Finally Done! Jeez, this was a long one. Just like the chapter before, this is a melding of original content and pieces of the Harvest Moon episode. It sort of took a bit of thought on how I needed to end up at different points. A bit tricky, and it led to quite a long chapter. Still, I doubt you will all mind now that it is out.

Now, onto the Guest Reviews!

lurker no more (Guest): It looks like Kyle has pretty much dealt with all of his remaining issues with Larissa. Though I have to wonder. Does the death of his unborn child still affect him? If so, I've got an idea for you. Have Kyle somehow become the caretaker to an abandoned baby incubus or succubus. This will also give Kyle and Loona another opportunity to strengthen their bond with Verosika since they'll definitely need her help in caring for the child.

Response: Well, yes and no. He is over Larissa. Being split for her for so long and then subsequently being dished a lot of hurtful words from her in Hell is pretty much enough for him to no longer love her. However, he will still be dealing with the trauma he has caused. Still, you make a decent point here. What happened to his feelings about the unborn child. I would say that the loss of Larissa, everyone's hate toward him because of that, and his suffering diminishes it a little. Still, it is still a part of the whole trauma he faces even if he doesn't speak about it.

As for becoming a caretaker, I am unsure that will ever happen. Adding a youngling to take care of tends to complicate the story, and there is a path that is planned out.

Guest #1: I actually meant that because Verosika had experienced genuine attraction way back when, it set her apart from most of the other succubi and incubi (Though I do think it's possible for some of them to feel love instead of lust), which made her break-up with Blitzo even more upsetting.

Sorry for confusing you from my earlier review, hope you have a great day!

Response: Okay, I get what you mean. It was a little confusing before, but you are somewhat on the right track. I think lust is usually the most basic thought, but any of them are capable of actual love.

Guest #2: I think it will be very interesting for Kyle to join the Pain Games alongside Moxxie, just because it'll be good to see them work together.

How do you intend to carry out the big battle in the second part? Because I want Kyle and Moxxie to give Striker wounds to remember them by!

and

I made a mistake in a review I made (again). I thought that Kyle might be joining Moxxie in the Pain Games, though from the dialogue between the four of them, Moxxie might be wanting to tackle this himself.

But in all honesty, I really do like the dynamic between them in this chapter! It's remarkably well-written! Since the characters are allowed their own growth, nothing feels tacked on or forced.

I know you'll do great with both the games and the big battle near the end! Take care!

Response: I think I paired the correct reviews. Anyways, I am glad to see you correct yourself. Kyle won't be participating in the Pain Games this chapter. He doesn't need that focus on him. As for the question about the battle, I don't intend to answer it. Chapter was quite long, and I had other intents with it. So, you will just have to find out.

Also, thank you for the compliments. and we will see if I do well... Neither the games nor the battle took up that much time in the show.

ReadingBeta (Guest): Another 2 parter of this episode. Update soon.

Response: Yep, another 2-parter! Thank you for your patience for the release of the chapter.

Guest #3: I hope that kyle will realize that he also loves loona and at the end of the episode they confess their love for each other. I can't wait for next chapter. I really love it

Response: You should already know that I don't roll that way. It might take a second, but he will come around. There is just balancing that needs to be done as well with the other female. Thank you for enjoying the story!

Guest #4: You know what's funny, Christina Vee also voiced a character in episode 2 of One Punch Man called Mosquito Girl. The only reason I bring this up is that the character's first line of dialogue is literally moaning, character also made a couple of unintentional innuendos , so when I found out Cristina voiced her and voices Verosika, I was like,

"WOW, well now I know what Verosika's MOANS sound like". Actually made me laugh.

Response: Hot damn! Someone is spitting straight facts up in here! Truthfully, I guess that is information that might be helpful. Though, I am unsure that Verosika will be searching for blood... Thanks for the review!

Sharktooth (Guest): So i've been reading the story lately and I'm guessing the story only focuses on Kyle including his relationship with Loona.

Don't you think that's maybe a little blah? Cause I know Kyle gonna be fighting Striker soon.

Can't Kyle maybe get wounded in the knee or something when he fights Striker, doesn't seem to sit right with an OC coming out of a fight unharmed.

Response: Umm, you can choose to not read the story if you don't want to. XD I am not forcing you to do it. As for if it is focusing on their relationship, yeah, sort of. I didn't really hide that at all, and the story description focuses on the OC as well.

As for the fight. I have already planned out what was going to happen. You can feel free to check it out or not. Just know what is done is done.

...

That's it! I guess there is nothing more to do other than to get on with the chapter!

Chapter 16: Harvest Moon Pt. 2

I can't recall the last time I had a truly restful sleep. It went well beyond the debacle over the last week, and beyond my time here in Hell. There was always some sort of wear on my body and mind that would linger from the previous night. Drinking would usually deal with these issues, but the problem would remain in the background. Spending a peaceful night with Loona after I invited her into my room must have been the best night of sleep in a while.

When my mind transitioned over from being unconscious, I could feel the warmth to my front. My arms were placed around her waist, and I was pushed up tightly against her back. Loona's tail provided plenty of cushion and warmth on my legs and feet while her hair lightly touched my face. While I didn't want to move from my position, I could tell that there was light coming through my window. If I didn't wake us up soon, I knew that our little time together was going to get a rude intrusion.

I barely shifted my form as my eyes fully opened. My small amount of movement must have been noticed as Loona shifted slightly against me. The way she moved caused me to go rigid for a moment as she brushed against all the right areas. It didn't take her that long after to open her eyes before looking at me.

The last time we had shared a bed, there was that panic that settled over the both of us. This time, everything was completely different. I just laid there for a moment while I looked her over, and she looked back at me. I could tell that she was rejuvenated from the sleep, and I could tell that I felt pretty good. There was an urge to just lay here and enjoy her company for a while.

