The Harvest Moon Festival
255 4 12
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

Inside Stolas' room he lets out a contentment sigh. Blizo lights up a cigarette on Stolas' bed and folds his arms behind his head.

Stolas' arms are tied above his head. He's also wearing a ball gag and harness. "I'm sorry for having to move our little rendezvous early. I have an engagement this month on the full moon."

"When this happens, it's not really something I fuss about..." Blitzo uses his cigarette to burn the rope, freeing Stolas, who takes Blitzo's cigarette from him and takes a long drag of it. "But, do you really need the book for this farm bullshit?"

"As shocking as it may seem, Blitzy, my grimoiiiire is actually incredibly important. And it isn't supposed to be lent out to itty-bitty Imps like yourself." Stolas puts out the cigarette in one of Blitzo's horns and pinches his cheek before Blitzo shoves him away. "The Harvest Moon is a very special occasion! It's been my annual duty to showcase it in the Ring of Wrath. It's celebrated by a very charming little festival with the locals.

Blitzo pulls a feather out of his mouth in disgust. "Wrath, huh? My employees are from there, except Sylvester, he's from Greed. I've never really been. I hear it's full of inbred chucklefucks."

Stolas sits up. "Oh! Why don't you all join me at the festival? I can guarantee you all... Stolas pulls the covers over his head and his head appears near Blitzo's crotch. "Special access~" He chuckles.

"Look, I told you, we're not bodyguards. Okay? That was a one-time thing we did badly.

Stolas stands up with the covers on his head. He does a playful owl head tilt. "I'm simply offering a work-free day of fun! I feel quite safe at the Harvest Festival. It's the same every year."

"Well if you promise this isn't some fuck fest invite, it does sound like it could be a blast and a half. Plus, it's not like we can do jack shit without your book anyway."

Stolas speaks in a baby-talk voice. "Aww, I'm sowwy your clients will have to wait..."

Blitzo waves his hand dismissively. "Oh, fuck my clients!"

.

.

.

Moxxie and Millie's appartment is revealed under a Robo Fizz sign. Moxxie and Millie are asleep in their bed. Moxxie's phone lights up and a Phantom of the Opera organ ringtone is heard. Moxxie taps the phone and rolls over. The phone rings again, in annoyance, Moxxie grabs the phone and sits up.

"What do you want, sir?" Moxxie asks in an annoyed tone.

"Hey, hope I didn't wake ya, Mox!" Blitzo's voice comes over the phone. "How would you and Mils like to visit the Wrath Ring for some harvest bullshit this year?"

Millie sits up in excitement. "The Harvest Moon Festival?! Yee-fuckin'-haw!"

Moxxie sighs. "Well, Millie likes the idea. Wait... Where are you calling from?"

Blitzo falls down onto the bed from the ceiling. His phone bonks him on the head. Moxxie narrows his eyes as Blitzo purrs happily. Moxxie looks annoyed while Millie seems amused.

"Mm-hm... Of course."

.

.

.

In Sylvester's apartment, he's sleeping on top of his blankets on his bed. He's wearing nothing but boxers and we can see the start of a large scar that goes under the boxers on his right leg.

There's a bottle of vodka and a cigarette in his right hand as the other rests on his phone, that's on top of his chest.

Suddenly his phone starts to ring.

Sylvester groans and he accidentally drops his bottle of vodka and cigarette. "Hmmm, fuck." 

Sylvester sits up and accepts the phone call. "Hello?" 

"Sylvester, get up we're  the Harvest Moon thingy today!" Blitzo's voice yells over the phone.

Sylvester's slowly blinks. "Wha?"

Blitzo suddenly pops out from under the bed. "It means get your furry ass outta bed!" He looks around Sylvester's room. "You really need to clean up."

Sylvester slowly blinks. "Wha?"

.

.

.

The crew arrives at Rough n' Tumbleweed Ranch. The van stops in front of two imps.

"Mama! Daddy!" Millie gets out of the can and happily runs towards her parents. 

Her father hugs her and spins her around before placing her down

Her father hugs her and spins her around before placing her down. "Yeee-haawww How's my deadly little pumpkin spice doing?" 

Joe, her father, ruffles Millie's hair affectionately. "I'm good, Pa! Thanks for lettin' us stay here for the harvest jamboree."

"It's no trouble." Lin, her mother, says. "We know you aren't making as much anymore since y'all went 'freelance'."

"Freelance pays fine, Ma! We're doin' fiiiine!" Millie becomes serious. "It's fine." Millie walks over to Moxxie, who is struggling to carry luggage. "Anyway, y'all remember my husband Moxxie?"

