Chapter Text
Family game nights were a frequent activity for Lincoln to do every once in a while. He just always did it with his biological human family and he'd play regular normal board games that would make even Lynn take way too seriously just for victory. "Okay, sweet pea. Now, it's your turn!" Millie said to Lincoln, instructing him to spin the wheel to see where it would land. "Hot damn! Aren't you lucky? You get to stay in the safe spot. That way, the farm owner won't stab you with his pitchfork when he catches up!" Millie celebrated as she helped move his piece up multiple spaces.
"Uh-huh. What's this game called, again?" Lincoln asked, Millie didn't really give him a good general idea.
"It's only the favorite board game of every little impling down in Wrath." Millie should know, she was one of them. "Escape from the farm owner! You make sure to make it back to the home farm before the owner of the neighboring farm catches you and feeds you to the Hell pigs."
"...You know, that would fit as a favorite in Wrath."
Millie dusted off her shoulders. "Yessiree! And not to brag, but when your badass mama and her sibs played, she always won. FYI, your auntie Sallie May was always a bitch of a sore loser."
Moxxie came to give the players mid-game food. "I, uh, suppose Earth-based board games are more your speed."
"It's fine." Lincoln ate his sandwich. "You know, whenever my family had a game night, it was seriously packed. I honestly never thought I'd play with only just the parents. Even though I got over it, it was hard for my parents to make time with just one of us."
"That's because there's only one baby for just us two!" Millie pecked Lincoln's cheek.
One of the reasons why Lincoln was so put off about having demons as surrogate parental figures was that he wasn't used to so much undivided attention being placed on him. His sisters and their active lives were what usually warranted it, and he just tried his best to get included. "Too bad Blitz and Loona aren't here. Doesn't feel right without them."
"I'm...sure they'll come back in their own time." Moxxie did not seem convinced by his own words. "In the meantime, entertaining ourselves will have to suffice."
"I guess. If anything, everything's been slow lately. It's kinda boring if you ask me."
Millie more than understood. "Believe me, honey pie, no one misses killing more than your ma. But, until Blitz gets whatever sh*t he's going through together, we're gonna have to settle with some regular family fun! In fact, I got something else in mind if you're not up for a game! Wait right here! There's something in the closest full of random crap Blitz forgot to throw out, because hording isn't a f*cking problem!"
"I thought that was the closet in his office?" Lincoln asked.
"No, you're thinking of the one with all his limited edition horse figures." Moxxie remembered how he almost broke that one time before Lincoln became employed as the intern.
To think he was a shade of red that far exceeded how imps normally were.
"So, that's where he keeps them."
"I'm back, boys!"
Lincoln became more than acquainted with Millie's ideas of fun, so it did not surprise him in the least that she brought in a practice dummy for fighting as a means for him to take his mind off his worries. He did get interested after seeing whom the dummy resembled. The getup it had plus the mustache drawn gave it a passing resemblance to perhaps one of the few imps Lincoln was not fond of.
"Millie, why is there a dummy that looks that jerk, Striker?"
"Lincoln asked a very good question, sweetness. Wh-What's the purpose of this? If it's to piss us off by the mere sight of anything resembling that f*cking vain family threatening asshole, then it's working."
"You can have your turn with it after Lincoln, Moxxie." Millie then gifted upon her boy a pair of brass knuckles painted black. "Here, your pappy gave these to me when I was about your age after mama gave me my first meat cleaver the year before."
"For cooking?"
"And for beheading the neighbors we had a feud with." Millie fondly remembered the old times. She moved Lincoln's arms to position them right and adjusted the boy's footing to make a satisfactory fighting stance. "Now, I think it's finally about time we really polish your hand-to-hand fighting ability. You said one of your sisters was top notch, right?"
"Yeah, Lynn. Lola, too, when she's in her bad mood...which was always."
"Then it's time for you to step up in your litter! Learning how to use weapons is starting to be good enough for you. But, this is where the real action is, punching a son of a bitch's lights out with your fists!"
Lincoln silently agreed on that. His survival in Hell hinged on learning the necessary skills and capabilities. Magic and guns were useful, but he truly did need to realize that getting out of his comfort zone may just save his life. "Okay, but don't you think I need training brass knuckles for this?"
Millie laughed it off as a joke. "Oh, you are such a peach!"
Lynn used training equipment, not literal tools that could seriously harm a person. Although, she made constant requests in the holiday season and on her birthdays, in addition to over-the-top stuff like a flamethrower. He thrust his right arm forward to hit the Striker dummy once and it didn't move. He shook off his right hand stinging to go for a left hit. Still no movement and only more stinging. He knew it was just a dummy and not the real deal. But, Millie actually succeeded in making his taunting grin look realistic, like he was really in the room. Lincoln's always been afraid of meeting the assassin who nearly took away Stolas once more. Not just because of what Striker would but, but he himself would do. Lingering anger remained and a fake Striker could even incur it. Shouting, Lincoln punched fast and swiftly, each blow struck made his eyes blink a red color to show a small of his inner anger showing up.
In one final punching motion, that was enough to strike all the way through the rubber dummy, spilling out the sand as a result. "Look alive!"
"Huh?!" Turning, he saw Millie holding up training hand pads also painted with Striker resemblances that got his anger increasing. "Striker..." Moxxie noticed his shift into anger and grew concerned, knowing what it may lead to. He went to punch those infuriating things and for a moment, he imagined Striker's laugh. It ticked him off to no end. He forced the brass knuckles to go for a united punch that made Millie fall over in a tumble.
"Whoo!" She screamed from her spot on the carpet. "Now, that's the kinda sh*t I'm talking about, sweetie!"
Lincoln's anger went away, thankfully, and he dreadfully realized that he really punched Millie's hand with too much force. "Millie...Mom!" He immediately went to her side, same as Moxxie. "I-I'm sorry! I lost it for a minute!"
"Oh, Lincoln, there's nothing for you to worry about." Millie rubbed his back as Moxxie tended to her hands by removing the pads. "Won't lie, you pack a hell of a punch! But, don't you mind. You ought to know by now that your mama can take anything. That, and guess what?" She motioned him to lean a bit closer like she was about to share an important secret. "You called me mom again!" She gave him her signature bone crushing hug of maternal affection. "That's twice in a row! This calls for more celebratory snacks!"
Millie was a violent little imp, one that also had the right motherly qualities to instill warmth on her kid.
Moments like these made living in Hell a little easier.
