Chapter Text
A few days later in Bikini Bottom...
It had been some time since Spongebob had recovered from whatever injuries he had gained since the incident. Right now, he was overseeing the restoration of Bikini Bottom over a cliff, sighing as he held his spatula tight. Giving a sad sigh, he looked towards where the new Krusty Bucket was being made. It was so different, yet so familiar at the same time. The Chum Bucket had been demolished to make room for it, further emphasizing how utterly new it was for him.
"Heeeeey...want some patties? I got some from down there." Loona's voice brought him out of his thoughts, the hellhound looking like she was trying to find words that wouldn't upset him.
"Hi, Loona. You can join, don't worry." He scooted over, patting the ground. "Don't mind me. Just...processing things."
The hellhound's ears fell, noticing how his tone was still down. "Listen, if you need more space-"
"Actually, I'm really glad you're here. I don't have to process things alone." Spongebob said as his stomach grumbled, causing him to blush in embarrassment. "I also shouldn't be doing it on an empty stomach."
"That's a fact." Loona said before chowing down on her patty, giving the other one to her boyfriend. As they ate, she finally found the words for what she wanted to say. "I'm really...REALLY fucking sorry."
Swallowing down his mouthful of patty, Spongebob gave the hellhound a confused look. "Excuse me? What's there to be sorry for?"
"It's just...I feel like I pretty much brought all that chaos on your head." Loona confessed. "The other demons, whatever the fuck Paimon was on about, Strong Gonorrhea or whatever his name was. You wouldn't be feeling shitty about everything happening because-"
She was stopped when Spongebob laid a hand on her shoulder. "There is some part of me that's a little mad that Hell came to Bikini Bottom..." He realized that was a sentence that he never thought he'd say before continuing. "But you're the last person I'd ever blame for what happened. Even right now, you're here for me when I'm down in the dumps. You're a good person, Loona. I just hope I can be a good boyfriend."
"You are. Believe me." Loona softly smiled, holding his hand before looking towards the town. "Huh. They rebuilt fast."
"Yeah. There was this time when me and Patrick freaked out over Sandy's pet butterfly." Spongebob nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Also, that time I became hall monitor at my boating school. Nearly flipped the town upside down after that." His expression fell when he remembered why he was really sad. "What hurts the most, really, is that...he's gone. Mr. Krabs is really gone. Not only that, but Strong Gomo...that THING put jellyfish on the endangered species list after destroying King Jellyfish."
The venomous tone of when Spongebob nearly brought up the kaiju's name threw Loona off a bit, but she just took that in stride. "That's rough. Wait, what about the other monster?"
"Cotton Pope? King Neptune made a full recovery and he promised Mindy that he'd rehabilitate him rather than just throw him in a dungeon." The sponge explained. "Honestly, I'm not worried about him."
"What about Zearth?"
"He also recovered and he had to leave. But he did tell me something else." Whipping out the capsule, Spongebob examined it alongside the hellhound. "He said that, one day, the answers would come to me about how this thing worked."
"Just letting you know, but that was a major badass moment there." Loona said, her tail wagging.
"I know, but what bothers me is that I don't know how and why it activates. Maybe Mermaid Man was onto something." He wondered before putting it away. "I'm just glad Zearth is okay and saving the the day wherever he goes. It's great to know there are heroes out there beyond my universe." He looked to his neighborhood in Bikini Bottom, looking at the construction that was rebuilding his home and the others that were smashed up. "I'm also just kind of hoping everybody else is taking things well."
"I'm pretty sure they are. They seemed pretty happy after they learned you were okay. I sure as shit was." Loona said before looking towards the Krusty Bucket. "Do they take requests for what to add when it finally gets built? Maybe a jukebox, I dunno."
Spongebob uneasily joined her in looking at it. "I can't lie to you. I miss the old Krusty Krab. But it's gone now. What if Plankton just turns his back on Mr. Krabs' request? What if things aren't as successful? What if-"
"Easy there! You're spiraling hard." Loona held his hand harder. "You know, you could make sure that doesn't happen by joining them. They look like they could use an extra pair of hands."