Millie shoves a nervous Moxxie in front of her parents. They stare at him in disapproval. "Greetings, Lin! Joe! How have you been, uh, with all the... and stuff around here?" He nervously holds out his hand.

"We lost our old farm hand to one of them terror last week." Joe informs.

Moxxie nervously laughs. "Oh, crumbs. My bad! I am so sorry, I- I didn't mean to open that wound... sir."

Blitzo, Sylvester and Blitzo are standing a few meters behind Moxxie. Sylvester's wearing a western style outfit with a cowboy hat on and a holster on his right hip, that has his flintlock in it.

Sylvester lights up a cigar. 

(BOY!)

(BOY!)

"Hey, watch it!" Blitzo warns

"Hey, watch it!" Blitzo warns. "I'm the 'sir' here, bucko!"

"Oh, yeah!" Millie smiles. "Y'all haven't met my boos Blitzo! And his hellhound and Hellfox!"

"I'm not just his hellhound." Loona says.

"And I'm not just his Hellfox!" Sylvester says as he releases a large cloud of smoke from his nostrils. 

"Yeah, they're my son and daughter!" Blitzo pulls the two to his side.

"Yeah, they're my son and daughter!" Blitzo pulls the two to his side

"Only on paper." The two hell animals say together.

Blitzo walks away to greet Millie's parants.

Loona pulls out her smartphone and begins typing. "Y'all don't deserve to know my name."

Sylvester points to Loona. "She's Loona and I'm Sylvester."

Blitzo walks over to Millie's parents. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the sperm and egg factory-" He shoves Moxxie away. "-that popped out this little gem of an assassin. You two raised a-" He playfully elbows Millie. "-sturdy bitch!"

Joe chuckles. "Nothing like a little war to make a strong man!" He flexes his bicep.

"I like you people."

Moxxie speaks up. " Y'know... more battles were won by technological advances in warfare. I've researched the history of weaponry extensively, and it's inspiring how... for example, the progression of guns utilizing angelic technology has changed the landscape of Hell's combative..."

Millie makes a "Cut it out" motion with her hands. Joe crosses his arms.

"Nerd!" Sylvester calls out from the background.

"I mean..." Moxxie then speaks in a deep, awkward voice. "War fun!"

"Guns get the job done..." Joe starts. "But a man ain't nothin' if he can't tear the head off a hellish beast with only his bare... hands!"

Blitzo laughs. "He's right Moxxie!" Then he speaks in baby talk. "You got cute wittle baby hands like your baby dick!" 

Blitzo grabs Moxxie's hand and reaches toward his crotch. Moxxie slaps his arm away.

"Refrain... sir."

"Speakin' of strong hands, y'all should meet our newest help. Hey! Striker!" Joe calls out.

Sylvester's jaw drops and his cigar falls from it and onto the ground. "Noooo way...."

"Sylvester?" Loona raises an eyebrow at her boyfriend. 

Black flaming hooves clop rapidly on the ground. An Imp's spiky tail whips a black horse's flank. A female Imp wearing a cowboy hat rides a black hell horse with a fiery mane. The horse leaps over a fence, then it rears up and roars in front of the group. 

A large scar that starts from the middle of her left cheek and goes all the way back to her ear. She has a holster on her right hip that carries a revolver. 

Striker tips her hat in greeting, a stalk in her mouth

Striker tips her hat in greeting, a stalk in her mouth. "Well, howdy! Oh, lookie here! You must be the famous Mildred!" Striker gets off the horse and walks towards Millie. "Head some good things about you from your folks, little lady." She winks.

"Ohhh!" Millie laughs sheepishly. 

Striker shakes Millie's hand. "What're y'all doin' so far away from Imp City? Heh. The free workin' finally slowin' down?"

"Oh, no! Freelance isn't free! It's a--... Never mind. We're just visitn' for the festival. The pronce is out boss'" She then speaks in a dramatic voice. "boyyyyyyyfrieeeeeeend~"

"Millie, I am not above hitting a female in front of her daddy." Blitzo states.

"Boss, huh...?" Striker asks.  "ohhh, so YOU'RE the bold imp to start his own killing biz?" 

"Yeah, well if you're good at somethin', you should probably capitalize." Blitzo says.

"Not many Imps start businesses on their own. That's pretty impressive, sir."

"Oh...! Yeah? It is-- I- I- I guess- I guess it is, isn't it?"

"So you even conned that ditzy blueblood into gettin' you to the surface?"

Striker and Blitzo shake hands.

"Well, it's long and complicated, but the short answer is yes. But he's not like, you know-- W- We're y- We're not, like... We're not doing it... We w- What's betw- It's a transactional fucking, you see." Blitzo makes a sexual motion with his hands.