Loona softly said, "Hey…"

I let out an amused breath through my nose before I responded, "Hey, yourself. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, not half bad." She smirked, "I would say that you seemed happy enough. You practically passed out when you hit the bed."

I thought about it for a moment, but I found what she said to be probably correct. I couldn't even remember going to sleep last night. I guess she had more of an effect than I initially thought.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Loona continuing, "As much as I would love to spend a little more time laying here, I should probably go. It would be bad news if anyone else saw us together like this, especially Blitz."

I guess everything nice must come to an end. I nodded to her before I tried to mask my disappointment, "Yeah… I guess you're right."

Loona shifted out from beneath the covers and got to her feet. She began to stretch out right in front of me while I sat there and gawked for a moment. My eyes traced from her head, then to her chest, and then I slowly looked down at her slender stomach and to her butt and legs. I then looked away in slight shock. I can't believe I did it again. First last night, and then now. What is wrong with me?

It was then my turn to get to my feet. I began to shuffle through my bag for my things right before I picked up some pants. I turned to Loona and said, "I can get some of your clothes so you can change in here. It would be awkward if you run into anyone."

Loona sarcastically said, "Yeah, it is hard to imagine what they would say. Blitz would probably try and kill you. I guess Millie would get the wrong idea and Moxxie…" Loona let out a snorted laugh, "He would probably stand there with a stupid look on his face."

I managed to get my pants up before nodding in agreement, "Yeah, let's try and keep any of that happening. I think I would prefer to keep this between us because everyone would get the wrong idea."

Right as I finished speaking, there was a knock at my door. I could see the fur all over Loona standing on end while I froze in my step. I barely even breathed due to how rigid I went. The knocking was followed by a polite-sounding voice, "Kyle? It's Moxxie. Do you mind if I enter?"

My voice caught in my throat for a moment while I tried to think of something to say. I didn't expect to panic this much from something like this. I even had Loona look over at me with a serious look lipping to me, 'Say something!'

I finally managed to say, "Wait, Moxxie. I am just getting-"

Apparently, my voice wasn't loud enough, or I took too much time. The doorknob began to twist open followed by Moxxie entering the room. He began to say, "I apologize for intruding so suddenly, but I just wanted to ask-" Moxxie's eyes went very wide the moment he caught a glimpse of a shirtless me followed by him looking over to see Loona in her sleepwear. His jaw dropped while his eyes proceeded to widen at us. Moxxie began to stutter, "How… W-What is… D-Did you t-t-two… Wait, everything is starting to make sense now."

The sound of another pair of feet came from the hallway behind Moxxie. Seeing as this situation could get much worse with Blitzo coming around the corner, I found some relief in seeing that it was only Millie. She began to ask, "Hey, Moxxie. Did you ask Kyle where-" Millie found her voice failing her when she got a look at everyone frozen in their steps. She finally said, "Loona is…" After a second or two, she smiled broadly with a knowing gaze, "Aww, man! Did you two do 'it' again?"

Loona and I began to speak at the same time, which more or less just resulted in us cutting each other off, "No! We didn't-"

"It's not what you think!"

Finally, Moxxie interjected, "WHAT?! What do you mean again?!"

Millie flinched that she broke the secret before uttering, "Oh, shoot. My bad."

He pointed at the two of us before he started to yell, "YOU TWO HAD SEX BEFO-"

In the blink of an eye, Loona grabbed Moxxie by the collar and hoisted him into the air. Her eyes peered right through his while she shut him up. She snarled at him before pulling him in close. Moxxie was already shrinking away from the Hellhound's piercing, red eyes. She growled out, "Do you want to yell it a little louder so that everyone can hear, dumb ass?!"

Moxxie apologetically said, "S-Sorry."

To the side, Millie glared at Loona with her arms folded. Her gaze at the Hellhound was a little more murderous. She strictly said, "Drop my husband, now."

Loona rolled her eyes before letting go of Moxxie. The male Imp fell to his butt before he decided to rub it in slight pain. Loona spoke again, "You will never speak about what Millie said, and you will forget about what you saw here. The last thing I need is Blitz getting involved and making a fucking mess of everything. Do you understand?"

Moxxie began to say, "I knew that something was going on. You are way nicer to him than you are to anyone else. It just didn't fit."

I could tell that the 'nicer to him' had some sort of effect on the Hellhound. Her ears folded back a little at the comment. However, it swiftly disappeared as Loona growled before sarcastically stating, "Yes, your very clever, Moxxie. Now, will you shut your trap about it?" Her look returned to him with a renewed intensity.

Moxxie nodded, "S-Sure."

Millie asked with genuine curiosity, "So, did you two do it or not?"

Loona covered her face to hide her blush and irritation. This left me to respond, "No, it was nothing like that. It is a long story, but I offered for Loona to spend the night in a more comfortable bed last night."

Millie seemed both pouty and relieved at the news. She said, "I guess that's good. My folks would probably not take that kind of activity kindly under their roof. One time, Moxxie and I were-"

I cut Millie off before she could get into too much detail, "That's quite alright. I don't need to hear about it." I looked down at Moxxie before asking, "What were you coming up here to ask me?"

It seemed like my question seemed to jaunt Moxxie's memory as to why he originally came up here. He said, "Oh! Blitz was just looking for Loona since she wasn't downstairs. Breakfast was going to be soon, and we had to get to the Harvest Moon Festival before the events began."

I asked, "Do you think you could distract him for us?"

Moxxie seemed dismissive, "I don't have to. Striker brought him out to check out his horse. They won't be back until breakfast."

The little Imp's attitude instantly soured at the mention of Striker. I could see how he would be a little hurt about how he was treated yesterday by the ranch hand, but he didn't seem to be that much different than any of the others around here. He was a little cocky and a bit abrasive, but that was hardly unique even at this ranch. Striker wasn't someone that I cared to be friends with, but I also didn't hate him as much as Moxxie.

I let out a breath before saying, "I guess that's good. We will see you two downstairs in a moment. Can you just give us a couple of minutes?"

