All beings that resided in the eternal burning pits of Hell were all very much unique in their own very special way.
Many appeared in various different forms, shapes and sizes, it sometimes gets really hard to differentiate the ones who stand above all the rest as more powerful and highly important. It's why they're classified by species and other forms, too.
But only when those types of demons establish a longstanding reputation of being one of the most powerful and influential at the top of the food chain, can one realize what demon they shouldn't piss off in the slightest, lest they wish to court with death itself. Case in point, the illustrious royal demons of the Goetia Family. Being just below the Seven Deadly Sins in the hierarchy, they're known far and wide as keepers of powerful magic and enchantments, making them on a league far above the rest, even overshadowing the Overlords in terms of raw power. If it weren't for Lucifer himself being the top king in charge in the realm of the damned, the Goetias could very well run things. At the very least, the family's quite content with the way things are as it is, not willing to demand more like impudent children.
They rested and enjoyed the luxuries of being royals of Hell in their private mansion with a myriad of lower level demons working as their servants and currently, the Goetia mansion was silent.
"Mummy! Daddy! Help!"
The cries of the young Goetia child, Octavia, broke that silence as she was covered by her bed sheets in fear, she wanted her parents to come see her, hoping for the comfort that only her parents could bring.
Her door opened where she heard her father in his sleeping robe speak. "Via? What troubles you, my owlet?" he asked, concerned as any father would.
Hiding under her blanket and emerging, was his daughter, Octavia. An adorable little owl demon with beautiful pink eyes with bright pupils and a coat of dark feathers. She resembled her father's owl-like face and had her mother's shaggy scruffy hair feathers and was dressed in pink pajamas with stars. "Daddy! Daddy!" Sobbing in tears, Octavia climbs down from her bed and runs towards her father who crouches down to receive her hug and gently picks her up as she tells him the problem. "I had a dream! A really bad one" she sniffles, quivering.
Yawning, Stolas wiped away a tear. "It was just a nightmare, sweetheart."
"But, I was looking all over the palace for you, and...!" The more she recalled the nightmare, the more Octavia found herself shedding tears. "You were gone! You weren't there!" She hugs him tightly, afraid that he'll up and disappear without warning.
Stolas rubs her back to comfort his child. "There, there, Via. I'm still here. You're okay." he reassures her, taking her back to her bed while summoning his spell book and flips it open after sitting down with Octavia in his arms. It broke the owl demon's heart to see his daughter in such a state, but he knew the best way to lift her spirits. A comforting lullaby. "When you're scared and you don't know where I am, never forget this, no matter what happens to me, I will never be that far from my precious little star fire." he promises with a smile, followed by a warm nuzzle and beak poke.
Looking to his book, Stolas summons a portal, leading a place filled with stars much to the awe of Octavia and her father begins to sing the lullaby.
His voice was so elegant that it instantly brought comfort to her, it was the only thing that could be heard as they went. He understood her fear, for the young, the never ending quiet darkness can be quite frightening. As her father, it falls upon him to soothe her worries.
Stolas flies them through, leading them into the enchanting void of space at another galaxy, standing on a nearby moon. The silence of space was very striking by itself, especially when they saw constellations go out. He carried her as he walked sadly through the surface of the moon with a deep frown., stemming from dissatisfaction. Pain and disappointment filled him, with a pinch of self-loathing, but it wasn't too late, his life wasn't all for naught.
He sounded so sad. Like he was expressing his heartbreak through the song. But, he made sure to recognize that there was one ever present light in his life, for all the troubles he has to go through, he can always count on Octavia to make it all worth it.
Octavia looks up at his smiling gaze, signifying he was talking about her and looks to the stars. For all the fear she may feel, she shouldn't worry about it being realized. Her father made sure of that. He placed her life above his own and would do so again in a heartbeat no matter what happens.
A meteor flies past them, heading directly into the purple sun and the planets that orbit begin to move closer, aligning as Stolas turns his back and sits on a rock to hold Octavia closer. Even if there comes a time where his life would come to an end, he'd be in her heart for all time, continuing his duty to protect and love her as he's always done.
The collision sent a wave that caused the moon they were on to break apart and they slowly rose up, but Octavia was barely afraid, her father's soft and consoling song was working. The little owlet cutely yawns and snuggles into his furry chest as the nearby planets are pulled directly into the sun, resulting in a glorious explosion that while destructive, was quite enthralling from another perspective. Stolas still protected her. For as long as he still drew breath, his daughter will always be unharmed, she will always stay that way.
Stolas transports them back to Hell in Octavia's bedroom and he tucks in the sleeping little tyke who was now sleeping much more soundly than before. Pleased to see his child no longer scared or disturbed, Stolas quietly leaves, sending a loving smile to Octavia's slumbering form and finishing the lullaby, having meant every word.
The days of her youth like this one were a happier time for Octavia. A time where she had her father to always be there to guide her and teach her, but more importantly, to be there for her.
Unfortunately, as time goes on, not many things tend to last forever...
"I still can't believe you slept with an imp, in our fucking bed!"
"Like I keep telling you, it was unexpected! I didn't have time to go to a motel!"
"You wanted a motel?! Like some fucking plebian!"
If all the screaming between her parents wasn't enough to jolt the now older teenage Octavia awake, then the sounds of smashing objects certainly did the trick. Groaning depressingly, Octavia sat up on her larger bed and listened as more shouting and shattering continued as it did for a long while now, so much so that it's beginning to feel like the new norm. Now a teen, she had to listen to a lot of anger, but it's been going on for so long, that Octavia just wanted it to stop. The teenage Goetian princess did what she always does when her folks go at it, she took her phone, put in her earbuds to tune out the noise with some music that's basically about her current situation.
Putting on her dark feathered shawl around her more casual clothes that a princess wouldn't normally have, Octavia also wears a black beanie with a tiara on it and reluctantly walks out. She swalked through the halls of the estate, stepping over the smashed remains of a plant thrown in her path until she made it to the kitchen where mother continued shouting at Stolas. Both were oblivious to their daughter's presence as she takes a box of cereal and pours herself coffee, not even signaling her presence.
"How about this one?! Want to fuck this one, too?!" Stella screeched, holding up an imp servant and violently throwing the poor guy at her unfaithful husband who narrowly dodges.
"Of course not!" Stolas dodged the butler used as a throwing object.
"I always knew you were God damn embarrassment!" Stella insulted, not wanting to be in the same room as him any longer. "I refuse to spend one more moment looking at your sad, pathetic, imp-sucking face!" she storms out of the kitchen, still shouting angrily and smashing more potted plants.
Stolas tiredly sighs with exasperation. Stella's tirade over his recent choices was seriously starting to wear him out, though she has a right to be upset, she could at least not cause a scene in the palace every waking hour. At this time, he finally notices his daughter's presence after hearing the subtle sound of her music. "Octavia! Morning, dear!" he greets brightly. "Have a nice sleep, my owlet?"
"Was that a serious question?" Octavia snidely remarks after sipping.
Flinching, Stolas realizes that all the arguing made her slumber anything but well. "Erm, say, what's that you're listening to?" he asks, hoping to make the morning a little better.
Knowing her dad wasn't really that interested, Octavia answered to spell it out to him that any attempt to make things less strenuous was futile. "A new song called 'My World is Burning Down Around Me'. By Fuck You, Dad." An awkward beat of silence ensues. "That's their band name." Octavia clarifies.
"Truly?" Stolas frowns, somewhat bemused. "Very charming..." He grabbed some food in the fridge to feed it to a big potted plant creature situated in a small cove off the kitchen and pets the beast to sate it. This was also a recurring problem in the Goetia household, his daughter's recent depressive state and rather hostile attitude towards him, a far cry from the little owlet she once was that adored him. It was inevitable really, he knew she wouldn't stay like that as she got older, but at the same time, this was such a drastic change that kept growing and he so terribly misses the smile that once adorned Octavia.
What made it obvious was that the current problem with Stella factored into it and he didn't want his little princess to be affected by strife.
"So, you two finally finished screaming?" Octavia rhetorically asks.