"Striker." Sylvester lightly growls as he walks over.

Striker gains a smirk. "Oh, if it isn't Zdrada."

"Zdrada?" Loona questions.

"Don't worry about it and It's Sylvester now." Sylvester lowers his hand towards his holster. "It's been a while Striker."

Stiker's tail shakes with anticipation, and sounds like a rattle snake, as she slowly reaches down towards her holster. "It sure has."

Loona then gets between the two. "Wait, hold on! How do you know her?" She asks with a hint of jealously as she grabs onto Sylvester's arm.

"We used to work in the same business." Striker states. "We've both left our mark on each other, in more ways than one~"

"Don't tell me-" 

"It was a one time fling." Sylvester grumbles as smoke leaves his mouth.

"What?!" Loona yells out.

"Oh, but it was sure fun, he's such a stud." Striker smirks as Sylvester glares at her. "We could go another round."

Loona holds Sylvester tighter and moves him away from Striker.

Joe laughs. "Oh, it's nice seeing old friends catch up. Y'know... you boys and Striker should enter the pain Games!"

Blitzo scuttles sideways over to Joe. "I heard games! What games? I'm in!"

"I heard games! What games? I'm in!"

"I could blow off some steam." Sylvester says as he lights up another cigar.

"Oh, I could help with that~" Striker licks her lips, causing Loona to growl at her.

"Every harvest festival, there's a competition to be the roughest, toughest bastard in Wrath!" Lin explains.

Millie crosses her arms and pouts. "Yeah! Wish I could play!"

"Millie, you know you get too carried away. The last competition ended in fifteen separate funerals."

"And I thought I was a killer." Sylvester mutters to himself. Loona and Striker glare at each other.

"I'm aware, but I only cause nine of them!" Millie shouts. "How come Sallie May still gets to compete?"

"Your sister doesn't have a neighborhood head count."

"She so does!"

Sallie May carries a sack and a small imp drags an Imp body behind her. She speaks in a sing-song voice. "It doesn't count if they don't find the bodyyyyyy!" Millie seethes.

"It doesn't count if they don't find the bodyyyyyy!" Millie seethes

Sylvester watches her walk off. "Wow, who knew an Imp could look like her."

Loona tugs on Sylvester's shirt and looks at with with jealousy in her eyes. "Look at me instead."

Sylvester smirks. "Sorry, I couldn't help but stare at the pretty lady, being greedy is in my blood." Sylvester grabs Loona's chin and forces her to stare into his eye. "But make no mistake, your the pretties of them all."

Loona swings her hips side to side and her tails wags as she blushes.

Striker rolls her eyes.

"Still, you get to root for her and your brothers, and now you can cheer on your boss and coworker!" Lin says to Millie.

Moxxie puts a hand on Lin's shoulder, she glares at him. "Y'know, she can also cheer for me."

Joe and Sylvester wheeze-laugh and they slap their legs. 

"...Wait, you?" Joe asks.

"Yeah! I can compete, can't I?" Lin elbows Moxxie hard in the side, causing him to tear up in pain.

"Yeah! I can compete, can't I?" Lin elbows Moxxie hard in the side, causing him to tear up in pain

"Sorry, boy." Joe starts. "But, I don't think sensitive thespian types would last very long in the games. You need to be someone like Sylvester over there, he looks like he's pretty strong."

Sylvester smirks and flexes his biceps, he does have a little bit of muscle. 

"I was born here, too!" Moxxie then drawls. "I have some fight in me!"

(A/N; Drawl: speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds.)

Striker walks over to Moxxie and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Huh. Well then, little fella... Why don'tcha help me wrangle one o' them hogs for dinner?" Striker motions to a large sleeping hell hog in a pigpen.

Why don'tcha help me wrangle one o' them hogs for dinner?" Striker motions to a large sleeping hell hog in a pigpen

"Simple. Watch me!" Moxxie says.

Striker grins and hands Moxxie a dagger and rope. "Nah... with these. Bullets can't pierce that shell. You gotta get the knife underneath and pry yourself and openin'."

Moxxie gulps. "Oh! Right, right. I knew that."

Blitzo leans in toward Moxxie and grabs his shoulders. Moxxie's eye twitch. 

"Now, just remember, your rep with the in-laws is on the line here! So, no pressure at all, you totally will not make an ass of yourself in front of everyone important in your life. Go get 'em, tiger." Blitzo shoves Moxxie forward.

"Oooh." 

"Mox, you don't need to do this!" Millie tries to talk him out of it.

"Oh, he totally does." Blitzo states. "KICK ITS ASS, MOXXIE! YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Sylvester smirks as he leans against the fence as he blows out smoke from his nostrils. "This'll be good."