He never imagined demons being a good surrogate for him, yet, here he was.
Family.
That didn't for once make him think of the Louds, but of one particular family.
He spent so much time concerned about Blizo, he now was thinking of two members of the royal Goetia family that he also had come to know.
"Something on your mind?" Moxxie asked. At this point, he knew the signs of Lincoln deeply contemplating something.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Kind of. You know what's weird. Whenever Lynn tried to get me to exercise and learn to fight, it always came off as her thinking I'm weak and needed toughening up. Now that I think about it, I think it was just her own Lynnsanity way of trying to look out for me. Like what Millie's trying to do. She just never shared that, she wasn't exactly the touchy feely type who'd share how she really feels."
"Hmm. That does sound eerily familiar..."
Lincoln knew whom Moxxie was referring to and thus, asked him an important question.. "Moxxie, are you angry at Blitz? I'm not saying you shouldn't be. But, are you angry enough to...to quit?"
Those big pleading eyes of Lincoln's begged him to say no, and Moxxie knew he also expected an honest answer, even a disappointing one. "I...it's...he just..." Moxxie sighed. "I am indeed rather royally pissed off that he followed us on our god damned anniversary as I always am whenever he forces himself into mine and my wife's privacy. The one thing that's different is that, well, I also feel rather bad for him. Truth be told, Blitz was already punished enough. Remember when I said most of the attendees there weren't receptive to me?" Lincoln nodded, reminding himself to keep playing along as if he wasn't there. "Blitz unexpectedly tried defending me, and that got him his own public humiliation. Speaking as someone with a lot of experience of being heckled for how I am, that can be very painful. I just need a little time to let the anger subside, I suppose."
Lincoln was at least happy he wasn't thinking about quitting. "At least you're not letting it get to you too much. That shows a lot of restraint which is nothing to be ashamed about. If Blitz had known that, maybe he would've thought twice about roping Stolas into it."
"Heh, yeah...wait, how did you know the prince was there?"
Lincoln's eyes bugged. 'Crap!' he was doing so well. "Uh...well, this Ozzie's place, if it was that good a place to take Millie to for an important reason, I can only assume that the only way Blitz entered was with his own date. And who else besides Stolas?"
Moxxie stared suspiciously.
That was accurate.
Extremely accurate.
Perhaps a little too accurate.
Which is just what he expected from him. "Right, again! I know I may keep saying it, but you truly do have a sharp mind!"
Lincoln wondered if his newfound skill of deceiving parents may work on Rita and Lynn Sr. No, he wouldn't go that far...yet. "Just saying. It's not hard to see. How-How was Stolas?"
"Not faring any better I'd say. How can now that his little secret has been exposed?" Moxxie understood the other ramifications. "Truthfully, this can be very bad for the company as a whole. The arrangement of our employer and the prince is the only reason we're still able to do our jobs at all and to save face, the prince would have to make rather drastic choices. I don't want to be pessimistic, but that's just a possibility we can't ignore."
Lincoln found that reasoning sound, but to him, Stolas was more than who to thank for their business staying afloat. He was a valued teacher and friend. In the same vein as Blitzo and like Blitzo, he was surely hurting, too. "Why don't we see for ourselves?"
"Huh?"
Lincoln stood up and retrieved the precious grimoire. "We can go to his mansion. See how he's doing. We don't even have to call for a cab, just portal our way there."
"Okay, slow down. You're really asking for a lot. If you recall, you're only granted access to the manor of Satan damned Goetia when he's free for new magical lessons. We can't just abruptly drop in on the fly?" Moxxie dreaded the consequences.
"Why not? I'm his student/friend of his daughter and you're associated with his sorta-boyfriend." Lincoln saw nothing wrong.
"You make it sound so simple!"
"Because, it is and I can always use a spell to hide us."
Moxxie continued staying silent before shaking his head. "Always forward thinking. I am going to regret this. Millie, might wanna make those treats to go! We have an impromptu trip!"
He had been lying down on the rich well sculpted floor for a while.
It could have been a long while.
Or, it could have been a much shorter time.
He didn't really care right now. He didn't care if he smelled like he hadn't showered since last night or that he hadn't eaten the most important meal of the day that was breakfast, all of that meant little to him. He meant little to him. "Sire? Sire, are you alright?" Adding onto the not caring list was a concerned butler that hovered over the prince who looked much worse than he's ever seen him in.
"Ugh..." Stolas bemoaned.
"Was that a request?"
"Ugh..."
"So, that's also a no on tending to your plant pets that attacked the plumber last week?"
"Ugh..."
"Right, then that also means we won't extend a letter of apology to him still recovering in the hospital. Quite a shame. I rather liked Trevor's company. His sister was a titanic bitch, though. Not gonna lie."
"Ugh..."
"I suppose I'll just find something to clean on my own." The imp butler decided until Stolas actually spoke up for the first time since last night and asked his dutiful servant a question that has filled his thoughts.
Stolas' four eyes opened tiredly. "Why is life sh*t?"
"...What?"
Stolas kept going on pouring his feelings out. "Why does life continuously be nothing more than sh*t? This is the afterlife, why must Hell be the sh*thole to actually be sh*t? Surely, others can handle the burden? I never asked for sh*t. Never craved sh*t. Who would? Yet, sh*t is what most of my life has become. I've tried accepting, but I f*cking hate it. It's like a...a...f*ck, I can't think of a good analogy to express my discontent. How about you? Do you have something?"
"Sire, I don't believe me, I quite understand. I'm your butler, not your therapist."
'Then god damn it, man! Why in hell aren't you quitting, what the f*ck is stopping you?! Just get it done! You've suffered enough! You've been through enough! Walk right up to her and put that blabby cruel wretch in her place already!" Stolas glared.
"...Are we still talking about me?"
"Damn it! Just get the f*ck out! Leave me to wallow in my self loathing in peace! Grant me that service, Stella!"
"I-I'm not your wife, your highness."
"Which is why I never once fired you. Now, leave!" He roared.
Good, the butler was gone. Back to the floor and staring up at the empty air reviewing all the things wrong with him and his life. He thought back to his childhood days, when he was more happy, when he was proud to be a Goetia prince. All children of his status were raised to value the eventual jobs and missions that they'd get when the time was right. How excited he was and here was now, full of regrets and shame. He was glad that his father couldn't see him. He had enough people disappointed in him and that man's frown was the last thing he wanted to face. Getting back pains from resting on the floor seemed like the only thing he was doing right now for the entire week and maybe, that's where he belonged and nothing stopped him.