Giving his spatula another look, Spongebob's expression changed from tired and depressed to steeled determination. "You're right. The Krusty Krab is a crew, not a place. My old boss wouldn't want me just moping around. Whatever happens, I'm going to make sure the Krusty Bucket lives up to everybody's expectations and then some. As long as these pants are square...and this sponge is bob...I will NOT let everybody down."
"That's the spirit. Guess I'll see you around when you finish that." Loona awkwardly said, preparing to use her Asmodean crystal to leave.
Arching a brow, Spongebob noticed something was off with that. "Loona, is there something else you wanna say?"
"I mean...yeah...but this might be a bad time." She admitted before relenting, especially as she stared into his innocent eyes. "Fine. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out in my neck of the woods. Like, visit Hell and just hang around. You were having a tough break, so I-"
"I'd love to! I already have my schedule mapped out and I can easily fit that all in." Spongebob exclaimed. "It would also be really nice to get out of the pineapple and not cry into a pillow."
Blinking in surprise, Loona's tail wagged more. "Heh. First time I heard of somebody WANTING to go to Hell." Then, she had an idea. "We could still just chat while I also help out with some of the repairs."
"You don't have to do that. I can handle this." Spongebob said. "You already helped me a bunch by just being here and talking! Did I mention I think you sound like an angel?" He asked genuinely.
Despite how corny that line was, she gave a sweet chuckle. "Thanks, really. But this is my choice. I'm helping because I want to. That..." She leaned in, getting a little flirty. "And how would you like to see me, all covered in sweat and wearing my casual clothes at the same time?" She stretched out her tanktop, showing that she wasn't wearing a bra beneath it.
Spongebob blushed so hotly that steam came out of his pores. "Oh...my...that's certainly something to look forward to." Clearing his throat, he turned to the construction site. "Alright! Let's get to wor-GAH!"
Tripping over a stone, he slammed against the rocks in a comedic way while descending down the cliff. "Oh, shit! You okay?!" Loona cried out, looking over the cliff.
Despite having landed on his head with enough force to create cracks in the ground, Spongebob stood up, waving to her. "I'm more than okay! I'm ready!" With that, he zoomed over to the construction site. "Hey, Mr. Plankton! Don't leave me out! There's work for me and my lovehound to do!"
"Lovehound?" Loona gave a tilt of her head before smiling and shaking it. "Ah, you fucking dork. Never change." With that, she leaped over the cliff, ready to help. "Head's up, guys! I like long lunches!"
Meanwhile at Stolas' Place...
Octavia sat in her room, looking over some old photos she got from the basement. Photos that languished there since the move to this house until recently. "My little starfire, are you...alright?" Stolas slowly peeked his head into the room, the door having not been locked.
"I'm fine, dad. Really, I am." She said before sighing. "Are you sure everything is fine now? Uncle isn't going to drag me away to his estate anymore?"
"Not if I can help it, that's for certain." Stolas said sternly before entering, noticing the photos. "I don't remember these photos." He said as he picked them up, finding something interesting about them.
His daughter would have asked him further about the state of things involving her mother's side of the family, but both Goetia demons were looking through the photos. "I took them and I...guess I forgot to show them to you. You were too busy fighting with mom."
"Oh. So glad those days are behind us. You won't have to deal with that anymore." Stolas said.
"...no more seeing mom, right? So you don't get distracted with hating her. I got it." Octavia said somewhat bitterly, causing her father's expression to fall. "Sorry. I should be happy it's just us. Things are better and...I don't know, but I feel oddly...nice after what happened. It's weird, I know, but it's true."
"Why's that?" Stolas asked before he noticed what the photos showed. Much to his surprise, it was a young Octavia hanging out in the human world. Specifically, it was in the middle of a forest, the owlet looking very happy while sitting atop another happy child's back. This one looked like a horned lizard with membranous wings and...