"Um..." Stolas reels back when Stella is heard letting out another scream of anger shattering more things in the distance. Knowing full well that being in the mansion won't make things any better, not that it ever was to begin with, he thinks of what he believes will absolutely cheer up Octavia and get rid of her dreary mood. "Did you also realize what I've done in a long time?" he asked in anticipation, though she was largely disinterested. "I haven't taken you to the one place you love most of all in Hell! Are you up for Loo Loo Land?" he excitedly suggested.
"I'm seventeen now, not five." Octavia deadpanned, she hadn't thought of that place in a while and she prefers to keep it that way.
Her dad, however, was insistent on it. "You always were so happy when I took you to Loo Loo Land!" he reminisced and wrapped an arm around her and pressed their heads together to make her excited, which failed. "What do you say we go there again, have a day, just the two of us?" He gestures to an old portrait showing Stolas and Stells with a younger Octavia taken at Loo Loo Land, wanting to see her smile like she did in the portrait.
"I'd rather kill myself." Octavia honestly spoke.
Stolas took this as acceptance. "There we go! Knew you'd be happy! Anything but staying in this house. Now, I'll arrange our security." he reaches for the phone held by the injured imp servant that Stella threw.
"Security for a theme park?" Octavia questioned with a skeptic eyebrow raised.
"We're both rich and hot." Stolas explains. "Anyone wants our money and our bodies.."
"Maybe just the money..." Octavia remarked with a snark.
"Speaking for yourself, my little princess" Stolas jokingly replies and already had the perfect bodyguard in mind for the job. "Now, I'm calling the only man your mother can learn a thing or two from." he momentarily forgot he was speaking to his daughter.
Octavia's face scrunched up in disgust and drops some cereal. "What?"
Stolas quickly redacts the last statement. "Who'll protect us!" This was an outing meant to cheer her up, and that's what a good father should do, even if said father was a demon royal of Hell. "Members of the Goetia family are valuable, you know."
Groaning in humiliation, Octavia pulls down her beanie to cover her eyes, having a feeling that she knew who he was talking about.
While Stolas was greatly invested in calling the imp called Blitzo with after years of loneliness, a part of him was also curious if that imp could bring along his newest young ward.
He wonders what that kid of white hair is doing right now.
This may very well be the umpteenth time he's listened to the song on the radio about the hotel.
Lincoln didn't really keep count. The song just compelled him to continue looking for it through the stations.
Maybe he should visit this hotel sometime.
An unexpected knocking on the door disrupted the song. "Lincoln! Millie and I made some cookies if you're interested!"
Gasping, the radio fumbled in Lincoln's hand before turning the blasted thing off just as the song was about to end. "Okay, Moxxie!" the white haired boy called back to one of his coworkers/caretakers. Breathing in relief, Lincoln picked up the remote on his bed. It really felt nice having a TV and a radio all to himself and not having to fight over it. Even if it wasn't quite as grand as the TV back at his house, he took what he could get, and it wasn't the first time he's listened to that song. He was thankful that Blitzo actually found it in himself to buy anything for him at all. He had the impression that his boss wasn't usually that thoughtful to his employees.
Play his cards right, and he might be able to earn some video games. He likes to think that as an unpaid intern/trainee, it was a good substitute for money.
For now, there were cookies to eat.
Going out to the common area, Moxxie and Millie were waiting for him with a plate of freshly baked cookies. "There he is! Got these fresh out of the oven for ya, sugar!" Millie hands the plate over to him.
He takes a bite of one and melts under the delicious flavor. Who knew hell cookies tasted so good? "These are great. I didn't peg either of you for being good bakers."
Moxxie puffs his chest out in pride with fists on his hips. "Well, assassinations aren't our only skills."
"We know it might still be a bit hectic for you, what with being stuck in Hell and all." Millie recalled with a playful laugh. "But my mama always told me that some sugary sweets help ease the soul."
Lincoln's inclined to agree with Millie's mother. By his count, it's been weeks since he started living in Hell and aside from the very troubling events, he's come to find himself surprisingly adapting well after becoming the unofficial ward of the assassination company. For a team of coldblooded killers, they can be nice when they want to, it almost feels like being part of the family. It's as if the song sung by the princess of Hell was really true, after watching the commercial for the first time, Lincoln became quite taken with it. Whenever it shows up, he watches through until the end and sneaks little peeks when Loona plays it on the computer out of boredom on her part.
He knows dangerous demons lurk around every corner, but what's the harm in seeing their softer sides?
Okay, there'd be lots of harm, but it was nice to dream.
"Move." Loona rudely pushes past Moxxie, while taking a few cookies for herself.
"Loona! Those are for Lincoln!" Millie glares.
"Didn't see his name on them." Loona retorts.
Before a heated argument could start, Lincoln assures Millie that no harm was done. "It's fine, Millie. Lots more where that came from, anyway." he eats another to prove it. "Wouldn't mind a snack while I'm watching TV."
"Just to be sure, you're only watching stuff that's appropriate for you, right?" Millie asks. "You're following the list of channels Moxxie wrote up?"
"Took a while to memorize, but yeah." Lincoln answered, he missed watching the Dream Boat, ARRGH, Rip Hardcore's survival show, and all the other assorted programs on Earth and Millie seemed adamant that he only sticks to at least the ones better suited for him.
"You gonna block the porn channels while you're at it?" Loona remarks.
"Loona!" Millie did not tolerate her saying such things in front of Lincoln. "Lincoln, honey, just to be sure, you don't know what porn is?"
"...Only that my parents tell me to wait until I'm older." Lincoln did have a feeling that it had something to do with the birds and the bees.
"Aren't you in middle school or something, Linc?" Loona inquired. "Your school doesn't cover that kind of shit or did your old man not give you 'the talk'?"
"I'm only in sixth grade and my dad said...to wait until I'm older." Lincoln blanched, then notices the missing member of their little family. "Is Blitzo in his office?"
"Yes." Moxxie said in annoyance. "It's about all he does when no clients come in. Lazing around his office doing lord knows what instead of the responsibilities other bosses would normally do."
"Business has been slow, Mox." Millie defended. "Poor guy's probably just bored. Lincoln, why don't you take some cookies to him too? I'm sure it'll light up his day."
Not having anything better to do, Lincoln complies and takes the plate of cookies with him. "You're really overselling it with the helicopter mom thing you got going on, you know that, Millie?" Loona mockingly says to the female imp.
"Excuse me." Millie stuck her head up with her arms crossed. "Lincoln's a rare gem, and you know it. That fresh innocence of his is just too precious and seeing as we're taking care of him, is it so bad to protect it?"
"That's understandable, honey." Moxxie admits, but points out a lot of wrenches in that plan. "But bear in mind that this is Hell. Child-friendly isn't a phrase I'd use to describe it."
"See? The fatass knows it, too." Loona leans her chair back to the wall. "It's hard to hide all the freaky shit that goes on here when it's as common as the murder shit. Fuck, do I need to remind you of the extreme psycho that is our boss? The thing between him and that rich prick is creepy enough."
Lincoln wondered how a demon like Blitz spent his off-the-clock hours, his office was easy to find, there was a sign on the very door and he knocked three times "Blitz? Can I come in?
Sighing, Blitzo responded. "Come on in, intern." The office had a lot of horse-related objects and a portrait of the I.M.P team, barring Lincoln as he's still new to the company. Blitzo looked very annoyed holding his phone after putting it on hold, and Lincoln saw that there were two things in the trash that crudely resembled the likenesses of Moxxie and Millie made from workplace stuff like eraser and paper clip. "This better be good, kid! I thought I made it clear I didn't want anyone barging in today unless a new client wants to hire us or if my new horse standee came in the mail!"
"What were you doing with those?" Lincoln asked, pointing to the toys with a slightly unnerved expression.
"Uh..." Blitzo darted his eyes and tried to think of a clever excuse to cover this up. "Work shit, kid. Important boss work shit. I'm the boss, so I need to do this work shit."
Lincoln tilted his head, even more confused. "Uh-huh. What kind of work needs toy versions of Moxxie and Millie?"
Drumming his fingers on the table, Blitzo silently cursed Lincoln's penchant for asking too many questions when his curiosity was piqued. "Practice. I use them to act out potential future missions."
