Back when I was first writing Newest Pup, I didn't plan on writing any other fanfics as that one was already taking so long between updates. But then one day this idea came into my head one day and I just had to get it down on paper.
It was largely inspired by the Moxxie was adopted by Alastor AU, and fanfics based on it like "Growing Up Impish" by Cheycartoongirl8 & CynicalGenre and "Familial Modulation" by Cybra. It got me thinking, what other I.M.P. member was adopted by an Overlord/Demon Royal, could we make? Shortly after, this idea popped into my head. After all, we know next to nothing about Loona's life before Blitzo adopted her. We don't even know if her parents are still alive or not. Who's to say she doesn't have some crazy family connections, that will get explored later?
This was being written before Season 2 aired so obviously there's a few differences from canon, mostly in terms of Blitzo & Stolas' relationship, but otherwise, there shouldn't be too much of an issue here. Either way, I hope you guys enjoy.
Cover Art: FacelessChick on Twitter
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The screams of anguish echoed throughout the hallways of the castle. They could be heard for miles away, in every room. Possibly, even outside of the building. And they all came from one source. The grand bedroom of Marchioness Marchosias Goetia. Member of the Royal Hierarchy of the Ars Goetia. Commander of 30 Legions of Hell. The honest and brutal warrior who had remained undefeated in battle. Who was currently shrieking louder and in more anguish than ever at the pains of her labor.
"We're almost there, your highness! The head's just about through!" encouraged the imp midwife. "Just a little more, and they'll be delivered. You just need to-"
"IF YOU TELL ME TO PUSH ONCE MORE, I WILL RIP YOUR FUCKING HEART OUT THROUGH YOUR ARSE!" The soon-to-be mother screamed in unbridled fury, small flames escaping through her mouth, causing the midwife to cower at the sudden threat. Even at this vulnerable state, the Goetia Marchioness was a terrifying sight to behold. Her unkempt hair, piercing golden eyes, and savage scowl made her look like a wild animal, moments away from ripping someone apart, even now. Her serpent's tail had to be restrained to not further complicated the birth, and her griffin wings were flaring around from the stress.
She would've almost carried out the threat when she felt a hand gently touch her by the shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Marie, look at me."
It took a lot of effort, but the she-wolf Goetia slowly turned to the source. She looked at her husband. A hellhound, his other hand was holding her's. "H-Hunter. I-I-I…don't know…I didn't think…it would…hurts…so…much-" She was struggling to form words as she breathed deeply in pain, tears streaming down her eyes.
"Marie, just take a breath. As many as you need." Their eyes met each other. Her burning yellow eyes gazed into his blood-red as Hunter looked at her with love and encouragement. She began to inhale and exhale deeply while her husband held her hand tightly. "You can do this. I know you can. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Just one more push, and our baby, will be born. We'll be parents. You'll be the greatest mother ever. I'm right for you, my love. Just breathe and push."
Marchosias looked at him tiredly but nodded. And then, mustering all the strength she had, she pushed again. The screams rang out. They were louder than they had ever been, even as her throat grew more hoarse. Cinders of fire escape her mouth, threatening to burn the whole bed chamber to ash. The grip on her husband's hand tightened like a python crushing its prey. Hunter had to repress a scream as he felt his bones crack under pressure. Her tail whipped from side to side, and her wings beat out of control. It looked like she was about to die.
It felt like it lasted an eternity. Until finally, the sounds of the Marchoiness' screams came to an end…
…and the cries of a newborn babe filed the room.
"It's done! It's done!" The midwife cried in joy as she held the bloodied child in her hands. "Oh, your highness, you're child is here."
Marchosias struggled to breathe after all her pain and could barely register anything as her husband cut the umbilical cord and the infant's blood washed away.
"Do you hear that, Marie?" came a voice next to her. The she-wolf weakly turned towards Hunter, looking at her, proud tears streaming down his face. "You did it. Our baby's here."
"Your daughter is here, milords," The midwife corrected, holding the child wrapped in a bundle.
"A-a daughter?" whimpered a tired Marie. "I have a girl?" Tears of joy streamed down her face like a waterfall. "Give her to me. I-I-I want to hold her."
The imp carefully handed the still crying bundled up child to the mother's outstretched arms, who once in reach took the infant. She looked at the newborn child, her fur a beautiful mix of snow white and ash grey, and for a moment, it seemed that nothing else mattered to her. "H-h-hi. It's your mom. She's waited so long to see you, and she loves you more than life itself."
The baby slowly stopped crying at the sound of her voice, dying down to small whimpers, as she opened her eyes. They were bright red, just like Hunter's. She began looking around, confused by her new surroundings, as her mother handed her off to her father. "This is your dad. I believe he wants to see you too."
The hellhound held his child gently, gazing down at her with the loving look of a father. "Hey there, little guy. We've been waiting to see you for a while now." He stroked the child's cheek, causing the babe to let out a high-pitched giggle of delight. He looked at her sweetly as he cooed: "Oh man, look at you. You look just like your mother. You gave her one hell of a hard time, you know that? But it's okay now. You're here. That's all that matters."
