Verosika hated hearing that word as much as anyone else, especially from a nice little kid like Cody Laurent. She made a frown and said: "But Cody, I really am sorry." she walked up to him, and Loona stood in front of the boy, growling at him

"Stay the fuck away from him, you slutty cunt!" Loona said.

"Wait Loona, it's ok. I'll handle this." then he gave Verosika another disapproving look. "The damage was already done, Verosika." he said to her. "I know what Blitzo did to you was wrong, but after what happened, you're no better than he is."

Verosika never felt so insulted, and said: "I am way better than that heartbreaking piece of shit. Besides, Blitzo might betray you in return."

"That's a lie!" Loona said. "Blitzo would never do that!"

"There is a lot about Blitzo you don't know Cody." Verosika tried to sound sincere again. "And Loona here is no better either. Loona, how long will it be before you decide to eat him?"

Loona growled some more and said: "That will never happen in a million years. I wouldn't even be caught dead, and brought her as a sinner demon betraying my own friend here!"

She really looked like she was about to mutilate the demon pop star with her powerful and sharp claws. Yes, she didn't really like her music so much, but now she had a good reason to hate her in person as well.

"Look, Cody, I do care about you." said Verosika. "Why do you think I saved you from Martha and her crazy-ass family?"

Cody was silent and looked down slightly to the left.

"Oh come on, you just wanted to have Cody to yourself like your own little plush toy!" said Loona.

"Not true, literal bitch!" Verosika. "I really do care about him, as a person! Besides, what else do you care about, besides yourself?"

"Stop!" Cody shouted to cease any more hostility between these female demons. "Look, I don't want to see you ladies kill each other." he turned his attention back to Verosika. "I know you saved me and... maybe I can forgive you one day... But not today. I still need to think, Verosika."

At first, the popstar demon tried to say something to object to this, but she realized that she needed to be content with this decision Cody made, and deep down, maybe Cody might forgive her got what happened, especially saving him and his close friends from the deranged Martha. "You know, Cody," said Verosika, "You're really mature for a kid your age, especially a small, adorable nine-year-old boy."

"I just need some time, it's all I ask." Cody begged. "Please just leave me alone and give me space so I can think if I can forgive you or not. That's all I ask of you, to just give me some space."

Silent for a minute, Verosika said: "OK, Cody. I understand." she turned away in sadness. "Take all the time you need. I hope you realize, in due time, how sorry I am."

then she walked away with her arms clutched around one another as if she was walking on a cold, winter day. "She's right about one thing, Cody." said Loona, "You are mature for a nine-year-old kid."

"Thanks." said Cody. They both went back to their apartment and Cody couldn't help but ask: "should I forgive her?"

"Well, if it was up to me, then I would say no." Loona remarked flatly. "But, it's your life so it's your decision, kid."

"Good. OK."

"So I'm curious, what was the last concert you ever went to before... the event happened?"

"Event?" Cody didn't know what she was saying at first, but after a few seconds, he was able to finally catch on and frowned. "Oh, before the fire, I get it." but she brushed it off and went back to her question. "It was Megadeth. Three weeks before my parents died."

"Nice. Who went with you?"

"My dad, and Tommy, who was visiting in town with Celeste in vacation." Cody replied flatly.

"Cool. That must have been fun."

"Really fun." said Cody with a smile. "I remember it like it was yesterday. One of the best days of my life." then he frowned. "We also got tickets to see Metallica with Pretty Reckless the week after, but the concert happened two days after the fire."

Loona frowned. "Oh. I'm sorry, buddy." she knelt down and put a gentle hand on his left shoulder.

"It's ok. I've seen other concerts, and I know Metallica will come to town one day." Cody remarked. "You ever been to concerts, Loona?"

"Tons and tons of them, Cody." Loona replied. "A couple from the human world, and mostly down here. A hair metal head called Wet Dream was the first concert I ever went to. they've been around since the seventies, and they still play so good. Like Guns N Roses, or Judas Priest, and other bands like those."

"Cool."

