Silence filled the I.M.P office as Balin's two friends were now staring in shock at the three imps standing right in front of them.
"So, you mates... you all are demons?" asked Amy. "Like... REAL, demons?"
"...Yep. They're real demons. And, so am I." replied Loona. "Welcome to Hell."
"So are you?" asked Matt, sounding a little scared. "Y-You're a demon too? But I thought you were a..."
"She is, squirt." interrupted Blitzø. "What do you think werewolves are? Dog-like demons. Duh!"
"Grrrrr! What is it with everyone thinking I'm a werewolf?!" roared a nearly pissed-off Loona. "I just told them I'm a hellhound! DOG! WOLF! WEREWOLF, I mean, what the hell is a MALAMUTE?!"
Balin lightly tugged on Loona's tail as she continued ranting, trying to calm her down.
"NO! I, am, an effing... Hellhound?"
She looked down at him with a calm but concurred look as she lowered her voice, before Balin nudged her to look at Matt, who was hiding and shaking next to the water jug.
"Matt? Are you okay?" she asked walking up to him. "Mini dude?"
As she towered over him still in concern, Matt just cowered a little more at the sight of her.
"Are you going to maul me, Ms. Loona?" he asked, feeling shaky.
"What? No, of course not." she replied. "Why would you think-? Ooooh."
"As in 'Ooooh', because you're a hellhound that can talk?" answered Blitzø.
"And eat." added Moxxie with a grumble.
That part made Matt shiver more and hide further away, while Loona just silently growled at Moxxie.
"FATTY!" she softly exclaimed. "Not! Helping!"
"So what?! Neither is bringing these two kids here!" exclaimed Moxxie even louder. "What the hell is wrong with you? If Balin wasn't bad enough, how many MORE human children will it be before the living realm knows our secret? Like, one more?"
"What does Uncle Moxxie mean by bad enough?" asked Balin, who couldn't help but feel a little hurt by that statement.
"Aw, nothing hun." answered Millie. "He just gets jumpy whenever I go on a mission for an awful long while. ...Even when it isn't a kidnapping."
"I mean, honestly, Loona." her husband continued. "What are you doing bringing them down here? This wasn't part of the plan!"
Hesitantly, Loona looked at the cowering Matt before explaining herself to the stubborn Moxxie with his arms crossed.
"Look, Moxxie,... I know it's wrong! But... they're Balin's friends." she began to speak. "I know it's not a good enough answer, but they're the only ones along with Balin who've brought me this much joy to even let them have this sleepover. So I thought, since they look like trusting little guys so far, why not try to at least show them one truth?"
"But what if they tattle on us to the rest of their friends?" Moxxie continued complaining.
"I don't tattle." interjected Amy.
"See? This one's a little cookie." smirked Loona in pride. "I like that in a girl."
"Cookie?" Amy's ears perked up in surprise. "There are cookies in Hell?"
"No. That's probably what they call little kids like us." Matt still shivered.
Loona felt a little heartbroken once again, to now see Balin's BFF go through the same panic as he did the night she met him. So she walked to Matt's little hiding space and knelt down to his level.
"Hey, Matt?" she showed a small smile to him, so she could keep her cool with the imps. "It'll be okay. Remember what I said back at the house?"
"That... t-t-that any friend of B-Balin's is... uh...?"
Loona let out a little snicker, thinking the cowering on one hand was still adorable.
"A friend of mine."
"Uh... uh-huh?" he then looked out from the water jug seeing Loona's smile.
The I.M.P gang couldn't see it yet, but it was just as warm as the first smile she gave to Balin. The only thing different since then, is that with the heartbreak still inside her, she knew exactly what she was doing with this one.
"Come here, Matt." she reached her hand out for his. "I won't hurt, kill, eat, not even maul you."
As Matt looked at her in slight pressure, Balin slowly scooted over to his BFF's ear and whispered 'Man's best friend...', making Loona giggle a little.
"Okay, Balin, c'mon. Let Matt decide for me." she chuckled. "Okay?"
"Sorry, Loona." sighed Balin, as he walked over to her right side where she wrapped her other arm around him.
"Nah, it's okay." Matt replied, now seeing the two together. "I can do it."
With that said and done, Matt began putting one foot in front of the other like a baby, as he stepped out of the shadows, and reluctantly, towards the hellhound.
"Yeah, that's it. You can trust me." she encouraged him, as if she was cooing.
A few seconds into the surprising display, Matt reached out his shaking hand and latched it onto hers, feeling the fur outside her fingerless gloves.
"There we go." said Loona, lightly ruffling the back of his head. "See? I promised as a friend. Boy's best friend."
With a giggle, a gentle smile formed on Matt's face, glad to see Balin's caretaker stuck to her word as he then hugged her furry thigh.
