Octavia paced back and forth in the kitchen as Stolas and the I.M.P gang gathered to the kitchen table, waiting for her to tell some bad news.
"Alright, first thing's first." she began. "Blitzy... I-I-I mean! Blitzø, I know you guys have the Asmodean crystal now. Correct?"
"Oh! Well, uh, yes we do, Via." Blitzø stuttered, showing her the crystal. "Just to be real, your dad only gave that to me when we started fucking up with each other."
"Blitzø...!" Loona reminded him in annoyance as Moxxie covered the boy's ears, before she held up a jar with a sticky-note superglued to it in one of her hands. "Pay up."
"When did you have the time to get a swear jar, Loonie?!" argued Blitzø in shock.
"DO NOT call me that!" she then angrily said. "NOW!"
Before long, with a grumble, Blitzø put a penny into Loona's personal swear jar for I.M.P. Normally, in Loona's case, she'd swear until there was a couple of grand in a jar like that, but even that could change with a human child who'd manage to steal her heart like Balin.
"Now, with that set in mind," Via continued. "I overheard my mother talking with Uncle Andrealphus, and it was something about you, dad. I'm not so certain what it was, but it certainly wasn't anything good."
Stolas secretly growled to himself in owl noises, knowing how much he hated his arrogant brother-in-law more than his wife.
Via then pulled up several pictures on her phone and showed them to him.
"Turns out the divorce must've set off something in her more than I don't think anything in your... 'post-marriage' has lead up to before." she said.
"Before? What did she say to you? What did she do?" Stolas asked her.
"Nothing." replied Via. "She was busy trying to groom me with her side on Goetia royalty. Like, how to rule with an iron fist."
"Oh, that's your mother, alright." Blitzø interrupted. "Always the brute, never the brightest when it comes to family ties."
"Exactly. So that's why I need you to look at these." Via insisted Blitzø to look at the pictures on her phone.
These photos were of Stella's attempted murders on her... ex-husband from the past crossed out, and many new ones planned out. They also included strategies on taking charge of the possessions and affairs once passed down to her.
"Judging by these, she must be planning on using the divorce to her advantage somehow. To get her hands onto everything this family has, like the crystal, and perhaps the Grimoire too."
"The Grimoire?" Millie's ears perked up. "Your Highness, sweetie, your daddy had it confiscated from our company when we got the crystal. It could be anywhere else with the family."
"Actually, no." Stolas said. "The Grimoire's still staged in this household at the moment. Somewhere."
"Then where is this somewhere?" continued Via.
"Nowhere important, it's just... what's this intention your mother has in mind for the crystal and the book?" Stolas asked his daughter. "She never cared enough about any of those being on her mind."
"I know, especially since you dad and I had that, uh... meeting we had, when we were building I.M.P." added Blitzø. "She didn't even see the birthday cake I landed o..."
Loona then squeezed Blitzø's arm by her tail in a little anger. "BLITZØ! Will you shut up?! Royalty is talkin'!" she growled through her teeth.
"Oh, no, that's perfectly fine, Ms. Loona." replied Stolas kindly. "All words are welcome. ...As long as they're not about sex. Not anymore. In these two kids' sakes, especially."
"Pretty sure it's too late for me, dad." grumbled Via in embarrassment.
"Word." added Loona as she looked down on her phone, then looked at an uncomfortable Balin and smiled at him putting it away. "Why don't you and I leave the grown-ups to discuss their... adult stuff, kiddo."
"Okay." sighed Balin as she picked him up with her paws and carried him out of the room.
Stolas then continued speaking. "Via, your mother, she's... when marriage takes its toll, there's a cascade or chain reaction of events you don't wish to happen yet spiral out of control. Whether it's one way or another."
"Well that cascade you're living through right now is about to get worse if you don't prepare." protested Via. "Mother's been laser-focused on finding your weak spot to get her hands on this house's possessions, so much, she sicked that cowboy dude on you. Twice."
"You mean... Striker?" Stolas' eyes widened.
