Max found Loona exactly where he expected.
The hellhound bar sat wedged between two crumbling storefronts, neon sign flickering like it was one insult away from dying. Pride didn't have many places that catered specifically to hellhounds yet — only three at this point in time — so finding her wasn't difficult.
Inside, the bar smelled like cheap alcohol, smoke, and wet fur.
Music blasted loud enough to rattle bones.
And there she was.
Loona sat at the counter, shoulders tight, ears pinned halfway back. A couple of other hellhounds leaned too close, laughing too loud, invading her space like vultures testing a carcass.
Max remembered this.
Every detail.
Every word.
Every punch.
But this time…
He could do it differently.
The moment he stepped through the doorway, the world slowed to a crawl.
Sound stretched into syrup.
Movement froze mid-frame.
A bottle hung in the air, liquid suspended in a glittering arc.
Max sighed.
"God damn it," he muttered. "Why won't you just let me do this?"
He turned.
Roo stood behind him.
Not in her true form — that would shatter the bar — but in a mortal approximation. Humanoid. Elegant. Wrong in a way the brain refused to process directly.
Her smile was sharp enough to cut glass.
"Well, well," Max said, dragging a chair over and sitting. "You look amazing. Sister now, yes?"
Roo laughed softly.
It echoed like insects crawling under skin.
"Well, well," she replied. "Looks like brother has gotten himself into quite the pickle. No immortality. No divine overrides I can't bypass. You're adorable like this."
"So you want to kill me?" Max asked lazily. "Oh sister of mine?"
"No, no," Roo said, waving it off. "I may be the Root of Evil, but I don't hate you. Or God. If you two vanished I'd be bored and lonely. I mean, I may have gone a little far in Universe 616, but I was having a bad breakup."
Max grimaced.
"Oh, the Evil Virus incident," he muttered. "Yeah. That Charlie was… unsettling. Evil with a capital E."
Roo hummed.
"About that," she said casually. "My daughter may have accidentally created a new strain. And she may also be the reason your false gods escaped."
Max froze.
"…Does she know you made her?" he asked.
"Of course," Roo said brightly. "We have tea every other week. She was hired to break them out. The virus she made is weaker than mine. It has a cure."
Max grabbed a frozen beer mid-air and took a sip.
Even frozen time couldn't stop the taste.
"Thank you," he said dryly. "Another problem to add to the list. What's the cure?"
"Good news," Roo said. "You have it."
She leaned forward.
"Bad news? No vaccine."
Max looked at Loona, frozen mid-scowl at the punks beside her.
"…Explain," he said.
"Your blood," Roo replied. "Well, your vessel's blood. It cures infection after exposure. Permanently. But they must be infected first."
Max rubbed his face.
"So my girls need to get infected… then cured," he muttered. "Great. Fantastic. Wonderful."
"There will be mutations," Roo added cheerfully.
Max stared.
"Nothing catastrophic," she said. "Just… visible. Especially your angel. You'll have explaining to do."
She clapped her hands.
A vial appeared in Max's palm.
Clear glass.
Inside swirled a glowing red liquid that moved like it was breathing.
"Gift," Roo said. "Apology for my daughter's mess. It'll help you with Emily. She'll fall this time. Properly. It'll save her."
Max frowned.
"Emily?" he asked. "Why?"
Roo smiled wider.
"You have an angelic stalker," she said lightly. "Now get into position."
Time snapped back.
Sound crashed in.
Music roared.
The punks leaned closer to Loona.
Max moved.
His foot shot out.
A clean kick.
Then another.
Then another.
Three hellhounds folded like broken chairs, collapsing to the floor clutching their futures.
No screaming.
Just breathless wheezing.
Loona blinked.
Looked up.
Saw him.
He slid onto the empty seat beside her like nothing had happened.
"Hello," he said casually. "Name's Max. This seat taken?"
The bar went quiet for half a second.
Then noise returned.
But Loona stared at him like the world had tilted slightly off-axis.
"…You just kicked three guys in the balls," she said flatly.
Max shrugged.
"They looked like they needed perspective."
She snorted.
A tiny sound.
Almost a laugh.
"…You buying?" she asked.
Max signaled the bartender.
"Two drinks," he said. "Something strong."
Loona studied him.
Suspicious.
Curious.
Guarded.
Interested.
[AN: Should I add Millie? And who others before time resumes? Anyway Enjoy]
[PS. Got the idea from the evil virus from some pictures of a twisted evil Charlie. And the idea fkr Emily from a few pictures of her fallen on Pinterest. Anyways enjoy]