Marie weakly reached for the bundle. Hunter handed it to her, while still keeping his good hand on his child. The baby turned to smile at her mother, babbling unintelligently. The marchioness hugged the newborn close to her face and whispered gently and lovingly. "My precious little one. You will forever be my light & joy. I swear, by the rings of Hell and all its infernal powers, you shall be loved and protected from anyone foolish enough to do you harm. Whether it be demons, angels, even Lucifer, or God himself, I shall let no harm come to you. Now and forever."
The child didn't seem to understand. She simply grabbed ahold of the Marchioness' finger and laughed. Marchosias wrapped her wing around her husband, as the two looked at their child lovingly.
"If I might ask, your highnesses," the imp midwife hesitantly asked, "what are you going to name her?"
Tired but still conscious, Marchosias smiled and answered: "Her name…shall be…"
Loona stepped out of the elevator, lazily carrying three cups of coffee, finishing up one she held in her other hand. Once it was empty, she tossed it behind her, not caring if it hit the trashcan or a person.
It was yet another miserable day at work, which was also another miserable day in her already miserable life.
Okay, maybe calling her life miserable was a bit of an exaggeration, but damn if she didn't hate it sometimes.
Good Satan, what did she do as a baby to end up being raised by the maniac that was Blitzo? When he wasn't getting them into pointless, sometimes dangerous shit with his hair-brained schemes and paper-thin temper, he was constantly smothering her with so much love that a carebear would throw up its guts at the sight of it. She was twenty two years old, yet that idiot still treated her like a child.
Whether it was embarrassing her almost every minute blowing up whenever any male talked to her. And even refusing to let her join the crew whenever they went on missions, except under certain circumstances.
The last one, in particular, pissed her off to no end. She was the only one on the team with a human disguise she could match blows with Millie and knew her way with a gun. She'd be the perfect assassin. Blitzo knew this! But what did he do? Have her sit behind a desk, answer the phone, listen to sinners whine about their rotten old lives, and then arrange a meeting with Blitzo. Any one of them could do that. And yet, it was always her sitting there while everyone else did the important stuff. Even now, while they were offing some dead teen's mom for refusing to get him vaccinated for COVID, she was stuck doing chores. Changing the van's oil, arranging the next ammo orders, picking up an item for Stolas, and getting everyone's fucking coffee!
Loona considered spitting in Blitzo's iced coffee just for having her go through this constant bullshit…but then stopped. Despite all his faults, Loona was still thankful that she got adopted by him. Unlike most other children there, who got picked up by obvious pedophiles or clearly shitty people, the imp had been nothing but kind and loving towards her, as any father would be. Even if she hated how clingy and overprotective, he was. Moreover, he got her out of her shithole of an orphanage and gave her a home. Thanks to him, she had food, a job, and most of everything else she owned.
And no matter what her feelings towards him were, he was the closest thing she had to family. She never knew what happened to her real one. She had been found at the doorstep of her old orphanage, when she was still a puppy. For all she knew, they could all be dead or they could've abandoned her. But it didn't matter to her. She had Blitzo now. He was far from perfect…but at least he was there. So she decided against spitting in his drink.
She spat in Moxxie's coffee instead.
The hellhound opened the door to the I.M.P. office and entered inside. It was only a few more hours of this headache, and she could do something she'd actually enjoy. Maybe she'd hit up Stylish Occult for some new clothes. Or head to a good hellhound club for some drinks and dancing. Anything that didn't involve the rest of the coworkers.
But once she stepped inside the office, Loona was surprised to find it completely dark. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Blitz! What the fuck happened to the lights? Did you forget to pay the electricity bill again?" She groaned in annoyance before flipping the light switch.
"SURPRISE!"
"GAH!" Loona shrieked, dropping the coffee in surprise. Streamers, balloons, and confetti were littered around the office. And standing right at the center, underneath a banner reading "Happy Anniversary Loona!" was Blitzo, smiling from ear to ear with a party cone. Moxxie and Millie were beside him, wearing their own cones and smiles (though Moxxie's looked very forced.) After a brief second of recovery, the hellhound's shock turned to fury as she growled at her caretaker. "What the fuck Blitz?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Of course not, my little Loonie-Toonie! I just wanna surprise you on your big day!" said Blitzo ignoring his daughter's wrath as he skipped over to her, giving her a warm bear hug and kiss on the cheek. Both of which only made the hellhound more pissed off. "Happy Adoption Anniversary, sweetheart."
Loona's rage subsided as she realized the date. Oh shit, that was today. How many years had it been now? Three? Four? It still felt like a month ago, Blitzo and Stolas had their near breakup after the Ozzie's debacle. Honestly, she had almost lost track of all time at this point. She couldn't believe that she had spent multiple years living with Blitzo.
"I know Loonie. Even I can't believe it's already been another year, either. Oh, we've had so many good memories together, haven't we?" Blitzo happily placed a party cone on her head and climbed down. He looked at her with a joyous, excited smile, not caring about the more unenthused expression of his daughter. "And now that you're here, we can get the party going! I've got the whole day planned out! Believe me; you're gonna love it!"
"You had better. Considering our boss vetoed our entire workday to set up this last-minute surprise party-" Moxxie muttered, peeved before Millie lightly elbowed him to stop.