They both went back to the apartment building and Cody turned on the TV, revealing the amazing performance that Cody, Loona, Vortex, and Crymini gave out yesterday.

"Fuck yeah, folks!" said the news reporter. "Local human kid, Cody Laurent has given something pure badass in Satan's castle last night. And uh, if that hellhound guitarist is single, she can always get in bed with me." he did an air kiss at the screen, obviously giving it to Loona.

The female hellhound was not really amused, and rolled her eyes. "Over my dead body, you pervert." she said under her breath.

"So how did it go out there?" asked Blitzo, feeling curious.

"I ran into Verosika again."

Blitzo spat out his coffee in disbelief. "Oh no, she didn't hurt you this time did she?"

"No. She never even hurt me to begin with." Cody said.

"What did she want?"

"She wanted me to forgive her for kidnapping me again. Saying she really did care about me."

"Again?" Blitzo sounded annoyed. He pulled out one of his pistols from a drawer and said: "come on, Loona, time to give that succu-bitch the what-for!"

"OK, hold it, Malcolm X." Loona said. "She walked away and she will leave him alone this time." the female hellhound pointed.

"How come?" Blitzo lowered his pistol.

"Because I told her I needed to think about whether I should forgive her or not. So... she agreed to just let me think about it." Cody pointed.

"Oh. Alright then."

"And Blitzo, she said you have heart most people you've ever known."

The male demon's heart sank to his feet hearing that.

"Is that true?"

"Well I did hurt Verosika, admittedly, but she is still a petty woman who can't let go of the past. But come on, people love me. I am a very personable demon."

"Oh."

"But I wouldn't bother with that Verosika anyway." said Blitzo. "I mean, she doesn't even have the same kind of music taste as you do, kid."

"True. She's a pop singer and I am a heavy metal kid." Cody shrugged off. "But she did sound sincere to me."

"Hey, I'm not trying to ever keep you from thinking what you want, I'm just giving my own opinion to ya. Some demons just never change."

"I know you're not trying to keep me from that, Blitzo." Cody said.

"But look, you feel like a star just looking at yourself on the news?"

Cody looked at the TV again and smiled. "I do feel a little bit like a star." he admitted. "but I don't want any more crazy demons to try and eat me. Remember those hellhounds last night?"

"Nope."

"Yeah, because you were so drunk from all that champagne, stupid." Loona crossed her arms. She turned her head back to Cody. "But I understand. I wouldn't really blame you."

Looking at the TV, Cody wondered something. "Do you think thay I'll be a little more... loved around here?"

"Come on." Loona said, sitting next to him, and wrapping her arm around his own two arms. "You're already loved down here."

The kid remembered that nice little talk she gave him last night on the balcony, and was still touched by it. "I know."

"Well, anyone who is a friend of my Loony," Blitzo gave the kid a squeezing hug, "Is a friend of mine."



Meanwhile, Verosika was grieving in her room and still guilty about all that she did with Cody. That, and how she felt washed up from her fame.
Deep down, she was a very hurt woman, mostly because of how shitty Blitzo treated her in their relationship. "Maybe I should go back to rehab." she said to herself.
She went downstairs and got herself a bottle of gin from the fridge. Turning on the TV, she saw the performance Cody gave at Satan's palace last night.
While she felt proud of the kid for being awesome, she was angry at Satan for not inviting her into his palace to give a performance herself. She through one bottle of gin at the wall with the sound of glass shattering, and growled. "Fuck you, Satan!" she shouted. "And fuck you, Blitzo! Raaaaagh! I should pierce a knife into your sacks to make you scream so loud, it will wake up your doctors!"
She tried calling herself down and ultimately decided to drink her sorrows away, more than was good for her.
Bringing out a lot of her champagne bottles, she drank one bottle after another, after another, after another, and she got so drunk, she was making a fool of herself.
"Women don't fart." she said in a slurry voice. "They queef!" then she made a foolish laughter from herself. "Yep! that's right. We women queen and they stink way worse than farting, mother fuckers!"