Lincoln had to admit, he never thought Blitzo was capable of some forward thinking like that, though he did have some lingering questions. "Then, wouldn't you also need a model of yourself?"
Blitzo laughed out loud, his annoyance was replaced by amusement by this kid's naivete. "Kid, trust me. I for one, would not want there to be some mini-me. Hell's only big enough for one Blitz." he spotted the plate of treats. "Ooh, are those cookies? Can I have one? Never mind, it's mine now." he takes the plate and helps himself to the remaining cookies. "Anyway, you need something, kid?"
"Nothing, really. Millie thought you might need a snack." Lincoln takes a look around the office, having not been in there before. "Things have been kind of slow, haven't they?"
"You're telling me." Blitzo sardonically chuckled. "What could fuck ups like Sinners be so busy with that they don't want to hire someone to creep up to Earth and kill some bitches that screwed them over in life right now?"
"...It's a mystery." a mystery Lincoln did not want to solve. A portrait frame caught his eye, one that detailed Blitzo's image and an announcement for one night only, saying that it was Incredible. Back in the common area, Lincoln noticed some old pictures of Blitzo with a female imp with an uncanny resemblance to him at a circus. Since working at I.M.P, Lincoln's gotten to know Moxxie and Millie's background as hailing from the Wrath Ring and Loona being adopted by Blitzo, but he never got a lot of info on the imp himself. "Hey, Blitz. You used to work at a circus, right?"
"A fucking waste of time, yes. Why?"
"Well, you also worked with your family back then, too. What exactly happened that made you want to be an assassin, instead? My sister, Luan-"
"Sister?" Blitzo moved in closer with an intrigued smile. "Is the same sister getting wasted at college?"
"What? No, that's Lori and she doesn't do any of that. It's a golf college."
"Then it's the muscle-head, right?"
"Lynn. Her name is Lynn."
"Is the one lucky enough to have a name that sounds like my Looney's?"
Facepalming, Lincoln tried to bare with it. "Luna. And can we focus, please?"
"I am focused. Focused on knowing more about your fam, kid, so-" A painful scream from his phone disturbed this weird conversation between a boss and his intern, angering the former as he answered while picking up his coffee mug. "What do you want?!" he demanded. "I already put you on hold!"
"A good morning to you too, my big-dicked Blitzy."
Eyes widening, Blitzo recognized the voice of Stolas and reacted appropriately to the phone call by spitting out his drink, making Lincoln jump.
Octavia did the same thing at the same time, after unfortunately hearing that message escaping her dad's lips.
"What-"
"-The-"
"-Fuck-"
"Dad?!/Stolas?!"
"Language! Honestly!" Stolas admonished, the day was already strenuous enough with Stella's endless insults. "I'm calling for a special request." he tells Blitzo, playing with the phone line.
Blitzo assumed it was a usual call, so he rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Look, I spent hours on a chemical peel, so find someone else's face to plant that feathered ass!"
"This is for my daughter." Stolas corrects.
Blitzo was courteous enough to give some advice. "I see, at least make sure she washes it afterward."
"Heavens No!" Stolas denied, serious for once. He cleared up the clearly mixed messages. "No, no, no! We're taking a trip to Loo Loo Land and perhaps you brave little imps and the child could accompany us."
Blitzo didn't know how it was possible, but Stolas just made a request that made the imp feel like he'd rather go along with giving the book back. That being going to the place of his former employment, a place Blitzo swore to never go back after his old career crashed and burned. "I manage an assassin company, not a bodyguard, okay? Don't invite us to shit unless it involves the slaying of others" Blitzo hotly stated, him being allowed to keep the book of the owl demon didn't mean Stolas was free to call him up for more requests, expecting compliance.
Stolas saw this coming and that stubbornness was weak against compensation. "Perhaps some payment can convince you." he enticed, knowing that was one his biggest weakness.
"Pay me what, exactly?" Blitzo wanted absolute assurance.
"Money, of course."
And Stolas struck gold. "Then it can be done!" Bltzo hangs up and accidentally smashes his phone down on the desk hard enough to break it into shattered pieces. The phones just keep on coming and going. "Good news, kid! We're gonna see if a living human soul can go to other Rings!" he says to a bewildered Lincoln, then holds up a megaphone to call the others. "M n' M! Dress up! The four of us are going to Loo Loo Land!"
"Loo Loo Land?" Lincoln questioned after covering his ears when Blitzo made the announcement.
Moxxie opens the door, surprised. "Did you just say Loo Loo Land?"
Millie excitedly crashes her head through the office door's glass, shocking Lincoln and Moxxie. "We're going to Loo Loo Land?!" She had stars in her eyes like a kid during Christmas.
"Loo Loo Land, ladies and gents!" Blitzo repeats in confirmation.
Fed up with the noise, Loona barks out a request. "Shut the fuck up or I'll cram my phone down some throats!"
So, this was an unexpected development for I.M.P.
This was an unorthodox assignment as they were just hired to protect important figures from dying rather than dish out the killing themselves, it completely contradicts the whole point of their business. What was even more odd was that they were bodyguarding at an amusement park of all places, something not many would expect to see in Hell due to the purpose of those places. Lincoln had no prior knowledge of this Loo Loo Land, only that Blitzo seemed very displeased when Stolas made the offer and the only one among the imps that couldn't wait to go was Millie.
"I can't believe it! We're actually going to Loo Loo Land!" Millie clapped happily, helping Lincoln place the weapons into the van. They changed out of their usual attire into matching suits and sunglasses. "And this'll be your first time there, Lincoln!"
"Still can't wrap my head around there being a theme park in Hell." Lincoln didn't mind it, though. It could end up being like Dairyland, another thing he misses from his old life.
"Don't get too excited, Linc." Loona advised from the building's entrance. "Place is nothing but a cheap knock off. It'd be a miracle if a ride doesn't end up breaking."
"Aw, don't you listen to her." Millie brings in him and Moxxie for a group hug. "It'll be a family outing! We'll have so much fun!" she squeezes them a bit too hard.
"Honey, a little too hard." Moxxie chokes out, making Millie soften her hold on them.
"Sure you don't want to come with us, Loona?" Lincoln asked the hellhound. He felt a little bad that they were going to leave Loona in the building all by herself.
Loona pretended to think for a moment. "Hmm. Gee, let me see...yes."
Disappointed, Lincoln nonetheless respected her decision. "Okay. If you're sure. I'll bring you back something, though. If you want." he says with a smile.
Another nice gesture and another showing of that dorky grin of his and for some reason, Loona just didn't have it in her to say no to that face. "Whatever." She walks inside to hide the small smile.
"So, Mr. Stolas is bringing his daughter?" Lincoln asks Blitzo. He hadn't seen the royal demon since his first day in Hell and given his position of power in Hell, it did make sense for him to hire bodyguards.
"Yeah." Blitzo irritatingly answered. "That beaked prick just loves asking for more and more."
"What exactly is the deal between you and him?" Lincoln didn't want to assume too much, but it was hard not to see that Stolas had an intense fondness for his boss, though Blitzo was outright revolted and made it a point to stop his advances when in public. "Are you two like...together?"
"Oh, fuck no!" Blitzo vehemently shook his head and separated his arms. "I only give him the time of day because entertaining him means we get free use of his book which is our key to racking in a lot of dough. It's strictly business. No strings attached whatsoever."
"That's a little harsh, and I don't think he feels the same way." Lincoln counters.
"Ah, rich types like him like to get excited. Nothing more." Blitzo cynically dismissed it. He doubted anything romantic. "We're only taking this babysitting job because he can pony up enough cash."
"Oh, Blitzy~." The I.M.P team looked to the corner and saw Stolas waving to the tall imp, and had his arm slung around his daughter who had her hand blocking her face to avoid being seen as they walked over. "Look at you all prepared and business-like." Stolas eyed Blitzo up and down and missed his daughter's glower.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it, shithead. You want me. Now, Hurry up and get in our van." Blitzo ordered.
"How commanding of you. Those who dare to order me are punished for it. If I recall correctly, you prefer to be the one in control, you scamp." Stolas coyly said through lidded eyes.