Then, a portal opened up, dropping a human and two imps on his luxurious bed.
"Whoa! Wow, who else thought I'd drop us somewhere hard or spikey?" Lincoln asked, impressed by his right portal creating.
"Oooh, now that feels nice." Millie sighed, her body sinking into the mattress. "Don't wanna break my old hay bed's feelings, but rich people sh*t feels way better! Moxxie, don't you feel this? This is what mama needs." Her eyes closed.
"Lincoln?" His student and those imps working for Blitzo got Stolas up. "What in blazes are you doing here, dear boy?"
Moxxie gasped. They were on the bed of a prince and he clumsily fell. "Your majesty! Crumbs, I deeply apologize for our unanticipated visit! We would've called, but, uh, you're the one who usually calls. Blitz, specifically and he's unavailable. If you wish for us to leave, then-"
"Moxxie!" Lincoln stopped him before the imp fainted from fear. "Why don't you and Millie wait somewhere else? I can handle it."
"Right, right. Of course, of course. Come along, Millie."
"No, let me sleep on it some more!" Millie whined.
Lincoln frowned when he realized that similar to Blitzo, Stolas had been drinking a lot. No doubt from depression and what happened at Ozzie's, not even royalty are safe from suffering in their own sadness. "So, anyways, I came because, well, I wanted to check up on you."
"Check up on me?" That sounded so foreign to Stolas.
"Yeah. After what happened at Ozzie's, you really looked down. Really down. Also, if Moxxie or Millie ask, I was never there. Trust me, it'll save everyone a lot of trouble, and a pissed off Millie."
"Y-Yes, but you truly wished to see how I was? Y-You cared for my well being?"
"Um, yes?" Lincoln shrugged, he honestly thought Stolas already knew that.
Stolas nodded professionally and faced backwards, weeping happy tears, hands locked and mouthed a thank you to whatever higher form of power. This was still his student and as a teacher, he did not wish to make himself look like a failure in front of a child that looks up to him as a source of infinite magical knowledge. Looking like a crybaby was not going to make him look better. "Your concern is very much appreciated, my student. But, rest assured, whatever my state of mind should be something for you to dwell on. I am perfectly fine. I am content. There is nothing wrong and if there was, I can deal with it my own way."
"...That all sounded forced...and rehearsed, I think?"
"What are you insinuating? That every morning upon my awakening, I look in a mirror and recite it all in an effort to keep myself from snapping under the pressure of the impossible standards everyone around me expects me to live up to, even though I can hardly do that?"
"...I...I don't know...that was very specific." Lincoln was now even more worried about his mentor.
Stolas rubbed his sore noggin, he had said a little too much than he preferred. Knowing the smart boy Lincoln he was, he no doubt had a lot of clues that painted a sad picture that detailed solely Stolas and he needed to digress from that. "Y-Yes, I suppose you're right." He felt so guilty. This was not how a teacher should act, Lincoln deserved a magical teacher that actually cared about teaching him. That sparked a fast idea. "E-Even so! The only reason you should ever come is for another magic lesson...and it just so happens that my schedule is clear enough to make time for one right now."
"You're saying you were planning on calling?" Lincoln asked in disbelief.
"Why, yes. That's exactly what I was planning!" He forcefully made himself smile. It was believable. It had to be believable. "Now let's get started!" The grimoire was called by its true master for a portal in the training space.
"What about Octavia?"
Stolas flinched, holding his chest. "At her mother's, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Hang on. I should probably text this to Moxxie."
A goetia mansion.
He was inside a goetia mansion.
Never in all his years during and after living in the Wrath ring had Moxxie ever seen himself inside someplace so exclusive. He was only barely able to get a reservation at a club owned and run by one of the seven deadly sins. Here, his surrogate son provided a portal and that was it. His excitement was pushed deep inside. He was here unannounced and to escape cruel upper class retribution, he needed to not touch a single priceless irreplaceable item. His wife was not so careful.
"Look at this one, honey pie!" Something crashed. "Ooh, more fancy sh*t!" A second crash.
"Millie, darling, that kind of fancy sh*t is not the type that we should break without a care in the world!" Moxxie sweated, he was afraid that the various subservient imps populating the mansion already spilled on them.
"Mox, when I was a tiny little impling, one of my many dreams other than beheading Nancy from across the hill and her entire f*cking family was also tearing up the crap rich folk had. f*ck, I got a mind to call up my sibs and invite them up here for some good old fashioned family wrecking of a sh*t-tard's big fancy home!" She even showed her hubby childhood drawings of her and Sallie May in front of a burning building. "Do you really wanna break the heart of little Millie?" she quivered.
Moxxie gave her credit for using the face he never said no to before. But he trained himself to be more resilient. "Millie, Lincoln texted me that this visit just turned into a new magic lesson. Smashing Prince Stolas' stuff will be a bad thing for our boy and we want our boy to be happy, don't we?"
Lincoln.
Her baby boy.
Happy.
That's all she wanted for the miracle of her life. "Fine...just one more." Stolas probably had more vases anyway. "Then what the f*ck do we do now? I hate just sitting on my ass all day doing nothing. Doing nothing sucks! You'd think being in our boss' boyfriend's pad would be fun, and it ain't!"
"Don't exaggerate. We've already gone this long without getting a new client. Waiting out isn't the biggest torture in Hell." Moxxie rubbed his white hair. "We just need to think of, I don't know, something."
"Oh. Hello there." The inevitable chance of running into a servant imp came to pass. "Sorry, but loitering is prohibited. The washrooms are in the other hall."
The married couple were confused. "What?"
"Look, I get that you're new here and everything. But, if you intend to prolong your employment, get with the f*cking lay of the land, alright. Because, there's nothing that can piss me off more than incompetent workers. My mother-in-law is a close second."
Millie did not appreciate how this imp thought he had any form of authority over them.
There was only one imp they took orders from and this one was no Blitzo.
Moxxie saw the feral gleam in her eye and despite being tempted to let her loose, he kept a cool head. "For the record. We're not workers here." He tactfully explained their real identities. "We just so happen to be employees. I.M.P." A giant ball of dust flew past the silent imps. "Immediate Murder Professionals?" The cricket perched on the window sill left the awkwardness. "We work for Blitz? The guy who comes every now and then for, you know, business." He clears his throat.
