"So are you hyperventilating or are you panting?" Edwin asked Aria as their Hell Uber (not everything needed to have a pun name in Hell… though admittedly it would have been better) continued down the road towards the Lust Embassy. He had paid extra for the bastard to actually follow the traffic laws, which had amused the driver to no end; he was in no rush and didn't feel like being thrown about the back of the car just because the driver wanted to have some fun. It also had Edwin thinking he really needed to claim the soul of someone that could be his driver… which then led him to wondering if Charlie should get actual drivers for the hotel who weren't Razzle and Dazzle.

He glanced over at Aria who was still breathing in and out very hard.

"I mean, I'm trying not to be racist or whatever you would call assuming something about a being based solely on their form but… you are a dog so its hard to tell if this is a panic attack or just you getting done after a long walkie."

Aria shot him a dark look though she did continue to rapidly suck in mouthfuls of air. "How… how are you not panicking!?" she screeched. She curled up a bit tighter which wasn't merely just because she was dealing with nerves but because, even after requesting a large vehicle for their Uber, she still felt like she was going to crush him due to her size.

She briefly considered asking him to go into his full demon form, since that put him at the same size as her, but decided against it. That was just rude. Especially because Aria had noticed that after the last time he'd gone full demon his regular form had gotten a touch… bigger. A bit taller. A bit more muscular. More hints of his canine form. Her hellhound instincts DEMANDED the leader of her new pack be the mightiest of the mighty but she was doing all she could to fight them… even as her very essence delighted that he would be able to protect her from anything.

Well… other than causing her panic attacks!

"Uh… mind walking me through the steps of why I should be?" Edwin pressed.

"We were commanded to visit one of the Seven Deadly Sins!"

Edwin though shook his head. "We were asked to come and visit one because he wants to see about getting some jewelry made."

"No… no no no. We were 'commanded'. Because a Sin doesn't "ask" someone for anything. They command and you obey. We have been commanded to see to him and you are treating this as a trip to the grocery store!"

"It's… not that big of a deal," Edwin said, trying to be careful with his words. He didn't want to offend Aria by being too casual about her worries. "If you want I can drop you off somewhere-"

"Don't you fucking dare!" she exclaimed, eyes glowing red as she grabbed him by the front of his jacket and gave him a shake. He could feel his teeth rattling in his jaw from how hard she was yanking him back and forth. "Someone needs to be with you to ensure you don't fuck things up!"

"…thanks, I think," Edwin said dryly, reaching down and easily forcing Aria to let go of his clothes. "But I do think you are making this out to be too big than it really is. He's a Sin… just another part of the Hell bureaucracy. He puts his pants on one leg at a time, assuming he has legs."

Aria went back to holding her head in her hands. "You really don't get it, do you? You really don't understand how big of a deal this is!"

"Then explain it to me," Edwin countered.

"It was a big deal that you took the soul of-" Edwin shot her a dark look and she quickly clamped down on saying the word Overlord. He still wanted to keep that a secret, to be used when he truly needed to. A secret was at its most powerful when only a few knew it and he didn't need some fucking Uber driver spilling the beans. "-well, you gaining those souls. That was a big deal. Then you getting commissions from the Ars Goetia… that was a bigger deal. This is going a step beyond that. You have one of the Sins wanting to do business with you. They control entire rings of Hell. And you are acting like this is a casual business meeting!"

"Because if I panic then it won't do us any good," Edwin pointed out. "And yeah, this is a big deal but you do remember than in the span of 2 days I went from nobody to the sole member of the KaibaCorp Board of Directors, right? Shaking hands with captains of industry and the like? This is just another jump up the corporate ladder." He paused. "Also you have breakfast with the Princess of Hell every morning and she's higher up on the food chain that Asmodeus."

"…oh we're going to die." Aria began to rock back and forth. "I just don't know if it will because of violence or embarrassment."

"Thank you for that glowing endorsement," Edwin replied dryly just as they turned the corner and Edwin was finally able to see the Lust Embassy. "Well… I knew I should have expected something like that. And yet… I did not expect this."