Cringing, Blitzo went to the van. "Just get the fuck in already!"
Nervously looking back and forth at them, Lincoln greets the owl demon. "Uh, good to see you again, Mr. Stolas, sir." he cordially says with politeness.
Glancing at the boy, Stolas smiled more casually. "Ah, young Mr. Loud. Still have those manners I see. I do hope your stay in Hell has been a pleasant experience. I know how uncontrollable this plane of existence can be."
If Stolas only knew. "Lots of bumps in the road, but I'm managing." Lincoln holds up the satchel safely containing the royal's grimoire. "You're book's right in here, in case you're wondering. I only use it for emergencies."
"My, my. Such great tenderness, love and care." The boy certainly knew how to respect others' possessions. Stolas then introduces Lincoln to his offspring "How rude of me. This adorable little one is my daughter, Octavia. Dear, I'd like you to meet Lincoln Loud, a rather special child."
Lincoln stood straight and respectfully bowed. "A-A pleasure."
The teenage owlet stared at Lincoln silently after taking in his human appearance, she turns to her father. "Dad. Is this bunny kid really a human?" White hair or not, he clearly wasn't a Sinner.
"Good eye, Princess!" Stolas beamed. "I did say he was special, didn't I?"
"I-How-" So many questions were going through Octavia's mind right now.
"I'll explain in the car, Via. Now, off to the Greed Ring!" Stolas points upwards.
Lincoln blinked. "Greed Ring? Loo Loo Land is in the Greed Ring?" Now why did no one bother to share that crucial information? "Can I even go there? Only Hellborns can freely travel through the rings, right?" All those books he got from the nearest library were still fresh in his head, knowing that it'd be impossible for the mortal soul of a Sinner demon to go outside the Pride Ring. Due to the fact that his mortal soul hadn't departed from life, it was a wonder how the rules would apply to him.
"No need for concern, dear boy. Though, top marks for knowing your Hell knowledge." Stolas chuckled. "You are a very special case, your soul is tied to Hell, but at the same time, it's still connected with the land of the living. Only the damned are confined to this ring after death and you are still alive, so there's no trouble at all."
"Oh. Cool." That question has been nagging at him for a long time and it had such a surprisingly simple answer. "I guess we're Loo Loo Land bound, then."
"There's the right attitude, my boy!" Stolas jovially declares, going to the van.
Lincoln turns to look up at Octavia. "So, uh, your dad seems pretty nice and-" Octavia ignores him and passes by with a frustrated grumble. "-right. Good talk." he sighed and followed.
Whatever this Loo Loo Land has in store, maybe it will be kind of fun.
Entering the Greed Ring was quite the experience for Lincoln, it felt like stepping into another dimension and it had a different feel to it compared to the ring of Pride. Each ring had a ruler overlooking everything, where Pride had Lucifer who also ruled Hell in its entirety, Greed had Mammon as its head honcho who also happened to own Loo Loo Land and as the ring's name implied, the place was a hotbed of avarice. The amusement park came into view and it resembled any other park of its kind, there were many carnival rides such as Ferris Wheel, high roller coasters, carny games, and had an obvious apple theme. The park itself was a little shabby with various parts looking broken, crooked, and disheveled like the apple statues.
I.M.P's van drives up to the parking lot with a lot of empty spaces. Moxxie exits the vehicle and opens the side door for the Goetia demons, allowing a cramped Stolas to get out in excitement. Octavia looks out to see her father don an apple-themed hat and ushers to come along with him for a day of endless fun.
Groaning, she covers her face with her hat and reluctantly goes with her bodyguards to enter the park as circus music plays throughout the area.
Blitzo and Stolas walk side by side and the imp reminds Stolas that this arrangement was nothing more than another job. "Just remember, Stolas, this is work and work only. No one's here to satisfy your perverted birdy needs, alright?"
Octavia felt disgusted being back here. "Hey, dad, can't we just-"
"Adults are talking, sweetie." Blitzo cuts her off before directing his attention back to Stolas for one final warning. "If you even try fucking my little ass here, it's your head-"
Amused by his boldness, Stolas bends down to poke his impish face. "How cute! You look so serious and professional!"
"I'm literally going to puke." Octavia gagged.
Alarmed, Moxxie fishes inside his fanny pack to find the right treatment that he packed just in case. "Crumbs, don't worry! I knew for sure that today was going to be a lot!" he lists off several pill bottles that were in his inventory. "Which do you require? Antacids? Ibuprofen? Morphine?" he shows Octavia several hypodermic needles filled with glowing, acid-green substances.
"I was being figurative, old man." Octavia deadpanned with crossed arms, moving away to leave him with his wife who gazed all over with childlike glee, pointing out various spots to Lincoln.
"Ah, right." Moxxie chuckles sheepishly as he tosses the needles into a baby carriage where an infant imp reaches happily to its new "toys". "But, she said it so literally."
"Moxxie, I have five older sisters who are teenagers." Lincoln tells him. "I think she was using dry humor."
"Oh. I see."
Millie removed her sunglasses to get a better look at the park and enjoyed what she saw, getting nostalgic feelings. "Wow! I haven't been to this place since I was a wee little tot!" Even though a giant letter fell off a sign and crushed the teenage imp below, it did little to ruin her happiness. "It hasn't changed a bit!" she gasped when she saw a familiar attraction and directed their eyes to it. "Look! It's Big Woobly! I've missed that mug!"
Big Woobly was a grey animatronic dinosaur with a mismatched face. It shrieked out a terrifying demonic scream that Lincoln recoiled a bit behind Moxxie who was equally disconcerted.
"That is...deeply upsetting, hon." Moxxie notes.
Lincoln shakes his head. "Can't say I'm having a good time right now."
"Oh, come on! It's fun!" Millie insisted, pulling them in through one-armed hugs. "Lincoln, didn't your folks ever take you for rides and stuff?"
"Actually, my family and I love going to Dairyland Amoosement Park." Lincoln smiled at the memories. "It's just, it wasn't dangerous like here." He looked back to see a swing ride break one of its chains and the imp riding it flew across the sky and crashed into a tent.
"Give this place a change, kiddo! It might just be even more fun!" Millie addressed her hubby. "And Moxxie, you've never been here?"
"No." Moxxie frowns, voicing his grievances through a frown. "Theme parks always disturbed me. Especially all the mascots." he shivers.
Right on cue, Loo Loo Land's mascot, Loo Loo showed up. "Hey there, folks!" The demon in a green stained apple costume with a top hat exclaims, making Moxxie scream fearfully. "I'm Loo Loo! And I welcome all you to Loo Loo Land! If y'all get hurt here, just try and sue us!"
Giddy in his pants, Stolas informs his daughter of the mascot's grand appearance. "Look, Via! There's Loo Loo in the flesh!" He believed in Loo Loo's ability to connect with the little girl inside.
Now this was an opportunity Octavia was waiting for. "Answer me this question."
"You can ask away, little girly!" Loo Loo tells her through hearty laughs.
"Isn't it true this crap-hole is just a blatant shameless spin-off of Lucifer's far more popular and successful Lu Lu World?" Octavia smugly asks, making her dad frown.
Inside the costume, the mascot discreetly looks at the poster reminders that explicitly stated otherwise and remembered the binding contract that obligated him to always deny any accusations. "...No. Not at all."
"All I smell is the reek of insecure corporate shame." Octavia mocked through a heated glare.
Nervously chuckling, Stolas leads her away before she says anything more than she needed to. "I do believe we should see the rides!"
"Now that's a creepy chick, huh?" Loo Loo asked Blitzo.
"At least her dad's not trying to diddle your holes." Blitzo cautioned, going after them.
Loo Loo turns to the imps and the single human for answers. "What's he mean by that?"
"Don't even be near us!" Moxxie snarled, standing protectively in front of his wife and friend. "I know you're nothing but a pervert under there!" He takes both away to get them far away from the apple mascot.
"That's true..." Loo Loo dejectedly admits, ashamed.
Moxxie leads them down a pathway and tired from running, he stops to catch his breath, sweating profusely. "You really like this place, huh Millie?" he asked, observing that she never once stopped smiling.
