THE NEXT MORNING...
As the pentagram sun rose through the window, Balin was still asleep in his bed cuddling his teddy bear, when he felt something smooth and wet tickling his face.
He then opened his tired eyes giggling to see it was the little doggy figurine from his alarm clock, licking his face from cheek to cheek as it barked like Goddard from 'Jimmy Neutron'.
Sensing his movement and laughter, the dog stopped licking and ran back to the clock, which read 7:30am, where it froze once again.
Balin then used his personal towel on his other bedside table to wipe the artificially real slobber off his face before getting out of bed for the day.
A couple of minutes later, he then walked out into the kitchen to get some bread from the pantry, while Loona soon came out of her room yawning like a lion as she bared her fangs. This caught Balin's eyes as she even sounded like one too.
"Good morning, Loona." said the boy. "How did you yawn like that?"
"Just one of the perks of being a hellhound, kiddo." chuckled Loona with a groggy grin. "Wanna see what else I can do?"
Balin then walked from the kitchen and over to her in curiosity.
"I can bark. *WOOF! WOOF!* I can howl. *AWOOOOO!* I can... growl. *Grrrrr...*" Very quietly, Loona did all those sounds like the wolf she was. "And... I can even roar, too."
"Roar?" scoffed Balin. "Nah, doggies can't do that."
"Oh yeah, and they can't purr like those piece of... work, cats when you scratch behind their ears?" teased Loona sarcastically, as she twitched one of her pointy hound ears.
"Okay. Prove it." Balin crossed his arms with a cheeky smile.
So with a beat of her chest, Loona took a deep breath, and... the street outside was starting to fill with demons, ...
"RAAAWWWWRRRR!"Loona roared super loud, like a tiger.
The roar caused a little rumble, or a 'hell-shake', causing those demons to run away from the street. It even caused Blitzø to fall down from the fire escape, landing on his video camera.
"What the hell?!" he exclaimed out loud to himself, before running off to I.M.P to start work for the day. "All I wanted to do is say good morning to my Loonie!"
Meanwhile, Loona laughed seeing the shocked look on Balin's face, his mouth wide open hearing that roar from his caretaker.
"So, what'd you think?"
"That... was... AWESOME!" exclaimed Balin happily. "I take all of that back."
"Thanks, kiddo." Loona then ruffled his hair, before looking at the pantry with the light on. "Wanna make some breakfast to start the day?"
Balin nodded and followed Loona to the pantry holding her paw, before she picked him up with both paws to grab some bread two shelves up. And soon, four slices of toast popped out of the toaster.
As Loona laid out the bread on the chopping board, she stood behind Balin and helped him with the spreading as she's been doing for the last couple of days together, with her warm tummy fur rubbing against his back.
For the boy's toast, he scooped a small dollop of Nutella with the knife, then with her gently holding his arms, he slowly spread the hazelnut butter onto his first slice of toast.
"Alright Balin, think you can try the second one now?" she softly asked him.
With a small nod, Loona let go of his arms as Balin began spreading the other slice by himself, in exactly the gentle and careful way she taught him. She then took a picture of this sweet moment, once again feeling like a mother, having helped him with something he never did before.
As the boy thanked her for the help and took his meal to the table, she got to spreading her on toast with the motherly smile still on her face.
AT I.M.P...
As the work day for I.M.P progressed, Balin was in the meeting room, wearing his usual make-up on his face but also reading the magic book on Hell's history that Moxxie had bought him from the library, to teach him of its laws and its citizens.
Just then, the entire gang peaked through the door to check on him.
"What you doing there, shorty?" asked Blitzø.
"Oh, just having a read." replied Balin. "Doing some more studying."
"Good man." Blitzø said, as the entire gang walked in.
"And how's it going for you, bud?" asked Moxxie next.
"Yep, so far, so good." Balin then replied again with a neutral tone to his voice. "Really good."
Loona knew that kind of response from almost anywhere. So with a smug grin, she leaned down to him and tickled his ears with sniffs, making him laugh his earbuds out, before flicking through the pages to find his iPhone in one of them.
One of the many tricks used in high school during study periods.
"Oooooh..." the imps cooed at him with wry smiles.
"Watching some more 'Imagination Castle' as well, I see, I see?" Millie teased, as Balin made an awkward giggle.
"Hehehehehe."
"Balin..." Loona crossed her arms, singing his name with a teasingly stern tone.
"What? I didn't have time to watch the ending after you turned off the TV." he protested.
