Ducking from underneath the purple curtains, with Moxxie accidentally getting slapped by them on his way in, the I.M.P crew arrived in the dinner theatre of Ozzie's night-club.
"OMS, Neptune!" squealed Marijiana. "We're finally here!"
"Wait. You've always wanted to come here?" asked Moxxie.
"Um, yeah. Nep here's always wanted to perform at Ozzie's." the Great Pyrenees hound replied. "She's a magician."
"Babe, you know I love to sing." Neptune then nudged her arm playfully.
"I know, I'm just fucking with you."
The two hellhounds giggled with each other, while Millie just awed at their relationship.
"But, you know, we've always wanted to come here for a dinner date too." continued Neptune. "You know, to settle down."
As they continued, Moxxie then saw the same poster Balin and Loona read in Verosika's dressing room behind him.
MOXXIE: "Verosika Mayday, Live at Ozzie's Night of Lust Club, featuring Open Mic?"
"Yeah... I hope you'll get your chance." he chuckled in his mind. "One day."
Meanwhile, Blitzø was at his table, keeping the seats secure for everyone else. So when a teeny ant demon tried to take one, he said:
"These seats are taken, asshole! Keep your 20 eyes off it!"
"Motherfucker, that's flies." the spider replied blankly with a raised eyebrow.
"Ugh..." groaned Blitzø.
But secretly, he felt kinda awkward about his previous experience in Ozzie's. It was only one time, but definitely a rather emotional one.
A few months or so ago, when they were still together, Blitzø invited Stolas to this fancy expensive restaurant for a date, just so he could go in and spy on M&M's one-year marriage celebration. This was one example of how much Blitzø has in the world today, stuff he never looked close at until the Full Moon that changed everything for the duo.
"Still saved, ant demon!" shouted Blitzø to the ground as he sat down. "You may be small as a... fuck, but I can still see your wet dreams!"
Speaking of 'Stolitz'...
"Oh, I.M.P...!" sang a subtle British voice.
Blitzø looked over his chair to see Stolas and Octavia in their fancy dresses, both ducking through the curtains due to their sizes.
"It is so enthralling to meet you all here unexpectedly!" said the demon prince cheerfully, as he shook everyone's hands. Except Blitzø's, for now.
"It's not necessarily unexpected, dad." replied Via flatly, listening to heavy metal. "We've been catching up pretty much 5 days a week."
"True, sweetheart." her dad chuckled in response, before seeing Blitzø. "Hello, Blitzy!"
"Oh. HEY...! Hi, Stolas..." the boss greeted awkwardly.
"Are you all sitting here? By any chance?" Stolas asked the group.
"Yeah! I mean, no, I mean, yeah, I mean, yes. We are." the imp replied, weirdly at first but with a flat ending. "Wait. Don't you have your own reservations? This is Ozzie's."
"Quite right. Most booked place in all of Hell." chuckled Stolas. "I'll go find a couple of chairs."
"Wait! BRB!" Blitzø hesitantly stopped him and ran off for a bit, grabbing a few chairs for himself and the Goetias.
BLITZØ: "Mr. ant demon, here! You can have this table!" *PAUSE* "Wow. 20 of them? Your dreams really are wet." *SLAP!* "Ow! FUCK! Oh, sorry. My daughter has a kid of her own, excuse my French. Bye...!"
Blitzø returned with the chairs with Stolas waiting in surprise.
"That's one more on the apology tour." he groaned. "For a worker ant, it's like they forgot to put him with the soldiers."
"Ah yes." replied Stolas. "How did you come to know that?"
"Balin once watched this 'Antz' movie with Loonie." replied Blitzø. "A cartoon where the lead ant traded places with a soldier to try and fuck a princess. Different as it may 'bee', guess it was just a hunch."
"Right... and how exactly would you know that hunch?" asked Stolas with a serious tone. "She doesn't live under your roof anymore."
Blitzø then nervously scoffed. "It's not like I was spying on the two's movie night or shit."
Stolas then raised his eyebrow, with a glare and crow-like noise.
"...With a camera?"