Blitzo cheers as Moxxie enters the pen. He nervously walks forward, knife in hand. Moxxie leaps forward and wraps the rope around the hog's neck. He moves the knife down and it strikes harmlessly against the hog's hide. The hog roars and runs around, trying to buck Moxxie off.

"FUCK yeah, Moxxie!" Blitzo yells. "Ride it, Moxxie! Make it that bitch you won't call back in the morning!"

Loona grins and records a video on her phone. "This is fucking beautiful."

"Doin' great, Moxxie!" Blitzo then whispers to Loona. "Send me that video later.

Millie watches on in concern as Moxxie yelps and gets thrown off the hog.

Striker taps Sylvester on the back. "Go on, big boy. You should take care of it now."

Sylvester takes the cigar out of his mouth and sets it on the fence. "Eh, why not." He takes hit hat off and sets it on the fence.

"What? Are you sure?" Loona asks in a worried tone.

Sylvester smirks and knocks on his head. "I've got a tough head."

Sylvester hops over the fence.

Loona gets into Striker's face. "Listen here, he's mine so stay away from him."

Striker smirks and chuckles. "Oh, little lady, I'm sure there's plenty of him to go around." She raises her eyebrows up and down suggestively, casing Loona to blush. "But one of the greatest things about him is, that he's immune to STDs."

"Really?" Loona narrows her eyes.

Striker nods. "Said it's another part of his family blood line. I didn't have to worry if he was carrying when we did it all night long. Oof, not another man can compare to him."

In the pen the hog squeals and charges towards Moxxie. Moxxie yelps and he covers his face with his arms, only to hear a loud thud. 

Moxxie lowers his arms to see that Sylvester headbutted the hog.

"Sylvester!" Moxxie yells in confusion.

"Oh, I felt that one!" Sylvester laughs as he grabs the Pig by the tusks and starts to push it back.

The pig grunts and squeals as it pushes against.  Sylvester groans as he struggles to keep his footing in the mud and one of the horns starts to cut into his head. 

"Oh, harder." Sylvester licks his lips as he spots something shinny next to him.

Sylvester grunts as he flips the hog onto its side and he dives for the knife that's in the mud. 

The hog squeals and it flips back up, only for Sylvester to jump onto its back and bring the knife down onto the back of its neck, just under the shell. 

The hog yelps as struggles before it finally falls onto the ground, dead. Sylvester hops off the hog and throws his hands up in the air. "I'm the fucking best!"

Loona and Striker sigh at the same time. "What a man."

Striker hops into the pen and moves over to Moxxie.

"Ow... My clavicle!" Moxxie rubs his neck.

Striker stands over Moxxie, her spade tail rattling like a snake. "Don't worry, little one... You never stood a chance."

Striker walks away and towards the dead Hog and Sylvester, Moxxie growls at her.

"Good job, stud." Striker kisses Sylvester on the cheek as she huffs the dead hog over her shoulder.

Loona looks on in jealousy as Sylvester walks back over to her.

"Great job making that hog your bitch, Sylvester!" Blitzo cheers.

Sylvester laughs and gives him a thumbs up. "Oh it felt great!" Some blood falls down his head.

Loona pulls out a handkerchief and starts to wipe the blood away.

"Hey, boss man!" Striker calls out to Blitzo. "You wanna help the men skin this for dinner?"

"Oh, I am always  down to skin the manly meat with the manly men!"

"That's what she said!" Loona smiles as she walks off, dragging Sylvester with her. 

"What 'who said'?" Blitzo asks. "Wait, what bitch is talking shit about me?!"

Everyone but Millie and Moxxie leave for the house with the demon hod. Moxxie sighs sadly with his arm in a cast. 

Millie comforts him. "Don't let 'em get to you. And hey, you don't need my parents to respect you. They will eventually."

Sallie May appears. "No, they won't." Millie glares at her. "What? I'm right, ain't I?"

Moxxie then drawls. "Oh, I'mma enter in those games."

Millie sighs sadly.

"Hmm, how pissed would you be if I bet on him dyin'?" Sallie May asks Millie and she glares at her again.

.

.

.

Striker is walking along the side of the house and as she passes a corner, a red furred hand snaps out and grabs her and forces her into the wall.

Sylvester points his flintlock into her head. "What's your game here?"

"What game?" Striker asks innocently. 

Sylvester narrows his eyes at her and pushes the flintlock harder into her head. "You know what I mean."

"Oh, come on, Zdrada. Can't a girl just make an honest living." A click is heard. "But don't test me, I will shoot you." 