It didn't take him long to figure out who the creature in the photos was. "Yep. That's him. Strong Gomorant. I never got his name before, but there you have it." Octavia said, lightly smiling as she moved through other photos. One depicted her waving around a stick, pretending she was slaying a dragon. Another showed Strong Gomorant acting as a boat for her, swimming through the waters while she pretended to be looking out of a telescope. Yet another photo had her holding onto his neck while he flew through the air, though it looked more like gliding.
The final photo had them gazing up at the stars, his tail keeping her close. "You look so happy in these." Stolas said before remembering something. "Oh, yes! I recall that you were trapped in the human realm at some point. I was so worried sick and Stella, for once, actually took the initiative to find you...after she smashed a vase against my head." He bitterly said that last bit. "I assumed you were crying afterwards because her and I fought again, but-"
"Because she took me back home before I could say goodbye." Octavia somberly finished for him. "Now, he's back and he remembers me, even after all of this time. He got bigger too. Kind of...hot, even." She lightly blushed. "I still think it was wrong that he went through all of that. He was merely lashing out."
"Yes, but he almost destroyed us all. I don't think it's wise to see him again until we're sure he's not a threat." Stolas said before a moment of silence passed between them.
Octavia broke the silence when she did a double-take. "Wait, if it was just me and Strong Gomorant, who took these photos?"
Clearing his throat, Stolas tried to lift the mood. "Nevermind that! It's best not to think about it too hard. Let's be glad that things are back to normal!"
"Hmph. 'Normal'." She sarcastically said. "I don't really know how to feel. On one hand, I get to meet an old friend that's probably living in this realm as we speak. On the other hand, I'm still wondering why you and mom couldn't just make it work."
Stolas hated having to speak about the state of things between him and his ex-wife. For years, he had tried to maintain the image that both Goetia demons were going through a rough patch that would be over soon, but he knew that image would be shattered soon enough. "You've heard me argue with your mother enough times to know that...she's awful. I know you and her had some good times, but that doesn't change the fact that, given the chance, she'd gladly sell us both out if it meant more power and prestige for herself. That, and she just likes to torment me. Even I haven't figured out why!"
Part of Octavia didn't want to believe him. She looked visibly uncomfortable as her memories, good and bad, clashed. There were memories of Stella checking up on her as a hatchling, going shopping with her, gossiping with her, and even taking a slight interest in her taxidermy hobby (though Stella kept missing the point of why her daughter enjoyed it). The fact that she was constantly busy with royalty stuff wasn't anything that her father wasn't also involved in.
However, she also couldn't ignore the memories of Stella provoking her father for seemingly no reason. Not to mention, there had been times when the Goetia demon had snapped at her own daughter, the apologies that came after being awkward and somewhat token. "Dad...if mom were ever to say she was 'sorry'...would you let her back in?"
Not wanting to lie to his daughter, Stolas sighed. "I don't know. I just don't know."
"Besides, that imp isn't getting in the way anymore." Octavia added. "There's an even greater chance that, somehow, you and mom can get back togeth-"
"NO! That's not...I'm sorry..." Stolas looked close to tears at this point. "I don't know how else to tell you this. Even if Blitzy...I mean, Blitzo hadn't come into my life...I don't think we'd still be together."
"Do you STILL want him in our lives?" She crossed her arms, slightly angry. "He ruins everything. You saw the way he cast you to the fucking side during that dinner."
"Only to throw the other Goetia demons off. I'm sure he...I'm just not sure! I'm not sure about anything! I...I...I need time to process this. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Stolas rubbed his head, standing up as he made his way to the door. "Tomorrow, what do you want to do?"
Octavia could still not understand what her father saw in Blitzo, but she could see her father was hurting. "I don't know yet. Maybe just...hang out?"
"Sounds like a plan. Sweet dreams." Giving his best smile, he wiggled his talons around to create some starry illusions over her bed.
"Thanks, dad." She softly said, already feeling tired from it all.
Once he had left for his own room, Stolas collapsed onto the bed, the tears flowing freely now. "What do I do now?" He wondered before flipping onto his back, starring holes into the ceiling. Despite being somewhat freed from the shackles of his family's influence, there was one more obstacle to his happiness. The fact that he never could figure out if Blitzo loved him or not.