"Worse. But there's my answer." sighed Stolas in response. "Typical of you, to be fair. Always prying into the everyday life of people who seem to avoid you so much, it's as if they almost want nothing to do with you."
Blitzø let out a sad sigh, indeed knowing he was right deep down.
BLITZØ: "Yes. Because I'd want nothing to do with me too. Especially after what I did to them. To my sister, Fizz, ...You."
STOLAS: "Me?"
BLITZØ: "Look... do you remember that night I invited you here?"
STOLAS: "I do. Continue."
BLITZØ: "Thanks. The reason I invited you..."
STOLAS: "Was so you could waltz in the vicinity and just..."
BLITZØ: *sighs* "See, it was the night of M&M's marriage soiree, ...and I'm not just proving myself correct! I'm just... trying to admit myself to you."
STOLAS: "As much as I want to announce how correct I indeed was, there's this little surrender in your tone, and that I can recognise."
BLITZØ: "Stolas, that night, I thought I could have a fun time. I really did. But a brick of this place, it just came like returning to Greed for the first time in forever."
STOLAS: "Hmm... seems this place is more made of tiles, but which brick, exactly?"
BLITZØ: "Take a lucky guess."
Stolas then raised his eyebrow, encouraging Blitzø to tell him himself.
BLITZØ: "And before you do, this time, it ain't Verosika. At least she wasn't to blame, yet, around the time anyway."
Stolas then remembered a flashback of words from Ozzy, making the answer so clear to him.
OZZY: "Stolas, my heart bleeds for you. But my partner- uh, BUSINESS partner, Fizzarolli, hates your imp guy. Blitzo, right? Yeah. HATES...!"
STOLAS: "This Fizzarolli person?"
BLITZØ: "Fucking small world Hell is, isn't it?" *light chuckles*
STOLAS: "B-B-But, the crystal I got you, I requested it from him. He denied me the rights at first, but soon afterward, it just showed itself at my doorstep. Now the question lies, why?"
BLITZØ: "Because we were captured by Moxxie's dickhead of a dad. What was his name again? Violet, something? Eh, Moxx doesn't give a shit, I sure don't. But bringing the story back to him and his wife... the life I built for them, I could never have done any half of it without that. Like, they were the first in such a long time that I could ever count as friends. Of course, Loonie's the favourite reason too, to this day. But those two... I guess the reason I've been doing all this is just because I wanted something I've been giving Loona, but never actually had. I never realised that I wanted to give you that life too, until that... rather fateful Full Moon."
STOLAS: "So... you do love me? After all?"
BLITZØ: "If that were the case, I'm still keeping it under wraps in the case studies of my previous clients. Lucky for you, they're out of my 'research' cabinets now."
STOLAS: "Totally understandable on my part. But I'm glad you're trying."
BLITZØ: "Hey. What if you say tonight's the night we prove it, together?"
STOLAS: "How so?"
BLITZØ: "That night Moxxie yelled 'SIR?!' at me, was a night where I realised I never took any of it seriously since my dark ages. It may be a regret I'll live with a little longer, but tonight's different. Sure, Verosika's on her own for this one, but if Loona or the kid were here, they'd tell me to just have fun with it." *sheds a tear* "So, I can do it tonight. But it's up to you now. You don't have to stay with me this time, but you can. If you want to. If so, then, 'I' would want to."
The dynamic duo of Stolitz were now in tears, two tears each strolling down to each other's hands.
STOLAS: "Then for what it's worth, I wouldn't want it any other way. In the immoral words of Balin: You have a good heart for a demon, Blitzø. You're on your way."
"Thanks Stolas. And you too." replied Blitzø, as he gently held his hand gently rubbing his talons.
Suddenly, to their surprise, Moxxie started slow-clapping as everyone else had seen everything.
"What the fuck?!" gasped Stolas. "How long were all of you watching?"
"Since Ozzie's voice-over on the intercom." Millie winked to the readers.
"This doesn't change the fact that you admitted to spying on our date, sir..." sang Moxxie with a wry grin.
"Not fucking cool, by the way." Neptune and Marijiana said together, as Blitzø chuckled guiltily.
...
MEANWHILE...