Millie nodded before grabbing Moxxie's hand, "Come on, honey. Let's see if Ma or Pa need us to do anything."

Before the two could disappear, I said, "Hey, Moxxie?" The two Imps stopped with curious looks. I followed up by saying, "You should probably be a little more careful entering someone's room like you did. You could get in trouble by snooping like that."

Loona growled out, "He means you will be leaving in a body bag next time."

The two seemed unimpressed by Loona's comment, but they decided to leave it at that. The two left the room, and I closed the door behind them. I then looked over at Loona with a raised brow before asking, "Was that really necessary?"

Loona folded her arms, "As far as I am concerned. What if he came in here while I was naked, or if you were?"

I froze for a moment while I put on the rest of my clothes. My cheeks lightly burned at the thought before I grunted, "Huh…"

"Exactly!" Loona growled out, "Still, now he knows about what happened because Millie couldn't keep her mouth shut. Better yet, he is going to get ideas about us now." This time, Loona blushed at the thought of what she thought Moxxie would presume.

I finally got all of my clothes on before turning to look at the Hellhound. I said, "As far as I am concerned, I think it is fine."

Loona looked over at me with an incredulous look, "Did you hit your head or something? I don't want them getting ideas and then giving those ideas to my da- I mean, Blitz. It will just become another big fucking mess where I get pissed off at him, and he just remains stubborn."

It was hard not to see her point. Blitzo did tend to get a little too involved in Loona's life when it came to friendships, relationships, and everything in between. When he heard about her being near Verosika when she came to the bar in Lust to get me, he tried grounding her. Blitzo tried grounding his 22-year-old daughter. If he found out about her simply sleeping in my room last night, or even about the drunken sexual escapade of ours, it would be true hell to pay.

I let out a sigh, "Yeah, I see your point. Still, I trust Millie and Moxxie to not clue in Blitz. That is a lot of trouble that the two would bring onto us, and they know that." I grabbed Loona by the shoulders before looking her in the eyes. She stiffened with her full attention on me. I proceeded to say, "I know you don't have the best relationship with Moxxie, and you and Millie are still warming up to each other, but you have to put a little trust in them."

Loona seemed like she was going to argue, but she froze up. She found that the words were caught in her throat. That was when she decided that I was right, or at least in some way. She groaned, "Fine. I guess I will trust them. I'm not earning any brownie points with Mills when I threaten Moxxie, anyways."

I gave a reassuring look, "This is a first step, and then you guys will be on your way to being friends." Loona made a face at that, and I shook my head, "I know they aren't your type, but you will find them to be some of the best, most supportive little demons out there. I do owe them a lot for what they have done for me."

By looking at the Hellhound, I could tell that she was warming up to the idea. She returned my look with a light smile, "Yeah, I guess…"

I turned toward the door before saying, "I should probably grab your stuff. You need to get ready before Blitz or anyone else decided to drop in uninvited."

I didn't wait for a response before walking out of my door and shutting it. Loona proceeded to sit on the edge of my bed to wait. She began to think to herself about what had just happened. As much as she wanted to threaten Moxxie into submission, another part of her mind began to protest that idea. She didn't want to torment him for accidentally dropping in on them.

Wow… That was something she couldn't imagine thinking a while ago. Instead, she thought about the possibility of becoming friends with the two Imps. They usually stayed out of her way, and she would do her best to ignore them. Loona pondered on how they were supportive, and she found her tail wagging ever so slightly. Perhaps growing her friend circle to include them wouldn't be the worst thing in Hell…

At the Festival…

To say that the festival is like the various ones that I had been to in the past would have been a lie. While there was a similar feeling regarding those that attended, the scenery and setup of the place were completely different. Here, the various tents, stages, and stands looked to have seen better days. The wood was splintered and worn, and the fabrics of the tents were torn. There was only one tent on the stage that seemed to be made of high-quality materials. I guessed that it was probably where Stolas would be any moment now. Despite all of this, this festival seemed to fit perfectly with the aesthetic of what Wrath seemed to be all about.

Seeing as we had a large group going to the festival anyways, we had all come along together before everyone seemed to split up. Many of Millie's siblings and parents seemed rather distracted by other things, and they decided to leave earlier. Additionally, Striker seemed to split off at some point when no one was paying attention because no one knew where he went. That left our usual group altogether.

Millie looked around with stars in her eyes, "Look, Moxxie! I remember that stand when I was younger! I remember that it had the best pies!"

Moxxie smiled contently while his wife enjoyed herself. He commented, "We should have some time to grab a bite after the competition. It should be a fitting way to celebrate the-"

Blitzo let out a loud laugh which cut off his smaller employee, "Celebrate what?! You not going to be in the mood to do anything after you get your nuts kicked in!"

This seemed to vex Moxxie to a certain degree. He commented back, "Please, refrain from making such comments, sir. Plus, you don't know what will happen today."

Blitzo snorted, "No? Well, I know that I am more focused on Striker than you."

Loona let out a snark comment, "Yeah, we could tell that your attention has been on Striker."

This caused the taller Imp to look over at his adopted daughter, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Instead of answering, Loona simply pulled out her phone to ignore Blitzo. This seemed to get on the Imp's nerves. To cool tensions, Millie commented, "Well, I believe that Moxxie will do well, and I'll be cheerin' for him in the stands."

Moxxie hugged Millie, "Thanks, Millie. I know that I am far from the strongest one here, but I have a good mind. If I put it to good use, I believe that I will do well."

The moment seemed to sour for Moxxie as a grizzled voice spoke from behind our little group, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, little one." We all turned around to see Striker. He approached Moxxie in a way that caused the small Imp to shrink back with uncertainty in his expression. Striker proceeded to talk, "These events leave nothing to the weak. You will either be strong enough to rise to the top, or you will find yourself trampled." He then leaned in closely to Moxxie while staring intently at him, "You? You will be lucky to even survive."