That incident at Ozzie's was something that both seemed to want to move on from, but the mixed signals just wouldn't stop! He considered sending a text to the imp tomorrow, but that came with the risk of it never being answered. Perhaps he could have Octavia and Loona hang out while he tried to interact with the imp? Those two seemed to be becoming good friends. That was certainly something to smile about.
"One way or the other, Blitzy..." He wiped away the tears, swallowing the lump in his throat. "...I'm going to set things right. I didn't treat you like I should have in the past. I'm going to march up to you, look you straight in the eye, and show you that I've changed." That finally got him to get some much needed sleep.
Another thing he remembered to do before slumber took over? Make sure there wasn't any chance that their possible date would get any hecklers. The Ozzie's incident had hopefully taught him well.
Meanwhile at Blitzo's Apartment...
Obviously, it wasn't just Stolas that was suffering emotional turmoil. Blitzo also felt multiple things within him. None of them were positive. Right now, he was alone again in his apartment, throwing a ball against the wall and having it bounce back to him. He didn't even care that it smacked against his forehead a few times.
Firstly, it was a slow couple of business days. No requests for any assassinations had come and it was nearly driving him stir-crazy. Secondly, Loona was away again, once more wanting to see the one that he still held in some kind of contempt. Granted, watching Spongebob defeat Strong Gomorant was somewhat impressive, but he couldn't help but feel a little...jealous.
"Who does that loofah think he is? Goku or something?" He said to himself. "Thinks he can pull off the nice guy act long enough to steal her away from me? Well, if he puts one foot out of place, I'll shove every weapon I've collected right up his porous ass."
However, there was also the issue of what he had said to Stolas. Granted, both realized that they needed to get Paimon off their asses, but there was the question of IF he wanted to see him again, now that Stolas was living as a regular citizen in Imp City. He too had considered sending a text, but every time he tried that, he relented. "He's better off without me anyway. I mean, my daughter would rather hang out with a fucking loofah than me." His thoughts began to spiral, causing him to narrow his eyes more.
It was during this spiral that something began to crackle in the room. That caught the imp's attention, as he moved to the source of it. Opening up a nearby cabinet, Blitzo found that souvenir from when the Crystal Tower first formed in Wrath. One of Mokushiroku's crystal shards, that is. Normally, things like that tended to disintegrate after enough time.
This one was different. It was now jet-black, red volts moving around it. They seemed to increase with every bad thought Blitzo had. "Hmmmnn...why do I still have this?" He wondered. When he grasped around the crystal, Blitzo felt somewhat at greater ease. He could feel his negative thoughts increase, but it didn't feel awful. It actually felt kind of...good. Kind of like getting a new sort of high.
"Trippy." He smirked before clenching the crystal tighter. Something about this was intoxicating, but also comforting. Almost like whatever power was in this crystal acted as a last resort in case things were to really go downhill. "I don't know what this thing is, but I love it!" He hid the crystal back when he saw a portal opening up in his room. "Loonie! You're back! Wanna go out to eat?"
Exiting the portal was Loona, sweat drenching her outfit. "Shit...I actually just ate. But what I could really use...is a fucking bed."
At first, Blitzo felt disappointment fill him, but then he noticed her sweaty state. Pupils thinning into pinpricks, he rushed over to her side. "WHAT DID THAT LOOFAH DO?! YOU'RE TOO INNOCENT TO-"
"We didn't fuck, Blitzo!" Loona yelled before panting a bit more. "I just helped Spongebob out with repairing his town. It was a bitch to do, but we made some real progress."
The imp sighed in relief. "Okay, fine. Just don't hurt yourself while doing that. You don't really owe that yellow pipsqueak anything."
"We kind of brought the apocalypse to his town just by being around." Loona pointed out. "Excuse me if I felt a little shitty aboout what happened. Besides, even if we didn't, I chose to help."
"And that's what makes that loofah really damn lucky to have you as a girlfriend." Blitzo tried to be encouraging, yet he couldn't hide the bitterness in his voice.
