Luna Leviosa

   Before Shizuka could ask further, Marx shoved her under the blankets and tossed more pillows onto her making a mound.  He quickly muttered apologies as the the sound of high heels was drawing closer to the room.  Shizuka wasn't about to stay suffocated under the bulk of bedding so she moved just enough that her face was peeking out for air.  Luckily she was facing the wall and only had to remain quiet to avoid attracting attention.

    Or at least that could have worked if the mountain of bedding wasn't as large in the first place!  

    "Marx honey I'm-" The voice was definitely that of an older woman but no older than 30!  Shizuka resisted the tempation to wiggle to perhaps get a better view and only darted her eyes in alarm.  "...Am I interrupting something?" The woman didn't seem offended either, more like she was used to it by now. 

    "Yeah, my nap" Marx growled, scratching his head.  His clothes were scraggled enough, either he just woke up from a nap...or some other romp.  

    Surprisingly enough the woman didn't question further about the curiously large pile sitting next to him but intead flicked a white envelope at his head like a dagger.  

    "OW!" 

        "I see you're avoiding the postbox lately" she teased.  Shizuka tried craning her head to see a glimpse of anything.  The envelope fell onto Marx's lap and he glared at it with a strange hostility that Shizuka was able to sense, even while trapped under the covers. 

    "...Really?  The bloke went and did this?" Marx snarled almost as if he was offended.  Shizuka's nose twitched with interest.  It was a while since Marx has said anything truly British before.  

    "Look, I'm not asking you to be his foot stool, just be nice to him" 

    "Ch..." Despite him handling the envelope as if it was toxic, he opened the letter and groaned expectantly.  

    "You can even show up and be gone after the Opening Ceremony!  I'm sure Mephi will appreciate that you went out of his way to come~" the woman sounded almost pleading this time as Marx grunted in disapproval.  "Look your Father and I are in a little bit of a bind over this and just once-"

    "........" Marx didn't say a word or utter a sound but even with Shizuka hidden away in the sheets, she could tell that Marx did not want to talk any more of the subject.  Must have been the long awkward silence.  ".....I'll go... but I won't stay" 

    "That's better, and look, Mephi was considerate to use the post box since you're so insistant on staying up here in the human world~" The woman then fell silent, realizing that the last sentence she said probably didn't help the situation any.  "Alright, how about this, if it makes you feel any better I can try to get one of your brothers and sisters to come too, maybe even Li-"

    "No." Marx hissed. "I mean, not Lilith..." 

    "Well Lilith is another matter entirely" the woman sighed in defeat.  "In fact she might come after you whether you like it or not" 

    "That's what I meant" Marx sighed in annoyance.  But his tone softened, he must have sensed the stress emanating from his mother.  But who could blame him?  None of his other siblings felt like ruling, so contrary to many other royal families (where the first born is deemed heir to the next throne) the YOUNGEST heir (Marx) has been lumped with the royal duties.  

    "...Just...show your face and you can come back here, that's fine honey" The woman sounded almost apologetic and to Shizuka's horror she sat on the bed besides Marx, hauntingly close to the mound that Shizuka was hiding under.  "Your Father will appreciate it too" 

    "..." Marx made a small 'Hmph' and folded his arms. 

    "Oh come now, give your Mummy a hug <3" The woman seemed delighted that Marx was at least willing to cooperate (partly) as she threw her arms around him.  

    "ERK!  Right! I got it! Quit!" Marx hissed like a cat that got doused in cold water.  The woman finally unwrapped herself from him and Shizuka could hear her moving further as if she was preparing to leave. 

    "Oh and by the way, I have another gig tonight if the boys wanna come watch~" she said almost flirtatiously.  Marx only gave a cruel laugh.

    "As long as I get them back in one piece!" For the first time Marx was in higher spirits.  

    "...." She was quiet for a long while until the woman finally said "...You're sure I didn't get in the way...of anything just now?" Shizuka wriggled slightly out of nerves but Marx pretended not to notice. 

    "No, I was just taking a nap Mum that's all," Marx insisted.  Shizuka almost gave a gasp, not only at the fact that 'Mum' was still suspicious but moreso of the fact that Marx lied to save her skin.  

    "Well anyways, Bye Marx honey~  and clean your apartment, there are no servants here for you~~" Her voice finally started to grow faint as she was leaving towards the front door. 

    "Whatever~~" He called back as Shizuka finally felt it safe to poke her head back out.  The door closed and Marx seemed exhausted, crumpling the envelope and letter in his hands.  He bowed his head over in fatigue and almost threw the letter away to the floor. 

    "What is that?" Shizuka finally asked when the coast was clear.  She figured to keep her questions simple for consideration to him and to save his questionably tense relationship with his family for another time. She instead referred to the letter. 

    "Its nothing...its. just an invitation to some stupid birthday party" Marx insisted.  Shizuka's eyes lit up with curiousity and before Marx could throw it away, he made a hesitant sigh and gave the letter to her. "It's a lot of fancy talk but that's really all it is... some birthday party to the most spoiled brat I've ever known" 

    "I thought you said the Twins-" Shizuka remembered the Twins were also from a well to do family of Hell which is why there were sometimes very greedy.  

    "At least the Twins are somewhat flexible especially if it involves something that interests them, but Mephisto is another kind of stickler, he's one for order and he makes sure everyone is following his line of thought and..." Marx cut himself off as Shizuka was still gazing at the beautiful craftsmanship of the letter itself. 

It read.  

    "...." Shizuka wasn't sure of what to say after actually reading the text.  She was only able to say "How silly... it doesn't even say when the date or time is" 

    "That's because everyone knows that ~" 

    "Hmm?" 

        "Oh that's right~ You Japanese don't celebrate Halloween...do you?"