Max arrived at the rusty metal door of I.M.P. headquarters, hand raised to knock.
BANG.
A bullet tore through the door and screamed past his cheek.
Max didn't flinch.
He just stared at the smoking hole.
"…Yep," he muttered. "Right place."
He leaned forward and peeked through the opening.
Inside was chaos.
Moxxie and Loona were wrestling a gun out of Blitzo's hands while Blitzo screamed like a man actively losing custody in real time.
"STOP!" Blitzo shrieked. "I AM TRYING TO KILL THE BASTARD WHO STOLE MY LOONY!"
He fired wildly into the ceiling.
Plaster rained down.
"STOP SHOOTING!" Moxxie yelled, clinging to the barrel like it was a lifeline.
Loona yanked the gun the opposite direction.
"It was a MUTUAL engagement!" she barked. "And I'm STILL mad you ate the leftovers he made me!"
From the couch, Millie sipped her coffee like this was scheduled programming. She noticed Max in the doorway and waved cheerfully.
Max pushed the door open.
"Overbearing dad," he greeted. "Hi Blitzo."
Blitzo froze.
Turned.
Screamed.
"THERE YOU ARE!"
He lunged.
Max caught him by the collar mid-charge and lifted him one-handed. Blitzo's legs kicked uselessly in the air.
"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Blitzo yelled. "GIVE ME BACK MY LOONA!"
Millie clapped excitedly.
"Congratulations on the engagement!" she beamed. "You two look adorable! Like a tall scary wolf and a cute angry wolf!"
Loona made a strangled embarrassed sound and stormed to her room.
Max gently set Blitzo down like returning a child to the floor.
"Blitzo," he said calmly, "I'm not taking Loona away. Ozzie signed the papers. Nothing forced. And I'm taking care of her. I promise."
Blitzo straightened his coat, trying to recover dignity that had already fled the building.
"Fine," he hissed. "FINE. But the wedding isn't happening anytime soon! I will find dirt on you! Skeletons! Tax fraud!"
He stomped into his office and slammed the door.
Max called after him:
"I'm inviting Loona to move into the hotel!"
The profanity that followed could've stripped paint.
Max grinned.
He chatted with Moxxie and Millie while the emotional storm cooled. Millie dispensed relationship advice that sounded like it came from a loving farm wife who also committed homicide recreationally.
Eventually Loona returned.
Two suitcases.
One overstuffed duffel.
Ears low.
Tail nervous.
"Ready," she muttered. "I can still visit, right?"
Max smiled softly.
"My moon, of course. Your room stays here. Knowing Blitzo, he won't clean it for fifty years. You're still family."
Millie made a squealing sound behind them.
Max tapped the floor.
The luggage melted into his shadow.
Gone.
Loona blinked.
"…Still weird."
Max offered his arm.
"Shall we?"
She hooked into it.
"Yeah. So… what now?"
Her stomach growled loudly.
She winced.
"…You got food?"
Max grimaced.
"Bee ate the leftovers."
Loona sighed.
"I hate that I'm not surprised."
"I've got raw meat," Max added. "Cookout date?"
Her ears perked instantly.
"Perfect. I hate fancy all the time."
Pentagram City
They walked.
And walked.
And immediately regretted walking.
Three imps were stabbing each other over a coupon.A demon vomited into a mailbox.Someone lit the sidewalk on fire for fun.Drunks screamed about politics that didn't exist.
Loona sighed deeply.
"Hell needs parks."
Max scratched his chin.
"We could go to Earth. Quiet spot. Forest. Lake."
She hesitated.
Considered it.
Shook her head.
"Nah. Hotel's fine. Somewhere quiet."
Max nodded.
"Grab on."
She did.
They teleported.
Loona dropped to one knee.
"Warn me next time!"
"First passenger," Max admitted. "Sorry."
They walked behind the hotel to the empty lot. Dust. Rocks. A dying tree. No blood.
Good enough.
Max summoned a grill from shadow.
Metal folded into shape with a hiss.
Loona lit a cigarette.
Smirked.
"Alright, wolf boy," she said. "Let's see if you can cook meat as well as breakfast."
Max cracked his knuckles.
Grinned.
"Challenge accepted."