The Embassy was done in the neo deco style that had been popular in the 80s and 90s, where architects were able to do whatever they wished and get as wild and insane as possible. Where function died in the face of the eye-catching. In the case of the Lust Embassy that meant that the complex formed a sort of box canyon, with two large rounded buildings stretching out to usher them towards the main entrance, which was a tall gateway made of pink marble. There were several layers to the gateway, giving the sense that it was opening up, perhaps like flower petals, and a small glass enclosed balcony at the very top, rounded and nub like.

"I get the feeling we should have driven an Uber Bus to get here… or the Weiner Mobile." He glanced at Aria who was still trembling in her seat. "Okay then…" The car came to a stop and Edwin nodded to the driver. "We'll call if we need a ride." The demon nodded and Aria slowly unfolded herself from the vehicle, stretching even as she looked about nervously at the Embassy.

"Mr. Cerberus?" a incubus demon said, coming up to him. He was dressed like an office worker but Edwin more got the sense that he was an office worker in a porn parody of 'The Office'; like he was about ready to declare that he was the 'Assistant Ass Rimmer' and not the 'Assistant TO THE Ass Rimmer'. "Welcome to the Lust Embassy." He glanced at Aria and Edwin tensed, ready for the bastard to make some anti-hellhound comment. But instead the incubus said, "And you are, ma'am?"

Edwin spoke up. "Aria. Aria P-"

"Cerberus," she said, cutting him off.

The incubus nodded, accepting that at once. "Ah, of course. Right this way sir. Prince Asmodeus is expecting you."

"Thank you," Edwin said before glancing at Aria. "Cerberus?"

"You adopted me. I get the last name."

"Fair enough," he said with a shrug, turning away from her and thus missing the absolutely beaming smile that flashed over her face at his acceptance. "You sure you want to come with me?"

"I am not leaving you alone with him," Aria muttered, good mood at him cementing her adoption leaving her as she remembered where they were headed.

The incubus though frowned. "I assure you that Mr. Cerberus has nothing to fear."

"I'm not worried about him," Aria muttered.

"…oh, you and his grace will get along JUST fine!" the incubus declared as he motioned for them to enter.

The lobby of the Lust Embassy was rather comfortable in terms of size. One might have expected it to be large and populate and while it was richly furnished it was also small. Cozy. The colors were all soft, with blues, pinks, and purples being the dominate choices. The colors of night just after the sun had set and people were beginning to settle in for a cozy evening. Not brash and loud but muted. But still eye catching. There were plenty of love seats for people to sit on as they waited and Edwin saw that several demons were doing just that. But while they were getting a bit more frisky than one might have seen at Earth no one was giving into their passions and fucking right there on the floor. More it was passionate make out sessions and cuddling. He saw Aria crinkle her nose and he pitied her for enhanced senses because the heavy spicy scent in the air was making his head foggy. Glancing at a receptionist desk he saw a sign pointing to the different areas one could go. Bedrooms, of course, but also a shower area, a medical wing, things like that.

"Full package here," Edwin stated.

"Oh yes," the incubus stated. "People naturally assume that all we deal with is fucking but Lust is more than that. In order to have it truly matter everything must be considered. The Medical Wing, for example, helps ensure that everyone is safe and protected. We are researching the latest in disease control, for example. One can only truly let go if they feel safe in all ways, after all."

"Makes sense," Edwin said as they bypassed the reception desk. "Worked here long?"

"A decade or two," the incubus stated. "I've honestly lost count." He smiled as they walked over to an elevator, stepping inside. The demon reached out and pressed the door close button.

"oooooohhhh," a breathy male voice said as the door closed.

"Don't worry," the incubus said as he saw Edwin look about, "it just does that."

"Huh," Edwin said, holding onto his briefcase that had his samples. "Will I be meeting with Asmodeus himself or a representative?"

"oh, the Prince himself," the incubus assured him. "He has been looking forward to this… him and Mr. Fizzarolli have been talking about it for days, clearing their calendar so they could both meet with you."

"Fizzarolli is going to be there too?" Aria said, wringing her hands together.

Edwin frowned. "That another Sin?"