Still, the hellhound seemed to get the message. "Thanks, I think." She yawned, stretching her limbs before moving towards her room, not even locking it as she collapsed onto here. Instantly, she was out like a light, curling up on the bed and peacefully sleeping.
Sadly, Blitzo moved into the room, having been cheated out of spending time with her for the day. He respected her need for sleep, merely putting the covers over her body. "He doesn't deserve you...and maybe I don't either." He softly said, moving back towards the couch, sitting there and merely starring at the wall. "Watching paint dry as a hobby...damn, I've hit a new low." He somberly chuckled to himself.
Back in the cabinet, the crystal hummed softly, empowered by the source of its newfound energy. This energy was something that literally could make monsters out of people. An energy that was reviled across the universe, but was within all living beings. It was known as Minus Energy...and there was plenty in Hell to go around.
Perhaps it would be only a matter of time before Blitzo would start getting ideas about it, if he ever learned of the true power it possessed. But that moment wouldn't come to pass...for now.
Meanwhile at the lair of Sir Pentious...
Within this lair, the Egg Bois were crowding around one of the many rooms inside the Victorian mansion-like area. Mainly, the place where Pentious liked to get medical attention for the injuries he usually got while on the job. This time, though, it would be just the serpentine demon and his new kaiju companion. With him no longer being as big as a house, Strong Gomorant had found it much easier to traverse the whole place, but right now, he was in no mood to do so.
In fact, he was still getting patched up, a bandage covered over where his Bemstar waist used to have its mouth. "You should make a full recovery in a few more days. After that, we'll be unbeatable!" Pentious laughed before noticing the downcast expression of the kaiju. "Don't give me that. You had a bad day. That happens a lot to us villains. The key is to bounce back from it and keep going until our foes finally crumble!"
"Rrrrrrgh..." He gave an uneasy growl, curling his tail as he looked his head to the fake star ceiling that the serpentine demon had installed.
At first, Pentious didn't get it, but then he remembered what happened in Bikini Bottom. "Oh, please. You'll have plenty of opportunities to see that Goetia demon again. We just need to conquer Hell first...or wait! What if I was to get the Goetia family fortune through you!? That's brilliant!"
"Can we come in? We have a surprise for the new guy!" The Egg Bois kept knocking on the door, causing Pentious' eye to twitch.
"If it'll shut you all up, fine! You can come in!" Pentious threw up his arms, readying his ray gun before turning to the curious kaiju. "This is what I have to deal with all day. Try not to rampage thanks to their eternal stupidity."
Breaking into the room, a group of Egg Bois carried a cake towards the sitting monster. Then again, calling it a 'cake' was generous. It looked more like burnt batter and melted frosting, with some candles strewn about it in a clumsy manner. Even the smell nearly caused Pentious to puke up every lunch he had since this month started. "One of us! One of us!" They all chanted, hopping around with that mess of a dish.
"URGH! How dare you bring that in?! I thought I told you fools that you're all banned from baking anything!" Pentious shouted, plugging up his nose while his hat squirmed on his head, clearly in distress from having to smell and look at the abomination of a cake. "Remember the brownies you made for me last year?! I had to get my stomach pumped!"
"Ah, memories." An Egg Boi dreamily said.
Rather than also be disgusted, Strong Gomorant got on his feet, clutching the bandage on his waist. Sniffing around the cake, he gave a gasp when he realized that this cake was for him. A few tears welled up in his eyes before he happily dug in, messily munching through the cake before giving a happy roar. "Cheaaaarrr! Cheaaaaaaaaarrrr!" He jumped up and down, shaking the entire place.
"Oh, Heavens! Cease that at once!" Pentious cried out, wrapping his body around a metal beam for balance. When it stopped, he sighed. "I suppose if your goal was to cheer him up, you've succeeded. Finally, something you idiots did that went well." He crossed his arms before being tightly hugged by Strong Gomorant. "GAH! I...um...this is...nice..." He awkwardly looked around before his tail wrapped around the other's waist, just embracing in the hug. "Very well. To our new future! To the age of Lord Pentious! To Strong Gomorant...the Super Monster!"