"Not just like. I love this park!" Millie explains why she's so taken with such a broken down bootleg park. "My parents brought me and my sibs here when they could swing it Money-wise." Those times happened so rarely, Millie couldn't help but enjoy every occasion that her family would get to enjoy the experience of being in Loo Loo Land.
Moxxie glances over to see a worker wheeling a wheelbarrow with money piled to the brim inside it into a gift shop that was close to their location. Approaching the window, the three saw novelty cups and stuffed apples for sale, all at the cost of twenty-nine souls per item, which was quite the steep cost and Moxxie understood what Millie meant. "Yeah, the prices are very outrageous. I mean, that many souls for a novelty cup you use only one time?" he asked, puzzled.
Lincoln furrowed his brow, not liking how cheap that was. "Flip would think this was Heaven instead of Hell." he quietly mutters.
Millie was still steadfast in her adoration of the place. "'It's worth it, since it's Loo Loo Land!"
Blitzo appears, predictably loading himself up on merchandise including a cup as well as a hat with attached can holders and straws. "Your hoe's right, Mox." he bumps the cup to Moxxie's chest. Seeing as Stolas wanted him specifically to protect him, Blitzo felt that his employee's need not concern themselves that much with this job. "Let me take the first watch while you two show the kid around? Have a little fun."
Squealing like a schoolgirl, Millie effortlessly lifts the other two up and runs off. "We gotta check on our favorite ride!"
"Which one's that?" Moxxie supposes he could set aside his issues with theme parks for Millie's sake. But they came back when he saw a lone imp riding a roller coaster named the "The Lawsuit" that plunges off a 90-degree drop at incredible speeds, while on fire, with its sole occupant hanging on for dear life as the coaster dives deep into a tunnel. "Dear crumbs!" The ride was not a fun experience as during and immediately after the ride, Moxxie found the nearest trash can to puke out his insides. A vomit-covered imp family walks by with disapproving glares aimed at Moxxie and a massive dragon-like creature looms over from the petting zoo to also glare at the imp with the weak stomach.
Lincoln took the precaution to cast a blue bubble around him for protection, though eyes were wide from the stress caused by the ride and regretting not staying behind with Loona. "You know, I think I'll go see if Blitz needs backup." he tells Millie who was comforting Moxxie and leaves, saddening the violent fighter.
So far, Blitzo has been holding up his bodyguarding duties quite well. He took up various positions around the Goetia royalty with his sniper rifle gun, on the lookout for any danger, disturbing some patrons while doing so. From hidden spots behind the booths, a group of imps creep up with ropes, knives, and pitchforks at the ready, greedily looking at the two owl demons and dreaming of the big scores they'll get if they successfully capture and ransom them. They disperse when Blitzo looks in their direction and continues to watch out in case they return. "You know, it's quite thrilling to see you on the job, Blitzy." Stolas flirted, caressing Blitzo's horn with a finger.
"Save it, bitch. Sniping here." Blitzo glowered, not in the mood for any distractions.
"Get a room, why don't you?" Octavia glared.
"Hey, I'm not some day hooker!" Blitzo stands in front of a passing imp woman with her baby and she was angry at him in response, but he was unapologetic. "What? I said I wasn't one, prude." he flips her off.
"Blitz! Wait up!" Lincoln comes in, running to his boss with tired pants. "Thought I'd never catch up."
"Kid, what are you doing here? I told you, I got the first watch handled." Blitzo poses with his rifle and waves him away. "Go and get sick on the merry-go-round or toss snacks at the mascots like most little shits do at theme parks."
The white haired boy implored his boss to let him join. "I'm not really having that much fun here. Figured I'd stick with you until the day's over."
Lincoln had good initiative, but Blitzo's word was always law in his company, Stolas then speaks in defense for the intern. "Let the boy come along, Blitzy. I'm sure he and my precious one can have more fun together!"
"Can't see that happening..." Lincoln frowns.
"Tell me about it." Octavia found herself on the same page with him. "So, shorty. What's your story? How in the seven rings did you get yourself stuck down here with that red bastard?" A human boy in Hell was about the only interesting part about today, and she noticed that her father had some form of interest in the kid's status which formed some envy in her.
Lincoln takes a side glance. "Bit of a long story. Put it simply, I can't really go back home just yet, so until then, I'm stuck working for Blitz."
Octavia sees Blitzo growling like a feral dog when Stolas tries to subtly pinch his ass. "Well, that must suck."
"Most times, yeah." Lincoln admits, putting up a brave front won't do him good. "I pretty much have to take the good with the bad, no matter how small. I don't really have that many options."
Octavia had to give the kid some credit, he's being very mature and reasonable about this instead of being raving mad like most mortals would be if they were to be trapped in literal Hell. She also sees her dad's grimoire in his satchel, so that must mean this kid must know at least some spells in there, so that must be why Stolas was so fascinated. "Is that why my old man lets you use his book?" she gruffly asked.
"Well, he gave it to Blitzo first and then he tells me to use it when we're working." Lincoln clarifies. "You know, your dad is actually a pretty cool guy. He's royalty here, right? You must mean a lot to him if he decides to take a day off and spend it with you."
Lincoln becomes confused when Octavia cynically laughs. "Please. He can try to hide it, but I know why he really wanted to come here. He thinks this damn stupid park will just make me forget how he's fucked up things at home with mum." It was all kinds of pathetic, and all it really succeeded in was fueling her disappointment in him.
"Your mom?" Lincoln thought his boss and Stolas had something going on, but didn't expect a third party. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, didn't your fucking boss tell you?" Octavia patronizingly asked. "How he seduced my dad behind my mother's back just to get that damn book and despite that, my father, in his so-called infinite wisdom, still wants to see him break my family apart?!" she screeched, eyes flaring up and fists clenched and Lincoln took a step back.
Initially afraid, Lincoln became shocked by what she told him. "Wait, so your dad cheated on your mom?"
"That's right!" Octavia hated how he kept on blatantly flirting with Blitzo right in front of her no less. "This whole thing is just him trying to cover his own ass while still trying to screw around with his new favorite plaything! And the worst part is, he thinks it'd be so easy! As if this is enough to make it all better!"
Lincoln could see more than just an anger fueled Goetia royal, he also saw signs of a young girl in pain, evident by the tears threatening to leak from her glared eyes and sympathy replaced his sense of fear. "Have you, I don't know, talked to your dad about it?" She made it sound like Stolas was intentionally hurting her, but Lincoln saw none of that based on the prince's doting nature.
Octavia scoffed. "What would be the point? It's not like he'd actually listen." she turns away bitterly.
Lincoln made a move to speak again, but Stolas eagerly pointed to a circus tent where a young imp tried in vain to escape from as his mother dragged him inside. "You used to cry such tears of joy at this show!"
"Oh, no..." Octavia shuddered, getting painful flashbacks. As a child, she was crushed against the stage by a crowd of children as that damn robotic clown of horrors malfunctions with sparks flying and laughing maniacally down at the horrified little owl. Tears were shed, but they weren't tears of joy, but tears of distress that flew over Stolas' head. She wasn't alone, Blitzo also had bad memories of that knock off of the real thing stealing all the attention and getting all the cheers, leaving him to be a clown tending food stands.
"I hate that fucking clown." Both said.
"Uh, Blitz..." Lincoln points to Stolas being raised up by a crew of kidnappers and getting tied up, their remembrance gave them their shot at taking the owl prince right then and there.
"Oh, Blitzy!" Stolas called, unconcerned by this predicament. "I need my bodyguard, please!" the bounded owl said with his head covered by a purple sack and his wallet stolen.
An imp jumped to stab him with its pitchfork, until Blitzo shot it before he could act, saving the life of Stolas. The loss of one of their comrades made the imps scatter again before Blitzo could take them out. Stolas was carried inside the tent by Blitzo who didn't bother to remove the sack while Lincoln and Octavia found some seats for the show. Blitzo drops Stolas and proceeds to resume his bodyguard duties before the show could begin, leaving Octavia to remove the sack herself.