"You mean the prince's asshole plaything?" The imp glared. "Yeah, I know him. So, you work for him?" He checked the bedroom doorknob. "Huh, no tie this time, I guess that means your boss isn't here. Look, just don't f*ck with anything around here. The last thing we need are anymore skan*y imps making a mess of things. To dumb it down for you, don't f*ck anything up for us."
Moxxie and Millie did not like that guy.
In fact, if all of the imps working here were like that, they did not like all of them.
"Millie, it is my opinion that to childishly mess with the sort who talk and look down on is juvenile. But, that guy was a prick, so he's fair game."
"f*ck yeah!"
The only way to have fun in a Goetia manor, is showing butlers not to speak to them like they were lesser.
"Feel the calmness set around yourself. It's a breath of fresh air, isn't it? The worries have no place. Fear has no place here. Bitch wives have no place here."
"What was that last part?"
Stolas slowly looked to his side at a confused Lincoln. He just remembered that unlike the numerous times he came here, he wasn't alone. Lincoln heard him speak his thoughts out aloud. Very private thoughts. "Nothing, nothing! Ignore it! You just heard the wind!" He laughed anxiously. "That's good, Stolas. Another exquisite save."
"I heard that, too."
"Moving on!" Stolas clapped his hands and the starry nebula they were in re-arranged to show the likeness of Lincoln that the boy gawked at. Demon magic never stopped being so cool. "Now, Lincoln. In case you were wondering, I have been very proactive in researching all types of hexes and curses to better understand your curse. We can both be lucky that my connections present a lot of valuable knowledge?"
"Didn't you say that my...problem was nothing like any other garden variety curse?"
"It is. It very much is." Stolas beckoned the stars to then resemble a swirling symbol. "But, understanding the basis can be a good first stepping stone. As we both know, the curse was cast by a barbaric human who was granted extended life in return for his services. Ordinarily, a curse can only be broken by the person that placed that same curse in the first place. Just one little problem on that front."
"Yeah, the same guy that did is stuck in limbo forever." Lincoln scathingly frowned. "Not like he'd actually help."
"If he was willing to make a deal with a devil to get what he wished for, I'd say he would've done anything. Or in that bastard's case, he was willing to gamble his soul to escape death's embrace." Stolas estimated. "Most souls like him make contact down here to arrange a formal contract. However, there are books that provide a more easy way to do so without meeting a demon. Those fools believe that just because no demon was involved, they were free to do whatever they wished. How Stillman proved to be very much that kind of a fool. "Meddling with the very nature of demonic forces always ends terribly, devil or no. He failed to deliver on the book's contract and paid the price. If it were me, I would've done much worse." Getting to bond with Lincoln as a responsible teacher made him want to bring despair to any who sought to harm him. "Forgetting that, think of this swirly constellation of stars as your soul. It's...kind of a mess."
"You think?"
"No, I mean, it's literally a mess. The affect that Hell has on your soul as a side effect of your curse has made said soul very hard to picture and the literal only way to physically describe is one f*cked up mess."
Lincoln touched his chest, his blank tone betraying his overwhelmed emotions. "Oh. Huh. That is-That is hard to grasp."
"Through my studies, we need to focus on the real effect the curse has on you. That being your own soul being chained to Hell that your time in any other place like Earth becomes very limited before you're forced back." Stolas knew Lincoln also wanted to solve the big conundrum that was his startling transformation into something more demonic. That, however, wasn't necessarily tied to the curse. The true curse was his entrapment and solving that took priority. "This is the part of the lesson where things may get hairy. I'd understand it if you don't approve."
"You're talking to a kid who goes on assassin jobs. I think I can handle things getting hairy." Lincoln pointed out, realizing that he may have sounded like he was bragging. "That still doesn't mean I prefer it, I just, you know, more ready for it at this point and...why does it still feel like I'm proud of that?"
"You should! My student. The survivor of bat-sh*t crazy humans that deserve death for being douche-canoes!" Stolas shouted to the stars. "Yes. It has a nice ring to it. Everyone in Hell needs an imposing title that induces ill-advised folk not to incur your wrath."
Lincoln tried not to be disturbed. "If it's all the same to you, just being Lincoln Albert Loud is fine."
Stolas' eyes glow to materialize a violet colored stage and utilizing his mystic power, the prince brought forth creatures that looked as if they were made out of pure energy. "Whoa! What are those? Aliens?"
"Dear Lucifer, no." Stolas shook his head. "You'll never find anyone from Hell looking to have outs with God's side projects."
"Wait, God also created-"
"Moving on, what we have here are cursed nebula beasts. Demonic magic affects many things, even the very beings born among the stars. These unfortunate creatures were brought about when I was young as part of my own training."
"Really?"
"Indeed...my father was there for it...almost..."
Stolas was more distant now, nodding off lost in his memories. "Stolas, sir?"
"What? Oh, my goodness, I apologize. Now, they used to be simple clusters of space. Tell me, Lincoln. Can you perhaps reverse their own curses? I trust you've been studying up on how to reverse even simple curses, have you not?"
"I've tried at least." Lincoln griped. "Most of the things I curse either get even weirder or try to eat my flesh. The second one more or less. Though, I did manage to at least get rid of grown teeth on a mango, only by cooking it."
"A cooked mango. That does sound distasteful. Almost as bad as overcooked mice. Wanna know the key to perfectly cooked mice? It's all about-"
"And off I go!" Lincoln took to the stage before Stolas continued on his favorite cuisine. The nebula beasts took the forms of feline winged creatures snarling at him like he was a threat. It was like that plant. It sensed the presence deep within and acted accordingly. Lincoln remembered all the advice to not let that power overtake him and calmly let his eyes glow red and orange ringed circles manifested in his hands. Arcane symbols showed a physical expression of his own latent magical potential. Attack. That's the logical thing to do.
But, Lincoln only used violence as a last resort.
These creatures.
They were cursed like he was.
He felt their inner turmoil over that.
He emphasized with them.
Those emotions carried onward to his magic.
Similar circles appeared under the nebula beasts and they took this as a hostile act. "It's okay." A calming tone from what was supposed to be their prey. Unexpected and a little welcoming. They felt at ease, something they've lost all feeling to. Not since before they were cursed. "I want to help you. Please. Let me..." They didn't know how to justify it, but they felt this boy was trustworthy. He made a promise, and he was keeping it. Orange light enveloped them and their violet color scheme changed into blue, they felt less malevolent. Less prone to attack.
