Chapter Text
After what felt like an eternity, Satan finally reappeared with a cookie tin. "I, the gossip master, have returned! Waited long?" He opened the tin and placed it on the table, generously offering treats to the moles.
Tallbuster, who had been dozing off, was nudged awake by Smallbuster to fetch her a cookie. He blinked sleepily before plucking one from the tin.
Eagle-eyed Maulbuster spotted a tiny bell imprint on the tin. "These are from that Bell guy?"
Smallbuster paused mid-bite: "You stole these?"
"Slander! I borrowed them from Ring-A-Ding." The four Ballbusters exchanged glances at his air-quoted "borrowing."
"Cool. I 'borrow' junk from scrapyards for my machines too." Small shrugged and crunched her cookie. "Go on, Mr. Satan!"
"You're a model audience, Small." Satan beamed, reigniting his storytelling fervor...
*Bomb Candy Mine*
Deafening music thumped through the central plaza as a disco ball splashed rainbow light across dancing miners.
Candy gaped upon hearing about Jewel Goon's unauthorized party. She raced via minecart to the scene, finding the entire workforce reveling beneath pulsating lights. Her eyes narrowed at Jewel Goon manning the DJ booth atop a stepped platform, head bobbing to the beat.
Shoving through the crowd, she stormed up the stairs. Goon spotted her and cheered: "Back so soo—"
"Have you lost it? Throwing a party while the boss is gone?!" Candy shouted over the music. "Temporary leader doesn't mean carte blanche!"
"What?!" Goon cupped his ear theatrically before grinning. "It's boss' orders! Relax, have a cocktail!" He handed her a shimmering drink from his makeshift bar.
She accepted grudgingly. The cocktails were his specialty – hence why the boss favored this particular Goon. Taking a sip, she surveyed the ecstatic crowd below. Her anger ebbed.
As the music softened slightly, she remarked: "Didn't know you could DJ."
"I was a DJ before bartending." He kept tweaking the mixer.
"Underestimated you." She downed her drink and nudged him aside. "Well. Now you can tell me."
"About what?" He sipped his own creation and grimaced. "Ugh, too sweet! The vodka wasn't enough... Oh right! A Blunderbuster from Pinball Mire brought word yesterday. Boss is staying there another week. Told me to throw this party – said we've been too stressed..."
Candy recalled Pinball Mire bordered Cinnamon Spring – both territories of that eccentric dragon.
"So the boss caught gambling fever? Figures he vanished." Goon chuckled. "Don’t worry, I won’t be temp leader forever. He’ll be back soon."
*Pinball Mire*
Jewel Ghoul lounged against Freako Dragon's coiled form, lazily playing a giant pinball machine.
"Oops. Lost again." He reclined against scaly coils. "Punishment?"
Freako sniffed his hat. "Lick the body."
"Me licking you or you licking me?" Ghoul arched up to tongue the dragon's pinball flank. "Sweet. Rolling in syrup while I wasn’t looking?"
The dragon chuffed: "Mire mud isn’t sweet." He reciprocated by licking Ghoul’s diamond chest. "You’re distracted! Three shots!" He filled thimble-sized cups.
"Hardly." Ghoul shrugged. "Let’s play cards next. I’ll bankrupt you." He sniffed the baijiu and wrinkled his nose – still couldn’t stomach the smell.
When two gamblers collide, calculated losses blur with intentional throws. Their skills matched, but motivations diverged – ending with matching "punishments."
Drunk and draped over each other, Freako’s forked tongue lolled against diamond as Ghoul smoked a cigar. Cards and empty bottles littered the ground around them.
The dragon’s drunken ramblings carried surprising clarity:
"So happy... haaa."
"You... really staying?"
"Terrible at cards!... Still like you."
Ghoul silently blew smoke rings at the mud-stained twilight. Whether he listened didn’t matter – their proximity spoke volumes.
Freako’s world spun pleasantly. Even the mire seemed to undulate like ocean waves.
