⬢⬡⬢GLUTTONY RING⬢⬡⬢

[makethathoney]

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Everyone deserves a fun night out - why not try out one of those hellhound parties that Loona's friend Tex talked about?

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[strawberryredgrave]

Dante, meanwhile, was chugging down beelzejuice without any form of hesitation. He and his sweet tooth are going all in!

The one thing that makes him pause is the giant pizza Bee conjures up. His eyes all sparkle as he admires and appraises the delicious pie. Melted cheese, fresh out of the oven, it smells incredible! Oh, she knows exactly what Dante's about and is exploiting it.

"Al, if it looks like I stopped breathing, I'm probably alright."

Just a single slice is bigger than his head. One bite to give it that first taste and rise up onto cloud nine. There's a transition towards becoming more and more cartoonish in eating pizza, with the rest of the slice being gulped down in one bite.

[makethathoney]

Oh, that unabashed joy settles it - tonight is a pizza party night. Buzzing up towards the disco ball, bringing it back down for the next performance from Al and Dante, Bee took the time to summon pizzas with every conceivable topping combo on all of the tables.

I'm whatchu want, not whatchu need.

"Stage is all yours, boys!"

[lonelysmiles]

Yup. This was going about how he expected: No time to plan, no time to rehearse, no time to even pick a song. They were expected to already be prepared or crash and burn.

Alastor took a deep breath and blew it out. Nobody knew it, but he sometimes wrote music in non-jazz styles just to see if he could make something he actually liked, but it was always deeply personal and --

Fuck it. He was out of ideas. Here was hoping their pact would allow them to sync up more than just their powers.

Rather than jazz like most would expect, something more Bee's style started playing over the speakers as Alastor started walking towards the staging area, singing the whole way.

♪♫ There it is, gotta hold tight
Can't stop thinking 'bout the moment tonight
Think fast, it ain't gonna last
Gotta make it count and gotta do it right

Wanna, stand ground, make a better sound
Knock 'em down, following the feeling I might
Just go strong cause the pressure's on
All eyes are on me I better carry the light ♪♫

Alastor held up his hands in a placating gesture to some of the hellhounds gawking as he moved into the appropriate spot. At the same time, the smaller shadows began dancing with the music, casting their own shadows onto the crowd.

♪♫ Wait just a minute
I fail this now I'll never live it down
Can it wait just a little
The clock keeps ticking and the time is now

Just wait for a minute
My heart quit beating and I'm not ready yet
I know I'm not gonna win it
A thought that I put in my head
I can't lie, I'm nervous ♪♫

[strawberryredgrave]

Dante's in aw of the marathon of pizza that now fills the party. He just died and went to Hell and they don't charge for delivery! Ohh, this is the first time Dante's been able to enjoy something from Hell outside of a good fight. This time, it's good pizza....

Buuuut he can't enjoy any of that pizza if Alastor bombs and gets booed out, so it'll have to wait. Setting the pizza down for now (Later, my love), Dante's immediately on point once the song begins. He dances along the way to the stage; a little hip hop feels appropriate with this one, so why not lean into it? He's gonna borrow a few of Alastor's shadows to make it a dance crew, help it all sit better with the crowd, so he hopes. Alastor gets to lead the parade for his segment, Dante keeping in sync with the rhythm. The pact's doing wonders for that. It's turning out to be a better and better investment.

Of course, his time comes and he conjures the spotlight on him, walking up the stairs on the guard rail.

♫ I’ve run the lines, bout’ a thousand times
Know exactly what I’m gonna do and say
I should be fine, do this all the time
Yet my nerves are kicking in anyway

No matter what, if I mess it up
Still I’m gonna live to see another day
So take a deep breath, though I’m scared to death
My moment is calling and I gotta obey ♫

Up at the second floor, Dante leaps for the disco ball, letting the momentum carry him into a twirl around the pole. Thighs are put to work as he hangs upside down on the pole, sliding down until he's sprawled out on the ball's underside, further ignoring physics.

♫ Wait just a minute
I could just calm down if I remember how
Gonna wait just a little
Cause the clock’s still ticking and the time is now

I can’t wait for a minute
Cause my heart’s still beating and the stage is set
Gonna go out there and win it
A thought that I could never forget ♫

[lonelysmiles]

Alastor wasn't used to this style, so he wasn't used to how it was supposed to be presented. Fortunately, Dante's antics were giving him an idea of what he should be doing. It was going to be embarrassing, but half of the fun of a performance was being ridiculous and just having fun with it. Proper embarrassment would come later.

He teleported up to Dante to meet him nose-to-nose, like a conversation being held upside-down as they sang in unison.

♪♫ I can't lie, I'm nervous
And I'm afraid they've been catching on
I can't lie, I'm nervous
And I'm afraid you've been catching on ♪♫

Alastor pushed himself up and lazily spun on the pole to get into a sitting position on the opposite side of the disco ball. The shadows swept up the walls of the building to obscure all lights save for the ones reflecting off the disco ball, giving the impression of being in the center of a kaleidoscope.

Alastor propped up one knee as he wrapped his arms around it, looking small and a bit vulnerable in contrast to Dante.

♪♫ I could run away right now and leave it all
Yet I choose to stay and suddenly recall ♪♫

He started to stand, using the pole for support. The air was humming with power as his allowed his emotions -- the thrill of performing live in front of a hopefully appreciative audience -- to flow through his magic. Those who'd been in Reverein would sense something similar to dreamotion due to Alastor's typical magic working very similarly to it in places.

♪♫ That I love the lights, the crowd, the stage tonight
If I just calm down I know I'll be alright ♪♫

The shadows melted off the walls, letting the light back in. Shadows swirled up and over Alastor, covering his body up past his neck. He closed his eyes, enjoying the contrast of the shadows over the pounding of his heart.

♪♫ Though I hear my name called and I’m terrified
When the countdown ends that’s when I feel alive ♪♫

On the last word, Alastor snapped his head back, a rapturous smile on his face. The shadows scattered to reveal that he'd changed. His shoes and gloves were still the same but he now sported black dress pants and a large red hoodie that flickered like firelight on a black backdrop when a shadow crossed in front of the light for a brief moment.

[strawberryredgrave]

It's not usually Alastor's style, but right now, he's nailing it. Didn't take him long to go with the flow. Maybe that's just the pact and Dante's influence helping nudge him along. Either way, there's a chance to play at opposites with Al right now, standing tall and looking confident. It trades off with Al as he starts looking more confident and Dante being taken aback, playing out a give and take with the two trying to meet in the middle.

♫ Wait just a minute
I’ll take this city and shut it down
Gonna take just a minute
The clock’s still ticking and my time is now ♫

Hanging upside down, it finally looked like his coat was starting to dangle and threatening to hit the floor. With arms pointed toward the ground, it seemed like that would be the case. When it comes loose, it's quickly reversed, a swish over Dante's figure to reveal he's changed his outfit: pinstripes along his suit and a pair of headphones that looked to give him long, fluffy ears. The keen might recognize him swapping over towards Alastor's aesthetic, similar to the Radio Demon changing a little towards Dante's.

♫ Can’t wait for a minute
My heart’s still beating and the stage is set
Gonna go out there and win it
A thought that I will never forget
I can’t lie, I’m nervous

And I’m afraid they’ve been catching on
I can’t lie, I’m nervous
And I’m afraid you’ve been catching on ♫

With the last beat of the song, Dante calls in the pyrotechnics to light the place up. Harmless stuff, theatrical effects to capture the last part of their performance while he strikes a pose. Regardless of how the audience reacts to it, he had fun and he's sure Alastor did, too. That counts for something.