Sylvester looks down and sees Striker aiming her revolver into his stomach. Sylvester just blows smoke into her face as he pushes back.

Striker waves the smoke away and twirls her revolver into her holster. "Maybe I've left the bounty hunting life behind, just as you did. Now I want to work an honest wage."

"My bullshit meter doesn't agree with you."

Striker just walks away. "Well, tell your bullshit meter to fuck off." She walks with a sway in her hips.

Sylvester becomes hypnotized with Striker's hips, but her shakes his head and glares at her as she walks off.

.

.

.

.

.

The Harvest Festival is in full swing. 

Wally Wackford stands on stage with a microphone and speaks dramatically

Wally Wackford stands on stage with a microphone and speaks dramatically. "Welcome, I say-a, welcome-a... all to Wrath-a Ring's-a annual-a Harvest-a Moon-a... a-Festival! To kick things up, we have the great prince Stolas-a, here to usher in this here Pain Games!"

Stolas walks up to him and takes the microphone; he chuckles. "How kind, Wackford. Greetings, tiny... Wrath Ring Imps! I hereby welcome you all to another year of celebrating the spoils of your labor that continue to feed the citizens of Hell!" 

A crowd of Imps glare at him and a few boos are heard.

 "I'm happy to kick off the start of these games that will challenge the toughest Imps to show their skill in dominance. Good luck to you all! Especially that sexy little one there... Yoo-hoo! Blitzy!" Stolas waves at him while Blitzo glares.

"Ugh, Fuck me." Blitzo groans.

A gun goes off and the games begin. Moxxie gets trampled with a yelp as the other imps race down the trail. Striker climbs up a wooden ramp structure while Blitzo leaps down ahead of her.

Sylvester suddenly lands on Blitzo's back and uses him as a spring board and lands ahead of him, on all fours and continues to run.

 Moxxie tries to catch up. He claws at the structure and falls into a small puddle. He gets chewed up and thrashed by a monstrous black and white shark.

In the next shot, Striker grins smugly at Blitzo who has his legs, arms and horns tied behind him. A muscular Imp holds a rope and grins at a scared Moxxie.

Sylvester is tied up by a large Imp. "Harder daddy." Sylvester lets out a moan.

The Imp grows a confused blush.

Then Striker, Sylvester, Blitzo and Moxxie team up in a tug of war match. Moxxie falls into the water and the shark attacks him again. 

The scene cuts to a wrestling match in the mud between Blitzo and Striker. A group of imps do a football huddle on top of Moxxie. The shark leaps over the fence and begins to elbow drop Moxxie.

"MOTHERFUC--!!" Moxxie yells.

Sylvester looks around him and he's surrounded on all sides. He narrows his eyes and the Imps charge at him. Sylvester kicks one away and then grabs another by the horns and throws him into another Imp. Sylvester then head butts another Imp and elbows the next in the crotch.

Sylvester smirks to himself as he looks to all the downed Imps around him. Then he looks off towards the fence to see Loona and even Sallie May looking at him. Sylvester gives a two fingered wave to them and they both blush.

 After the events.

Wally Wackford is announcing the winners. "I say, I say, for the forst year ever, we have a three way tie for winner of the Harvest Moon pain Games.

Stolas takes the microphone from Wally Wackford.. "The winnders are... Striker, Sylvester, aaaand my darling Blitzy!?

Striker walks onto the stage and does a pose as the crowd cheers. Sylvester just walks onto the stage as he stretches his arms out.

"Just say my name RIGHT!" Blitzo yells. "Fuckin' dick!" Blitzo walks onto the stage in frusteration.

Moxxie and Millie are watching from the wooden bleachers.

"Alright. So, she as the 'physical advanatge.' I'm better at other things, like singing!" Moxxie says referring to Striker. 

Striker pulls out a guitar. "I'd like to take this opportunity to sing a quick song. I wrote just now, about me winin'." Striker strums the guitar she pulled out.

"Oh, WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Striker starts to sing. "Sweet victory... I smell the smell~." She kicks a squealing fangirl Imp in the face, sending her back to a group of Imps. The group then maul her. 

"From up in stinkin' Heaven to the rugged rocks of Hell, sweet Vicotry.
With everything I do~
With every talent, I'm so much more talented than you~"

Blitzo arrives with a slice of cheese on a stick and sits next to Moxxie and Millie in the bleachers. Sylvester plops down next to Blitzo, with a cigar in his mouth.

Blitzo eats the cheese. "Isn't this girl great?"

Striker continues to sing. "Everytime I tryyyy, I push it and suceed~"

"False!" Moxxie says.

""It's gonna be nice workin' with her." Blitzo says.

Sylvester starts to cough up smoke.