Loona was about to say something when Blitzo cut her off. "First, we're going to have a little mini-party at the office: nothing too big, just some cake and presents. Then we'll play some board games and watch some movies. And finally, at 5 PM, that's when the real fun shit's going down, baby! Stolas' bitch wife is out of town for the month, so he's agreed to let us celebrate at his place. It's gonna be like one of those big fancy-ass fatcat parties, except all for you, Loonie! We'll be rocking it out all night, that by the time the next day comes, we'll still be partying to end! It's gonna be your best adoption day ever!" The imp finally stopped his rambling, taking a breath from all the talking. And was a bit confused by Loona not looking as excited as he had hoped. "Well? Are you hyped or what?"
"Ok, wow," the hellhound said, a bit overwhelmed. She took off her party cone and said: "Look, Blitz, I'm very flattered by all of this, but I'm not really in the mood for a big party today. Can we just do the dumb office thing and take the rest of the day off? I kinda had plans for tonight."
"Aww, don't be like that, Loonie," Blitzo pouted, disappointed. "You can do whatever your plans are any other time! Your anniversary's only once a year! How can we not celebrate it?! Come on. Pleaseeee?" The imp looked at her pleadingly with fake tears in his eyes.
"Blitz I-" Loona started before giving up. As much as she wanted to argue, she knew how stubborn Blitzo could be. Most of the time, stupidly so. And she could see there was no point even trying. She sighed, annoyed in defeat. "Fine, we'll have the dumb party."
Blitzo cheered with an excited smile and a silent fist pump, which the hellhound rolled her eyes at. "Well, what are we waiting for? M&M, get the cake ready. Should be just about done now."
"You got it, Blitz!" Millie said as she and Moxxie went into the break room, which Loona just not noticed was covered in a concerningly large layer of black smoke.
"Let's just get this over with," the hellhound groaned, so much for her after-work plans.
She made to follow the wrath imps when Blitzo suddenly grabbed her by the arm. "Hey, before we start, there's something I wanna do first." He reached into one of his infinite pockets and pulled out a small box wrapped in a bright blue paper covered with horses topped with a red bow, handing it to Loona. "Here. I got you a special little gift for the occasion."
Loona reluctantly accepted the gift and began opening it. "This better not be one of your lame horse dolls," she muttered, tearing through the paper, exposing the box that was inside. She opened the lid…and looked at it with awe when she saw what it was.
It was a necklace. It was made of pure silver, with a thin chain that was perfectly long enough for her neck. At the center was a beautifully crafted pendant twice the size of an American dollar coin. On the charm was a wolf, with sapphire eyes, howling at a half-moon. Loona carefully pulled it out of the box to examine it closely. Her expression was unchanged, but her tail wagged like crazy. It was beautiful.
"Holy shit…" She finally managed, looking at Blitzo in shock. "Blitz, how…how the fuck did you afford this?"
"Well, it wasn't easy; I can tell you that," Blitzo chuckled in embarrassment. "I had to save up a lot of $ouls, way more than I'm used to. Not to mention selling a few things and doing a bit of overwork on the side. But I knew your 5th Adoption Anniversary was coming up, and, well, I wanted to get you something special. As thanks for being my daughter."
The hellhound looked at him stunned, completely at a loss of words. Then she blushed and softly spoke: "Wow. Thanks. I really love it da-" she caught herself, before the words left her mouth, and fumbled: "Blitz! Blitz. I was going to say, Blitz."
Blitz still lit up like a candle at her words, going right back to hugging her with stars in his eyes. "Aww, don't you mention it, Loonie! I'm so happy to have you." Loona allowed it. It was the least she could do after getting such a gift. And after an uncomfortably long hug, the imp broke off, still with an excited smile. "And guess what? I bought a matching one for myself."
"And you made it weird," the hellhound dryly said, as her guardian showed her his own necklace. Compared to her's it was much more simplistic. Like something, a kid would wear, with plastic pearls and a chibi wolf head at the center.
"As long as we wear them together, we'll always be together. Even if we're world's apart," Blitzo explained lovingly. Loona rolled her eyes at him, though she didn't make any quip about it. "Well, now that that's done, LET'S PARTY!" Blitzo suddenly cheered, running into the break room.
Loona followed after him, less excited. Though on her way, she stopped at the nearby mirror. She put on her new necklace and admired herself for a while. It was the nicest gift she had ever gotten. She couldn't believe Blitzo would go this far just for her. A warm smile formed as she entered the break room. Maybe, today wouldn't be so bad after all.
Loona's good mood did not last for long.
The office party had been okay, if a bit annoying, with Blitzo trying to smoother her every second and Moxxie still finding things to complain about. The cake hadn't been half bad, Millie had called her by name once or twice, and they allowed her to pick which film to watch. Overall not bad.
The big grand party at Stolas' place, on the other hand. That's when things started to go downhill. Loona didn't really have much of an opinion regarding the horny prince. She didn't know the guy personally or give much of a damn about her adopted parent's relationship with the demon royal. As long they kept her out of her freaky shit, she was cool with him.
However, that didn't mean she was okay having to be at his house for the whole night. Surrounded by all his rich crap and servants, who all served as an unintentional reminder of how low she was at the food chain.