"His attempted murder at the Harvest Moon Festival? That was all her." she continued.
"Was he at your uncle's castle with her, Your Highness?" asked Millie.
Via then gave her a slight nod.
"Of course he'd still be consorting with her." Stolas said in realisation. "I had a feeling he wasn't entirely gone. But the first time... why didn't you tell me it was then, Blitzø?"
"We assumed you found out by the time he hogtied you to that Bombshell of his." defended Blitzø, putting a disgusted face on both M&M. "*Scoff* The name of Striker's horse, Bombshell. Christ on a stick, grow up and make children already, you two."
"Three times weren't enough, huh, you lucky bitch?" Blitzø then seethed to himself under his breath.
Stolas then took another look at the photos on Via's phone. A fast read, to be exact.
"Darling, your fast reading, did you happen to see what these plans were?"
"No telling." Via then replied. "We've seen how powerful she can get when she's angry, but this divorce could already have pushed her limits, turning her into the most Hell-bent in this moment. Dad, if mother even gets her hands on any two artefacts..."
"She could expand that iron fist of hers to all of Hell." the I.M.P gang interrupted, starting with Millie.
"Starting with us, considering we may have had a partnership in this mess. Specifically... me?" added Blitzø.
"What if she makes it to Earth as well? Balin's world? Who knows what ideas Stella could get for..."
"Moxxie! Shut the fuck up!" interrupted Blitzø. "I don't wanna think about that and the kid. That's a bad shake for my mind!"
He didn't want to admit to anyone else as much as Loona did, but Blitzø was also starting to take an emotionally serious interest in the kid.
"Little ones? Mind if me and Blitzø have some private time on this crisis?" asked Stolas in a kind tone again. "You two, owlet."
Via and the married imps all left the room, leaving Stolas and Blitzø to themselves. She then shut the door and showed a small smile, knowing she'd get a new chance to talk with Loona and perhaps get to know Balin some more.
MEANWHILE...
Loona and Balin sat in the living room together, when Via soon arrived.
"Hey there little one." she smiled in a soft tone, crouching to his level. "How'd you like a tour of my dad's place?"
"Oh, yes please Via." replied Balin politely. "I've always wanted to see what a castle looked like on the inside."
"Aw, it's not really a castle as much as it is a house." chuckled the owl princess modestly. "Though it is a mansion, so it does have a lot of castle-like features, doesn't it?"
"Or as I'd say, good bones." smirked Loona.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get you some bones once I feed some meat to the plants." teased Via.
"Whoa, wow, don't make me eat yours, Via." Loona teased her back.
"Oh no! Whatever shall I do?" Via then put on a playfully comedic voice, causing Balin to laugh. "Oh, do you like that?"
Loona and Via then exchanged a sneaky look to each other as she continued speaking.
"Well, how about... this!"
The two goth girls started chasing Balin around the living room, with Loona swishing the door closed with her tail so he couldn't escape. Via tried blocking him with every spot in the room he ran up to, even the corners of the wall.
As Loona and Via had him cornered, they walked very slowly towards him as if they were ready to strike, but then Balin quickly tucked and rolled from under their feet, resuming the chase.
The entire time, he laughed like any child would during a chase, then finally, as he landed on the water-couch, the hellhound and the owl caught up to the boy and wrapped their arms around him.
"Gotcha!" Loona whispered with her wet nose tickling his ear.
"C'mon Loona. Let's play with our little mouse." Via playfully growled.
Soon, the two started giving little Balin kisses on each cheek, causing his whole face to turn red with a passion.
This was a truly cute sight for the two, but they wanted to see him laughing. So Via decided to affectionately nibble his cheek with her beak like the owl she was, which then brought out the giggles in him. ...And some in the female demons too.
MONTAGE (A tour around the Goetia palace)
A/N: Imagine any happy-go-lucky music playing in the montage - Mine would be 'Top of the World' by the Carpenters.
Via started showing Balin around the entire palace as she and Loona held his hands the whole way through.
The first place they went was her bedroom, which was filled with old toys and rock albums.