"Working with her...? WHAT?!" Moxxie yells.

"Every first attempt of every single deed~" Striker sings.

"Yeaaaaaah! I asked her if she wanted to join I.M.P." Blitzo says.

"What the hell, Blitzo!" Sylvester yells.

"What? She seems like a hard worker."

Sylvester groans and he gets up and walks off towards the house.

Moxxie looks visibly hurt as Blitzo looks at him in confusion.

"Me! I'm totally the best~" Striker sings.

"Mox, I think you've had enough, for now." Millie says. "Let's head back to the house and get you clean."

"The super cool me, beautiful girl-" Sticker coughs. "Moxxie, go fuck yourself~"

Moxxie tears up and leaves with Millie as Striker finishes her song.

"Did you hear something? It was just the wind~" The crowd cheers for Striker. "Thank you~ You're too kind."

.

.

.

.

Volcanos with fiery spheres floating above them are revealed.

 Blitzo lies down on the ground and looks admiringly at Bombproof as he feasts on an animal carcass

 Blitzo lies down on the ground and looks admiringly at Bombproof as he feasts on an animal carcass. 

Millie beams beside her parents as her brothers load up jack-o-lanterns into a truck

Millie beams beside her parents as her brothers load up jack-o-lanterns into a truck. Millie waves at them and runs off. Inside the cottage, Moxxie glumly walks up some stairs. Moxxie notices light shining through the bottom of a door.

"Well, that's troubling." Moxxie mutters.

"Find something?" Sylvester appears behind

Moxxie yelps in fear, then he realizes it's just Sylvester. "Oh, it's just you." Moxxie then motions to the light shining through the bottom of the door. "Well, I found this."

"Huh, interesting." Sylvester opens the door and he and Moxxie peer around.

They notice the light coming from a box. The two demons walk over and see a rifle with glowing designs in an open gun case.

The two demons walk over and see a rifle with glowing designs in an open gun case

A shiver runs down Sylvester's spin as some hairs on his arms shoot up.

"Oh, my crumbs!" Moxxie runs a hand along the side of the rifle.

"I don't like this thing." Sylvester states.

"It's a genuine carmine crafted blessing-tipped rifle! How... How in the fuck did she get one o' these?!"

Striker leans against the door frame behind them.

"Why don't you ask me, little dude?" Striker says.

Moxxie and Sylvester swiftly turn around.

"Striker!" Sylvester growls.

"W-Why do you have this... Ma'am?" Moxxie asks. "You are aware this kind of weapon can kill--"

"...Demon royalty?" Striker finishes and Sylvester's fur on his tail puffs up.

Demon royalty?" Striker finishes and Sylvester's fur on his tail puffs up

"Yes. That."

"No shit." She flicks her wheat stalk away. "That's kinda the point." She closes the door behind her.

Sylvester swiftly moves his hand down towards his holster. Only for a gun shot to ring out, mostly muffled from the cheering outside.

Sylvester blinks a few times as he looks to Striker's smoking gun.

"Sylvester!" Moxxie yells in worry.

Sylvester slowly grabs his hat and pulls it off his head. He looks and sees two small holes at each end of the hat, blood splatter on one side. "Well... that ain't good."

Sylvester pulls up a hand held mirror and looks at himself. There's a bullet hole in the middle of his head and blood pours down it. 

Sylvester drops the mirror and falls backwards and onto his back.

Striker puts her revolver back into its holster. "Damn shame I had to do that."

"Y-You killed him!" Moxxie stutters as Striker advances menacingly towards him with a grin. "Now I'm glad my instant dislike of you has been vali-" Striker grabs him by the throat. "DATED!"

Striker wraps her tail around Moxxie's neck. She tosses Moxxie hard against the wall. The she starts to choks Moxxie on the floor as Moxxie hisses and tries to claw at him. 

Striker holds him down with her body weight. Moxxie glances over to see a lamp on a table. He kicks the table and the lamp crashes into Striker. . 

Moxxie stands up and races toward the door. He pulls the door open but Striker roughly pulls him back by his tail. Striker covers Moxxie's mouth and begins to strangle him. Striker chuckles evilly as Moxxie begins to lose consciousness.

Striker smirks. "Pathetic." 

Millie appears behind Striker and stabs her in the back with a knife. Moxxie collapses to the floor. 

A feral, enraged Millie stabs Striker repeatedly in the back. She leaps onto her back and holds the knife at her neck. Striker slams Millie off against the wall, breaking her arm. 

A bleeding Millie collapses next to Moxxie and Sylvester's corpse.  Moxxie reaches his hand towards Millie

"Millie..." Moxxie weakly says.