Aria shook her head, seeing the incubus shoot Edwin a surprised look. "He's not been in hell for long."

"Ah. Of course. I remember hearing that. You've actually done quite well for yourself, all things considered." The incubus nodded. "As for your question you truly haven't heard of Fizzarolli?"

"Name might have popped up but I've been focused on my work." He didn't bother to mention just WHAT work he was focused on. No need for the incubus to know about his growing network.

Just like there was no need for the incubus to realize that Edwin knew who Fizzarolli was… just like he knew the demon before him was named Clark. That he knew who EVERYONE in the building currently was.

"Of course," the incubus said. "Respectable. Mr. Fizzarolli is… well, was… the greatest clown in all of Hell. He has recently retired." Edwin sensed there was more; he knew from the papers and the Internet rumblings that Fizzarolli and Asmodeus were a couple now. He wondered if the incubus was worried how he would take that news.

The elevator stopped.

"Aaaaaaaaaaawwwwwww," the male voiced moaned as the doors opened and they stepped out in a hallway filled with marble statues and a multitude of different paintings that all displayed scenes of love and courting. Again, not the lustful fucking one might have expected but rather couples dancing, frolicking, the like. It was rather pleasing in Edwin's opinion.

"This way," the incubus said, leading them to a clear waiting area, with more couches and subdued mood lighting. "Please wait inside… you will be shown to the office shortly."

Edwin nodded as they stepped in, Aria sitting across from him on a love seat that she treated like an arm chair. While he was half tempted to send out the Thieves of Kul Elna to look around the place Edwin decided it would be safer to keep them within him; he had no idea what security the Lust Embassy might have and didn't want to set off any alarms. The fact that he might get an in with Asmodeus was a big enough coup for him.

"Breathe," he told Aria. "It will be okay. We'll chat about business, he'll commission something, then we leave." He grabbed a chilled water bottle that was sitting in an ice bucket and cracked it open, offering it to Aria who managed to hold it without trembling. He snagged one for himself and took a long pull from it.

"…not going to tell me that this will all work out or we have nothing to worry about?"

"I don't feel like jinxing us… I ain't no fool."

That got a smile from her and the two went back to waiting.

~MC~MC~MC~

"What do you think?" Asmodeus, aka Ozzie, said as he held up the latest in products that had been sent to him in hopes of getting approval. While he had plenty of factories that made the various sex toys in Hell there were plenty more who sought him out to get the Ozzie-Stamp of approval. It was how he'd found out about the Lust Potion that Overlord Valentino was producing… and why he had come out rather strongly against it. Demons still bought it in droves but he had been able to at least keep it from being commonly accepted.

Fizz took the candle from him and turned it one way and then the other. It was in a standard glass jar, with a flat lid. That was already a good start in Ozzie's opinion, as far too many up and coming creators thought they needed to impress him by making everything sex-themed. He'd have already marked the jar down as needing improvements if it had come in a cock or tit-shaped design. "I like the swirl in the wax. That is rather pleasing." The top started with a red coloring, then moved to orange and yellow, before ending in white. Not merely layered but a swirl pattern that easily flowed from one color to the next.

"According to the information the creator sent over it also will cause the flames to change color over time."

"Ooooo. That could create a nice challenge!" Fizz threw his hands out wide, like he was framing a marquee. "Can you last long enough to see the color change?"

"Hmmm… good point." That was one of the reasons why he loved working with Fizz; the imp was utterly creative. Ozzie more than once had sent him down to marketing to have him finish up some campaign they were having difficulties cracking. He always got it done in a day or two at most.

Fizz nodded and pulled off the glass top, taking a sniff. "Hmmm… what do you think?" He held up the jar to Ozzie, who took in a long pull of the scent.

"…too flowery, right?"

"I was just going to say that. They need to dial it back by… 25 percect."

"Perhaps had some wooden scents," Ozzie commented, writing that note down on the form. "It should be like you are laying with your lover in some enchanted forest glen, bodies supported by a bed of clovers-" He made a quick note that some "greener" scents should be used. "This smells like someone is fucking in a perfume store because they want to hide the stench of their unwashed balls."