The spotlights shined on the stage where the main attraction stepped out. It resembled a court jester due to the manner of its attire, he notably repeated his speech and glitch-like shocks. "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey, implings! It's me, the robotic Fizzarolli!" Yhe apparently robot replica of the real one introduces itself. Mammon was so cheap that he had a shoddy stuttering knock off of his top performer. "Shipped from Big Ozzie's factory to bring you a wonderful show to celebrate Loo Loo Land spelled with O's to avoid lawsuits!" he signaled the beginning of the song with a snap of his fingers.
More lights turned on as he started. He did a silly little dance as many of the imps cheered, all except for Lincoln.
Deformed animatronic mascots joined him as he jumped to the audience, returning to the stage when Robo Fizz got too close to Stolas. It was in the robot's thick processor that everyone in Hell was engrossed in Loo Loo Land.
He jumped on top of a piano to play a familiar sounding line that caught Lincoln's attention.
Robo Fizz kept on singing about all the pleasantries about the theme park, though there were two watchers that weren't enjoying the show.
Octavia absorbed the musical with disgusted boredom, a sentiment shared by Lincoln as not only did he feel like that he was too old for shows like this, but he was a hundred percent certain this robot stole some lyrics from the princess of Hell's commercial song.
This job could not end sooner.
"I was really hoping Linc would enjoy it here."
"I get that, Millie. But when you think about it, Earth theme parks are a lot safer than Hell theme parks."
When Lincoln joined their boss in protecting the Goetia royalty, Millie became disheartened as she was really hoping for him to have a good time with her and Moxxie like a real family. "But today was supposed to be fun for all three of us. Like how mama used to feel when my sibs and I played around, now I can't have any fun without Lincoln here." Wanting to cheer her up, Moxxie took her to the carnie games where one of the vendors announced to them to try their luck on his booth which had a reward that caught her eye.
"Hello, hello! Step right up and win a thing!"
Bringing her hubby to the booth, Millie's eye sparkled at what the carnie was pointing at. "Look, Moxxie! A thing!" It was a stuffed toy that resembled a penguin with imp horns and wore overalls.
"Oh, you like that thing." Moxxie asked with confidence.
"YES!" Millie's mouth watered. "I don't really know what that thing is, but I want that thing! Maybe you can win a second one for Lincoln!"
Moxxie adjusted his bowtie smugly. "Finally, some-thing I can handle." he quipped, handing some money to the carnie's table which elated his wife. "Okay! One game, please." Taking the toy gun from the carnie, he doesn't even line up his shot, just looking at his wife as he shot once and effortlessly hits a bullseye with ease, but the target only moved a tiny bit. Millie claps for him as he was quite pleased with his marksmanship, only for the carnie to discount his victory.
"Strike one, little man!"
"But, I hit it. In the target" Moxxie pointed out.
Smirking, the carnie explains the complete rules of the game. "I don't know what to tell ya, buddy. The target, see? It didn't go down. So yeah, no go, bro."
Growling, Moxxie wasn't going to let this other imp make him look like a fool in front of his wife, so he tried a second attempt with more cash to offer. Firing another cork projectile, it hits the target dead-center once more, but the force wasn't strong enough to make it fall down. "The Heaven's wrong with this infernal fake gun?" Moxxie frustratingly hits the toy gun.
"Oh man, a real shame, guess you got faulty eyes there." The carnie sheds fake tears to mock him.
Hissing, Moxxie smacks more money down. "Another!"
With Lucifer as his witness, Moxxie was going to win Millie and Lincoln those things, whatever it may be.
Back at the Fizzarolli show, Stolas is gleefully clapping to the repeating music from the robotic band which included the robotic jester while Octavia threw her head back in torment, banging her fist to the seat next to her and Lincoln rested his head on his hand, eye slightly twitching from the song that seemed to go on and on. He was starting to see why Octavia hated it here and when he gets back home, he'll praise Loona for having the wisdom to hang back and not set foot in Loo Loo Land.
Thankfully, the song finally ends with a mini pyrotechnics display as one of the animatronic band members falls apart.
Stolas laughed and cheered after it was finally over. "How delightful!" An imp rises behind Stolas, armed with a knife and ready to stab him. Lincoln fell off his seat when he heard a loud boom and saw Blitzo positioned at the back row of seats, having just shot the attempted kidnapper. The imp children ran away crying and he stared sick to his core at what was left. "My, what good aim you have, my dear Blitzy!" Stolas praised.
Octavia couldn't take it anymore. All the stupid singing, the damn clown, those ugly robots, just about everything else about Loo Loo Land, and of course, her dad caring more about Blitzo than realizing the error he made. "Ugh! I can't do this shit anymore! I'm out of here" she storms off, leaving a forlorn Stolas.
"Octavia! Come back!" he chases after her, concerned.
"Dammit. Kid, let's move." Blitzo ordered, the big wigs they're supposed to protect can't be protected if they can't see them.
As they went, Robo Fizz's mad cackling stopped them. "Ha-ha-ha hoho-oh! Are my sensors malfunctioning or do they see Blitzo up there?'' The robot duplicate couldn't believe he'd ever see his old co-worker again, and what was even more shocking was the company he kept. "And you got a kiddie that actually gives you his attention! Guess there is a God!" he mockingly laughs.
Turning with a glare, Blitzo told him things weren't the same as they were. "The 'O' is silent now., you shit-can!"
Robo Fizz stutters, recalling humiliating moments from Blitzo's time as a clown. "Like your audience always was when you to-told your lazy jokes here? How fitting!"
Blitzo's expression of contempt hardened and Lincoln looked at him in surprise. "You used to work at this park?" Thinking back to the portraits back at the office and his sourness at coming here, it started to make sense.
"A lifetime ago, young one!" Robo Fizz confirmed, loving to remind the imp of his horrible reputation back then. "And let me tell ya, the guy couldn't get people to love him or his act to save his life! In the end, he ended up quitting as a failure, a pathetic loser who's no doubt running a dead-end business!" he continuously mocks.
"Bitch, I make more money killing people than you do being a cheap-ass robo knockoff of an overrated sellout jester one foot in the crap heap!" Blitzo spat, removing his sunglasses. He was not about to let this bucket of bolts get the last laugh.
"Ooohoohoo!" Robo Fizz cackled playfully. "Someone's salty! Real or not, people love this pretty face! Is there a soul who loves you, BLITZO?" his tone took on a deeper demonic tone and his eye glowed green, freaking Lincoln out but not affecting Blitzo in the slightest.
A part of him stopped looking for love a long time ago. "No. But, I'm really good with guns now." he reloads with a new magazine and switches to full-auto with a grin. "Dance for me, bitch!" he opens fire on the robot clown who cartwheels away from the incoming rounds. He spun his body like a wheel to roll himself up the stairs, making Lincoln jump when he saw that he was in the way. Robo Fizz' robot body coiled around Blitzo like a snake and threw him through the top of the circus tent. "Fuck me...!" Bitzo screamed in panic while in the sky.
"Blitz!" Lincoln shouts in alarm and glares at the robot.
"Don't pay that washout any mind, little one!" Robo Fizz spins around, wiggling his limbs to entertain the lad. "I'm twice as fun as Blitzo could ever hope to be! Why, there ain't a soul in Hell that doesn't enjoy my brand of quality entertainment!" An orb made of light floated near him and it exploded, blasting him to crash into another robot.
Lincoln closes the grimoire and runs out. "I can name someone other than me." he looks around to see where Blitzo was, stopping next to a vendor selling torches lit with green fire.
"Torches, I say, I say! Get your inconvenient torches here!" Blitzo falls on top of the cart, scattering the torches everywhere, which sets the big top on fire. "Ow-I say, ow!" The fires very rapidly spread out to all corners of the park and animatronics inside the tent melted down to their robot bodies and yet, Robo Fizz laughed ecstatically at the destruction.
"That w-w-wasn't very nice of you, short-stuff!" Robo Fizz's head grinned evilly. "Nothing pisses me off more than a nasty crowd!" Extending his arms, he attempted to grab Lincoln only for him to cast a barrier in front to shield him. Flipping to another spell, a small portal opened which led to the inside of the I.M.P van and he grabbed a bag from it. Dispelling the barrier, he throws it for Blitzo to catch, he peers in and grins, pulling out two dual pistol guns to shoot at his old rival. Robo Fizz slithered on the ground and shot his head out like an accordian to headbutt Blitzo when he was close enough, crashing the imp into a wooden stand and losing his weapons.
