mind
"And then Vark, who was in Vox's body, was running in all fours all over the house."
Alexus laughed so hard before taking a sip from her red wine.
"Oh god, that's so hilarious. I wish I was there to see that and the look on his face when that happened."
Valentino chuckled while putting his cigarette out and taking a big drink from his red wine.
"What else has my little brother been getting himself into?" she smirked.
He tried to think on what else Vox had made a mess of himself with Emika until they got interrupted by Velvet with her phone in hand.
"Hey lovebirds, Emika wants to talk to her Auntie Alex."
"Me?" Alexus place her glass cup down fully turning to face Velvet. "What for?"
"I don't know." Velvet walked into the living room to hand Alexus the phone. "But she says that it's important."
"Important?"
Alexus stood up and mentioned to Valentino and Velvet that she'll be back when she's done on the phone. She went into one of the guest rooms for privacy.
"Hi sweetie, what's wrong?"
"I wonder what's so important that Emika wanted to talk to her about."
"We'll just have to wait and see Velvet. If she wants to tell us then she will but if she doesn't want to then we'll just have to respect that."
"But I really want to know though."
"Velvet." Valentino glared at her.
"Ahem."
BANG
They followed where the noise came from and saw Alexus standing in front of the door that she closed to make that 'BANG' noise to get their attention. They felt a bit unease when she walked over to sit at the same spot she was sitting before but said nothing.
Velvet broke the silence when she asked. "So, what did Emika say?"
Alexus gave the phone back and sighed heavily looking at Valentino and Velvet.
"It seems that Vox and Brooklyn have 'lost' their girls."
Both overlords gasped.
"What!? What the hell would cause them to fight and break-up?"
"It's really not a break-up Val. It's more like a 'break.'
"That's even worse Alexus! Even if it is just a 'break', it usually means a break-up."
"True," She placed her hand on his with a smile. "But with our help, they'll have the best Christmas gift ever."
"U-Umm, well-well-" He blushed as he stuttered.
"Please Val, for Vox, for the girls? For me?" She pleaded, making puppy eyes.
Valentino started to sweat a bit as he tried to ignore the cute and adorable face she's making.
"Aww, I'll do it! For my friends!" yelled Velvet, who quickly fell into Alexus's 'puppy' charm.
"...I'm gonna probably regret this," he mumbled, but smiled and held her hands in both of his as the other two held her by the waist to pull her closer to him. "Okay, I'm in. So what do we need to do?"
She giggled and kissed him on the cheek that made him freeze in place and blushed.
"Thank you Val! And you too, Velvet!" She gave them both a quick hug. "Now here is what we're going to do."
The next day, Vox is working in his office at home. He was working on some paperwork when his cellphone rang. He checked the cellular I.D and saw Valentino's name and picture pop-up.
'Hmm, wonder what he wants. Probably to help him with his tv or something again.'
"Hello?" He answered.
"Hey Vox, how's everything going?"
"Ah, the usual. Work, staying home and watch Emika."
"Speaking of the little trouble maker. How is she doing?"
"Good, she's playing in the living room with Vark while watching tv."
"Aww, I wanted to say 'hi' to my little star. But I'll talk to her after I talk to you."
"About?"
"Your sister is hosting a small concert for Christmas day... or night actually and she's been looking around for four people to sing for the concert."
Vox raised a brow in interest. "Hosting a small concert? Huh, that's actually not a bad idea."
"Right. But anyway, she been looking into some people for the singing part and she wanted me to ask you on her behalf while she's out at the moment."
"What is it?" asked Vox as he took a sip from his heavy vodka.
"She wants to know if you and that red demon gargoyle friend of yours could sing in the concert."
Vox spitted his drink in shock as he coughed. "W-WHAT?"
Valentino annoyingly sighed. "She wants to know if you and Brooklyn could sing in the concert. While I could find a perfect place to do the concert and Velvet can help you guys with singing lessons."
"Velvet? Singing lessons?" Vox cleaned himself a some napkins. "Now I know we're already doomed to fail."
"Come on Vox, we've seen her teach a few demons how to sing properly for one of my shows. She'll be a great teacher for you and Brooklyn. Knowing your sister Vox, she'll use that secret weapon of hers. The 'puppy eyes' look.
Vox can suddenly imagine Alexus's 'puppy eyes' charm when Valentino said that.
"I don't know Val, this is kind of-"
"Your sister really needs your help. Besides, we all heard you sing before and your a great singer."
"... Okay fine, I'm in but I'll have to ask Brooklyn if he wants to-"
"Oh no need. A friend of your sister's will ask him on her behalf too, while she's going to ask someone else."