This really surprised her since this was in front of the imps after all. Moxxie showed a small grin, Millie's demon tail wagged, and Blitzø, uhh...
...Let's just say, he had stars in his fatherly eyes.
"Hehehehehe." she flushed. "Alright kiddo, that's enough hugging."
Blitzø soon snapped out of his zone too. "Yeah, she doesn't even let me touch her at all, kiddo."
"Because Blitzø is a narcissist! Blitzø is a narcissist!" teased Moxxie in a sing-song before Blitzø punched him into Loona's tail.
The hellhound softly growled in annoyance as she pinched her snout before pulling him closer to her with the tail.
"Listen Moxx, while I appreciate you telling him to shut the fuck up for me, I'm still as tough as a thousand nails dipped in iron." she ominously whispered. "These kids do bring me joy, but if you say one word about it to anyone, I'll deny both of you!"
"Yes ma'am." gulped Moxxie, with an anxious expression.
Loona's expression soon calmed down as she let him out of the tail. "Now, why don't you introduce yourselves to them." she then rolled her eyes as she got on her phone.
As she walked off to give them their moment, Moxxie began the introductions by brushing the loose tail fur off his uniform.
"So, uhh... kids?" he said.
"Matt Sanders?"
"Amy Flourest?"
"At your service?" the two kids both replied in unison.
Moxxie then snapped his fingers in realisation. "That's it, yeah. French names are so hard to pronounce these days."
"I'm not French. I'm Australian." corrected Amy.
"I know, sweetheart. I was just saying your name sounded..." Moxxie then said uncomfortably. "...Anyway, my name is Moxxie and..."
"I thought your name was Fatty." Matt tilted his head in confusion.
Loona blew a raspberry of a snicker before catching it, hearing that from Matt.
"No, that's just what Loona nicknames me. Affectionately, I might add." the white-haired imp grumbled to himself, before continuing his fun-talk. "And I'm Balin's uncle figure."
Millie then squatted down to the little kids to introduce herself next.
"And I'm Millie. This hunk's wife and proud aunty figure of sweet baby Balin!" she smiled, before picking up Balin in her arms and cooing to him next. "Now give me some sugar."
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Balin, as Millie landed some rapid kisses all over his face. "Aunty Millie! Not in front of my friends!"
"Never. Let them look." she boomed in her silly voice as she continued the affection.
"And I'm Blitzø. The O is silent." the boss imp shook both kids' hands at the same time, quite wonkily.
"O? What O?" asked Matt and Amy.
"Loona says it's adult stuff." giggled Balin as Millie was now nuzzling him like a kitten.
"Trust us." Loona added with a small grin, looking at her phone.
"So, about that cookie talk earlier..." Moxxie spoke. "You two want some?"
"That's if you have any cookies, Mr. Moxxie." Amy replied.
"I did, but Loona ate them all! Unfortunately. As usual." Moxxie said, looking at the hellhound who discretely flipped him off. "But I'd be happy to bake some more."
"He bakes cookies for us all the time." added Millie. "And he always sneaks one away before dinner."
"And you didn't hear this from me, but he's a good cook." added Loona too. "Gotta give him some respect for that."
"You're... welcome, Loona." replied Moxxie.
He had never heard Loona say that to him before, not even in front of one client.
A FEW MOMENTS LATER...
Humming the melody to Ed Sheeran's 'Shape of You', Moxxie happily started baking his homemade chocolate-chip cookies in the kitchen two levels down.
Back up at the office above, Loona had the two kids sit on Millie's lap as she told them the rules of being in Hell and the office:
To stay close to her, the imps, or Balin, and to never go in the weapons room, the filing cabinet, or Blitzø's office.
Meanwhile, in the office, Blitzø was playing with his My Little Pony action figures, the paint on Rarity's mane smeared off from too many kisses.
Soon, she then told the kids of Balin's adventures in the depths, from getting doggy kisses nearly everyday, to...
"He got CHASED by a DINOSAUR?!" Matt and Amy exclaimed.
"We all did, actually." giggled Millie.
"Wow. So many adventures." a mind-blown Matt said. "Why didn't you tell us any of this?"
"People aren't supposed to know Hell exists." replied Loona. "Humans in your world think it does, but not this version."
Soon, Balin walked into the office showing off his hellpup disguise to his BFFs, who were in awe of him striaght away.
*GASP!* "He's so CUTE!"
Amy and Matt walked up to him admiring the costume, making him blush.
"His ears are SO FLUFFY!" cooed Amy, like a teenage human girl to a boy-bander.
"And you have a little tail? Cool." Matt said as he fluffed it. "I wish I could hug yours, Loona. Yours looks like a real teddy bear."