The nebula beasts approached the boy and the lead one bowed its head in gratitude towards him and it led its herd toward the stars as they did in the past. "Where are they going?"
"Roaming the cosmos." Stolas swelled, slowly brimming with pride. "Those creatures were cursed by previous Goetias to only roam about in this corner of the galaxy. The result was them growing feral. Beast-like. You liberated them."
Lincoln looked at his hands as the circles disappeared. "I did that?"
"With time, you might be able to liberate yourself or perhaps someone else may prove to be your liberator." Stolas smiled. "Either way, I believe this proves that you may hit some blocks on your path, it does not mean the end. Everything has a way of showing a bright side." From his perspective, Lincoln truly had a lot to learn and utilize what he learned spectacularly. He didn't care what Blitzo said, letting Stolas teach magic was very rewarding. Blitzo. Teaching Lincoln distracted him from the issues he was running away from. Stolas felt like asking Lincoln how he was, but in truth, he purposely didn't. After what happened at Ozzie's, Stolas actually did a lot of thinking. He was excited for what appeared to be an actual romantic date and was overjoyed that Blitzo asked him out.
Lincoln apparently being invisible, and then seeing the other two employees.
It gave Stolas the heartbreaking realization that Blitzo may have just called him for them and not because he wanted to date Stolas. That paired with the public humiliation, Stolas took it as reason to think about his presumed romance. He looked at his phone to see all the photos he took that had his favorite imp in them. The prince was smiling for the camera in each one, and he was the only one. Blitzo just looked annoyed. Glowering at the prince. Each photo was like that.
Blitzo seemed truly unhappy being around Stolas.
"Hey, Stolas! What's next?!" Lincoln asked, excited until seeing Stolas' mood. "Stolas?"
"...Lincoln. How was Blitzy after Ozzie's? Was he...okay?"
Almost fifteen minutes.
That's how long Stolas went without asking about Blitzo.
"I-I can't say he was great..." Lincoln sadly replied.
"I see...time for a new lesson."
Lincoln thought Moxxie and Millie probably were less awkward.
Working for a Goetia family was the best deal imps could ever get.
They accepted not getting anywhere in Hell and went for the most prospective occupation of being servants to Ars Goetia demons.
It was not always glamorous, but it did help in upping their standing a little.
"God, I really need to hit up the bar tonight." A butler said to a maid, they were in a gathering of every other mansion worker. Their masters, the Goetia family of three, did not need attending, leaving them to take their own time off.
"Yeah? Did one of the prince's plants nearly bite your head off, again?" A co-worker cracked, making those near him chuckle.
"Hi-f*cking-larious." The butler glared. "If you must know, those things are starting to like me, they just now see fit to try biting off my ass instead of my dick. Still, that's good progress. Soon enough, no body parts of mine will be food for sentient plants. Honestly, that's not even my biggest annoyance. Guess who's here? Those two lap dogs that work for Prince Stolas' little imp bitch, Blitzo." The assembled workers groaned in aggravation.
"That guy?" An imp chef asked. "I thought the prince already called him up for that Harvest Moon sh*t a while ago?"
"By Satan's graces, the man himself wasn't hear and I could give zero f*cks about why his underlings came here. It's probably for some sh*t reason." The butler remarked. "If they're anything like that ass-bucket, they're bound to make a mess of things. Hell, they already did once before from what the usual butler told me. It always felt like he knows more than he lets on, though."
"You know, I have zero f*cking idea why the prince even entertains Blitzo." A maid spoke. "He knows that the guy just wants favors from him, right? I mean, if it's fun that Prince Stolas is looking for, he can get any demon he wants."
One taller slim imp shrugged. "Honestly, though, and this is just me talking, but I think his highness might actually be in love with the guy. Maybe Blitzo even feels the same. His majesty does smile a lot more around him compared to lady Stella."
"What?"
"Oh, quit talking some bullsh*t."
"As if that's why."
"Maybe in Blitzo's dreams." One cackled. "What's really sad is how far he'll go to keep that failure outfit he calls a company afloat. You'd have to be the saddest bastard in Hell and good thing I'm ridiculously happy!"
Moxxie and Millie knew the complicated mess that was the potential romance between Blitzo and Stolas. These imps thought they knew what was up, and they couldn't be farther from the truth. Millie particularly felt her anger boiling when she heard them talk smack about her boss and the way they wrote off Lincoln's important magical teaching as unimportant. That meant they saw Lincoln as unimportant and she wished she had her battle ax right now. "Millie, I respect and love your need to answer the call for freshly dead f*ckers. But, there's always a simpler way to do things and this is one of them." Moxxie smirked.
On a table was a lighter that belonged to a worker and Moxxie quietly switched it with one of his own.
"The f*ck?" The imp tried turning the lighter on to light his cigarette, but it wasn't working. "Son of a bitch, this thing's supposed to be top of the line."
Hiding in a hallway, Moxxie and Millie kept their ears covered for the ensuing explosion that occurred where the workers were at.
"...I think you should get a refund..." They heard one groan.
The happily married assassin couple laughed jovially at their prank's success. "Hahahahaha! Goddamn, that was f*cking A!" Millie wiped a happy tear away. "That'll teach those bitch-faces to respect our kin!"
"What I'd tell you? The other ways to get back at bastards can often be hysterical ones!" Moxxie felt this was a very explosive way to showcase how not being a beefy Wrath imp was in itself a strength, too. "Decided to take a page from Blitz and his sense of humor."
"Shame Blitz ain't here." Millie said, calming down. "Satan knows he'd do worse to them."
"..."
"Moxxie?"
His wife's befuddlement made him speak a question he needed an answer to. "Millie, is it wrong for us not to be pissed at him for spying on us. I get it, we should be used to that, but this wasn't dinner night or me reciting a song, but our anniversary. I may have been asking a lot, but it would've been nice if he actually backed for the first time since hiring us. I thought things were finally becoming better between us, and then, he pulled a stunt that made it bad again. It's like he wants us to quit."
"But, we're not going to. Are we?"
"How are you so sure?"
"Because, unlike before, you don't just see him as just our employer anymore, do you?" Millie was not blind to Moxxie's justifiable disappointment. She also noticed that his and their boss' relationship was less hostile than often was after the dorks emergency. "That's also why even though you're pissed, you're already thinking about forgiving him. Right?" She winked.
Moxxie flushed and his silence signified that. He still had this to say. "If he called and acted like the insufferable asshole he always is to me, I wouldn't even think of it."