"Oh," Vox isn't sure if he is telling the truth or not but he just shrugged his shoulders. "Okay then. What should we expect while we're being 'trained'?"
"Nothing really. Just singing certain parts from the song while the others sing other parts of the song."
That got him confused and curious.
"Others?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you'll guys will be singing with two other people as well, who are girls btw."
"GIRLS?!"
Valentino sighed annoyingly. "Relax Vox, we made sure that they're not THOSE crazy types and their already married and taken."
He was about to say 'no' when he heard his door opening slightly with a soft knock. He turned and saw Emika with sad eyes.
"Daddy, why aren't we back at the hotel with mommy and her friends? Why isn't she here with us?"
"She's..." He looked away from her to the photo that he has on his desk with all three of them smiling and laughing when they were hanging out at the hotel that day. "She's very busy, baby girl. Especially with Christmas almost around the corner. She needs to make sure that no one messes up on any of the decorations."
"Oh..."
He turned towards her and sighed when he heard the sad and disappointment tone.
"But she'll be back when she's finished... Someday." He mumbled the last part, making sure it's low enough for Emika to not hear.
But unfortunately for him, she did but didn't say anything or react about it.
"...I hope that she'll finish soon daddy."
He smiled sadly. "Me too baby girl... Hey, guess who's on the phone."
"Who?" She asked when she tilted her head to the side a bit.
"Uncle Val."
She smiled as she said, "Uncle Val! Uncle Val!"
She ran over to talk to Valentino as Vox put the phone on speaker.
"Well now! How's my little star doing with her crazy dad?"
"Hey! I'm right here you know!"
Emika and Valentino laughed.
"I'm being a good girl! And daddy is being a good boy too."
That made Valentino laugh more harder, along with some people in the background too.
"Uncle Val? Is that Auntie Velvet and some people in the background?"
"Why, yes it is! Hi Emika, this is your favorite Auntie Velvet!"
"Hi Auntie Velvet!" Emika waved at the phone, making Vox laugh a bit.
"Aww, I thought I was your favorite."
Emika giggled at Valentino's fake sad voice while Vox just scoffed.
"You'll always be my favorite too Uncle Val, no matter what."
"I... I'm going to cry." He sniffled.
"Please don't cry Uncle."
"It's okay, he'll be fine." said Velvet.
Vox took it off of speaker and placed the phone down on his desk while saying, "I'll be back to talk to you guys in a few minutes."
He took his daughters hand and walked her towards her bedroom.
"Now, how about you go take your nap while I finish talking to Auntie Velvet and Uncle Val okay?"
"Okay daddy! Tell them I said Bye-Bye!" She when inside and laid down on her bed as he turned off the lights and closed the door behind him.
He walked back in his office and made sure that the door is locked when he closed it. As he sat back down on his chair, he put the phone back on speaker.
"Alright, when do I start this training?"
"Alexus will give you the details sometime today about when and where you and Brooklyn will be training at. I'm sure that she'll be thanking you for doing this."
"...This is for Emika actually. I want her to see her dad in a real singing concert."
"Of course! Alexus said that Emika is welcomed too! She'll absolutely love it. "
"Hmm..." He stared a the photo again with some hope. "I know she will."
"Alright!" Valentino hanged up the phone after saying goodbye to Vox. "Now what is the other part we need to do?"
"Now all we need is Brooklyn, Zelda and Charlie to ask next."
"But who-"
"Sesshomaru will go ask Brooklyn while Kagome will ask Zelda, since they are in the human world. I'll go ask Charlie, I've been wanting to go see how she's been." Alexus stood up as she flatten any wrinkles away on her dress.
"Ah, clever plan you have my dear." He smirked.
"I have my ways." She turned with the click of her heels and stopped right in front of the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Besides, I can't tell you all my ideas or secrets darling. Bye-Bye now!" With a snap of her fingers, she was gone.
Valentino just stared at the spot she disappeared from, his phone sliding from his hand to the floor.
"D-Did she just-"
"Flirted with you?" Velvet teasingly asked with a smirk. "Yup, she sure did Val."
The gargoyles were out patrolling while Hudson and Bronx stayed at the castle watching tv or walking around the castle grounds.
Brooklyn is with Broadway, Angela and Lexington while Zelda is with Goliath and Elisa. He tried to talk and apologize to her but she would walk away to avoid him or she'll say 'sorry is not enough.' He could feel his heart breaking more when those words she said last night echoing through his head.
'I probably lost her... Grr, why did I have to act so selfish?'