Moxxie glared back while saying, "Y-You will find that I am full of surprises."

Striker got out of his face before snorting back with a smile plastered on his face, "I doubt that."

This greatly upset Moxxie as his face twisted into fury. A low growl emitted from his throat as he looked ready to pounce on the bigger demon. It looked like Moxxie was going to say something, but the crowd around us seemed to flow around us to a figure who had just arrived in an embroidered carriage fit for royalty. Based on that, I had a good idea of who it was.

The carriage stopped, and a little Imp butler rushed around and opened the door for the higher demon to exit. While wearing his usual formal wear with the top hat. When the demon prince really wanted to, he could give an air of superiority. In a way, it was interesting compared to how he was in private.

Striker gave one last side-eyed glance at Moxxie before brushing past his shoulder in dismissal. He then disappeared into the crowd of Imps while he watched the commotion around Stolas unfold. Moxxie seemed irritated by his action. I wasn't exactly impressed by Striker's attitude toward the male Imp, but I also knew that Moxxie was getting too wrapped up in what Striker was doing and saying. I grabbed his shoulder and told him, "Don't. You need to just focus on the Pain Games at this point. If you spend your energy focusing on him rather than that, you will lose faster than you know."

Millie joined in, "Kyle's right, sweetie. You need to focus."

Moxxie sighed, "Yeah, you're both right. With the Prince here, this thing should probably begin shortly, huh?" Moxxie then noticed that someone from our group was missing. He asked, "Wait. Where's-"

"Blitz?" Loona cut in while on her phone, "Hellooo. With Prince Feathers here, he probably disappeared somewhere to get away from being thirsted over."

Moxxie pondered, "That makes sense…"

Stolas seemed to be moving through the various Imps as they seemed to be in his way. His tall form easily towered over the crowd. He seemed to be scanning through the crowd for someone specifically, and I could guess whom. It took a few seconds before his gaze caught onto our little group. Based on how he was motioning at me, I could tell that he wanted to share a few words.

I said, "I'm going to go over and greet Stolas. I will catch up with you before everything starts."

Millie beamed back, "Sounds good! We will be waiting at the stage!"

I walked away from the three of them while I twisted and turned around all the Imps to get to the prince. Unsurprisingly, I was getting several looks from everyone standing around. None of them seemed to be menacing. Instead, they were looks of curiosity and interest. I was probably one of the more interesting 'folk' to be in this part of Hell.

I finally made it to Stolas who seemed to greet me, "Ahh, Kyle! It is quite surprising to find you here."

I looked at him with a bit of amused confusion, "It is? The whole reason that I am here is because you told Blitz that you needed your book for the festival. I thought you would have expected me to be here."

Stolas merely smirked before saying, "Ahh, yes. It was foolish of me to forget that my Blitzy would also be bringing you along. I am merely used to having humans and Sinners stuck on the Pride Ring. It is a bit unusual to see you amongst all these Imps." He then seemed to scan the crowd with interest in his eyes, "Tell me, do you know where I could find my sexy little Imp?"

I was a little taken aback by Stolas's question before I scratched the back of my neck, "Umm, I don't know where he went. He could be preparing for the Pain Games."

Stolas seemed to sadden for a moment before he hid it. He then responded, "Delightful! I know I can't wait to see how he performs." His attitude seemed to change as he looked down at me with curiosity, "Now, how have you been doing in the company of the inhabitants of Wrath? They are a rather simple and violent group of demons. I do hope that your time here has helped you get over your personal problem from earlier."

"That they are… I guess things have been going fine so far. I guess I should be thanking you for the messages to make sure that I was doing okay."

Stolas shared, "Ohh, yes. My daughter has been trying to get me with the 'modern era', so she has been getting me into texting. I have to say, I don't understand why demons don't just talk over the phone instead. It seems far simpler than sending a few letters and tiny images." I let out a small chuckle from this while Stolas laughed along. He then added, "Via wasn't interested in coming along, but she heard about what happened with you. She wishes you well."

I rubbed the back of my neck feeling slightly better after hearing that. I cleared my throat before changing the topic, "I am a bit surprised you aren't here with a bit more security given that you are a Goetian Prince. You know, with all the 'simple and violent' demons running around."

Stolas laughed while dismissing my comment, "Your concern is appreciated, but unneeded. Even like this, there is nothing these lesser demons could do to harm me." Stolas seemed to look up at the sky before saying, "I truly enjoy our conversations. It is always such a pleasure to talk to such an interesting human. However, I must attend to my duties and start the events or there will surely be a riot."

I waved Stolas goodbye as he began to walk away from me. After that, I found myself oddly alone as many of the surrounding Imps seemed to be interested in going somewhere else. Seeing as everything was going to start soon, I decided to rejoin my group.

I followed the crowd over to the stage where everything seemed to be close to starting. Stolas had already taken a seat behind a rather skinny Imp with interesting long horns. He seemed rather familiar, but I decided not to dwell on it for too long.

I scanned the crowd until my eyes finally settled on Loona's form standing above all the Imps. I managed to make my way over to her before playfully bumping into her shoulder. She looked up from her phone before he said, "Hey."

Her tail seemed to wag a little bit before she responded, "That was quick."

I shrugged, "Yeah, well-"

Before I could even get to what I was going to say, the screech of an adjusting microphone pierced through the air. It was soon followed by the Imp speaking in a very showman sort of voice, "Welcome, I say, welcome to Wrath Ring's very own Harvest Moon Festival! To kick things off, we have the great Prince Stolas to usher in this year's much anticipated Pain Games!"

The Imp seemed to speak with a lot of flavor and motions to get the crowd interested. However, he seemed to be cut off the moment Stolas reached and grabbed the microphone from his hand. The owl proceeded to speak, "Hahaha… Thank you, Wackford. Your words are too kind." The powerful demon then spoke out to the crowd, "Greetings, tiny… Wrath Ring Imps! I am excited to greet you all for another celebration for the fruits of your labor, which I must add feed the rest of Hell…"

I gazed out at the various Imps, and they didn't seem entirely happy with Stolas's speech. There were a lot of scowls from the crowd toward the Ars Goetia prince. Still, Stolas seemed to continue to speak without much worry about how they looked at him. I almost felt like he knew they weren't happy with all his talk about their work, but he didn't show anything other than excitement for today.