"And we both know that isn't pleasant," Fizz commented.

"I said I was sorry," Ozzie said, his partner merely shooting him a level look before bursting into laughter. "You are never going to let that go, are you?"

"Only because it now means that I get to be there when you… get clean." He waggled his eyebrows at that.

"Fizzy…" Ozzie said, half whining and half moaning, "we have a meeting…"

"Is that what we are calling spreading some lips and cheeks?" Fizz asked. "So professional!"

"Not that," Ozzie said with a chuckle. "That jeweler?"

At once Fizz perked up. "Oh! Oh! Oh yes! Yes yes yes!"

Ozzie smiled at that. He had debated going to see Edwin Cerberus and get something as a surprise for Fizz but the more he had turned it over in his head the more he realized that wasn't him and Fizz. They liked to be adventurous and bold… but for the most part they always agreed to things ahead of time. They didn't spring surprise luncheons or try out daring new things in the bedroom without talking about it first. It came from having to keep their relationship a secret; a surprise could easily backfire, after all, if done at the wrong time. Everything had to have been carefully planned out when it came to meeting up with each other; perhaps that was why they were willing to be so adventurous in the bedroom, even for themselves.

Coming to that realization Ozzie had decided that rather than surprising Fizz with a gift it would be far better to get him involved. That choice had been proven to be the correct one when Fizz had gotten utterly excited at the idea of getting matching pieces made and he eagerly had been brainstorming ideas ever since Ozzie had suggested asking that demon to come by the Embassy to speak with them.

"Is he here now?" Fizz asked, already moving to package up the candle and get it sent back to its creator so they could decide if they wanted to go along with their notes.

"I-" Ozzie began only for Clark to enter and just nod. "Well, he is here."

Fizz at once tried to use his arms to brush all of the other items waiting for their review off the desk.

"Fizzie," Ozzie said with patient amused annoyance. "We can't just ignore this. We do have work after all."

"Not important work!" Fizz declared, grabbing several forms. "This dildo is derivative. Those fuzzy cuffs need better fur as it will leave fibers all over. Edible panties?" He lifted the garments up and ate them in a single bite. "Mmmm… mango cherry. That's a keeper. This sex doll-" He stopped as he stared at the clearly CHILD SIZE sex doll.

"No," Ozzie said.

"No," Fizz said darkly, throwing the damn thing right into the fireplace, smirking as he saw it go up in flames. He began to zip through the rest of the items under consideration. "Yes. No. No. Maybe but only if you change the casing to something that can be ran through a dishwasher. No." Finishing the forms he threw everything into a large box and shoved it WELL out of the room before sitting down on the now empty desk, crossing his legs and leaning over towards Ozzie. "Done!"

Ozzie let out a sigh at that, shaking his head. "We will be going back through all of that, to make sure that we gave everything the proper attention." While he wouldn't go against Fizz's rulings he did want to at least give helpful pointers to the demons that had seen their entries rejected. It wasn't fair just to say 'no'. He liked to explain to people WHY he had said no so they could work to improve their creations. "Clark, show them in."

The incubus nodded and after a moment Edwin Cerberus entered along with a rather tall Hellhound. One that, while not as tall as Bee in her full demon form, certainly towered over most. It was only because her companion was on the taller side that she didn't look truly huge.

"Thank you for joining us. I know that normally you don't do house calls but this is just easier for me… the hassle of having to arrange for transport and guards… its enough to make someone want to just stay home forever."

After Fizz's kidnapping, the attack earlier on Stolas, and everything that had happened with Mammon Ozzie had decided to be a bit… safer… when it came to his and Fizz's safety. That meant more guards, plans to make sure they could travel safely… it was a pain but he NEVER wanted to feel the terror he'd felt during those 12 hours when Fizz had been kidnapped… ever again. Not until that bastard Crimson had been found and punished.

It should have been easy enough… demand the Imp's head at breakfast and have it come at supper gift wrapped. But with him and Mammon on the outs his brother was protecting the crime boss, leaving Ozzie to put out feelers to try and get the Imp brought in outside of the normal channels. And Ozzie knew that Crimson knew that and could very well take another crack at trying to get to him or Fizz.