"Just like the last ass-... butthead who touched my tail said." Loona cleared her throat in an evil grin, looking away from Matt.
"So... you guys ready to play some Blockbuster?" Balin asked, holding him his favourite card game.
...
IN THE BOARD ROOM...
The gang were now in the meeting room playing the Blockbuster card game, previously shown in Chapter 8.
While they played, Matt looked outside the window to see the streets of Hell. To him, Loona was right about this one being different from how everyone else on Earth viewed it. He saw the pentagram moon slowly rising in the crimson sky, as well as the cars and demons on the streets.
Thank goodness he nor Amy saw any of the violence on the streets going on in some parts.
Balin saw him looking out the window in awe, and a little worry, and walked over to him.
"Are you okay, Matt?" he asked kindly.
"Yeah." he sighed in response. "It's just... how did you manage to survive... down here? It's so... big."
"Well, I do have Loona, I.M.P, and my disguise to thank for it." smiled the boy.
"Yeah. Your disguise." Matt chuckled awkwardly. "I mean, don't take it the wrong way, but thank gosh you didn't die and get sent to this place."
BALIN: "I know. But if I had died, I'd look very different from my disguise. I wouldn't be able to see any of you again. School or anywhere. Not even my mommy and daddy. Thank gosh I did get to see them."
MATT: *in surprise* "They let you see them again?"
BALIN: "With Loona's help."
Loona's ears perked up outside, hearing her name, and peered through the glass door to check on them.
MATT: "So where are they now? If you're not staying with them."
BALIN: "They're okay. They're just living their dream. So why not let them?"
MATT: "You have the best heart, Balin."
BALIN: "I guess..." *sniffles*
MATT: "Balin? Wh-What's wrong?"
Looking up at his BFF, Balin showed a couple of tears on his cheek.
BALIN: "I'm so sorry for lying this whole time, Matt. Even to you. I made everyone worry. And for good reason, too."
MATT: "Hey, I understand. You don't have to be sorry. You know why? Because right now, I'm thinking Hell is actually cool."
BALIN: *sniffles* "You are?"
"So do I." smiled Amy. "Your friends aren't scary demons, they're funny. I can only imagine more good ones out there. But you're doing something good for them. That's how brave you truly are."
BALIN: "Yeah. That's... my new friends for you. My new, family." *sobs*
MATT: "Come here."
The three kids all huddled up into a group hug. Matt and Amy also started tearing up a little, feeling worried but also happy for what Balin had going through, doing fine on his own and with these guys. As this embrace went on, his happiness shone through his tears.
Loona watched the entire thing with a sympathetic smile through the door, until Moxxie pushed her out of the way and opened it, showing a fresh baking tray lined with chocolate-chip cookies.
A/N: This next bit is inspired by a hilarious skit I saw on 'Saturday Night Live', called 'Dad Has a Cookie.'
"Milk and white chocolate chip cookies!" sang Moxxie. "Just the way Balin likes them!"
"YAY!" the kids shouted.
"These look delicious, Mr. Moxxie." said Matt, as Amy feasted her eyes on the delectable sight.
"Now, Millie reminded me to let you know these babies are still piping hot from the oven." he said. "So no touching until they cool down, preferably at dinner time when we can each have one. Now step out of the way so Uncle Moxxie can grab one."
Moxxie just grabbed one cookie from the tray, despite what he said, and was about to eat it when...
"Just... don't tell Millie." he whispered. "It's our little secret, okay?"
"Yes, Uncle Moxxie." replied Balin, as the other two nodded.
"I mean it. Don't say anything." he said with more seriousness.
"Our lips are sealed." swore Matt.
"Good. She said don't have a cookie, and she'll sniff me when I'm lying." he continued. "Unlike some..."
"Will you just eat the damn cookie? I'LL sniff it for you!" exclaimed Loona.
"Suit yourself." shrugged Moxxie, as he threw the cookie in the air and caught it with his tongue like a frog.
"UGH! Not like that!" cringed Loona in disgust.
Millie then came into the board room to check on everyone, until she noticed a missing cookie from the pan.
"Okay kids, why is there a cookie missing from the pan?" she said playfully stern, before turning to her husband. "Moxx... did you eat one of theirs?"
"Absolutely not." Moxxie chuckled anxiously, with the crumbs on his uniform and sweat on his forehead.
Millie was just about to sniff him like a bloodhound, when...
"He didn't eat it, Mrs. Millie." Matt called out. "I did. And I shared it with Amy."
Balin then winked at Loona with a cheeky smile at what they were doing, and she winked back, going along with the trick.
"Kiddos, what were you thinking? You know those have sugar in them!" she playfully scolded as she knelt down to their levels. "How do you feel?" she asked, still keeping up her facade.