Striker grabs the two Imps by the hair and tosses them into a cellar. Millie cries out as her foot gets caught in a bear trap. Then she kicks Sylvester's body into the cellar and it lands next to the two Imps.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4c6a5a4c672d746c7846434355773d3d2d313331333834373831322e313734323335366166313635613736333934343839353030323535352e706e67

"I'd kill y'all, but I feel like there's more leverage with you rodeo clown of a boss if I don't." Striker says. "Plus, you little things ain't worth the cleanup. Such a shame about Sylvester."

Moxxie runs up the stairs, but Striker closes the cellar doors. Moxxie tries to push the doors, but they won't budge.

"Millie!" Moxxie calls out in worry as he runs down the stairs to Millie, assessing her. "Oh, Satan!"

"Moxxie, I' fiiine!" Millie says and she looks around Moxxie to Sylvester. "But, I don't think Sylvester is."

Moxxie looks back and looks at Sylvester's body with sadness. "Damn that Striker."

Millie grabs Moxxie's shoulder and turns him around. "you have to get out there, and fuck up that brownnosin' cocksuker for me and Sylvester!"

"But I can't break through it. I'm not strong enough."

"Not with your hands, baby. Use what you're good at."

"I'm not food with my hands?" Moxxie asks and Millie raises an eyebrow with an unamused expression. "Oooh. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Moxxie pulls out a pistol and fires a hole in the door. He pushes the door open. "I... I probably should've used this earlier, huh?"

"I love you, hun... But, for fuck's sake!"

.

.

.

.

Millie is trying to open the bear trap with a spade shovel. "Come on!"

Suddenly black shadows appear under Sylvester's corpse and many pale white hands reach out of the shadows and grab into Sylvester's corpse and then drag it into the shadows. 

Syvlester's body disappears like it was never there.

.

.

.

.

.

Stolas is on stage and he's magically flips through the grimoire. "My dear commoners of the Ring of Wrath! I, Stolas of the Ars Goetia, hereby curse this year’s harvest with the glow of the true Harvest Moon!"

The clouds swirl as Stolas creates a portal. The portal reveals a glowing orange full moon in the sky. The crowd oohs in wonder. 

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f34646e52454b4f756e4367344b413d3d2d313331333834373831322e313734323336316538343435383334663830333236333830363830382e706e67

Striker chuckles darkly as she aims the rifle at Stolas’ forehead. A click is heard behind her. Blitzo aims his flintlock pistol at her.

"Uh, excuse me? The FUCK?!" Blitzo shouts.

Striker turns around. "Bliiiitzo! I thought you were still at the ceremony!"

"You thought I wanted to stand around with a buncha hillbillies excited about corn n' shit with a thirsty owl on stage?!"

Striker stands up. "Huh. And now you seem disappointed in me."

"Yeaaaaah. Well, I’m not a fan of someone I offered a job to about to off my easiest lengthy ticket to Earth behind my back."

"Blitz, come on. You know, the two of us are superior than most of our kind. And you were so above suckin' on a disgusting, rich, pompous Goetia, only to sneak topside for scraps and work for bitter sinners, who could care less who you are, when you could be slaying Overlords."

Striker walks around Blitzo. Blitzo’s eyes move and he appears conflicted. He aims his gun as Striker moves in the shadows.

"Why struggle to run a business that is rigged against you? When you could partner up with me and kill... the unkillable?" Striker pins a frightened Blitzo against the wall. "Starting with the one that treats you like a plaything?"

Blitzo grins in lust. "Ooh, that’s kinda hot."

"We could be the most dangerous beings in Hell, Blitzo."

"Wow. That was a good fuckin' pitch."

"Been workshoppin' it." Striker moves Blitzo’s gun away.

"Y'know what? Fuck it. I’m in." Blitzo agrees.

Striker grins, but hears another click.

"Huh?"

Moxxie appears behind her with Striker’s rifle.

"Took ya long enough, Mox! Ha-HA! Wow, you should’ve seen your dipshit face!"  Blitzo looks down to see Striker holding the knife in her other hand from behind. "Wow... Woah, okay. Cliché much?"

Striker points Blitzo’s pistol at Moxxie. Moxxie blocks the bullet with the rifle side.

"Oh, you daddy fucker!" Blitzo bites at Striker’s arm.

"AAAAGH!!" Striker yells in pain.

The fight begins as Blitzo elbows Striker in the face. They exchange blows, and Striker slams Blitzo into Moxxie, both of them falling to the floor. Moxxie sees the rifle on the floor and reaches for it. Striker pins Moxxie’s arm down with her boot.

"AAAGH!" Moxxie yells in pain.