I seemed to have been zoning out about what Stolas was saying. I noticed that he was in the middle of talking about the games, "Now, I wish all of the strongest and toughest Imps amongst you the best of luck in these games!" His eyes seemed to have finally found Blitzo as they narrowed at him. He commented, "Especially to that sexy one there. Yoo-hoo, Blitzy."

Blitzo seemed to be more irritated than embarrassed by the prince's move. He grunted out, "You have got to be shitting me…"

Blitzo and Striker, who had managed to find our group once again, both began to walk in the direction that Stolas motioned over toward. It seemed like he was leading everyone over toward the first event. Before Moxxie could follow the rest, Millie pulled him to the side and gave him a big hug, "Good luck, Moxxie! I will be cheering for you in the stands."

Moxxie hugged her back, "Thanks, Millie. I appreciate you being here for me."

They both separated, and I gave a good nod to Moxxie wishing him luck. The Imp simply returned the gesture with a small smile forming on his lips. He played a little bit of catchup with Blitzo and Striker as he followed them into the first event. I was unsure of what to expect from these games, but I doubt that they would be very easy for Moxxie.

For the first event, all the Imps that were in the games had to complete an obstacle course. Funny enough, it looked rather familiar to those that I had done for basic training in the army. I looked at all the markers while everyone either settled into their seats or at the starting mark. Loona, Millie, and I all found seats near the rest of Millie's family that weren't participating before sitting. Loona remained mostly glued to the screen of her phone while Millie and I looked out toward the competitors.

I commented over to Millie, "This is rather familiar to me. Are you sure this isn't any different from something I have done in the past?"

Millie merely smiled over at me, "Oh, just you wait! It wouldn't be Wrath if there weren't somethin' exciting!"

I decided to sit back and watch for what would happen next. Everyone seemed to find their own place at the line with many of the Imps shoving against one another. Blitzo and Striker found their place in the center easily by throwing a few out of their way. Moxxie, on the other hand, had a little more trouble doing so. Still, he managed to find his little nook to start from.

Then, Wackford came along with a pistol and raised it into the air. I leaned a little forward while watching them all with some sort of anticipation. I thought to myself, 'Come on, Moxxie. Now is the time to follow through with your resolve.'

The pistol was fired with the sound of the bullet traveling high in the air. I guess there was no such thing as 'blanks'. Regardless of that, the race started with a lot of shoving and dust. Blitzo and Striker seemed to have a good start as they both found themselves at the front with the former leading by a little. On the other hand, Moxxie seemed to be trying to keep up with the two as he lagged barely behind. However, his luck seemed to be nonexistent as he quickly got caught up in a large group before being trampled. I swore that I could hear his scream from what happened.

Millie clinched her fists in worry. She then yelled out, "Come on, sweetie! I know you can do it!"

Moxxie was now near the back of the crowd before he got to his feet. He shook his head to clear his vision before he gritted his teeth and got to his feet. It wasn't going to be easy for him here, but he wasn't going to give up. Our group yelled out some support, and even Loona's eyes moved up from her screen to catch a look. On the other side, Joe and Lin just shook their heads with disapproval.

At the front, Blitzo and Striker were switching positions with one another. They finally made it to a tall wall that they had to mount and hurdle. It seemed like Striker was going to be set on winning this thing when he led to the top out of the two. However, Blitzo managed to grab him and use the other demon as a quick way to the top before taking a generous lead. Striker gritted his teeth in frustration as he knew he was destined to be the runner-up for this event.

At the back and a few moments later, Moxxie slowly climbed the wall. He managed to finally get to the top, but he lost his balance and managed to fall all the way to a murky water pit at the bottom. He swam and tried to climb up only to have a large demonic shark grab him and thrash him around. I nearly jumped out of my seat at the sight of that before I looked over at Millie.

The female Imp flinched when she saw Moxxie fight and barely escape the jaws of the monster. She then commented with a worried look, "See… I said it would be excitin', didn't I?" Moxxie still managed to pull his battered form across the finish line.

I responded, "That's not how I see it."

The next event was some variation of wrestling with some rope for two competitors to use against one another. If I were to guess, this must have been some sort of wrangling event where one competitor tries to tie up the other. It sort of reminded me of cattle wrangling from the rodeos I watched in the past.

In some sort of fateful decision, Blitzo and Striker seemed to be competing against one another in a pen after climbing the bracket. There was a bit of a duel between the two, but it seemed like Striker was going to be the one that came out on top for this one. Blitzo was practically seething from his position on the ground all tied up while Striker seemed to be flirting with nearby females. This made everything even between the two.

In another pen, Moxxie stared down a much larger Imp who slowly closed in on him. Millie watched while biting her lip, but she let him do whatever he was going to do. Moxxie tried dodging to the side, but he was grabbed harshly by his tail and pulled to the ground. He seemed to try different tactics to try and escape, but he was destined to be roughly tied up and thrown to the ground. It was yet another disaster for him as he was at the bottom once again.

Tug of war was what came next with teams of three. Moxxie managed to find himself in a team with Striker and Blitzo. Despite climbing to the top of the leaderboard with this team, it was obvious to everyone that the other two Imps were carrying the team. To Joe and Lin, it wasn't a good image for Moxxie.

At the last match, Moxxie once again found himself in a pool of mud once the three of them won. He was once again grabbed by another shark-like monstrosity and thrashed around. From this, I could tell that Millie was about to rush in to help her husband. I managed to grab her before she left, and she looked at me in surprise. I said, "Don't. The least Moxxie can do is see this thing through. If you help him now, it will undermine what he is trying to accomplish."