"I... I'm feeling good." replied Balin. "Matt? Amy? How about you?"
"Uhh..."
(A FEW MOMENTS LATER)
The three kids all ran around the corridors like wildfire, pretending to be on a sugar rush as Loona chased them.
"Grrrr! I'm a predator, chasing my prey!" she playfully growled.
The imps stood outside their office as she barked like a poodle trying to catch them, getting close enough to take a bite.
"Nice going, Moxxie." smirked Blitzø.
"What? It's a sleepover, sir." Moxxie pouted. "How was I supposed to know?"
"C'mere, Matt!"
Loona tried to pounce, but he soon evaded before she could pin him down.
"C'mere, Amy!"
She then tried to grab the little girl too, who suddenly tried to give her ear scratches to slow her down. And it did. But only until she came face-to-face with Balin skidding to a stop behind the little girl, and licked her lips like a butterknife.
"Run, Balin, run..." she sang with a grim chuckle.
"Uh-oh."
"YOU HEARD HER, LITTLE MAN!" shouted Blitzø.
As Loona started bolting towards Balin on all fours again, he didn't even move an inch. He just stood there with a cheeky smile until with all her speed and focus, the hellhound ran through his legs, putting him on her back.
This made the imps' jaws fall wide open with shock.
"Fasten your seatbelts, twerps!" Loona playfully exclaimed, as she then picked up Matt and Amy before wiggling her butt and tail in the air. "Say the word, lil' Bay."
"Uhh... ride like the wind? Loona?"
Giggling at the way he said that, Loona howled, pretending to whinny like a horse, slid all the way down the staircase to the reception desk, and ran out of the building with all three kids now riding on her back.
She began barking again, but in her normal voice to make the kids laugh as they went 'WHEE!' all at the same time, and started giving them a tour of the Pride ring.
As the ride progressed, Loona saw a puddle a few miles away with her amazing vision and a naughty idea. She sprinted towards said puddle and ran through out, splashing Balin in his face.
His friends started laughing a bit at his wet face, until Loona splashed them too. But this time, she splashed Matt with hell-flies and Amy with an imp family's picnic, making the hellhound laugh too.
"DID YOU GUYS EVER THINK YOU WOULD RIDE ON A DOG'S BACK?!" shouted Balin.
"WHAT?!" shouted Amy in response.
Loona was sprinting so fast on all fours, the wind made their hearing all blurry.
"I SAID, IS THIS LIVING THE DREAM OR WHAT?!"
"UHH, HECK YEAH, MATE!" shouted Matt in response.
Loona heard the shooting and chucked looking up at them, before reaching the top of a part mountain where the three kids could not only see Pride, but the rest of Hell's rings beyond.
Matt and Amy looked at the sights in wonder and awe. Their looks of surprise turned to instant smiles as Loona began speeding back down the mountain again.
Smiling the most, Amy wrapped her arms around Balin and hugged him tight, nearly as if she was snuggling into him, making him blush with a happily relaxed look on her face.
Loona was about to run down to the mall for a movie date, but then remembered yesterday's fiasco with the cinema burning down, Tarantino-style. So she came prepared.
"HEY KIDDO!"
"YES, LOONA?!"
"VERY CAREFULLY, GRAB THE GRIMOIRE FROM MY HAIR!"
So with one hand on her spiky collar, he searched through Loona's matted silver hair for the Grimoire, like trying to find candy in a purse.
"WHAT'S A GRIMOIRE?!" asked Matt.
"I DON'T KNOW, BUT THIS IS WHY STUDYING ON THE WEEKEND'S COOL!" replied Amy.
Opening the pages to the portal spell, Balin closed his eyes and opened a portal to where Loona wanted to go, pouncing through it and into...
...
BEND, OREGON.
Soon, the kids were back in the human world. But not where they came from.
"What is this place?!" Matt asked in his normal voice, now that Loona was slowing down.
"I think this is... America!" replied Amy.
"America?"
"Yeah! I study Geography!" she said again. "These look like American buildings to me."
"Technically Amy, we're in Bend, Oregon." panted Loona, as she still trotted across the roads like a horse. "I just wanted to show you three something really special I planned for our sleepover movie date."
"What is it?" asked Balin.
Soon, she unsheathed her claws and ground to a stop.
"Surprise!" Loona pathetically said, as she was now panting much harder, while the three kids stared at Loona's surprise.
"Loona?" said Balin.
"Is that the...?" Matt added, now in surprise himself.
Balin held up one of his Blockbuster board game cards in his pocket, with the logo on it, to then see they were standing right in front of...
...
The last Blockbuster Video store on Earth.
A/N: See y'all in the next chapter.