"Try this." Ghoul offered his half-smoked cigar.
Freako clamped it between teeth. "Thanks... Your tobacco scent’s nice. First time to smoke, don’t laugh at me..."
The diamond man sighed – even with a cigar, the dragon kept yammering. Since when was he this chatty? Their dynamic had flipped: the usually verbose Ghoul now preferred listening.
"...Can I chew it?" Freako mumbled around the cigar.
"Seriously?" Ghoul snorted. "It won’t taste good."
Undeterred, Freako crunched the cigar. Coughing violently: "Bitter! Bad!... Cigar blocked my words – wanna hear my childhood stories? Will you listen?"
Ghoul flopped backward: "Just speak as you wish."
...
"In the following months, our ghoul kept sneaking off with that weird dragon, who kept sending minions to deliver gifts to the candy mine~" Satan propped his chin on his palm.
...
*Mine Entrance*
A Dippo bird wobbled through the air, clutching a black envelope in its beak. Jewel Girl intercepted it near the shaft, noting the red inverted pentagram wax seal. She patted the round creature: "Poor clumsy bird, flying all this way."
The Dippo ruffled its feathers grumpily before careening away. Watching its erratic flight, she doubted it'd survive the return trip.
Black envelope with red seal meant top-secret communiqué from Satan himself. The scrawled "To Jewel Ghoul" confirmed the Demon King's handwriting.
Temptation gnawed at her. What secrets did it hold? But breaking the seal meant treason.
"Hey, Cherry!" A voice startled her. She hid the letter behind her back to find a Lil' Freak balancing a crate. "Miss me? Although we met three days ago!"
"Again?" She rolled her eyes. "Deliver this yourself – Lil', check this out!" She brandished the envelope, flaunting its seal.
The dragonling squinted. "Hell Feast invite. What's the fuss?"
Her eyebrows shot up. "How’d you—?!"
"Obvious. It happened annually. Don't you know that?" It snorted. "Now call someone to haul this—"
"Wait." Who could she summon?
"Cherry! Skipping duty again?" Candy's voice saved her. No need for excuses today: "Perfect timing! Move this crate. I’ve got urgent delivery."
Spotting the Lil' Freak, Candy tensed. "Another ‘gift’ from your boss?" The dragonling nodded cheerfully, deepening her unease.
Why was Freako Dragon showering Ghoul with presents? Candy suspected gambling incentives – dangerous favors disguised as generosity. This spelled trouble.
...
"If they've been entangled for half a year, why didn't I notice at the banquet?" Maulbuster frowned.
"Right! The dragon sat directly across from Jewel and Bell," Smallbuster chimed in. "Mr. Satan, you arranged the seating! Why not seat them together?"
"I did! Then they fought days before the banquet!" Satan groaned. "Nearly thought they'd boycott!"
"Fought?"
"More like brawled. Or... lover's spat? Too complex. Even my magical mirror couldn't explain why."
The clash happened in Concrete Jungle – quiet enough that none witnessed it. Jewel eventually stormed back to the mine, ignoring Freako's calls. Later, the dragon sent Lil' Freaks with messages, but found the mine barricaded. When Freako personally came, "guards" (newly appointed) turned him away.
Satan had originally seated them side-by-side. On the Hell Feast day, Jewel arrived first.
Drifting to Satan's throne with a cigar, he demanded: "Switch his seat." Pointing at the empty chair beside him.
"You don't even think to call me 'my lord'— just kidding." Satan feigned innocence. "Why? Irreconcilable differences?"
Jewel puffed smoke silently.
"Requires Freako's consent—"
"Bullshit. Invites didn't list seats. Just do it." Noticing Satan's glare, he softened: "My apologies for the rudeness. Please."
Satan massaged his temples: "Fine. I'll swap him with Ring-A-Ding."
"Thanks, Satan." Jewel blew a smoke ring while leaving. "And don't pry into private matters."
...
Freako arrived second – just as minions finished rearranging seats.