Loona carried Balin in her arms as the two walked out of the backstage area, which Tex was guarding.
"My little man!" he greeted him with a fist-bump which the boy returned. "Ready to hear the pipes on my girl, V?"
"Is Bee performing too?" Balin asked in confusion.
"No, silly." smiled Loona, giving his tummy some little tickles. "V! As in V for Verosika."
"Well, a bodyguard's job is never done. You two better get to the dinner theatre. Got about two minutes before the show starts." chuckled Tex, giving Balin some head-rubs.
"Two minutes?" Balin then gasped, as Loona put him down. "Come on, Loona! The show's gonna start without us!"
"Okay, okay, slow down, little Cowell." the hellhound laughed, as she left with Balin holding her hand. "See ya 'round, Tex."
"You too, girl." Tex gave them a small wave and snap before standing tall and scary again, like any security guard would.
...
Soon, the two arrived at the dinner theatre where everyone was sitting together, I.M.P and Goetia, waiting for the show to start.
"Hello there, darling." said Via, lifting Balin onto her lap and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You excited for the show?" the boy excitedly nodded to her in response.
Then, looking back at the concert poster she had seen earlier on her phone, Via thought of an idea.
"Hey Balin." she spoke again. "Did you know they're doing an open mic tonight?"
"Yes, I did." replied the boy.
"Princess, we already signed him up for it." chuckled Loona.
"Oh yeah..." the boy said in realisation.
"You're gonna sing in this?!" Neptune gasped, before playfully pouting. "Good for you, sweetie-pie."
"Babe, there's always the sign-up sheet." laughed Marijiana.
"Wait a minute... do you sing in general?" asked Millie next.
"Yeah." replied the boy. "Only on occasion. I'm shy about it at times."
"Then why not have Uncle Moxxie come up?" his aunty suggested, as Moxxie held up a guitar in his hands. "He's a master at the guitar."
"Since when did you sneak that in here?" asked Blitzø.
"Actually, sir..." replied Moxxie cheekily. "You know no idea what weapons I use during missions."
"Showoff." the boss scoffed.
"Nah, it's okay. But I'd be happy to hear you perform as well Moxxie. And you, Neptune." smiled the boy kindly.
"Yeah... unfortunately, you and I'll probably bail after your performance, kiddo." said Loona. "It'll be past your bedtime then."
"Besides, this is the Lust ring." added Via. "Who knows what kind of... adult stuff could happen?"
"Point taken, sweetheart." agreed Stolas.
"Like that leopard-swan thingy that attacked us?"
"Exactly!" replied Blitzø. "Leopards are a sign of adult stuff. You definitely don't want to touch that blanket of a tail."
As Blitzø laughed at his own joke, the house lights started coming down, indicating the show was about to begin.
"Shhh! Quiet, dumbass! It's starting." Loona quietly said to him, as everyone began cheering.
Just then, blue smokey fog billowed from the wings, and as it covered the whole stage, Fizzarolli lit a match and threw it into the fog, instantly revealing him using his robotic limbs to jump from the explosion, higher than a kangaroo.
"WOW!" exclaimed Balin, with stars in his eyes.
"Good evening, ladies and ladies...! And for those who are new here." Fizzy cheekily nodded to Balin. "I'd like to welcome y'all to... Ozzie's..." he purred at his boyfriend's name.
The sin himself gave his loving MC a thumbs-up and everyone cheered for his name.
FIZZAROLLI: "Lust's number one place for providing the tickets of fantasies and magic through LOVE... and for tonight, music. And whatever other talents after this show, which is why I want to mention, we have a talent show straight after Ms. Mayday's taken the stage. By STORM...!" *chuckles* "Recently started by Asmodeus, the sugar daddy behind it all, we're now giving you performers the chance to take that same centre-stage, singing, acting, and if you believe you're good enough, CLOWNING! And if you wannabe clowns actually do it better than me, after the show will I find you, shake you by the hand, then fucking kill you. I'M KIDDING! I'm a kidder!"
"Especially since there is an actual kid in the audience." he then whispered away from the microphone before continuing.