"But he's not." Millie teasingly chuckled. "Mox, if Blitz actually thought so low about you like he always claims, why keep you around at all? He cares more than he lets on and now, we both know it. And admit, you wouldn't mind cooking up some batsh*t fun here." Outside the mansion, a limo came onto the scene. "It'd also do him good to talk things out with the prince." Talon feet walked up the steps. "I mean, it's not like the man's wife is-"
"Where the f*ck is that slu*tty husband of mine?!" Moxxie and Millie ceased all prattle, the harsh vain tone of that voice was more paralyzing than giant monsters. They rushed to the main foyet where Stolas' unruly wife, Stella, rudely forced herself in by kicking and screaming. "Stolas! Get your god damned imp loving face out here!" She haughtly demanded, kicking away a few of the imps that held the door for her.
"We're glad to see you back, milady." One weakly said.
"Speak only when I f*cking tell you to, which is f*cking never!" The avian demon lady screeched.
From prank times to distressing times, the married assassins shared a glance of dismay. Lincoln was a secret that no other demon outside of I.M.P and those they trusted needed to know about and they had a feeling that Stella would be the opposite of keeping it that way unlike her husband. For the rest of the servant imps, they were more concerned about being in her way.
"f*ck, she's on another warpath. I still have bruises from the last one." A skinny butler tiptoed and felt a cold sensation. One of the windows was somehow left open and behind it was a three eyed demon crow flapping its wing. The butler and the avian creature shared a look. The imp demon numbly widened his eyes and stared off into nothing in a trance. "The boy must be protected..." he droned, now turning back.
If Lincoln was going to be the best at demonic magic, then he needed to try and see how a true master was at work.
Stolas' main strength was plant magic and encouraged Lincoln to follow his example.
He already showed a lot of prospects on that front during their very first lesson.
"Poison curses. Now these are truly a challenge. You need to understand how far it has gone in order to properly correct it." He used two sapphire colored plants as an example, one that was dull in its colors and withered. Healing it was almost a cinch. Lincoln needed to have the right emotion for it. Like with the beast, he focused on his need to heal it. "Yes, that's it. In these moments, do not let your mind wander." Like his mind wandering to a romance that may just end up having meant nothing. "Don't think of it." The seething judgmental face of his wife. "Any of it." All the years trapped in a marriage decided for him. "Ignore it...!" His whole life was nothing but decisions he had no say in. His father made that a fact. His hands shook.
"Stolas?"
"Ignore it..."
"I think you should calm down."
"Ignore it!"
Magic resonated with his own anger and by the time Stolas collected himself, the plant he was initially successful in healing withered. Cold sweat poured down as he gaped at what he did to such a beautiful plant, all due to not keeping it together and shamed himself for losing his composure in front of Lincoln no less. "God damn it! I-I apologize, dear boy! I-I don't-I had it under control, I-I-" He was at a loss for words. He never could find the right ones. "sh*t. You deserve better..." he bemoaned. He portaled them away into his private study and bedroom. "You and Octavia..." he rested on his bed.
Lincoln had terrible luck in getting Blitzo to open up and accept help, and that setback failed in stopping Lincoln from trying to do the same to his teacher. "Stolas. You're not okay, are you?" That was more of a statement. "Please, just talk to me. I'm here." He wasn't gonna let anyone push him away this time.
"...Did he ever feel anything for me, child?" Stolas asked miserably. "I know you once told me Blitzy wasn't completely receptive of my affections, but I just assumed that's what he expected after our reunion that ultimately led to me lending my grimoire."
"Again?" Lincoln blinked. "What do you mean again? Did you and Blitz know each other even before that?! I thought that was the first time you two met!"
Stolas hollowly chuckled at Lincoln's surprise. "So, he didn't tell you. Funny. For some reason, I thought he did, hence why I omitted it. In my defense, the last time the two of us saw each other before that was over two decades ago. That was the day we first met. I was actually around your age at the time if I remember correctly. I assume this must be quite hard to believe."
"You have no idea." Lincoln was still in a stupor. "I didn't think you guys went way back."
"It was quite the experience." Stolas took a nostalgic walk that Lincoln followed until they were at the hallway that had multiple portraits of Stolas and his family. His teacher in magic stopped at one portraying a demon Lincoln never saw before. He was avian like Stolas, cloaked in a golden cape that also sparkled in over regal wear, yet had a more harsh manner of poise.
"Who's that?"
Stolas sighed. "This is Paimon. One of the kings in the Ars Goetia. The highest royalty rank in the Goetia family, commander of legions, and former master of this mansion. He's also my father."
Lincoln did not see another bomb of information. "That's your dad?" He did see some resemblance and him having a portrait here was also evident.
"It was he who bequeathed to me the girmoire on my birthday when it was my time to be assigned a role. Each demon the Ars Goetia had a duty, a job they were expected to do in service of Hell. I was a child back then, I was so excited. So happy." He longed to be that idealistic again. Idealistic like Lincoln. "A shame that dear old daddy had to spoil it by also telling me I was arranged to be married to Stella." he sardonically rolled his four eyes.
"You mean you were that you just had to marry her when you were just a kid and there was no way out of it?" Lincoln felt reminded of his sisters' pushiness. Lori for the most part. He liked Ronnie Anne, but only because he decided so for himself, not just that Lori insisted on it. "Didn't he care how you felt?"
"That is the unfortunate circ*mstance of being born into luxury. You have access to so much and the only thing you must give up is having your entire life decided without your input." Stolas led him to another portrait that had Stolas and his wife on their wedding ceremont day. Neither were happy. "Stella hated it as well, the only thing we have common ground on. Not that it mattered to my father. As one of his many, many, many, many, many heirs, I was to nut up and accept it. I did not take the news well and to pacify me, my father thought a day out to the circus would work. I know now he just didn't want to deal with my 'bitch crying'. Still, going to that circus turned to be monumental."
Circus.
Blitzo used to work at one. "And that's where you first met Blitz."
"Can't get anything past you, my boy." Stolas nodded. "Even if he wasn't the most successful performer, I thought he was simply wonderful and I was too young to understand, but I really did feel something when I saw him with my four eyes for the first time. Father assumed I just wanted a friend to play with, so he convinced Blitzy's father to allow him to spend time with me."
"Huh. If his dad's anything like him, I can't help but feel he just wanted Blitz to steal stuff."