As Via gave Balin one of those toys, a little plushy chicken, as a token of her kindness, Loona put on a heavy goth metal record on the gramophone and started banging her head to the music, as the other two joined in for a full bedroom dance party.
Next, they went to Stolas' library, where Octavia grabbed one of his books with her power of telekinesis and started reading to Balin.
As she read to him, Balin shut his eyes resting his head on her backside. Seeing this, Loona plucked one of the feathers from her arm and tickled him awake with it.
It worked, but as the boy giggled, he then let out the cutest sneeze ever as well, making them both laugh.
Soon, Octavia lead the boy through the top-floor hallway towards the final main attraction of the mansion: a massive waterslide in the form of a slow-flowing rapid.
With her permission, Balin took off his clothes and put on some of her swimmers, which were able to fit his size perfectly.
He then got into the water and Loona gave him a gentle shove along the rapid with her paws.
Balin floated along a dark tunnel full of bright colourful fluorescent lights for a few minutes as the water rippled across his back. The colours were like little light shows dancing around him from above, all before reaching outside the mansion where the waterslide was actually a waterfall into the translucent pond below.
He was stunned from the amazing view from up top, as he could see all the buildings from Imp City and the hellish sunset in the sky before he went over the waterfall.
"WHEE!" he shouted as he splashed into the pond, where Loona and Via were both waiting. "That was so much fun!"
He got out of the water as Loona chuckled and grabbed him a towel to dry himself off before giving him back his regular clothes. Showing a sweet smile, Via watched this sweet moment between the two beings unfurl.
Finally, the boy was introduced to the Goetia family's exclusive garden, filled with the most exotic Venus fly-traps. As Balin stood next to Loona for safety, Via told them he meant no harm and that he was to be treated as a friend.
The fly-traps watched as Balin waved to them with politeness and nerves, and then, the most unexpected thing happened: they started shaking Balin's hand with their stems and bowing to him as if they were wearing hats. One of them ruffled his hair and even a female one kissed him on the cheek as he gave her a soft hug.
Even she was surprised he'd do that, yet hugged him back in response.
To them, he looked like steak since he was in fact human, but they were very sophisticated plants so they held back their instincts for him spectacularly.
LATER ON...
Ending their tour, Octavia and Balin were now sitting at one of the benches watching the sunset, while Loona was busy on her phone looking at a special somebody's Sinstagram profile.
His name was Vortex, or as his friends would call him, Tex. He was a hellhound just like Loona, except a more buff-looking 'gentle giant' breed, who she fell head over heels for the day they met... until she found out he had a girlfriend. But having known him for a while, even having met her once, she became slightly okay with it.
"So... how was it seeing your first castle?" smiled Via with her arm over shoulder.
"I really loved it, Via." replied Balin with a sweeter smile. "It's like Disneyland."
"Ooh, that sounds like a nice place. Have you ever been to this Disneyland before?" the owl princess then asked with interest.
"No. It's in America, and I'm from Australia. So I've never been there before."
"Aw well, there's always a Disneyland to be built in Australia someday soon. Mate." Via pinched his cheek saying that term, which made him giggle AND made sense considering she had a British accent like her father.
Soon, her happy look turned sympathetic as she made the boy look at her, gently moving his chin towards her.
"I'm so sorry about you and your parents, little one." she softly said. "You must've been so scared and sad out in that scary world by yourself."
"I was." sighed Balin. "I was a little scared when Loona found me too, but when she took me here, for some reason, I wasn't anymore."
"Awww. That's what I love to hear, darling." Via smiled again, giving him soft head scratches with her talons. "I've gotta say, I've known Loona for quite a while, and... I'm so shell-shocked she has a soft spot for little ones like yourself."
"Why?"
"Well, I think the reason you were scared of her at first was because she's usually so..."
"Scary?" finished Balin, who nodded his head in understanding. "I know. But I still thank her for saving me, when no-one else could."
"I wish I knew what that felt like." Via then let out a little chuckle with a blush. "Can you... keep a little secret?"