Loona grew dirt poor like the rest of the imps and lower class of hell. Living in an orphanage for most of her life, she spent most of her early years having no money, toys, books, or any other tools that weren't given to her by the uncaring staff of the orphanage. The few things she got on her own, she won by fighting tooth and nail for them. Even when she moved in with Blitzo, things just barely improved. Sure, she got some more clothes, makeup, better food, and other things, but the two would frequently struggle to make ends meet, even on good days.
So having to be at a place surrounded by people on the complete opposite end of the class was far from a pleasant time. Sure there were plenty of imp servants around, but they all at least had stable jobs & a decent living compared to the rest of their kind. Sure she doubted it was easy or even pleasant, but at least they never had to worry about money when they were serving royalty. Some of the lucky assholes even got to live in the castle, as long as they acted politely.
Making matters worse was that she was a hellhound, unlike them. The lowest species in all of Hell. If you weren't from Gluttony, being a hellhound in Hell pretty much doomed you to be seen as little more than a dog. Just a pet or servant for other, higher-ranked demons, with little chance of even being referred to by name. Even as a child, everyone around her never let her forget just how unimportant she and other hounds were to the rest of Hell.
So, here she was, sitting alone at her table while the servants passed her by. M&M had gone to enjoy the party on their own, and Stolas had managed to talk Blitzo into getting the "personal tour" of his new greenhouse. So now, all the servants turned their attention on her. And not because she was the belle of the ball. Thankfully, Loona could mostly ignore them, thanks to her phone. But there were was still times she could feel some of them glaring at her or whispering about her from the side jugglingly.
"Is this seat taken?" Loona looked up from her phone to find Octavia standing beside the vacant seat, smiling sympathetically.
Loona smiled back at her friend. Glad to finally have someone she could deal with. She and the princess had met during the aftermath of the Ozzie's/breakup fiasco. And despite the princess' complicated feelings about Blitzo, the two girls managed to hit it off like a house on fire. "All your's. Technically it's Blitz's, but he left to check out one of the greenhouses with Stolas. Which pretty much means they'll be busy planting their "special seeds" all over the roses & belladonnas."
The princesses' face turned green as she took her seat. "You didn't have to mention it out loud. Ugh, now, I'm never going to be able to set foot in there without worrying that I've stepped on your dad's jizz." She wasn't completely serious about it, though, as evidenced by the slight smile on her lips. "Anyway, your old man sure planned out one hell of a party. Usually, we don't go all out like this unless it's a special occasion. Like my birthday or Goetia gathering."
Loona put her phone down and sighed: "Yeah, I guess. But this isn't exactly my kind of party. Way too stuffy, pompous and rich for my liking. I prefer my parties with loud music and a darker mood." She took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, glugging down the contents in one big gulp. "But at least the drinks are good," She smiled satisfied, taking ten more glasses from another servant.
"Oh, I know the feeling. If I wanted another dress and cocktail party like this, I would've stayed at home with mother," agreed Octavia. "Still, I have to say the red dickhead, didn't pull any stops on this. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this was your wedding or birthday."
"It may as well be," Loona shrugged, drinking another one of her many glasses. "I never knew when my birthday was. Too young to remember, and the wonderful people at the orphanage never bothered to find out. So Blitz and I just made it easier for the both of us and made the day he adopted double as my birthday."
"Really? Huh, with how impulsive that idiot can be, I would've thought he'd give you both. Guess he must've realized that for once, saving money was more important than constantly doting over his daughter." The two shared a small friendly laugh over that, the hellhound being the louder of the two.
"Yeah, if only he had more sense like that the rest of the time," Loona laughed, after quickly downing more drinks. "I can't begin to count the number of times we've almost gone homeless because that idiot blew half our paychecks on his My Little Pony collection. I swear that guy has the impulse control of a chimpanzee."
"Probably has the brain cells to match," Via joked. "I swear, sometimes I can't understand what my dad sees in that idiot. I figured it was just the sex for the longest time, but I've seen him around Blitz outside of the do. And…he seems happy whenever he's around him. And in a way, I've only seen whenever he's with me. More so than he's ever been with my mother…" the princess paused.
Loona quickly noticed the growing sad look on her friend and frowned. She didn't know all the details about the complicated drama between Octavia's parents or how long it had been going on, only the negative impact it had had on the poor girl. She quickly tried to lighten the mood. "Yeah, well, he's probably just happy he finally met someone who loves their daughter as much as he does. And now he can finally share all the embarrassing stories & baby pictures of you that he wants."
That managed to knock the teenage girl out of her stupor, who blushed beet red at the thought. "Oh fuck, don't even joke about that! The last thing I need is for that asshole to know about my old costumes." The owl girl tried to cover her head with her beanie. Loona laughed at her plight, which only made Octavia more annoyed. "It's not funny!" she whined, glaring at Loona, who just drank another one of her glasses.
It was then that Octavia noticed the necklace was wearing. "Hey, I haven't seen you wear that before. Where did you get it? Looks a little more expensive than what you're used to."
The hellhound grabbed her new necklace by the pendant, looking at it quietly. "Oh, yeah, this one's new. Blitz bought it for me as an anniversary gift." She explained.