"Brooklyn! Look out!"
Broadways voice quickly made him snap out of his thoughts when he saw that he was about to fly into a big sign until he was suddenly grabbed by the arm by someone, to avoid it. He felt that same someone guiding him to the rooftop of a building next to the sign that he almost hit. The other gargoyles followed and landed next to him and...
"S-Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?"
Brooklyn snapped his eyes open and saw that it was indeed Sesshomaru, the demon dog Lord, who saved him.
"I am here on behalf of Alexus."
"Alexus?" asked Angela.
"Yes, I'm afraid that she couldn't come and greet you at this time. She's busy with other things."
"... Thanks for the save. But where's Kagome? Surely she would be with you and what does Alexus want?" asked Brooklyn, wondering what and why Sesshomaru is here for Alexus.
"She's also busy with other things as well."
"Oh.."
"And as for your other question, Alexus wants to ask for your help."
"My help?"
Sesshomaru nodded.
"She's...hosting a small singing place for this Christmas holiday. She is wondering if you want to be apart of it."
Brooklyn didn't know what he was talking about at first until he quickly got what he was talking about. That got him nervous. I mean, he has sang before but not in front of people.
"Y-You mean a s-singing concert."
"Hmm," The demon lord nodded. "She also asked her brother, Vox, the same question and he agreed to be part of this singing 'concert.'"
"Well, I.. um I don't know-"
Sesshomaru raised a finger.
"But she did want me to mention this to you before you decide." He place his hand down. "You and Vox will sing some parts of the song but there will be others that will sing the rest of the parts of the song with you."
"Others? Like?"
"Two women."
"W-WHAT!? WITH TWO GIRLS!?"
Brooklyn's gargoyle friends laughed at his reaction.
Sesshomaru closed his eyes in annoyance before opening them. "Correct. But Alexus also informed me that they're already mated and taken."
The red gargoyle sighed in relief but he's still unsure on if he should agree to be apart of this concert or not.
"I-I'm not sure-"
"Come on Brooklyn!" Lexington walked next to him. "You've been literally in a moppy mood since what happened between you and Zelda."
"I can't believe that I'm going to say this because she is my best friend and sister but Lex is right." Angela agreed.
Brooklyn stared at them as they pleaded him to at least do something, to try and forget what happened between him and Zelda. So he turned back at Sesshomaru, who is waiting patiently. and gave him his answer.
"Okay, I'm in."
Sesshomaru nodded and walked off to jump into the air while saying, "I'll let Alexus know. She'll want to thank you and she'll send you the information sometime tonight. Until next time."
With that, he flew into the night sky.
Valentino found a perfect place to set up the concert when Alexus appeared next to him but that didn't scare or bug him since he is already used to it.
"Alright! Now that we got both boys into the plan, now we need to go ask the girl next."
"Perfect! And here is the place that I found that could be perfect for the concert." Valentino showed a picture to Alexus on his phone.
"Oh Val, this IS perfect! Thank you!"
She kissed him on the cheek again, making him blush and smile,
"Anything for you and the others, baby."
Alexus smiled and blushed a bit too.
"Oh! Stop Val, your making me blush now."
He laughed.
Goliath, Elisa and Zelda returned to the castle while the rest of the clan is still out patrolling. While Goliath and Elisa are walking in a different direction, Zelda decided to climb up on one of the towers and sat on the edge when she reached the top.
'I hope that Brooklyn is doing fine. I really do miss him but he needs to learn that he can't be so selfish...'
She sighed in sadness a bit. But she didn't notice a flash behind her.
"Hey Zelda, is everything alright?"
Zelda jumped as she quickly turned in fright but she felt relieved when she saw Kagome in her miko suit with an apologetic smile.
"Kagome! You need to stop popping out of no where and scaring us!"
Kagome walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry Zelda. It was never my intention to scare anyone. It was just a faster way for me to reach you."
"I have this feeling that Alexus taught you this."
The miko laughed and nodded.
"Yes, and I know that I need some work on doing it right though."
She sat next to Zelda and looked over the city.
"So what brings you here Kagome. Usually I'll see you and Sesshomaru together."
"He's actually busy with helping Alexus regrading the Tree of Life business."
"Oh, what a shame."
"I know. But I'm here because Alexus wants to ask if you could possibly help her."
That sparked Zelda's curiosity.
"With what?"
"Well, you see," Kagome fully turned her body to completely face Zelda. "She's hosting a small concert for Christmas. And she's wondering if you want to be part of it by singing in it."
"Really? Sing in a concert?" Zelda asked excited.