FIZZAROLLI: "Anyway, we already have one or five candidates up for grabs tonight. But before long, let's give an official welcome to tonight's performer. Our best regular here at Ozzie's, now a best-selling artist with her new single 'OVER U' out in record stores to purchase OR steal. Ladies and gents, show some lust for VEROSIKA MAYDAY!"
A spotlight then showed Verosika in a birdcage, hanging on the ceiling as it started moving down to the stage.
VEROSIKA: "Alright, bitches! Let's shout it out, to whoever listens and listens GOOD!"
With that catchphrase, she started to sign her hit single...
SONG - "OVER U" by VEROSIKA MAYDAY
After the song, everyone clapped for Verosika and some even whistled for her. But the pop-star only saw Balin from the crew's table and waved to him with her loving smile, before moving on with her other songs. Some of which included:
'VACAY TO BONETOWN'
'SECRETLY HELPED MAKE YOU'
'TEQUILA UNDER THE BRIDGE'
Afterwards, Loona grabbed Balin from his chair, put him on her back, and prowled away from the auditorium on all fours to head backstage for the open mic.
"Alright fuckers! That was 'Tequila Under the Bridge.'" announced Verosika on the microphone. "My final song for the evening, but definitely not the final act. Ozzie the big daddy has now set up this magnificent stage for artists such as... *GASP!* Balin Johnson, to perform for our open mic. So for any of those who wish to show us three what you got... Game on, bitch. Or should I say, game on, Balin Johnson...! C'mon out, sweetie."
Everyone just clapped as Balin walked on stage, feeling a bit shaky as Verosika handed him her personal 'encrusted' microphone.
This made the boy look up in surprise, since he knew that mic from anywhere. Verosika nodded to him with a sweet smile and gently nudged him to get out there as she strutted offstage.
As an imp was about to escort her off, she knocked him out and stayed put in the wings to watch Balin.
Every demon in the crowd looked at him with shock and mumbled either 'A human?' or 'Is that THE human kid?' before giving him some bigger claps.
"Hello. I'm Balin." the boy announced quietly. "I'll be singing a song dedicated to my... demon friends, at that table. As a thank you for all they've done for me. This one's for you."
He then looked at Verosika, who showed him a warm smile and blew him a kiss while a male succubus ran out to the piano behind him. The boy then handed him the requested sheet music as he soon began to play...
...
SONG - "ANGELS" by ROBBIE WILLIAMS
BALIN:
I sit and wait
Does an angel, contemplate my fate...
Blitzø and Stolas each gave a shocked look, surprised at his voice.
"WHAT?!" Loona shouted by surprise, even more shocked.
Even Verosika dropped her wine glass and Tex FaceTimed his girlfriend, both stunned at his vocals.
BALIN (cont'd):
And do they know
The places where we go
When we're grey and old...
'Cause I have been told
That salvation, lets their wings unfold...
As he continued singing the first verse, as nervous as he was, Balin constantly looked at his friends, who filled him up with every stunned smile they made.
BALIN (cont'd):
So when I'm lying in my bed.
Thoughts runnin' through my head.
And I feel that love is dead.
I'm lovin' demons instead.
And through it all...
She offers me protection!
A lotta love and affection!
Whether I'm right or wrong
And down the waterfall...
Wherever it may take me!
I know that it won't break me!
When I come to call
She won't forsake me...
I'm loving demons instead.
After the chorus, the music grew more and more with the special effects, and Balin hit a mountain top note at the beginning of the instrumental, which made Verosika smile wider, wagging her succubus tail.
"YES!" she went.
From right next to her, two of her succubi used their magic for the performance.
One of them levitated Balin in the air while he still carried the microphone, and the other made a little light-show of him and Loona dancing together in their normal forms, before Loona switched to a human and Balin switched to a hellhound, both dancing in a circle like kindled spirits.
BALIN (cont'd):
And through it all...
She offers me protection!
A lotta love and affection!
Whether I'm right or wrong
And down the waterfall...
Wherever it MAY TAKE ME!
I know that life won't break me!
When I come to call
She won't forsake me...
I'm loving demons in-stead...!
...