Octavia looked quite surprised by the reveal. "He bought you that?! Aren't you guys still in the Red? Where did he get the money for that? Seriously, it looks custom-made with expert craftsmanship. And is that genuine sapphire? What did he and dad do some fucked up Kama Sutra shit I didn't know about? Because-"
"No! Fuck no, it wasn't anything like that! At least, it didn't sound like it," assured Loona, herself disgusted at whatever kinks the two of them may have gotten into. "He said he'd been saving up to it for a while now. I have no idea for how long. Must've been months or even a year. Didn't think he had it in him. But, I guess if there's anyone stubborn enough to do something like that, it would be Blitz."
"Wow, that's…actually rather sweet," Octavia smiled softly. "I guess this means you were wrong. I mean, someone with so little money, saving up that much just to give his child a gift like that? Can't imagine anyone who loves his daughter more."
Loona rolled her eyes, downing another one of her drinks. "Yeah, well, I wish he'd tone it down a lot. I swear, sometimes I have to beat him off with a stick, just to get him to leave me alone. I'm both old enough and tough enough to take care of myself. And yet it's like he always insists on holding my hand through every little thing. God, he's so embarrassing."
"Yeah, well, I hate to tell you, but that's pretty much par for the course of being a dad. Believe, I know what it's like," Octavia chuckled, given her own father's eccentricities. "But, I've heard what happens to most adopted hellhounds. And, as much as I don't like him still, I've seen the way he acts around you. He really does love you as a daughter, even with how you treat him sometimes."
"I know. It's still annoying as shit, though," Loona sighed. "I'll give him this; he's an improvement over my actual family," the hellhound emptied the rest of her glasses before going for the last one. "At least he cared enough to be there for me."
"I suppose," said Octavia reluctantly, taken off guard by Loona's last comment. Then, hesitantly she asked, curiously: "Do you ever think about them? You're birth parents, I mean?"
Loona snorted in disgust at the thought. "Why should I? They're probably dead in some landfill or something."
The princess watched as her friend took a long drink from her booze. "But what if they're not? They could be alive out there somewhere. Maybe, there're looking for you right now. Haven't you ever been a little curious about them?"
"What does it matter? Even if they're alive, do you think they care about me? They left me at an orphanage, remember?" The hellhound began growling. Her hold on the glass tightened. "Besides, it's not like I need them for anything. Every skill I know, I learned by myself." She laughed bitterly and continued: "You know when I was at the orphanage, I was picked on and beaten up by almost every fucking kid & grown up there? Heh, the only hellhound around, I was easy pickings. Even when I moved to the Foundation, every other suicidal brat with a piece of wood, thought they could take me."
Octavia looked at her friend, guilty about what she had done. "Loona, I'm so sorry if-"
"Sorry? What the fuck are you sorry for? It's not like you were there, treating me like I was less than dirt just for existing," Loona joked/snarled, her glass beginning to crack under pressure. "I didn't have any mommy to kiss away the boo-boos or daddy to hug me until I got better, but I got by. You know why? Cause I got stronger and faster and tougher so that when they came to beat me up, I could fight back twice as hard! You see this?" She indicated to the muscles in her arms. "All me, none of them."
"Loona-"
"And it wasn't just that either," Loona continued as he stood up, her tone getting angrier by the word. "I taught myself how to do my make-up without them. I learned how to use a gun without them. I got through my first period without them. I had my first beer. I learned how to drive. How to use the internet. How to cut my hair. How to deal with assholes. Got through my first heartbreak. Had sex for the first time. All ten years of my school life. All 17 years living in my orphanages. FUCK, I'm in my 20s, and those assholes haven't even given me so much as a FUCKING CARD!"
Loona's fist slammed through the table with that last one, glass still in hand, both shattering upon impact. Octavia, the servants and everone else present looked at the hellhound, stunned as she just stood her taking deep agonizing breaths. Her cheeks and fur turned dark as her tears, blacked by her make-up, began running down her face. "I didn't need them then," Loona whispered darkly as he righted herself. "I don't now."
She turned to her hand, now bloody and bruised with bits of glass sticking out. "Fuck, I gotta deal with this. I'll be back in a sec."
"Loona, wait," Octavia called out, but the hellhound had already turned and left for the bathroom. She thought about following her friend, but the Goetia felt she might appreciate some time alone and fresh air after the explosive outburst. Then, once she had calmed down and gotten some treatment for her hand, she could try and help out her friend.
Loona hissed as she pulled out the final piece of glass from her hand, tossing it into the sick. Her fingers and palm were cut to hell and bleeding all over the lavatory. She did her best to wash it out with water and wrap it up with toilet paper. But that did little to help.
The hellhound was starting to have enough. Her morning had already been shitty, and now, she was stuck at this uptight party she didn't even want. Stupid Blitzo. Stupid adoption days. Who cared how long she had lived under that imp's roof anyway? Why couldn't she just go home already? Maybe, in an hour, she could sneak back home while everyone else was distracted. She could get Octavia to cover for her. And then she could get back home and finally get some real much-needed relaxation.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. Loona growled in frustration: "It's occupied, asshole!"
"Oh no, I'm not here to use the bathroom, madam," called out a nervous female voice from the other side. "I saw you injure your hand earlier. I thought you could use some first aid. I have some gauze, bandages, and disinfectant."
Loona was about to snap back at the woman outside but stopped herself. She could use some help with her hand. Opening the door, she allowed the person inside. "Better make it quick."