Edwin shrugged. "I get it. Probably cause a stir at the hotel if you just rolled up for hot coco and design plans."

Ozzie decided right then and there that he liked Edwin. The man wasn't scared of him, which was nice because it truly did annoy him when demons cowered before him. Fear had no place in lust, after all. But he wasn't talking down to him, thinking him weak. Ozzie knew that many saw him as the weakest of the sins, with Bee a close second, purely because he didn't go throwing his weight around. He didn't enjoy forcing demons to remember that he was one of the nine most powerful beings in Hell but he'd do it if needed.

Edwin was approaching him with respect. He could work with that.

"Yes, and that would make Charlie worry," Ozzie said. "How is Charlie?"

"She's doing good. The hotel is beginning to show some improvements… she's coming to understand she can't do everything on her own."

"Yes, that always was a problem of her's," Ozzie said with a sigh as he got up from his desk and moved towards the chairs and table set up near the fireplace. He pulled out the chair for Edwin but, to his surprise, Edwin looked at his hellhound companion then the chair.

"Edwin…"

"Aria…" he said in the same warning tone.

After a moment she sat down and Ozzie smiled, motioning for his aides to bring two more chairs; Fizz blinked before grinning at that. Ozzie looked over Edwin and Aria and knew at once there wasn't anything sensual or sexual about their relationship. No, they were like brother and sister or father and daughter. Though in Hell, he supposed, that sometimes didn't dismiss the possibility of sex. But with those two? No… no, they were loyal to each other but it was born of something other than raw desire.

"Help yourselves," he said as he gestured at the pastries laid out on the table. They were, of course, in the shapes of boobs, butts, and cocks and Ozzie briefly wondered if maybe, just maybe, he could for once have a meal that wasn't sexual in design. He didn't mind but it would be a nice change of pace. Edwin selected an éclair, letting out a bemused huff as he saw some cream leak out of it before taking a bite that assured Ozzie the man was straight. "So, Fizz and I are interested in getting some matching jewelry."

"Of course," Edwin said, setting his pastry down and grabbing his briefcase. "Now, while my main product is the Millennium Eyes they aren't the only thing I make. And I am willing to get creative."

"Oooo," Fizz said with a sharp smile. "I love… creative types."

Edwin though merely stared Fizz down. Not angered. Not embarrassed. Just… stared him down. It made Ozzie feel rather protective of his Imp but he also didn't know WHY he felt so protective. After all, it wasn't like Edwin had actually done anything to Fizz.

Ozzie knew that Fizz had that affect on people. There were plenty of demons who thought that Fizz acted out on purpose, delighting in watching people gasp in shock at the sight of him being so outlandish. But that was just how his little Froggie was. Fizz honestly didn't realize at times what he was doing. His love of using airhorns. Thinking that 'being subtle' was showing up to a location wearing rollerblades and the most garish outfit possible. Standing up to give toasts even if they were in the middle of a solemn business dinner. That… was just how he was. And people tended to be shocked, embarrassed, angered, or delighted in his antics.

Edwin just stared him down.

Fizz had just begun to cringe when Edwin smirked. Ever so slightly.

"Well, I have a few ideas already," Edwin said, pulling out a pad of paper. "Now, I'll warn you that drawing is NOT my area of expertise. I sculpt… drawing is not how I make my money." He held out a binder. "This will give you a few ideas."

Ozzie took the binder and opened it, at once seeing what Edwin was getting at… and why he'd assembled the binder in the first place.

The sketches within were crude. Not horrifically so, where he couldn't tell what they were supposed to be, but there was very little artistry in them. Amateur Hour. Lines that weren't straight, curves that wiggled in the wrong spots, things like that. A lot of notes about what the image was, so that the description was more important than the drawing itself; the image was just for reference, to give a visual cue.

But next to each image was a photograph of each piece, finished and complete and beautiful. The Millennium Eyes that had become his mainstay. A series of rings in gold, silver, platinum and the like. A sunrise or a sunset, depending on your point of view, breaking over a horizon.