"Damn, this crap-can's tougher than I remember." Dusting some wooden remains off him, Blitzo shouts to his intern. "Lincoln, things are about to get real so go make sure Stolas and his runt don't become stuffed birds!"
"What about you?!" Lincoln felt this monster was too tough to beat alone.
But Blitzo was made of thicker stuff than most imps. "Me? I'll do what I do best. Fucking shit up! Now, get going!" Knowing how pointless it'd be to argue with his boss, Lincoln nodded and ran away making Robo Fizz snicker loudly.
"Making the little ones run for the hills. Some things never really change, do they, Blitzo?" Robo Fizz leaps forward to attack.
Right now, it'd be great to have the other two assassins of I.M.P with him, but they were still at the same game booth with Moxxie failing to make the target go down and win Millie that thing. The only winner was the carnie who counted up all the six-hundred souls Moxxie spent for more tries and felt a mix of pity and delight in the losses. "Wow, this is both sad and funny. Shame that you suck, 'cause you won't win your honey the prize." he mocked, making Moxxie seethe through his sharp teeth.
Millie took the toy gun, ready to try her hand. "Let me take a shot!" Unlike her husband, Millie's shot wildly misses the target. The carnie grins mischievously and pressed on a hidden foot pedal in the booth which causes a target to fall down on command.
"Hey! Good aim there, baby!" the carnie congratulates with a flirtatious look at the celebrating Millie.
"Are you shitting me?!" Moxxie pieces together that he got scammed and was less than pleased. "This is all rigged, you charlatan!"
His face is grabbed by the carnie. "Tough, shrimp Leave so I can talk to your lady." The carnie purrs at Millie who recoils, disturbed by his advances. As this was going on, Blitzo and Robo Fizz's fight dragged on to the booths and the robot launched the imp into the air and came down through the roof of the shooting booth, crushing the carnie under him and startling his employees.
"Sir, is that you?" a perplexed Moxxie question.
"Oh, hey, guys! Sorry to cut your fun short." Blitzo waves in a daze. The married imps notice the green fire spreading around them and turn around to see Robo Fizz's looming visage slowly advance with half of his metal robotic head exposed, piercing them with his glowing red eye. "You should probably make sure Stolas is okay. I got some unfinished business to take care of." he draws his flintlock pistol with renewed vigor.
"Where's Lincoln at?!" Millie fretted, seeing that he wasn't with the boss.
"I sent on ahead, now go!" With M n' M gone, Blitzo fired one blast that spun Robo Fizz's head around upon impact, but he catches it with his mouth and spits the bullet out.
"Oh, what a mouth." Blitzo instantly regrets that little remark.
Spinning like a wheel again, Robo Fizz charges at Blitzo who leaps out when his enemy struck the boot, causing a large explosion that decimates it and sends a lot of shrapnel and and burning prizes flying like the severed flaming heads of the thing that Millie wanted to win so badly. "You never should've came back here, Blitzo!" The robot jeered.
"Hey, if it means burning this crap-hole to the ground, I should've done it years ago!" Blitzo cracked, still firing.
Looking for two avian demons in a burning down theme park populated by mostly imps should've been as easy as it sounded, but with all the chaos and panic happening due to Blitzo's battle with Robo Fizz, that made Lincoln's job very hard with every ride and game burning to the ground and nearly getting crashed by collapsing poles and coasters. The sensible thing to do would be to go to the van and wait until everything blows over, he was just the intern after all, but blame it on him being raised good enough to have a conscience that forbade that action. Lincoln had to hide behind a stand that was only slightly on fire, trying to look through the pages of the grimoire to find a helpful spell. 'Come on, come on..." An idea sparked. Since this book originally belongs to Stolas, then it should most likely have a means to locate the owner of the book.
Fortune seemed to favor him when he found a spell like that and after disappearing in a flash, he found himself in the Fun House. His mouth dropped open when he saw that he's in a surreal room of eyes, tubes, spikes, mirrors, and disembodied hands. He hears the sound of crying from inside a tunnel and runs through, avoiding the pendulums.
Down the tunnel was an adjoining room where a rail of apple themed rails cars went in slow circles and Octavia was riding in it, softly crying. "Octavia!" relieved, Lincoln climbed into the car. "Thank goodness you're okay! The park's pretty much on fire right now and Blitz is in a fight with the robot, so I think we should find your dad, and-" he stops mid-sentence when Octavia kept crying, not even registering what he just told her. Newfound concern made Lincoln temporarily set aside the current problem to ask her what was wrong. "A-Are you hurt?"
"I didn't want this..." Octavia sobbed, she was taught to never show weakness in front of lesser creatures by her mother, but the young Goetia demon couldn't keep it in. "I didn't want any of this! But my dad doesn't care what I think, he doesn't care at all!" she exclaimed, airing out her pent up feelings for Lincoln to see.
"Hey, that's-I'm sure that's not it." Lincoln told her. "He only took you here to make you happy, right? Yeah, this place is the worst, but it's the thought counts."
Octavia scoffs. "As if he put a lot of thought into taking me here! To him, I'm still a stupid little brat that forgets about everything just by being made to sit through a damn show! If he really cared, he wouldn't have hired that prick of a boss of yours! The only real reason why he did all this is just to get away from my mother's yelling!" To her, it felt like Stolas wanted to escape from the confines of home which by extension, included her and there laid the root of her troubles. Being dissatisfied with his marriage made Octavia believe that he was equally tired of being a father and one day, he could decide enough and enough and just go off. "It's all he's ever good for, now. He just wants to go away..." she miserably trailed off.
Lincoln listened to every word and though this didn't have anything to do with him, he really started to feel for the saddened Goetia princess and though there were still things he didn't understand, he did his best to offer comforting words.
"I...won't pretend to understand what's going with your parents. But, whatever's happening, I don't believe it means your father loves you any less. You're his daughter and that means something to him even if it isn't always perfect." No matter what may come, his own parents certainly made their devotion to him and his sisters His eyelids lowered as he frowned sadly. "At least you're still with him." Her eyes curiously traveled to him as he continued. "I haven't seen my dad for a while now. Or my mom. Or any of my sisters. They didn't leave me, I was...separated from them and more than anything, I just want to go back but like I said, I can't right now. Doesn't mean I'm completely alone, though." he faintly smiles as he pictured the I.M.P team in his mind then looks at Octavia. "You can still see your father and he can still see you and he's willing to go through the trouble to do so, to connect with you."
The child in Octavia wanted to trust in the shorter human's words, but the cynical teenager that she is now is still unwilling to give her father a chance. So much has already happened, so many insults shared, and acts taken that made it impossible for things to go back to the way they were before it all came crashing down. That reality made her feel worse as the crying didn't stop, making Lincoln raise his hand and after some hesitation, rub it gently on her back, stroking the feathers in a soothing motion. She hasn't been used to this kind of affection in a long time, she almost forgot what it felt like and with nothing else to do, she allowed Lincoln to keep at it.
Her mother taught her to never show weakness to lesser creatures, but screw those lessons.
That dam needed to burst and she was actually thankful someone was willing to listen, even if it was some kid she barely knows.
"Octavia! Where are you?!"
Hearing Stolas' cries, Lincoln gets out of the car. "I'll be back, okay. Just sit tight." he instructs and leaves to find the prince on the other side and waves his arm to get his attention. "Hey! She's over-" he gasps when a random imp jumps on his back.
"Um, I think I'm supposed to be bodyguarded right now!" Stolas impatiently huffs as his beak is covered by a sleeve and the imp is dealt with by a headshot fired from Millie's pistol and Moxxie arrives. "Ugh, that's better." he wipes his clothes, but then becomes annoyed again when he sees that the imp of his dreams wasn't the shooter. "Where is Blitzy? He's my knight in shining armor, not you littler ones." he demanded, only accepting Blitzo to be his savior.