"You dumb fucks lost the upper hand fast, huh?" Striker asks

"HA! You seem to have forgotten something, fucko!" Blitzo whistles several times for Loona. Outside, Loona taps on her phone and ignores him. "Ugh, fuckin' damn it, Loona. Even you Sylvester." 

"It’s a damn shame, Blitzo. We might actually've made a good team... Ah well." 

"In your wet dreams, you honky-tonk GOAAAAT!" Blitzo swings his foot under Striker and trips her. 

Blitzo kicks Striker away, causing her to drop her rifle, which Moxxie grabs. Blitzo races toward Striker and knocks her head with a lamp. Blood drips from Striker's mouth.

He lands punches at her face and swipes his tail at her. Blitzo uses his tail to toss Striker to the side. Moxxie fires a warning shot near Striker’s head. Blitzo and Moxxie close in on Striker and Blitzo pulls out his pistol.

"I still think it’s embarrassing. You’re wastin' a lot of potential relyin' on a weak little--" Moxxie fires a shot near Striker.

"You gonna finish that fucking sentence... pard'ner?" Moxxie asks.

"Vermin." Striker insults Moxxie.

"Who’s weak now, BITCH--?!" Moxxie gets slammed against the wall as Loona opens the door and enters the room.

"'Kay, I’m here." Loona calls out.

Striker narrows her eyes and uses the distraction to kick Blitzo’s gun out of his hand. She shoves Blitzo aside and heads toward the open window.

"Maybe you’ll get me next time... Blitzy." Striker escapes through the window. Blitzo points his pistol outside, looking at the celebration in worry.

"I heard a commotion, what's going on?" Sylvester pops into the room.

"Sylvester?!" Moxxie yells.

"Yes?"

"I- I thought you died?!"

"What?" Sylvester tilts his head in confusion.

"I saw Striker shoot you in the head!"

I've been at the festival and had a great corndog." Sylvester says.

Moxxie looks really confused now.

.

.

.

.

.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f446d4a6d7732707263726b4b38773d3d2d313331333834373831322e313734323337313531656661666261323335393634313435363530362e706e67

Lin bandages up Millie’s arm as she sits with her foot in a cast. Moxxie struggles to fit clothes in a suitcase.

Sylvester is eating some corn on the cob.

"I can't believe you let him trap you, Millie!" Lin says. "Haven't we taught you better?"

"I was seein' red, Ma!" Millie informs. "And he was slippery!"

"Excuses! You're better than that, Mildred!"

Moxxie closes the trunk. "Y'know, she protected me." He then drawls. "And maybe I'm not strong a beefy dickhead." He then speaks normally. "But Millie has the strength enough for both of us! You two are getting on her case about being hurt by a psychopath you hired?!" He drawls again. "Shaaaaame on you!"

"Aw, Moxxie, look at you!" Blitzo says as he appears next to Moxxie.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6c467a517535644c746c347437773d3d2d313331333834373831322e313734323337363631313462353930353836313135383733353232322e706e67

Bltizo continues. "Speechin' like a big boy with his big paaants!"

Joe glares at Moxxie, curtly nods and leaves.

"Woooow! He nodded! He's never acknowledged your input before!" Millie stands up on crutches and walks away.

"Sooo, is that progress?" Moxxie asks.

Sylvester tosses the empty cob away. "Yeah, sure."

.

.

.

.

There's a sign that reads "Hideaway Motel Vacancy. The Guy That Tried 2 Kill U Def Isn't Here."

Striker is on a bed, talking on the phone. "Huh... I failed to kill the target at the festival. But Don't worry, ma'am... It won't happen again."

Stella drums her gingers on the table impatiently. "It better now! I want this cheating prick dead! I don't care who you have to go through! MAKE IT HAPPEN!!"

Stella is seen sitting at a dinner table with Stolas, who is reading a book called 'Imp in the SHeets,' and Octavia. Stolas pauses from eating to look at his wife in concern while Octavia bops her head to music, tapping on the wine glass with her fork.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4255364a6534316f313454664b673d3d2d313331333834373831322e313734323337633231323662626332333234343231303732333738382e676966

"Understood." Striker says.

Stella hands up the phone.

Striker twirls the gun in her hand. "I'll get him next time."

Striker chuckles evilly as she turns off the light. Her yellow eyes glow in the darkness and she let's out a rattlesnake hisses.

.

.

.

Sylvester arrives back at his apartment and he takes off his cowboy hat and shirt.

"She tried to kill me again." Sylvester says to himself. "I do feel bad for the one she killed, it seems kinda painful." 

Sylvester then smirks to himself. "I'll get her back for that the next time I see her."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

02-09-2023

6253 words

12