Millie finally said, "I don't care what my parents think. I can't watch him get hurt like this."

I rebuked, "That isn't going to stop him. I think Moxxie needs to see that he can do this on his own at this point."

Millie tightened her fist before she slumped back down, "Fine."

I let go of her before saying, "I will make sure all of his wounds are looked after if that makes you feel better."

Millie only nodded while she continued to pout. I looked around and saw that Loona's attention had been slowly shifting away from her phone and toward the competition. I knew that her eyes were watching Moxxie as he pulled himself out of the shark's mouth and onto the dirt. From there, Striker simply walked over the Imp while Blitzo looked down at him as he passed by without saying a word. Her gaze showed a little sympathy for her coworker whom she regularly harassed.

The last event was a simple free-for-all wrestling match in one large pen. Everyone seemed to be staying away from Blitzo and Striker as they fought for dominance over one another. Instead, their focus was on Moxxie as he was seen as the weakest link at this point. It didn't take long before he found himself at the bottom of a dogpile.

Once the event was called, all of those on Moxxie got up and walked away with some level of satisfaction. This left Moxxie to pull himself out of the mud. He was still readjusting himself when a shark with a very big vendetta came jumping over the pen to bring down the hammer on Moxxie. I could hear him scream, "Mother Fuck-!" He was silenced once the large beast crushed him.

Millie had enough at this point and was already halfway to Moxxie before I could even stop her. She grabbed the tail of the shark and pulled it off her husband before she tossed it away painfully. She then looked down at Moxxie, "Moxxie! Are you alright?!"

Moxxie remained dazed before he shook his head and looked at his wife. He was about to say something, but then he shut his mouth. He looked away with shame before he picked himself up and spoke with depression, "I guess we should go and see who won…"

Millie watched Moxxie with an anxious look before she hurried to catch up to him. He walked by me and Loona while we were following Millie to check on him. He didn't say a single word to either of us as he passed by. Instead, we both watched him follow the crowd back to the stage where the winner would be announced. Millie then passed right between us which caused us to play a game of catchup.

Moments Later…

The final judging was still going on when Millie managed to bring Moxxie over to Loona and me. Moxxie was still getting over his humiliating defeat when he sat down. I didn't even waste a second before I checked over Moxxie's various injuries from the competition. Not much was said while Moxxie continue to glower down at Blitzo and Striker as the two waited to see who bested the other.

Finally, Millie broke the silence, "You know that I am so very proud of you, Moxxie. Right?"

Moxxie's expression finally changed from frustration to melancholy, "Yeah, I know… I just wanted to show that I can be tough, too." Moxxie let in a sharp breath as I looked over what I thought was a broken rib. He looked over with a small glare.

I simply shrugged at his expression, "Good news. You didn't break it." He simply let out a breath in response. I continued, "Look, Moxxie, things may have not gone the way you wanted. Still, your efforts counted for something, and you should be proud of that."

Millie joined in, "Yeah! Besides, you have other gifts that someone like Striker doesn't have!"

Moxxie's attitude seemed to slowly come around, "Yeah, I guess…"

Finally, an announcement seemed imminent as Wackford jumped to the front of the stage before grabbing the microphone, "I say, I say, we have finally come to a decision! For the first time ever, we have a tie for the Harvest Moon Festival Pain Games. It has been an exciting year for sure, folks!"

Before he could continue to talk, Stolas grabbed the microphone from his grasp with an elated look. He spoke with much enthusiasm, "The winners are Striker and my darling, Blitzy!"

Despite winning, Blitzo seemed rather vexed by the way Stolas announced him as one of the winners. He yelled out, "Just say my name right! Son of a bitch!"

While the two stood on the stage, Moxxie watched them while holding back his frustration. He then said, "You know, you're right, Millie. I may not be strong like Striker, but I do have other gifts. I doubt he is as proficient with a firearm, and he doesn't seem like the type of demon that could carry a good tune."

Millie nodded in agreement, but then an announcement came from the stage from Striker himself, "I would like to take an opportunity to sing y'all a little song I just thought up. It is about me winning."

I almost let out a small, amused snort at how things seemed to have lined up there. Instead, Moxxie yelled, "Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me!"

To my other side, Loona got up from her seat suddenly. I asked with confusion, "Where are you going?"

She turned around and explained, "I have spent my fair share of time dealing with this Wrath farm bullshit, but I draw the line at that." She pointed down at Striker as he played his self-indulgent country tune. She practically groaned out, "I'm going somewhere else, so I don't have to listen to this shit."

I cocked a brow at her before muttering, "Alright, then..."

Moxxie began to vent, "I just don't like that guy. There is something about him that doesn't stand out right to me."

Millie pointed out, "Hun, this is Wrath. There are a lot of Imps here that have nasty little parts of them. It is part of the charm of it all."

I nodded in agreement, "I'm with Millie on this one. Yeah, Striker seems to be quite full of himself, and he doesn't seem to like you that much. It's not like I think much about him, but it doesn't even matter. You only have to deal with him a little longer, and then he will be gone."

Moxxie was about to retort, but he was cut off by Blitzo jumping in between us while holding a bit of cheese on a stick. He added his thoughts to the discussion, "Naw. Striker is great! It's gonna be a good change of pace when he comes to work for us."

Moxxie frowned before saying, "False!" Moxxie then realized the second part of what Blitzo said. He did a doubletake, "Wait, 'work for us'? I… How… WHAT?!"

Blitzo completely disregarded Moxxie's small outburst, "Yeah! I asked him if he wanted to join I.M.P. Soon, he should be an official member of the company." Blitzo nudged my side while adding, "Good news for you! You won't be the rookie for that much longer."

I could see that Moxxie was hurt by Blitzo's decision in this, "But, sir… I…" Moxxie's depressed expression seemed to confuse the boss.

Millie caught his attention, "Moxx, I think you have had enough for now. Come on, let's get you back to the house to get you all cleaned up."