Standing there was a female imp. She was shorter than Blitzo but taller than the M&Ms. Her skin was a dark red, with several patches of white throughout her body. It was almost rivaling Blitzo's. She was middle-aged, around 50 or 60. Her black hair was tied up in a bun, her horns were like that of a Saharan Onyx, and she was dressed in regular servant wear. Along with a name tag that read: Rouge.
Once inside, the imp quickly went to work applying the disinfectant. The hellhound growled fiercely as the liquid stung. "Now, now, madam. It'll only be a minute," the imp said sweetly as she finished patting the wounds with the wetted cloth, then moving on to wrapping the bandages. "Now, just don't do anything serious with that hand until it heals up. Just let it rest, and it should be as good as new in about three to seven days."
"Ugh, you sound like a smarter version of Blitz," Loona muttered, annoyed. "You know I'm not a child, right? Can it with Mary Poppins shit."
The servant imp, named Rouge, chuckled sadly, "Sorry, my dear. I suppose it's a force of habit from all these years." She finished wrapping the hand. "I've been working here since Princess Octavia was just a toddler. So I can't help but be maternal at times. That and…you remind me of someone I used to know…"
"Cool," Loona said, disinterested as she got up. "Thanks for the patch-up. Say hi to your buddy for me."
"Oh, I'm afraid that's not possible," Rouge lamented, mourning. "She's dead."
Loona stopped right at the door, suddenly feeling pretty shitty about herself. "Oh…um, sorry about that. That must've been rough." She apologized awkwardly.
"It's…it's alright, madam," the servant sighed in melancholy. "That was 20 years ago anyway. So there's no use crying over the past, right? I have a new life now. New friends, new duties. I-I like to think that, if she was live today, she would've wanted me to move on anyway."
"Well, she sounded like a really great friend," Loona said with sympathy, crouching down to the imp's height, putting a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"Yes…she was," Rouge confirmed with a sad nod before wiping away her tears and smiling bittersweetly. She looked at Loona, their eyes meeting, and she let out a nostalgic chuckle. "You know…it's funny. From this angle, you almost look like her. I swear you have the same eyes. The…wait a minute…" The imp suddenly stopped and began looking over Loona. "That-that fur color, it's…just like her's! And your the hair & face, like my old lady…." Her previous mood of melancholy was replaced with one of surprise as she looked the hellhound up and down. Like she was analyzing every part of her.
"Ooh, are you okay?" asked Loona, uncomfortable by the imp checking her out. She covered her chest from the servant's gaze, her ears lowering, feeling almost threatened. Rouge looked at her right ear and gasped as she saw the tear on it.
"Your ear! It's torn!" she exclaimed, pointing at it. "How did that happen? H-how long has it been like that?"
"Excuse me?" Loona growled in exasperation but still answered the question. "I don't fucking know. It's been like that since I was a baby. Why the fuck do you care, creep?!"
Rouge didn't say a word at the response. Instead, she just looked at the hellhound with a blank expression. Then, her eyes widening, she dropped the disinfected bottle, which fell to the floor. After a few moments of silence, she tears started to form as she finally whispered: "It's you."
Loona could just manage a confused "Huh?" before the imp suddenly lunged at her, embracing her like someone reuniting with a long-lost friend. "YOU'RE ALIVE! OH MY SATAN, YOU'RE ALIVE!" She cried happily, embracing Loona in a bear hug.
"What the fuck?! What the hell do you think you're doing, you pervert?!" Loona snapped at the sudden gesture as she tried to pull the imp off her.
"All these years, I thought you were dead. But no! You're here! Oh, lady Diana, I can't believe how much you've grown!" the imp continued to cry, not letting go of the hellhound.
"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, but get your crazy hands off me!" screamed Loona pushing the servant with all her might.
"We must tell your mother immediately! Oh lord, there's so much to do! W-wait, where are your-"
"GET. OFF!" Loona punched Rouge in the face, sending her flying into the mirror, which shattered on impact. She bolted out of the bathroom without a second thought and ran through the hallways.
"No, wait!" The imp cried out, which went ignored by the furious Loona. She was officially done with today. Annoying as hell work. Plans ruined. A surprise party she didn't ask for. Stuck with uptight bastards. Cutting her hand. And now a crazy imp pervert, calling her Diana and suddenly trying to get all feelsy with her. That was the last straw! She wasn't spending another miserable second in this fucking place.
The hellhound wasted no time walking to the exit, ignoring everything else around her. She pushed past the various staff & servants that got in her way. She was midway through the stairs when Blitzo emerged from the corner, with Stolas by his side. "Hey, Loonie. How are you-" The hellhound walked right past them, ignoring them as Blitzo called out to her again. She eventually made it to the van. Pulling out her spare key, she went to unlock the driver's seat when Blitzo caught up to her. "Loona! Loona, what's the matter? Where are you going?"
"Home," answered Loona coldly as she opened the door. "I need a drink and bed away from this place."
"Home?" Blitzo asked, confused. "Loonie, the party's just started. We haven't even brought out the cake yet-"
"I don't care! This whole fucking day's been one goddamn long migraine." Loona exclaimed, not turning to face the imp. "I didn't want this stupid party. I just want sleep and to get this piss-ass day over with."