"Now," Edwin said as Ozzie turned a page, Fizz ooooing over not a piece of jewelry but a little statue. It had barn animals stacked on top of each other: a cow in white gold and some kind of black metal, a silver sheep, and a bronze duck. All very cute and very expense… something so many in Hell would want. "What are you thinking about in terms of how the jewelry is designed? Rings? Pendants? Pins?"

"I think… pendants?" he looked at Fizz who after a moment nodded; neither of them were quite ready for rings and what that would mean.

"Okay. And you said you want a set of jewelry. Do you want them to match, a split, or do you want them to be companion pieces?"

"I…" Ozzie trailed off.

"What exactly is the difference?" Fizz asked and it was a sign of how important the conversation was and how much Fizz wanted the pieces that he wasn't cracking jokes.

"So a matching set would be two duplicates. We design a single pendant and I make two of them." The two nodded; that made sense. "A split is where you take a single pendant and before its forged split it down the middle, so that each person gets one half. The whole 'A Single Heart Carried By Two' sort of thing, you know?"

Fizz at once shook his head. "Sounds cheesy as fuck."

"My personal opinion as well," Edwin stated. "Companion pieces is I design two pieces that belong together but can be seen as their own separate things. For you two?" He bobbed his head back and forth. "I'd do a piece based on you, Asmodeus, and one based on you, Fizzarolli. And each of you get the others."

That made Ozzie frown. "I… don't quite follow." He looked at Fizz who nodded.

"Okay, so you Fizzarolli," he said, "would get a pendant I design based around Asmodeus. So I am thinking something made out of a blue metal for the back, done in a fire design. Framed with your feathers and a red heart in the middle or maybe a ruby." He drew as he spoke and while it was a rough image Ozzie could at once see exactly what he was getting at. "For you Asmodeus you would get one with a red back but less flame and more like Fizzarolli's preferred collar." He gestured at the outfit Fizz was wearing; even though he was out of clowning his Froggy did love to wear the outfits still, just feeling so comfortable in them. "The framing along the edges would be based on your arms; it would be like you are giving the entire thing a hug." Fizz at once beamed at that, bouncing in his seat. "Sapphire heart if you want it to truly be a counter to the first one, or a white diamond if you want it to be closer to yourself."

"Hmmm… sapphire," Fizz said. "And I assume the frames will be the same just different in terms of the design?" Ozzie… didn't quite get that as it seemed like those contradicted each other but Edwin was following along and nodded, holding out the quick stretches. Ozzie at once knew that these were what they would go for; they truly were companion pieces, a piece of the other that they could carry with them. "Oh! I can see what they will be!" He looked at Ozzie, vibrating in his seat; Ozzie knew that much like Edwin his Froggy wasn't the greatest artist BUT once he had a vague idea of something he could easily visualize it. "What if the chains were made of alternating red and blue links?"

"Easily done," Edwin said at once.

"Well, I think we have some jewelry," Ozzie said. "Now then, about the price-"

But Edwin cut him off. "Actually we do have to cover a few other things." And here he grew more serious. "Are these just for wearing… or are you interested in something a bit more practical."

"What… are you thinking?" Fizz asked.

"Trackers," Edwin said. "I can make the back of the pendant hollow so that a tracker could be built into it. One that would allow you both to know where the other is." Fizz and Ozzie glanced at each other. "I know about the kidnapping. While Mr. Fizzarolli would be searched having a tracker in the pendant would allow you to have a general idea where he was. Though, to be honest, if you really wanted to be safe I would suggest getting trackers in your shoes."

"Our… shoes?" Ozzie said.

"Kidnappers rarely think to stripe their victims down before getting to a hideout. And a shoe isn't easily lost."

At once Ozzie saw his point. "We'll take that under advisement. But for now let's keep the pendants just pendants."

"Right, of course."

Edwin paused.

"…what are your views of 'The Sins of the Father'?"

"Uh…" Fizz shrugged. "Never tried that sexual position and not into Daddy Play. Nothing wrong with it but…" He shrugged again.

"I mean…" Edwin said, "would you blame a child for their father's actions."

"No," Ozzie said at once. "Why?"