It seemed like Moxxie was going to come around, but his attention was caught by something Striker added to his lyrics. My attention wasn't entirely focused on the song. However, I caught the malicious glare that Striker directed at Moxxie. Whatever he did seemed to have upset Moxxie to the point that he jumped up from his seat and out of Millie's touch. He began to walk away from our group in a bit of a rush which caused Millie to follow in a hurry.

I knew that there wasn't much I could do that Millie wasn't capable of doing on her own. For now, I needed to let her work her magic in making Moxxie feel better. Besides, I had a few words to say to Blitzo after hearing his little plan to bring Striker into the fold.

I commented, "Not the greatest plan you have ever thought up, Blitz."

Blitzo turned to me with a cocked brow, "Excuse me?"

I elaborated, "Bringing Striker into the company. I thought that you would have at least thought about what is good for your business. This has got to be one of the worst impulsive decisions you have ever made."

Blitzo seemed offended by what I was saying. He argued, "I think he has shown that he is more than capable of hacking up some humans up there. The guy is good enough to keep up with me in these hick games, and you should know how much I wanted to win. As far as I can tell, he will be a very valuable member of the team."

I let out a snort, "Yeah, sure. He is strong and skilled, probably even more than a ranch hand needs to be. He even gave you a run for your money in your little wrestling match you two had." I then pointed at him, "But I think you are thinking with your cock on this one, and you are ignoring the glaring issues."

Blitzo fumed, "What the fuck do you mean by that?!"

"It isn't my business, but you have been getting quite attached to him. As far as skill goes, he is more than capable of being another assassin for I.M.P. The problem is that he won't have anyone's back! Moxxie hates the guy and thinks that he is hiding something sinister, and Striker has sort of made it very clear that he shouldn't be trusted to have Moxxie's back. I doubt Millie will want to deal with the guy after everything today. Loona… Well, you and I both know they won't get along." I paused for a moment before saying, "Me? I am starting to come around to how Moxxie feels. The dude is a straight-up asshole, and that is me comparing him to other denizens of Hell."

Blitzo seemed to be lost in thought. He muttered to himself, "Yeah… He was quite skilled, wasn't he… Something sinister…"

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Motherfucker didn't even hear a word I said. Fucking typical Blitz."

Instead of dealing with him, I thought back to Moxxie and Millie. I knew that my advice for him to compete in the games seemed to have backfired. I knew that my advice was me projecting my problems. Seeing where avoiding my problems had gotten me, I was hoping that Moxxie would be able to resolve his problems with Millie's parents by at least putting himself out there. Now, I was just hoping that he was going to be okay.

3rd Person…

Meanwhile, Moxxie and Millie continued to leave the venue. Moxxie looked toward the ground while Millie held onto his arm in an attempt to soothe him. It didn't seem like there was anything that could be said to the Imp to drag him out of his despair. He said to Millie, "I should have never participated in these stupid games. It was foolish of me to think that I was capable of anything other than humiliation."

Millie rubbed his back, "Don't say that Moxxie. I enjoyed watching you, and my folks will see-"

Moxxie cut her off, "I appreciate that, but your parents will just see this as more weakness. I should have listened to you initially when you said that I shouldn't have joined. As much as it pains me to say, I should have also listened to-" Moxxie and Millie accidentally bumped into someone. He looked up in confusion right as the demon turned around. He finished, "-Loona."

Loona, while still clutching her phone, looked down at the two. She looked irritated before seeing who bumped into her. She said, "Music that bad, huh?" She then got a good look at Moxxie for the first time since the Pain Games ended. She saw his expression, so she lightly joked, "Wow, you look like shit, Moxxie."

A small growl escaped Moxxie as he looked away in shame. Millie didn't seem to appreciate the comment from the Hellhound, either. She glared at Loona, "We were just going back to the house to get him all cleaned up."

The two of them brushed by Loona without saying anything else. Seeing the upset Moxxie seemed to pull at Loona's heartstrings more than ever before. She had seen him upset countless times, and she had even mocked him openly some of those times. However, something seemed to click. She felt bad for him, and it wasn't even subtle.

Loona began to comment, "Look, Moxxie-"

Millie was trying to usher Moxxie away, but the male Imp wasn't having it. He turned around with frustration, "Save it, Loona! I know what you are going to say! That I am too weak, or that I couldn't ever hope to compare to Blitz or Striker." Moxxie's eyes began to tear up before he rubbed them. He continued, "Well, I know! I'm just a joke to you for you to openly mock just like yesterday!" Loona's ears flattened against her head. He continued, "Yeah, I know that you filmed me. So, please, just leave me alone."

After he was done speaking, Loona found it extremely difficult to engage in any eye contact. She had always been hard on Moxxie. She shouldn't have cared that much, but she did. She cared about him now, and she didn't like seeing him this distraught. She doesn't know if it was because of what the two had done for Kyle, or if she was just done not caring about the two. Loona didn't know, and it didn't matter.

She had hesitated yesterday, but she wasn't going to hesitate now. She had to say it. With a sigh, Loona began to say, "Moxxie, it is about why I didn't think you needed to join those stupid games."

Moxxie groaned, "Yes, I already know. You thought I would fail. Yeah, you were accurate in your hypothesis."

"No, that wasn't what I was going to say." Loona sucked in a deep breath as she held back her frustration. She continued to speak, "You shouldn't have joined those games not because you were going to fail. I thought that you shouldn't do it because you are already strong."

Moxxie was now perplexed, "Say what now?"

Loona blushed at her inability to explain what she wanted to say, "I mean, you aren't strong physically. You are definitely weaker than Blitz..." Loona paused as she now looked at how confused Moxxie and Millie were. She finally vented to herself, "Fuck! Why is it hard to just say it?!"

Millie spoke in a softer tone, "Say what?"