Blitzo was growing concerned. "Loona, wha-what's going on? Did something happ-" He froze when he finally noticed his daughter's hand, bandaged up and bloody. "Unholy shit! Loonie, what happened to your hand?"
Loona growled in annoyance at the reminder of the bathroom ordeal. "I'm fine. I just need to relax."
Blitzo ignored her completely, growing more defensive and vicious. "Oh fuck, did some asshole try anything to you? Ohoh, I sure as hell ain't gonna let that stand. Loona, where did this happen? What did the bastard look like-" He continued rambling and asking questions, which only made the already tired and furious Loona angrier and angrier until-
"I SAID I'M FINE!" Loona slammed her undamaged fist into the hood of the van, causing a massive dent in the vehicle. That finally shut Blitzo up, who looked at his daughter in worry. "Fucking hell, would it kill you for one god damn second to not treat me like I'm a baby all the time?! Every time I so much as stub my toe or have a mood, you act like I just died!"
Blitzo struggled to form words at her outburst, taken off guard by her sudden anger. "L-Loonie, I'm just trying to protect-"
"STOP CALLING ME LOONIE!" The hellhound screamed. All her pent-up rage had reached the boiling point, and Blitzo was suffering the full wrath of it. "I'm not a little kid anymore! You know what I can do, but you still treat me like a dumb as bricks baby, who'll fall apart the moment you're not within five inches from me. Every time I talk to a cute guy, you throw a hissy fit. Every time I want to join you guys on missions, you completely lose your mind. Fuck, I can't even go to the bathroom without you bearhugging me. I'm 22 years old, asshole! I don't need you in every nanosecond of my life. But of course, you just love to play parent, don't you?!"
"N-now look here, young lady-"
"How the hell did you even think you could raise a child anyway? You stalk your employees out of work hours. You waste thousands of $ouls on TVs you use for target practice. You got into a murder/fuck contest with your ex over a fucking parking space! You can barely manage to take care of a company, much less a kid. Heh, now that I think about it, that's probably why you really adopted me. Easier to take care of them when they're practically adults already. I would've been fine without you. If you had just picked one of the other dumb brats at my shit place and let me turn 18, we would've both been better off."
Blitzo looked like he was moments away from breaking down by this point, but he still tried to hide it behind a tough exterior. "Alright, Loonie, that's enough. Regardless of what you think of me, I'm still your dad. And if you'd just-"
"GRRRR! How many times do I have to tell you before you get it through that thick head of yours? YOU'RE NOT MY DAD!"
Her scream rang so loud; you would've heard it if you lived in Sloth. The echo lasted for what felt like hours. And the silence that followed an eternity. Loona had said those words before. Many times and often when she was annoyed or angry at her guardian. But never had she done so with so much rage or hatred as she had that night. The hellhound drew deep breaths, her built-up anger having finally been let out.
And now that she was cooled down, she could clearly see Blitzo's face. He just stood there stunned, with a thousand-yard stare. His expression was absolutely distraught and heartbroken, more so than she had seen him in a while. No words came out of his mouth, and teardrops began developing in the corner of his eyes.
Loona looked at it in shock. Her ears dropping, her scowl turned into a horror-filled frown as the full realization of what she had said had sunk in. She weakly reached out her hand and whimpered: "Blitz, I'm-"
"Have a safe drive home, Loona," Blitzo cut her off sharply, turning his back on the hellhound. "I'M going back to the party to enjoy myself. Don't wait on me to come back." And he did just that, marching right back towards the castle without looking at her.
Loona just stood there wordlessly, watching him go, until he was back inside and out of her sight. The hellhound just stood there silently. She wanted to follow him. She wanted to go back and apologize for everything she had said to him, done to him…for treating him shit, despite everything he did for her.
But she couldn't. Not here. Not so soon after what she had done. So, with no other options, she went into the van and drove off into the night. As far away from the castle as she could.
Loona had been driving through the streets of Pride for hours in silence. She didn't know where to go. By now, her fury had faded away, and the guilt began to build up. What had she done? Stopping the car, she looked down at the necklace he had given her. The gift now felt more like a cruel reminder of her words. He had done so much for her over the years. And she had thanked him with a verbal spit in the face.
She couldn't go back home. She couldn't face Blitzo. Not after what she said.
With no other options, she pulled out her phone and called her other friend. "Hey, Loona! Good to hear from you, girl. What's up?"
"Hi, Tex," greeted Loona back, doing a poor job masking her guilty. "Look, I know this is a little sudden but, can I crash with you tonight? Y-you're still, in Pride with the Verosika concert right?"
"Oh! Well, that is a little unexpected," replied Vortex, taken aback by the request. "Everything alright with you?"
"Not really," Loona confessed, her voice growing sadder. "Blitz & I…we got into a fight. A big one."
"Oh shit," Vortex cussed quietly, growing more serious. "Loona, did he do anything to you?"
"No! No, no, Blitz didn't do anything. I…I was the one who started it," Loona corrected almost immediately, ashamed of herself. "I had a bad day, and I was so mad at everything, and I started yelling at him. I said some stupid shit like…like-" she couldn't bring herself to say more, as water threatened to fall from her eyes. "Look, I-I-I just need a place to stay for the night, okay? I promise I'll be gone, the first thing in the morning. Tex, please…I can't face him right now."