As everybody cheered, the kaiju still looked up to the stars. Deep down, he yearned to see Octavia again. It probably wouldn't be like in the past, but if there was a chance he could just relax with the first friend he had ever made...he would take it.
"Oh, and another thing!" Pentious added. "Congrats on gaining your first arch-nemesis!" When he said that, the kaiju's expression fell, remembering that horrible fight with Spongebob. "Don't worry. We'll make him pay for what he did to you. Count on it!"
Remembering that fight made the monster look at his bandaged wound, his eyes narrowing before he gave a growl. Just the very thought of Spongebob...it made him want to fight that guy again! But that was for another day. For now, he offered some of the cake to Pentious, causing him to slink back.
"I...think I'll settle for some biscuits." The serpentine one politely said.
Meanwhile at Moxxie and Millie's apartment.
There was a lot on Moxxie's mind, especially as he casually strummed away on his guitar. This time, though, it was more than just about whether he and his wife should have had a kid or not. "Millie, there's something I need to ask you."
"What's that, hon?" She hopped onto the bed with him, dressed in her nightgown.
"You think we could have done more during that dinner incident?" He asked. "I know our chances of stopping that monster were slim to none without help, but...what about helping the civilians? I feel like we made a token effort and that was it."
Millie gave that thought before getting under the covers. "Pretty sure they have it handled. Blitzo said it ain't our problem."
"Yeah, I guess." Moxxie didn't sound convinced. "So, now what?"
"We wait for another chance to stretch our legs and bash some heads." Millie said. "Simple as that." The lack of a reply from her husband was bugging her to an extent. "Honey, tell me what's really eatin' you."
"Okay, sorry. It's just...you know. Just me overthinking about the future again." He brushed it off. "Nothing more."
"Whatever you say." Millie said before kissing him on the cheek. "Hey, if you go down, I'll be there to pick you back up and vice versa. You got that?"
"I know." He smiled back before kissing her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Millie."
"Goodnight, Moxxie."
As they slept, the male imp's dreams were anything but peaceful. There, he saw a whole bunch of tombstones surrounding him, all displaying names of those he had killed. While there were some he would not miss, there were plenty more of humans that were just in the wrong place, wrong time. Moxxie knew his job as a professional killer would mean that he had to get his hands dirty, but then why did he have this nightmare so many times, each more full of graves than the last?
"Just part of the job...just part of the job..." He said to himself...only to see a huge tombstone pop up. It displayed his mother's name. It read 'Dead, because her son did nothing'. "What?! That's not what happened I...why is this happening?!"
Right as he backed away from it, the tombstone increased in size, falling down on him and causing him to gasp when he woke up in a cold sweat. His tail curled more around the tail of his wife. She had already fallen asleep...or so it seemed. Fresh tears seemed to be forming in her eyes, her words mumbled. "That's...that's all I'm good for...all I'm good for..."
Shaking his head, Moxxie snuggled into his beloved, causing her to calm down significantly, both of them letting tiredness take them over. "I don't know what's happening to us...but we'll get through it together, like you said." He vowed, the two of them holding each other close and not daring to let go.
Meanwhile at Andrealphus' Estate...
The icy peacock demon clasped his talons as he sat on his icy throne, thinking over things. His eyes were narrowed, trying to come up with the best solution for the current circumstances. Despite his arrogant reputation, he was a calculating demon, able to play the waiting game if he needed to until the right time to strike came.
"Let's see...Paimon is in critical condition...Stolas remains as defiant as ever...he still gets to keep his armies...and my sister remains a pretty bitch." He said to himself before leaning back. "If I'm to gain Stolas' fortune...there must be a way to get Octavia into our inner circle."
"She'll come around! I'm her mother. She HAS to come back to me after the fool kicks the bucket!" Stella said, walking in to have some tea.
"Ah. There you are. Tell me. Has Octavia been returning your calls yet?" Andrealphus asked.