Sliding down, Millie nervously answeeds. "He's, uh...busy."
Moxxie also slides next to her with a blank look and holding two "things". "Being a fool." he duly added, handing one to his lovestruck wife who hugged it tightly.
"What kind of fool?" Stolas asked.
"The 'everything is now on fire' kind." Moxxie spots Lincoln over at the tunnel. "Lincoln, are you unharmed?!"
"I'm fine, you guys. I actually found Octavia and she's alright...physically." that got Stolas' brief relief to wash away.
"Look, sweetie!" Millie raised the second "Thing". "We got this other thing for you!"
"Uh...thanks, I think?" Lincoln didn't question it, but man, he had no idea what that thing was supposed to be.
"Just stay with the royals for now!" Moxxie advised, going back into the fray with Millie.
"Child, is my Octavia truly uninjured?" It was torture for Stolas to not know of his daughter's state.
"You'll have to see for yourself." Lincoln opened the grimoire and manifested a two-way portal that let Stolas just step through to where he was.
"Impressive, my dear boy." Stolas was leagues above that spell, but it was still quite a sight to see a young human like Lincoln make it happen. Following Lincoln into the tunnel, he sees Octavia still in tears inside the car. "What-What happened?" he asks Lincoln for answers.
"I said she was okay physically, but..." Lincoln sighs and stares intently up at the owl demon. "Right now, all she really needs is to talk to you. She needs her father."
Stolas looks back at Octavia and somberly nods. "Yes. You're right. I suppose it's about time." He removed the apple themed hat and it was now frowning instead of smiling to express the current mood. "Octavia..." he sits next to the troubled teen hugging her legs. "I take it you are...not having fun." He felt like a fool for not seeing it much sooner.
"I didn't even want to come here at all! It was your idea!" Octavia sniffled.
"I'm sorry, I just remembered how much you loved it here." Stolas only meant to cheer her up, if he knew she'd have such a horrible time, he'd never have considered it.
"Back when I was a kid and my parents weren't hating each other." Octavia reminded him, finally getting all her pent up problems off her chest. "And you never flirted with some weird red dickhead the whole time.."
Stolas grew very guilty and apologized for his behavior. "I'm truly sorry, Via. I'm sorry for...everything that's happening. I know it can be hard for a girl your age, I-I should have seen that." He kept caring more about forcing a smile to form on her features and coming onto Blitzo than what Octavia really wanted and that was unforgivable to Stolas.
"I just want to go back home, except home doesn't even feel like home anymore." Octavia keeps drying her tears. "It's ruined, and it's because of you."
She was partly right, Stolas was fully aware that he had a role to play in the dark cloud that had formed over the house of Goetia, but it's not like he was the sole guilty party. "Try to understand. See, you're mother, she can be such a...I never really...the two of us were never"...we-we didn't feel..." He struggled to form it into a reasonable explanation. He could tell her that his union with Stella was one of necessity rather than one out of pure genuine love as with most marriages between noble houses of Hell, but that wouldn't make it any less worse. No matter how stale his marriage is, he still had the responsibility of being a father to the only good thing that came out of it and no amount of trysts are worth more than that. "I'm sorry, I just can't find the words." he shamefully confesses.
Seeing that he truly did feel regret made Octavia tell her what she was afraid would happen if it all continues. "Are you going to run off with him? And leave me behind? Go away where...I can't find you?" It wasn't until recent days that Octavia felt that old fear coming back to haunt her dreams.
"What?" Stolas breathes in disbelief. He now had a clear understanding of what really aches Octavia, the anger she felt at her father being unfaithful to her mother inside was enough to anger her, but deep down, she was afraid. Afraid that her worst fear would come true, that she'd wake up one day and he's nowhere in sight, leaving her all alone without her daddy. "No! No, no. Never. I'd never do that. Never." He fervently promised, easing her into a consoling hug with the same fatherly energy he displayed in her youth. For the first time, Octavia smiles in his embrace, terribly missing the feeling of being protected in his arms. "I think it's time to leave this place." he carries her bridal style. "You were right. You are too old for it anyway."
Lincoln smiles sweetly at this moment. They were both demonic beings of royal upbringing with reputations, but right now, they were a father and daughter reconciling and it warmed his heart.
He was ready to leave with them.
Suddenly, an imp jumps down from a ceiling opening with a switchblade, ready to surprise him. Stolas turns around and his eyes glow brightly, making the imp turn to stone and fall. "...Woah." Lincoln gaped. "Note to self, never make you angry."
"A wise reminder, dear boy." Stolas approved. Outside, there was still mass pandemonium once dusk fell and the I.M.P team were about to finish off Robo Fizz. Moxxie was mounted one the dragon from the petting zoo and it chased the wheeling robot, grabbing it by its collar and flinging it up before swallowing Robo Fizz whole all while their intern and their charges calmly exited the park with Octavia snuggling in closer to her dad's hold. "So, what would you like to do now?" the prince asked his child, this time hearing what she wanted.
"Oh, could we go to Stylish Occult?" Octavia requested. "They sell weird taxidermy there."
Stolas glances at Lincoln who shrugs sheepishly and reluctantly complies with a forced smile. "Okay..." he really wasn't all that sold.
Octavia chuckles. "Thanks, dad. You're okay sometimes."
But it was worth it just to see her smile again. "Thank you, Via." he smiled back. "Thank-"
A massive explosion rocks the now destroyed park, sending the team of I.M.P hurtling through the sky, screaming. They painfully land down in front of Stolas, Octavia, and Lincoln.
"Once again, you've ruined another good thing, sir!" Moxxie sarcastically droned.
"Sp worth it!" Blitzo victoriously declared. "That slutty clown had. It. Coming!"
Both Moxxie and Blitzo passed out from exhaustion.
Lincoln shakes his head with a smile. "Guess that would be the highlight of today," he admitted.
Hearing that returned some of Millie's strength and reached up to his shoulders. "Really?! So, you're saying you had fun?!"
"Seeing you guys fight the clown was pretty fun, I guess." Lincoln replied.
"Good riddance." Octavia muttered.
Squealing happily, Millie gives him a big hug. "I knew you'd have fun here, sugar!" It appears that both Stolas and Millie both got what they wanted when it came to taking their kids to Loo Loo Land. A creature smelled Millie and started to drag her way due to her weakened state, but Lincoln used the grimoire to put a barrier between it and them.
"Wow. You are pretty good with that book, kid." Octavia complimented, then gratefully smiled. "Lincoln, right? Thanks for listening and all. I think I really needed someone to talk to."
"Hey, no problem." Lincoln replies. "I'm just glad you both smoothed things over."
"Be that as it may, I feel you deserve some form of reward for your efforts besides money." Stolas honestly says, pleased to know the human child did such a nice thing for his little Starfiire. "You handle my grimoire remarkably well. young Mr. Loud. Granted, it's merely beginner spells, but to have a basic understanding is a feat to be proud of. Who knows? There could be more for you to learn."
Octavia saw where her dad was going with this...and was onboard with the plan. "Dad. The mansion has its fair share of magical knowledge and you got plenty of experience. Doesn't seem fair that I'm the only one learning from you."
Lincoln looks between them both. "Wait, what's going on here?"
"Due to your unique situation, I think it prudent that you learn more advanced spells, for your own protection of course." Stolas explains and extends the offer of a lifetime. "It just so happens that I myself have much knowledge to share and if you would have me, allow me to teach you all there is to know about the arcane magics of Hell."
Lincoln gaped as he registered what the prince just offered. This was a real-deal invitation to formally learn magic from a master, just like those awesome sorcerer movies, comics, and series. "That would be amazing! Like, wow! I can hardly believe-" He notices the teasing smirk on Octavia over his geekout, so he collects himself. "I mean, I thank you for this, Mr. Stolas, sir. Is it fine with you, Blitz?"
His boss groaned in response.
"...Sounds like a 'yes' to me, dad." Octavia shrugs.
"Splendid!" Stolas celebrated.
Lincoln sees arriving fire trucks. "I think we've overstayed our welcome. But, really. Thanks for this." he said, taking another big step in his time in Hell.
New spells to cast.
There was no telling what he may find.