The boy then gave her a nod as she leaned closer to his ear and whispered...
"I have a crush on Loona."
Balin was mind-blown hearing this from Via, that a girl can fall in love with another girl. "Wow! Really?"
"Indeed so." chuckled Via at his innocence. "I'm telling you this because we three know what it's like to be alone."
"Why? Are you alone too?" Balin asked her.
Octavia frowned a little being asked that. Balin then covered his mouth and looked away in shame, feeling like he might've just asked something rude.
"Oh, now I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"Hey, no, calm down. It's alright." Via shushed him gently. "I don't like to talk about it, but with you, you're one of the first friends I've made."
Balin showed a warm look with the blush still on his face, as Via took a breath of bravery holding his hand.
"You remember all that stuff we were talking about in the meeting back inside?"
"Yes?"
"The reason I'm alone is because of my parents, just like you, except they're always fighting." she explained. "My mom and dad would always scream at each other, like, all the time, not even knowing that some of those times, I'd be right in front of them just hearing it all. The stuff they throw, the curse words they yell, all of it makes it a nightmare to be living here."
"Oh my goodness." gasped a heart-sunken Balin. "I'm..."
"Aw, you don't have to be sorry, baby." Via soothed him again. "It may not be like that a lot anymore, but outside of it, my father treats me like the little girl I was, and my mother... you've heard of who she is. Just as I have."
"Yeah. I understand." sighed the kid. "I see now they aren't always going to be there. But that doesn't mean your dad doesn't love you, right?"
"But why can't he see me, and love the way I am now?" exclaimed Via softly. "Even for me? Will he ever notice that, or will he... leave..."
Via then got emotional, feeling like she was about to cry. So Balin held her other hand, knowing he might do that instead of her.
"Hey. Can I tell you something, Via?"
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"My mommy and daddy taught me that some mommies and daddies love each other, and others don't." explained Balin with an accepting look on his face. "Those people love each other so much, it takes them over and changes them. But it's never because of you; it's just how they love you individually, they don't always agree with."
"Oh?" Via showed an intrigued look. She never thought she'd hear that kind of wisdom from a 7-year-old boy.
"You must know your daddy loves you by now, but you'll always have him in here." Balin placed her hand over her very soft chest, right where the pink t-shirt covered in yellow stars was showing.
"What, my belly?" giggled Via.
"No, in your 'heart', silly goose!" laughed Balin.
"Balin, do I look like a goose to you?" she then boomed in a funny voice. "I'm an owl. You know, HOOT! HOOT!"
Via playfully hooted like a real owl to make her point. And they sounded spot on as well. This made Balin laugh, especially as she kissed his cheek with her beak again. He was starting to get used to this animal-like affection from the two goth demons.
"Your parents must've raised you well." she smiled. "They have to be in your heart/belly also."
"Just as you and Loona are." he replied.
"Me? Ohh, thank you." Via then gave him another kiss on the cheek. A real one this time.
"But, at least you still have your family." Balin then continued, feeling a little teary. "Which is more than I can say for..."
As he started crying, Via then picked him up and cradled him in her arms.
"Aww, shhhh. Don't be sad, little one." she softly whispered. "You still have yours too. Because you're in theirs."
As Balin showed a smile underneath his tears, hearing those words from Via, the two cuddled on the bench for a little while longer. During then, Loona walked up to the bench watching the scene and gave them an even bigger embrace, like a bear hug.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Blitzø and Stolas saw the affection through the window and smiled warmly.
"Well, would you look at that?" Stolas softly spoke with his smile. "That is poetry."
"Kid's a good little guy." grinned Blitzø. "Your daughter's great too. I never doubted that."
"Thanks Blitzy." Stolas then caressed the imp's hand, making Blitzø look up with stars in his eyes. "I did have mine, but seeing now what she did, I'd say yours is even better."
Blitzø then looked back at the scene with his smile, as he wrapped his arm around the demon prince's back, right above his tail feathers.
A/N: See y'all in the next chapter.