"There is a company, I.M.P.."

"We know of it," Ozzie said at once, glancing at Fizz to make sure he was okay. But Fizz merely nodded and Ozzie felt a bit of weight leave him; he had been worried that even with them seemingly to patch things up Fizz would still have trouble when it came to Blitzo.

"An employee there, named Moxie? He hates his father with an all consuming passion." Edwin leaned in. "His father is named Crimson."

Ozzie's flames briefly flashed red and the hellhound, Aria, cringed back.

"I'm sorry!" he said quickly, realizing he'd startled the poor dear. Aria gave a shaking nod at that but Ozzie didn't miss that Edwin had placed his hand out on her knee. "You are sure?"

"Positive. Seek him out and make a deal. If he isn't willing to talk go to his wife, Millie. Both know right where his compound is. I'm sure a man of your stature can afford assassins… I hear Striker is currently out of work at the moment. Bitter blood for him being involved but…"

Ozzie slowly nodded at that. "Right… and how do you know all this?"

"People talk," Edwin said before flashing a pleasant smile. "Now… about pricing…"

About a half an hour later their business was done and Edwin and Aria were shown out the door, leaving Ozzie and Fizz by themselves. Fizz had pulled out his Duel Monster deck and begun shuffling the cards, mostly to give his hands something to do. But he could tell that the Imp's mind was elsewhere.

"Penny for your thoughts," Ozzie asked as he set about cleaning up the table; he'd let Edwin and Aria take the rest of the pastries, having realized that the poor hellhound hadn't even eaten one, she was so nervous. That made him sad as he truly did hate to see anyone nervous around him; lust, after all, was all about being comfortable in your skin.

"Oz… you know I love you, right?" Fizz asked.

"I do…" he said slowly.

"And… you know I would never want you to change."

"But…?"

"What Edwin said… about the assassin…"

Ozzie nodded. "Yeah… I'm gonna make some phone calls." There was never a doubt in his head that he would see Crimson PAY for what he had done. And Edwin had given him the perfect lead. Blitzo and Fizz seemed to be on friendly terms and from what Edwin had hinted Crimson had hurt his son… it was possible Bltizo might be completely open to working with him on taking down the bastard.

"Perhaps… we should consider having one on staff," Fizz stated.

"…what?"

"I don't like that everyone thinks your weak!" Fizz declared. "You are so powerful and strong but you are also kind and thus everyone thinks you're a pushover!" Fizz wrung his hands, twisting his fingers in a way Ozzie knew wasn't good for the devices. "I want people to respect you, Ozzie! Because you deserve respect." He gestured at the door. "No scared of you but… Edwin respected you. He didn't talk down to you or think you were weak. And with Crimson and Mammon…"

"We need to build up my power… and gather allies." Ozzie walked over and lifted Fizz up. "Don't worry… I'm not blind to how people see me and… yeah, maybe you are right."

He paused.

"And I think making allies with the likes of Edwin Cerberus is a great way to start."

That had Fizz frowning. "Uh… okay? I mean having a jeweler we can eat titty donuts with is nice but-"

Ozzie laughed.

"What?" Fizz didn't like it when he didn't understand WHY people were laughing.

"Oh…" Ozzie said, wiping away a tear with his free hand. "I'm sorry. I forgot you couldn't sense it."

"Sense what?"

"Edwin Cerberus isn't merely a jeweler. He's hiding a secret." He leaned in. "He's an Overlord."

"He… what?"

"I could feel it the moment he entered the room. He is powerful, Fizz. Very powerful."

"…how powerful?"

Ozzie said in an even softer voice, "Radio Demon powerful." Fizz's eyes went wide. "I did some checking… he helped out Stolas and you know he's a good egg. And apparently Stolas' ex has been… seen around Edwin. And not in a good way for her. I think he might have gotten his claws into her. An Overlord that can control an Ars Goetia? One who apparently has only been in hell for a few months?" He chuckled. "That is an ally I want to have on our side."

Fizz, after a moment, began to chuckle as well.

Oh yes… Ozzie would be definitely working to see more of Edwin Cerberus.