At first, he was met with silence, Stella's expression looking somewhat embarrassed before she regained her smugness. "All I have to do is keep texting her 200 times!"
"Texting: the only way your terrible spelling would be considered 'excusable'." Andrealphus joked before looking serious. "Are you aware of what Paimon's current condition means?"
"That he won't be annoying us anytime soon?" Stella wondered. "Maybe Stolas will find something new to cry about?"
"Idiot!" Andrealphus slammed his fists against the table. "His estate is up for grabs among our siblings! Most are, thankfully, not interested, but the only thing that stands between us and unimaginable wealth...is your daughter. A daughter you are FAILING to bring to your side. He adores your ex-husband, remember?"
That caused Stella to dig her talons into the table, narrowing her eyes. "Don't remind me. One way or the other, she WILL change her mind! She has to! I'm her mother, for fuck's sake! She owes me everything!"
"Right, right. Whatever gets you through the night, my sweet." Andrealphus shrugged before an idea suddenly hit him. "No matter what you think, we have two options. One, we somehow find a way to bring her to our side. Maybe something involving mind control." He didn't pay attention to how Stella's talons dug into the icy floor upon hearing that, her eyes widening in shock. "Two, we make her have an...accident. The kind that puts people in the obituaries."
"WHAT?! How dare you?!" Stella screeched before her brother caused sharp spikes of ice to form on the table, causing her to clear her throat. "I mean...there's got to be a better way than that."
"So, murdering your failure of a husband is okay, but when it comes to your do-nothing of a daughter, you draw the line? Honestly, Stella, you are REALLY lucky you're beautiful." He relented a bit when he noticed how Stella was looking visibly uncomfortable at the prospect. "You know...we may not need to rely on your rebellious daughter. For all we know, Paimon will soon be on his death bed and we'll be there to manipulate things juuuuust right so that we get the lion's share of what he's got."
"Yes! I was worried for a second that we were going to have to work!" Stella shuddered. "Working is for either poor people or servants."
"Indeed, my dear. No matter what we must do, this is the high life. This is where we belong." Andrealphus sipped his coffee, before another idea hit him. "Don't forget. If things go south, there's always that mongrel you have at your beck and call. He brought Stolas to near-death once. If that pathetic fool tries to interfere, by all means, summon him again."
"With pleasure." Stella smirked, looking through her contacts on her phone to make sure Striker was on standby. However, a few absent flicks of her fingers caused her to land on the photo app, the image being that of the Goetia family visiting Loo-Loo Land. They all looked happy, even their usually downcast daughter. For a while, Stella lingered on this photo before turning off her phone, shaking her head.
"It's all that fool's fault things are like this. If only he'd know his place." She growled to herself, trying her best to ignore the feeling that, for reasons she couldn't comprehend, something about the coming schemes she and her brother had made were going to end badly.
Meanwhile at the Crystal Spire...
Night had fallen upon the Circle of Wrath, the gleaming white tower of crystal dimming its light. Mokushiroku floated above it, gazing down on the inhabitants. Thankfully, Millie's family had not chosen to attack his place this time, allowing him the opportunity to think over his next move. Taking a deep breath, he floated higher into the sky, looking to where the stars would normally be.
'The time for rest is over. The reckoning of the Space Ponies...begins.' He clenched his claw, narrowing his eyes before opening up his other claw, revealing an Asmodean Crystal. Stabbing it into his chest, he felt the power to create portals surge through him, red lightning crackling off of his shoulder crystals.
His next stop? Planet Conva. He had been putting this off for long enough now. But he also had another goal, beyond just wrecking the place. There was somebody in that horrible prison planet that would be essential for his true goal. If he was to destroy all that Grand Ruler Celesto had made, he would need the help of a legend. Somebody perhaps more powerful than himself.
His name...was Stammadon.
But before he created the portal, he turned back to the direction of the Circle of Pride. 'Maybe I should give Charlie a visit first.' He had been meaning to check up on her before departing. So, he floated back into his tower, sleeping once more.
THE END...FOR NOW...