"Hey, it's not our fault kiddos like yourself fall asleep faster than grown-ups." the hellhound laughed, while everyone else laughed too. "But it's okay, there's no shame in it." she then gently rubbed his back.
"Christ on a stick, you must really love that show." Blitzø then wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder.
"I do, Mr. Blitzø." he replied. "The show's awesome."
"Well I guess, we can take a recess and watch with you." decided Moxxie with a shrug.
So he and Millie sat in two chairs next to Balin and watched his show together, while the company line soon rung. But as Blitzø ran out to answer it, Loona then sat down kicking her legs up on the table, like she always does, and texted on her phone while looking up at the trio with a small smile every once in a while.
But a few seconds into the fun, Blitzø already kicked down the door with some big news.
"Okay team, recess is over!" he exclaimed energetically. "Not for you, Balin."
"Yay!" the boy cheered.
"What is it, sir? A new client?" Moxxie looked up at the boss with an unamused but smug look.
"The hell it isn't, Moxx." scoffed Blitzø. "What else would it be? A bible salesperson?"
"So does this one... require all of us?" asked Loona with a little nervousness.
"I don't think so." shrugged Blitzø in response. "Why? You thinking of coming this time, Loonie-Tooney?"
"Maybe, maybe not. I did have a little fun last time, that I will admit." Loona showed her small grin again, before advising him. "But I'll only come to this one, only on one condition."
"Name your terms, sweetie." Blitzø said with his arms wide open.
"Balin needs a babysitter." answered Loona flatly.
"Are you sure, Loona?" asked Moxxie confusingly. "Normally I don't agree with this one, but he was right about how he handled himself like a champ yesterday."
"Uncle Moxx, need I remind you, Tex helped him as he escaped a fuc... I mean, kooky band of succubi that tried to coddle him like a lost puppy." Loona replied to Moxxie in a snarky tone. "No, I need someone watching over him for now until I smell that he'll be comfortable with himself. Got it?"
"You got it, Loona." Millie swung her arm sweetly in his response.
"So if you're coming, who do we call?" asked Moxxie again.
Loona then showed a cheeky smile to the imps as she pulled out Via's phone card.
Meanwhile...
Via's phone was now ringing, causing her to wake up from her sleep-in.
She then saw the number, knowing exactly who it was, and immediately picked it up deciding to be cheeky.
"Allo, allo. Via's babysitting service. Octavia Ars Goetia speaking." she teased in a sing-song voice.
"Okay, okay, princess." chuckled Loona through the phone. "How could you tell I was calling a babysitter?"
"Lucky guess. I would've used it for any of my two numbers." replied Via, before getting hyped at 'babysitter'. "But I'm so excited for what you're about to ask!"
"So I take it you're free?"the hellhound then asked.
"Hmm, should be."
AT THE GOETIA MANSION...
A few moments later, with Blitzø at the helm of the speeding I.M.P van, the gang pulled up at the gardens of the Goetia palace, all shook up from the drive. Even Balin, who had some of Loona's fur in his ears to block out the loud music and the horrible singing that came with it.
"You okay after all that, kiddo?" asked Loona.
"WHAT?" shouted Balin, his hearing blurry from the fur.
"Oops, sorry." chuckled Loona as she took the tufts out of his ears, now making him hear better. "I asked if you were okay."
"Uh-huh. Thank you, Loona, I'm all good." smiled Balin.
"Oh, Blitzy...!" Stolas called out, as he and Via were standing at the top of the staircase.
The owl prince ran down the stairs waving to Blitzø as he rolled down the window for him to fit his head through.
"Thanks for watching him, Stolas." he said. "I know my Loonie's very grateful."
Loona then gave him a sternly embarrassed glare.
"...And so are we!" he finished with a nervous smile.
"Well it's my little girl who's watching him." replied Stolas, before he let out an emotional choke. "In her first... babysitting job."
"Dad! We're just hanging out today! Nothing too crazy." Via smugly groaned from the staircase. But she was indeed happy to see Balin again.
As he took off his seatbelt and opened the door, Loona then stopped him placing a paw on his shoulder.
"Now be good for Via, okay buddy?" she said, with the boy nodding. "Great. Because if you are... maybe I can show you the mall."
"There's a mall in Hell?!" the boy gasped, widening his eyes. "This place IS the best!"
Loona then chuckled, knowing only half of that was true. "OK, have fun sweetie." she then gave a gentle kiss on his nose, before he booped her snout next and rushed out of the car.
The three imps went 'awww!' at Loona's warm smile, ...until she flipped them off with said smile.