"That...should have been obvious, I admit." Paimon grounded him very cruelly. "It was nonetheless one of the best days of my life, for it was the day I made my first real friend."
"Blitz..." Lincoln now had a better understanding on why Stolas obviously loved Blitzo and wondered if Blitzo should realize this himself. "And you never saw him again after that."
"It was for one day only. Perish the thought of Father allowing one of his spawn to regularly associate with a lesser demon. I had to look forward to the future as Stella's husband and her as my wife." Stolas let out a groan of exhaustion. "A future filled to the brim of cruelty, hurtful words, bitching about me to other important demons. She made it her personal mission to make my life hell in hell."
"Then why put up with it?! You're not a kid anymore, neither is she! You can both just end it!" Lincoln may not be a romance master, but any other sane person knew a relationship with no love.
"You think I haven't thought about it? I figured she did, but she still insists on sticking around knowing full well I hate it. Truthfully, I allowed our farce marriage to continue for one reason only. For Octavia. In my youth, I was deprived of choosing how to live my life, I was denied a normal life, away from all the expectations." He sniffled. "You should've seen how she was after she hatched. She was so small, so frail, and so full of potential. I refused to be like my father and made sure that she'd live that kind of life no matter the odds. I didn't want anything threatening that, if that meant hiding mine and Stella's troubles to put up an illusion of a happy family, then so be it. I have so many regrets, having her is none of them, because she's-"
"Worth it." Lincoln finished. "It doesn't matter how much you're hurting deep inside or how empty you feel, knowing that someone you love is better somehow makes it all worth it in the end."
"How-How do you know that?"
"I've been there. A lot of times. Sacrificing your own happiness hurts, but if it helps someone else, then it can't be bad, right? I mean, I wanted to make sure you were okay and if that meant a magic lesson, then fine."
A magic lesson that was supposed to help Lincoln.
Not himself.
Stolas felt like such a fool. "No. Not fine! It's not fine at all! You want to go home, right? That should be your main concern! What you need is a teacher that doesn't let his own personal sh*t distract from what's important! I already did enough of that and it destroyed my family's image! You. Octavia. You deserve a better teacher and she deserves a better father!"
"But none of them would be you!" Lincoln took even a demon prince by surprise and hugged him, something Stolas needed in a long time. He silently wept, thinking this made him look more pathetic. "Stolas, it's not your fault your life is a mess."
"Maybe not completely, but what have I done to improve it? I only make it worse just by caring about what I want. Meeting Blitzy again years later, I meant it when I said it was the first time I truly felt something other than pain. Now, I realize he may not have come to my home for me, but for my f*cking book!" Stolas paced away from the hug. "If a popular succubus superstar was an old flame, then it must have been because of a lousy Asmodean Crystal! I knew the grimoire was all he cared about, but I thought in time, he'd come to...love me."
"You...can't expect the best from Blitz. Or force the best, even." Lincoln didn't write him off as a lost cause, though. "That's all for Blitz to decide and the best we can do is let him know there's always a better way. Here, let me get you something. There is a place right?"
"I keep a private room for emotional support plants."
"...Just like Lynn's collection of emotional support baseballs."
A big mansion meant numerous rooms.
A bright kid that had directions from said mansion's owner meant finding the right room easily.
"Okay, which one did he say it looks like?" Lincoln found the right one as it had multiple vines covered in red vines. "Hey there, little guy." The plant's multiple eyes looked back at him. "Your, um, owner needs you right now." The creator needed comfort, so the plant was happy to oblige. Plants really were a big side passion of Stolas, he even saw a lot of botany and the like at his study.
"The place has gone to sh*t. Not surprising since it's only Stolas living here now."
"Quite, milady."
All the plants made a whimpering sound.
They knew that horrid voice.
Lincoln looked out and saw the wife of Stolas and her aide. "Oh, crumbs!" Lincoln paled. "That's Octavia's mom." Her nasty frown sent shivers to Lincoln, it was even more threatening than Lola's. With Stella, her doing something horrific would be very possible and not used as a scare tactic.
"Just look at the damn dust!" Stella criticized. "I bet he spends his nights binging on those crappy novelas he likes to watch and sexting with that breathing blow-up doll imp rat bastard."
"I'm sure that is entirely the case, milady." The aide obediently replied.
"Now where is that failure Goetia? The sooner I said my peace to that duplicitous f*ck-stain on the entire family name, the better."
Lincoln's demonic triggers were any form of harm coming to those close to him.
Even bad mouthing them was adequate.
"Keep it together." The plant's eyes saw Lincoln shaking and his eyes randomly went red and between normal colors.
"If I may remind you, milady, but young Octavia wishes to know when she can retreat to her quarters." The aide said.
"She's a big girl, she can wait in the car. She can just listen to that dullard music she's so fond of for whatever reason." Stella cared more about saying mean things to Stolas. "Must've inherited having terrible tastes from her father. He always encouraged her, too. Another one of his f*ck ups as a Goetia."
"Indeed, milady. Indeed."
Lincoln heard all this and got more ticked by the millisecond.
A statue bust wobbled and flew off. Stella walked out of the way so that it instead got the aide. "Why are you such a lazy ass all the time?!" Stella kicked her aide's head. "Finding competent help is impossible! Ones that aren't clumsy with delicate objects especially! Wait." Stella vigilantly snapped her head around. There was someone here, his presence was faint, but it was there. "Who the f*ck dares?" If someone assumed sneaking around her was an unanswered offense, they'd be wrong. Out of the blue, the imp butler that gazed at the crow appeared. "The f*ck did you come from?! Did my husband put you up to this?! I can have you fired!" He was unresponsive. "Ugh, you're not worthy of my time." The butler blocked her. "Excuse me. What in Hell are you doing?" He blocked her again. "Insolent little whelp! Either you're high or you prefer that I throw you through the window right this second!"
"Protected...must be protected..."
"What?! Fine then! I suppose I'll just have to-sh*t!" Stella cursed when orange smoke obscured everything. The imp butler was gone. "Stolas!" she stormed to meet her husband.
Lincoln managed to regain control and he used a smoke screen spell to rescue the butler from a for sure to be harsh beating. "You alright?"
The butler locked his eyes at Lincoln. "The boy must be protected."
"What?"
"The boy must be protected."
"You mean me?" Lincoln pointed at himself. "How do you know about me?"
"The boy must be protected."
"Dude, can you even tell me your name?"
"The boy must be protected." Lincoln waved his hand over the butler's face and he kept repeating.