"Woah there Zelda." Kagome held up her hands. "Before you agree on it too quickly, I have to tell you, Charlie will also be part of it too and I'll explain that after what I need to say." She added when she noticed Zelda was going to ask about Charlie's part in the concert.
With a small growl, she nodded.
"Okay, now as what I'm going to say, you and Charlie are both going to sing certain parts in the song but not alone."
"Meaning?"
"You'll both will be singing with two more people as well. But the only thing is that they're... guys."
There is dead silence in the air for a few minutes until..
"With guys? Really?"
Kagome is surprised that Zelda took it calmly unlike the guys did.
"Yes but don't worry though because they're already married and taken. So what do you say?"
Zelda mentally sighed in relief as she relaxed but she's still thinking about it.
'Well, it is something to do and to get my mind off of what happened between Brooklyn and myself.'
"Sure, I'm in!"
Kagome smiled and clapped lightly.
"Great! I'll let Alexus know." She hopped of the edge and was about to walk off but stopped and looked over to Zelda. "If she was here, she'll be hugging you and saying 'thank you'. She'll also being sending you the details of what to do."
Zelda nodded. "I'll be waiting."
Kagome nodded back and waved a goodbye before slowly vanishing.
'Alright! Now to wait for the details.'
Charlie is in her office, working on her computer to do some paperwork that needed to be done. But she's been feeling like she has no energy to do it as fast as she usually does. After what happened between her and Vox yesterday, she started to have second thoughts about not seeing each other for a while.
'Did I do the right thing? To ask for a 'break' when he could possibly- No!.. No Charlie. You need some space from him after what he did. It was wrong for him... and Alastor, to overreact the way he did... But I can't help but feel guilty for the way I said it to him though!'
She whined a bit while just staring at the computer screen and a photo of them together with Emika.
KNOCK KNOCK
She jumped from the sudden knock on the door that brought her back to reality.
"Come in."
"Hey, Charlie." Alexus opened the door and closed it when she walked inside. "How are you doing?"
"Alex!" Charlie ran over and hugged her. "I'm so happy to see you."
Alexus smiled and hugged back.
"I'm happy to see you too Charlie. I'm doing fine too."
They let go of the hug as Charlie lead Alexus to sit on one of the chairs in front of her desk.
"So, what brings here Alex? I usually get a letter from you." Charlie sat down on her chair.
"I was in the neighborhood and I thought that I just stop by and surprise you. And also to see how your doing."
"I'm doing fine, just been busy with all this paperwork that needed to be done for weeks now."
Alexus raised a brow as she reads one of Charlie's paperwork and gasped in shock.
"But these were due more than weeks ago!"
Charlie sighed heavily. "I know..."
The female overlord sighed as she placed the paper down. "You really need a break from all of this. Even your friends out there are worried about you. Why don't you let Vaggie and/or Alastor take care of the paperwork for you? That way your not overworking yourself and they're willing to do the work for you."
Charlie was about to protest when the thought of doing something else other then doing paperwork made her think about it for a minute before she asked, "But what will I do if I agree?"
"That reminds me! I wanted to ask if you're interested in being in a concert for Christmas. I'll be hosting it to celebrate it and I know how much you love to sing every once in a while. So I thought that you'll be interested in joining."
'It IS something that I'll like to do!... I just wish that Vox is here too... Then we would've sing together.'
"Before you give me you answer though Charlie, you'll be singing with Zelda, who has agreed to sing in the concert, and with two other people who are.. guys."
'GUYS!? Oh no! What if Vox would get the wrong idea!?'
Alexus saw the shocking, horrifying look on her face.
"The guys are already married and taken, Charlie and don't worry about my brother. I've already told him what's going on before hand so he wouldn't get the wrong idea."
"Oh, phew, thank you Alex! You're really a life saver."
Alexus smiled and laughed.
"It's no problem Charlie. So what's your answer?"
"I'm in!"
Alexus nodded as she stood up from her chair and walked over to give Charlie to give her a hug in thanks.
"Thank you Charlie." She let go of the hug and walked towards the door while saying, "Would you mind picking up Zelda when it's on the days of practice? I'll be busy with decorating the stage with Valentino and Velvet will be your 'teacher.'"
"Sure! I don't mind."
"I'll send you the info later when I'm at Valentino's place for a few days and for the concert."
"Okay! See you at the concert!"
Alexus laughed and waved before exiting the office and closed the door behind her. After she said her goodbyes to all of Charlie's friends as she passed by, she send a text to both Valentino and Velvet saying.
'Onto step two'