"Hey Balin, ready for a fun day with your new bird friends?" Via knelt down to his level and said playfully.
"Hooray!" exclaimed Balin excitedly, with the owl princess chuckling.
The two then ran into the mansion together as the butler held the door open for them.
"So... how've you been?" Blitzø asked Stolas with some concern. "Anything happen yet?"
"It's only been a couple of days, darling." replied the demon prince. "But I've had better ones."
"Well you know us, Your Highness." said Millie cheerfully. "Just say the word if any shit goes down."
"That I shall do. Stella has always been relentless in the past, but with this divorce, who knows how far she'll go with it now."
"I sure don't wanna." Moxxie chipped in.
"Thank you, little ones." Stolas then bowed to the demons in the van as he and Blitzø shared an awkward silence.
...
Soon, the silence was over, and Blitzø slowly drove away from the palace.
Stolas then walked back inside to find Balin and Via playing a game of cat-and-mouse with each other.
Via chased the little boy in circles around the living room, hooting at him like an owl as he laughed and squeaked like a mouse. Stolas giggled to himself seeing this playful behaviour and watched, until Balin evaded Via climbing over the couch. He was about to make a run for it past the prince until he picked the boy up gently with both hands and spun him around the room.
"The daddy owl catches the mouse!" he announced playfully. "Should I now... feed it to my daughter?" he then pointed to Via as she held her hands out for the kid.
Stolas then gave him to Via, who held him in her arms like a baby and sat him down on the couch, giving him his usual love bites on the cheek. They hurt a little at first, as usual, but the boy got used to the little tickles.
"So little one, how have you been these last few days? Everything still good down here?" Stolas asked.
"Yes it is, Mr. Stolas." smiled Balin. "Loona's still been taking care of me. She's the greatest doggy ever."
"Actually sweetie, Loona's a hellhound." corrected Via with her smile.
"I know. I'm just teasing you now." Balin replied smugly.
Via then chuckled hearing that. "Aww, come here!" she then gave him little tickles in his soft brown hair to make him giggle too.
"Oh, and, you don't have to worry about calling me Mr. Stolas or Your Highness." Stolas then spoke kindly to him. "Please be free to call me Stolas. Any friend of Blitzy is a friend of mine."
"Blitzy? Isn't his name Blitzø?" asked Balin tilting his head in confusion.
"Well, yeah, but it's... it's a nickname I used a lot with him, but..."
"But, what?"
"You see, we used to be full-time business partners before we gave him and his friends the special crystal they use to visit your world." explained Stolas for her. "And before... he broke my heart a little."
"Oh?"
"We had a little falling out when I offered him the crystal." continued Stolas. "Because we used to..."
"Um, is this... adult stuff?" asked Balin further.
"Yeah, it is." replied Via. "You'll find out when you're a little bit older. No matter how... strange, sweetie."
"Wait a minute..." Balin then pondered for a little bit. "Mr. Blitzø dated TWO people? He's a weird guy, isn't he?"
"Weird's a little understating. But I love that little imp all the same." Stolas then chuckled, showing a small smile for the bossy imp.
Soon, Via wrapped her arms around the boy from behind and hugged him for a few seconds, nuzzling her head through his hair, until she thought of an idea.
"Say Dad, why don't we show Balin your... special room in the library?" she asked with a smug puppy-dog-eye look.
"The special room?" Stolas then widened his eyes in surprise. "You haven't wanted to join me in that room in moons."
"Well, we both might as well show the little guy, as a make-up for all those years." Via then answered with a smile as she looked down at the kid again. "Do you like space, darling?"
"Space?! I LOVE space! I have a solar system in my room back at Loona's apartment." replied Balin in excitement. "Do you guys like space too?"
Stolas and Via then chuckled together at his innocence, not yet knowing what big astronomers the Goetias were.
"Let's just say, it's our job as a family is to... look at the stars."
"Whoa... are you Gods?" Balin asked in amazement.
The two owls then laughed a little more once again.
"Well Via, you're the babysitter today. So I say, lead the way." Stolas then stood from the couch, bowing at her to lead the way.
"Oh, dad!" Via rolled her eyes as she stood up from the couch with Balin.
"Come with us, little one." Stolas and Via then reached out for the boy's hands. "We have so much for you to learn."
...
Meanwhile...
A strange figure was looking through the mansion window from afar in his sharp-red eyes to see the two owls, rising from the couch and holding a little human's hands.
"Oh shit, is that what I...?" he gasped, before hissing like a rattlesnake in intrugue. "Hmm... interestin'..."
A/N: See y'all in the next chapter.