He maintained his usual reticence at social events, though emotions played across his face like open books.
Three utterances defined his banquet:
1. Upon being told his seat faced the stage's right side: "Wonderful!"
(Not about the seating – about seeing Jewel there.)
2. After Satan's speech, awkwardly cheering: "Hurrah!!"
3. To late-arriving Brawlbuster: "All of us were waiting for you, late guy!"
His sparse words contrasted with relentless staring. Initial stolen glances at Jewel evolved into unblinking fixation.
Jewel only looked twice:
First when Freako entered – immediately turning away.
Second when Satan chided Freako for "trying to steal the entire banquet hall."
The diamond man's avoidance and public shaming proved too much. Freako left early.
...
"So... what then?"
"Made up next day. Officially became a couple."
"What?! That fast?!"
...
Boredom soon gripped Jewel. The "steaks and spirits but no sweethearts" excuse was hollow – truth was, his desired company had left. After Freako's departure, he bid Satan farewell and dragged his weary form home.
Returning to his candy mine, Jewel found all subordinates partying in the plaza – even the newly appointed "guards." They froze mid-revelry at his unexpected return.
"Chiefs have banquets, minions need feasts too," Crab stammered.
To their shock, Jewel simply waved: "Do as you like. No need for my permission." He pointed at Goon. "You remain acting leader. I'm... unavailable."
"Boss? This wasn't my idea—" Goon panicked.
"Sir, what happened?" Candy pressed.
Only Cherry remained silent before pointing: "Someone's here for you."
Jewel turned to find Freako peeking from the tunnel entrance, gesturing outside. After a beat, he followed.
All heads swiveled toward the exit.
"Nothing to see! Party's back on!" Goon cranked the music, drowning curiosity.
...
They walked beyond earshot.
"Sorry for ignoring you tonight. And these past days." Jewel reached for a cigar, halted by Freako's claw.
"Enough smoking. I have only one sentence."
Jewel arched a brow but complied.
Freako's eyes darted nervously: "If you still want this... meet me tomorrow. Usual spot." He vanished in a rustle of scales.
Leaning against stone, Jewel shoved the unlit cigar between his teeth. Bitter pulp flooded his mouth as he dry-chewed.
He waited through three songs before drifting back. Goon paused the music as he passed.
Under collective gaze, Jewel stated: "Carry on. Request anything needed."
"Boss, you—"
"Problem solved!" Goon cut off protests with DJ flair.
As Jewel left, Goon whispered to Candy and Cherry: "Trust me – when he says that, it means peace is restored."
*Next Day - Concrete Jungle*
Beneath twisted concrete "trees", Freako paced until Jewel appeared. The dragon pounced, wings fluttering wildly.
Jewel stood motionless: "I... shouldn't have run. Solving nothing, even though..."
Freako ignored the ramble, vibrating with hope: "So are we together?!"
Jewel tilted the dragon's chin: "Obviously."
Their kiss sent pebbles skittering – the only audience to this cement-garden romance.
...
"So my 'two subordinates dating' became official days ago," Satan concluded. "Six months of sparks and spats, now unshakable trust."
Maulbuster smirked: "Why wait for next gathering? Expose them now." Her glance at Tall/Small didn't go unnoticed.
"Next gathering's a year away!" Brawl complained.
Satan snapped his fingers: "Tomorrow! Garden meeting for all leaders!"
...
"You already knew about us?"
Jewel laced claws with Freako as Satan's spies watched from every shadow.
"Any sex recordings? I'd cherish a keepsake."
Freako choked: "Wh-what?!"
"Joking." Jewel leaned against scaly warmth. "Thanks for blessings. We'll stay happy."
The dragon crushed him in a hug: "I love you! No more bad jokes, please!!"
"Tooth-rotting sweet," someone muttered behind cupped hands.
Ring-A-Ding's roar shattered the moment: "SATAN! MY COOKIE TIN? WHERE IS IT?!"
"Oops..."