Lincoln looked to the emotional support plant for assistance, but the thing simply shrugged its vines. "Do you need to lie down?" his mouth was shut by Stolas.
"Quiet!" The prince's portal was a smooth getaway for all three. He was out of the mansion in the garden where even his imp parents were, also thanks to Stolas.
"Lincoln!" They hugged him in relief.
"Step through here." A portal led to the office. "You don't have much time. Stella must not learn of you!" Before Lincoln left, Stolas had one last word of advice. "Lincoln. Putting others before yourself is noble, but helping yourself is also important. Never forget that. And thank you."
"Stolas, I-"
The prince dissipated the portal. "The boy must be protected." Now, there was the butler in a trance to handle. Stolas gave it to the unknown hypnotic, they were skilled, just not on a Goetia level. One look into Stolas' eyes was enough to break the spell. "Huh? Where...?" the butler eyes went up to a steely Stolas. "Your highness! I-I was only-"
"Getting back to work. Now."
"Yes! That is what I'm doing! Thank you for reminding me!"
Stolas heard the cries of a crow on a tree branch, the same three-eyed crow. It flew off and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion of what may have possessed his servant. "There you are!" Firstly, he had to handle that. His irate wife. "Where the Heaven have you been?!"
"Wandering if you must know." Stolas lied that Stella believed. "Some reminiscing as well. I'm at least free to do that."
"Give me a f*cking break. The only thing you're free to do is not make me look like a tool! I want some answers out of you!"
"I, too, wish for an answer. Why are you still here?" Stolas strongly pressed. "You set up your own personal place where you take Via to on the weekends. Yet, you persist in staying here the rest of the time. Are you not the one who didn't want to look at my imp sucking face anymore?"
"Oh, I still feel that way, but if I'm not around, how will I enjoy tormenting you?" Stella was ruefully taunting. "It's one of the few uplifting things that I got from getting married to your sorry ass. You owe me that much."
"Me owing you?!" Stolas grabbed his head feathers. "For what?!"
"You know damn well what, it's all to remind you what you did." Stella sneered.
"I haven't forgotten and impossible it may sound, I'm now well aware of the ramifications! The problem is that we both have different opinions on that end! Your whole scorned wife routine would make me feel guilty, but only if you actually felt something for me and that couldn't be farther from the truth! It's the exact opposite!"
"What your melodramatic tiny plebeian mind can't comprehend is how you brought disgrace to us." Stella shot back. "You're right, I do hate you, but we still had an image to maintain for the sake of the Ars Goetia!"
"And just why would they care?! The two of us were only set up to be wedded for one single purpose, to produce for them a precautionary heir! Anything besides that is of little consequence!" Stolas hated bringing it up that truth. "Even though I felt no true love for you, I still tried to make our lives somewhat bearable. To not be a complete failure family. Except that wasn't enough for you! Nothing I did ever stopped the constant contempt and cruelty! You act as if I was thoroughly involved in our arrangement, and made me pay for something that was out of my control! I only endured it willingly so that our daughter could have a regular life and I failed! With that, I just-I can't take it any longer!" Stolas' talk with Lincoln emboldened him. "I want you gone!"
"Gone? What do you mean by gone?" Stella hardly believed the insolence.
"Gone from my house! Gone from my life! It's high time that we finally get the f*cking divorce!"
Stella bared angry gritted teeth, he had the nerve to request that as if it were easy. "Who do you think you are?!" She stepped up threateningly that made Stolas shrink in slight fear. "If you're so naive to think that the Goetia Family will excuse this, you're an even bigger fool than the one I took you for!" She raised her hand up for a harsh backhanded strike. "If Andrealphus catches wind of this, he'll-"
Stolas did something he'd never done before.
He caught the oncoming hand and actually showed bravery in the face of his wife. "Does it look like I give any rat's ass about whatever your pretentious brother thinks?! Get it through your own naive thoughts! What the Goetia Family wanted from us is seventeen now, that's in addition to the prior years of having to make ourselves miserable and now it's time to end it all! We're done!"
Both demons were face to face, hate sparking between them.
It was always the only spark between them.
Stella huffed and took her hand back. "Very well. I've had enough of dealing with a traitorous disgraced prince! Your fall from grace is already so obvious that you can see it and knowing that you'll absolutely pay for it is enough compensation for me." She ominously grinned with sinister undertones and walked away from the source of her ire.
His wife, if he could still call her that, left.
Strangely, he was proud of himself and saddened at the same time.
He still had the sky as his sole company and his palace with many windows that anyone could look through and listen in.
He hoped he was just being paranoid.
Nevertheless, he sat on a bench to admire the stars.
The stars of Earth could hold so many answers.
"That was way too close for comfort!"
"We didn't get caught, Mox! Don't hyperventilate!"
"I'm not hyperventilating, dear! I just feel that this shall serve as a lesson to not go to a palace owned by royal demons unannounced!"
Lincoln stayed silent, he hoped Stolas was okay. His wife was a real piece of work judging from what he saw of her. He at least considered Stolas opening up to him a win, as he now felt glad to be there for someone. The last words Stolas told him confused him. He spent a long time forgoing his own wants and needs. He was even forgetting his current one. That may be in part because of his newfound family. "Hey, guys."
The three saw Blitzo and Loona waiting for them inside the common room. Blitzo was still wearing his jacket and Loona had on red dress clothing, the former awkwardly looking at his employees. "Blitz. Loona. You guys are back. Where were you?" Lincoln asked.
"Here and there." Loona answered. "You?"
"Also here and there."
Moxxie and Blitzo decided to get down to their personal business. "You spied on us." the former stated.
"Yup."
"Even when I told you not to."
"Mm-hm."
"Do you feel like a jackass?"
"I always feel like a jackass, Mox. But, with what I did, you'd have to invent a new word for being that kind of jackass...I'm sorry." Blitzo understood if that wasn't good enough Moxxie took only one look at a hopeful Lincoln and sighed. "Well, you've been through enough turbulent times...the three of us were playing board games. Wanna join in?"
Blitzo's eyes nearly swelled up and nodded. "Sure."
"A board game?" Loona groaned. "Sure, like that's more fun than what Blitz and I went through."
Lincoln said to Moxxie. "Thanks for giving him a chance."
"I know how much you wanted things to be amicable between us again, you can say I was thinking about what you wanted. That is important, you know."
What Lincoln wanted.
He couldn't remember the last time he got that.