Once the song ended in confetti, everyone cheered and clapped loudly for Balin's performance.
Even in tears, Loona was the loudest of all the applause, while everyone else at her table was blown away by what they've witnessed.
As Balin walked offstage, he handed the mic to Verosika and said 'Great job' before she picked him up for a tight hug.
"You can sing, teddy bear!" she cooed, rubbing her nose against his before putting him down.
"Well... that was... rather unexpected." Fizz chuckled as he walked back onstage. "I have to give my admiration to that bright young man. That voice! Wow!"
As everyone clapped more, V lead him out the backstage door where Tex gave him a high-five.
"BALIN!"
Everyone from the I.M.P table group-hugged him with smiles on all their faces.
"Now THAT one was epic, buddy!" exclaimed Blitzø.
"You're an amazing singer, cutie-patootie!" added Millie, while Moxxie just said: "Wow!"
"Everybody get the fuck out of my way." Loona exclaimed to the crew quietly before scooping the boy in her arms. "Sweetie, why didn't you tell me you could sing like that?"
"Or any of us on that accord, little one?" added Stolas.
"I did say I was shy." replied the boy.
"To share that with us?" Marijiana rubbed his cheek with her snout. "That was a gift, baby."
"Well, well... that was quite something, kid." Ozzie said, as he and Fizz walked up to them.
"Indeed." Fizz added. "For a kid your age, even from the mortal world, I would never have expected such love for the arts earned like that."
"...Thank you, Ozzie and Fizz." the boy replied.
"You know kid, straight after I introduced the next act, I just spoke with Ozzie..."
"We're very fast-speaking partners." added Ozzie. "BUSINESS partners."
"Everybody knows!" exclaimed the group. "We watch the news."
"Except the kid, which is a good thing." added Moxxie. "So keep going."
"And we were thinking..." Ozzie continued, before the two spoke at the same time. "How'd you like us to be your managers?"
"Really?"
"Yep. We'd be happy to." replied Fizz. "We'd help you with whatever shows you'd be happy to do, handle your requests for set designs and snacks, anything."
"Anything?"
"Any..." Fizz was about to finish, when Ozzie shushed him. "Hush now, Froggy. Let the kid decided."
"Yeah... Good thinking." said Stolas. "I mean, if it's one of those deals..."
"Oh, no, no, no, no!" said Ozzie. "I can promise you, no contracts such as that'll be involved."
As Loona sighed in relief hearing that, she then heard the human kid yawning in her arms.
"Looks like someone IS ready for bed now." she teased in a smile.
The boy fell asleep nestling himself in her shoulder fur, making everyone go 'awwww' as Loona cradled him in her arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Well, if you two ever come to a census, here's our number." Fizz extended one of his arms out to Loona.
"Whatever. Thanks." smiled the hellhound softly, as she took the business card.
"Alright, you two pups enjoy your good night's rest." Blitzø also smiled, patting Loona's beefy and furry leg.
"Don't push your luck, Blitzø." Loona and Verosika both said.
Before the two left, Verosika rubbed Balin's forehead and gave him a small but long kiss on his forehead. "Good night, Little rockstar." she whispered. "You did great tonight."
Loona just rolled her eyes with a chuckle, as Verosika watched as the two left while everyone else went to the bar for an after-party drink.
BACK AT LOONA'S APARTMENT...
Loona soon laid Balin on his bed, still asleep after the long journey home, and pulled up his blanket before leaning close to his cheek and giving it a lick goodnight.
How adorable he looked in his slumber, as he rolled over to the other side.
Seeing this, Loona remembered what she heard from Tex and Balin earlier.
"Hmm... I wonder what that text was about..."
She grabbed his phone gently while he was still asleep and logged in to see it was a message from Matt, saying...
MATT: *TEXT* "G'day Balin. Just got some big news. Amy's coming to our sleepover! Won't that be fun?"
BALIN: *TEXT* "Uhh, yeah. I can't wait. See you on Sunday."
MATT: *TEXT* "You too."
Loona then looked at him with a smirk as she put the phone back down and left his room, letting him sleep in exhaustion and peace once more.
A/N: See y'all in the next chapter.