Vortex didn't respond at first. Loona could feel the pit in her stomach growing until he finally replied: "Alright. You can come over for the night. Is the couch okay?"
She sighed in relief. "The couch would be great. Thanks, Tex. I owe you one for this."
"Don't worry about it, Loona," assured Vortex. "Everything should be ready in about 10 minutes. See you then."
"Yeah. See you." Loona ended the call and drove towards her fellow hellhound's home. Thankful to finally get some rest. Today had been one of the worst days in a long time, and she just wanted it to be over. She silently prayed that the next day would be better. That Blitzo would be in a better mood, they could both get over it and go back to their regular affair, and she could just forget about everything that had happened. Especially that crazy servant imp that had assaulted her in the bathroom. Hopefully, it would all be over by the next day.
Rouge exited the taxi so quickly she almost forgot to pay for the ride. Then, running as fast as her legs would carry her, she raced towards the gates of the dark, practically desolate-looking castle.
She had to know. The Marchioness had to know.
The servant imp had just made it to the gates when she was cut off by two hellhound guards holding assault rifles. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Please, I'm a former servant of the castle," Rouge cried out in desperation. "I've worked here for 25 years. I need to see the Marchioness."
One of the guards snorted in annoyance. "The Marchioness isn't accepting visitors at this hour. Much less from the former help."
"No, no, no, please! You have to let me see her. It's urgent. I have news about her daughter!" The imp pleaded on.
That caught the guards' ire as they growled at her menacingly. "Alright, listen up, lady. I don't know who you are, but you've got some nerve showing up like this, claiming that you know a damn thing about her child. If she were here right now, she'd hang your head on a pike! Now beat it before I do the job for her!" They threw Rouge to the ground roughly.
The imp struggled to pick herself up then started running from the guards. But she wasn't going to give up yet. Rouge had been working there nearly her whole life. Long enough to know every in and out of the castle. Including…
She ran for another 20 minutes until she made it to a bush by the corner. Moving it aside, she looked hopefully and… "Yes!" Behind the bush was a small hole near the bottom of the wall. Just barely big enough for a few lucky folks to squeeze through. Including her. It took some effort, but the former servant managed to climb through it and into the large garden of the castle.
She stealthily entered the castle and sneaked her way through the vast hallways, hiding from guards and servants as she did. Until finally, she had arrived at where she hoped the Marchioness would be. The grand bed-chamber.
Carefully opening the door, she stepped inside as the outside light illuminated the room. With curtains on and bulbs switched on, it looked like the room hadn't seen the sunlight in years. And sitting on a throne-like armchair was her former master. Marchioness Marchosias of the Ars Goetia, looking dead-eyed at the family portrait that hung on the wall.
"Um…your highness?" Rouge asked in a nervous, almost whisper. "It's me."
The moment she had spoken, Marchosias snapped back to reality. She glared at her murderously, her yellow eyes almost burning the imp on the spot. "You!"
The imp gulped and continued terrified: "I-I-I-I-I know, y-y-you might not be happy to see me-"
If you had blinked, it would've almost looked like the Marchioness had teleported. One moment she had been sitting on his throne. And in less than a second, she had gripped the imp by the throat. The Marchioness slammed her against a wall, the force creating a cobweb of cracks against it. The small Rouge desperately tried to pull out of the she-wolf's hold, tears welling up as her breath faded. All the while, Machosias glared at her in unbridled rage. Eyes burning yellow, canines barred, griffin wings flared up to attack, snake tail raised, and embers of flame escaping her mouth.
"You would DARE enter my home," Marchosias seethed in fury. "You DARE think you can Show your WRETCHED presence to me, after what you have done? After what YOU have TAKEN from me?! What MORE do you think you can steal from me?! What reason could you POSSIBLY have for me not to SNAP your worthless little NECK and EAT. OUT. YOUR. HEART?!"
Rouge could barely form words as the Goetia's stranglehold grew tighter by the moment. But she managed out: "…daughter…Diana…alive."
That caught the Marchioness interest, as her fury suddenly vanished. A shocked look replaced it. She let go of Rouge, who fell to the ground with a rough thud. "What did you say?" she asked her. The imp couldn't respond immediately, as she was busy puking a small puddle of vomit and gasping for air. But the Marchioness was not a patient demon. "Speak imp! Before I rip your bloody throat out!"
Rouge took one more breath and explained. "I saw her milady at Stolas' castle. She was there. She there with some imps, the princes' daughter, and…oh Satan. She still looks so much like you."
Marchosias looked at her in astonishment and disbelief, unable to comprehend what she had just heard. "What?"
"She's alive, milady. Lady Diana…your daughter, is alive."
Fun fact: When I first wrote the chapter I had Marchosias as a male. However after doing a bit looking, I found out there are a few sources that depict the Demon as a she-wolf. After a bit of debating on what to do, I decided to settle on the latter, as there are already so few female members of the Ars Goetia, and because in a lot of these types of stories, it's often the mom who dies. Plus, I thought it would be fun if Loona had to fight between her real mom and her adopted dad.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you all thought and wether you'd like to see more. Thank you for taking the time to read it through.