Loona finally calmed herself down before she formulated what she wanted to say. She finally figures it out, and began to speak, "You want to know what I admire about you, Moxxie? No matter what challenge you face, or how much shit you took from Blitz and me, you have never let that get you down. You would always pick yourself up and continue despite the problem. There aren't a lot of demons who could do that. That is your strength, not the dick-swinging you tried to do at the competition. For what it is worth, that is also why you shouldn't give a fuck what her old man and woman think of you." Loona motioned to Millie while saying the last sentence.

Millie gave a small glare at the end, but it was rather insignificant compared to the thankful expression she held. On the other end, Moxxie was rather shocked by the Hellhound's words. He found it hard to even respond to the compliment. He began to say, "I don't know what to say, Loona."

Loona folded her arms and looked away in embarrassment, "Well, don't me to say stuff like that in the future."

Moxxie seemed to forget about everything that had happened earlier today. He smiled at Loona before saying, "Thank you."

Loona had said what she wanted to, and now she was done. Instead of saying anything back, she just gave a nod while looking away from the two. Millie took this as a sign for them to leave. She grabbed Moxxie's wrist and pulled him along. She said in a more upbeat tone, "Come on, sweetie. Let's get you all cleaned up."

There was even a little more bounce in Moxxie's step as he followed Millie back to her parent's place. Loona still hadn't even moved from her spot while she thought about what she just said. She pinched the bridge of her nose before muttering, "I can't believe I said all of that."

Despite the feeling of embarrassment of opening up to the two, there was another feeling that came with it. Contradictory to what she was displaying, there was some pride. She felt good after making Moxxie a little happier. To know that her words could leave this kind of impact was a fulfilling experience. Instead of focusing on that anymore, Loona decided that it was time to get back to Kyle seeing as he is probably alone at this point.

Later… (Normal POV)

After a small trip back to the Rough 'N Tumbleweed Ranch, I found myself at the service of our hosts. Seeing as I was one of the larger and stronger ones there, Lin thought I would be useful in transporting some of the final decorations for the night to bring back to the festival. From here, I was completely separated from the rest of the group when I took a ride in the bed of Joe's truck to the festival.

Now, I was finishing offloading the decorations in the last few minutes before Stolas began the final event of the Harvest Moon Festival. The task was relatively easy, but that didn't stop Lin from coming up to say something, "You know, we appreciate the help."

I shrugged it off, "It's no problem."

Lin then added, "I wasn't sure what to expect when my daughter said that she was working with a living human. After meeting you, I have to say that you aren't half bad."

I found myself a little put off by the comment. I unsurely responded, "Umm… Thanks?"

I offloaded the last decoration and cracked my back from leaning over. Lin finally said, "Seeing as you are done here, you are free to go and enjoy the rest of the festival. I'm sure Millie is around here somewhere along with the rest of your friends."

In response, I only nodded at her before departing. I was back within a crowd of Imps looking to the stage as Stolas gave his speech with his grimoire floating in front of him. I was unable to find anyone that I recognized within the crowd, and I only managed to catch Loona's disinterested look as she leaned against a post.

I approached her before looking around to see no one else. Blitzo wasn't here, and neither were Moxxie or Millie. I asked her, "Uhh, Loona, where is everyone?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. The only one that I have seen is Blitz, and he went off somewhere there." She pointed at the buildings at the back of the crowd. She then commented, "I just can't wait to get the fuck out of here. The cell reception is shit everywhere I go, and there is nothing interesting to do."

I let out a huffed laugh, "Funny because I find some solace in being in a place like this."

Loona punched me lightly in the shoulder with a smirk, "You're joking, right?"

I shook my head before saying, "You do know that I was living in a mountain town where it snowed most of the year before I came here, right? Is it that surprising that I find a place like this somewhat enjoyable." I looked around, "I just wished that the inhabitants here were a little less…" I couldn't find the right word.

Loona finished for me, "Shit?" She then sarcastically said, "Yeah, you will find that Hell is full of that."

After releasing a sound of agreement, I changed the topic, "I guess I should try and find them. I would have thought that they would want to watch this, especially Millie." I pointed up at the now-showing Moon that everyone was giving 'oohs' and 'ahhs' at.

Loona groaned, "Noooo. Don't leave me alone. It's so boring here."

I touched her shoulder and said, "I will be back as soon as I can."

Loona looked at me for a few seconds before caving in. She gave me a nod in acceptance before she continued to scroll through her phone. I walked in the direction that she pointed to before finally making it to the building at the back. I still didn't see a sign of Blitzo anywhere, or even of M&M. However, my eyes did a doubletake at a slightly open door.

I opened the door and peered in to see that the building was empty. I wasn't surprised in the least by this. Based on the show that was happening outside, I doubt there would have been anyone willing to miss it. I was about to leave the building, but then I heard a bang. It was unmistakable. It was the sound of a gun being fired from upstairs. No one outside of the building seemed to have heard it.

I quickly ran into the building and ascended the stairs. I rounded the corner to hear a whistle from one of the bedrooms. I finally made it to one of the doors before I heard Blitzo, "Fucking damn it, Loona."

I then heard Striker's voice, "It's a damn shame, Blitz. We might have made a great-"

I kicked open the door causing everyone to look directly at me with surprise. I looked at Striker holding an interesting-looking rifle at Blitzo and Moxxie as they sat on the ground. Blitzo yelled, "Kyle! HA, perfect timing!"

A hiss escaped from Striker as he switched from aiming at the two Imps to pointing the weapon at me. He wouldn't get the chance to shoot since Blitzo kicked his feet out from underneath him. While Striker tried to keep his balance, I rushed into the room and went straight for him.

I was able to peel the weapon out of his grasp before I managed to send a strong fist to his face. He lurched to the side with some of his dark blood splattering the wood floor below us. He recovered quickly and managed to claw my cheek. I stumbled backward in shock before brushing my fingers across my cheek to see blood.

I clenched my fist before glaring over at Striker. The demon seemed rather surprised before being pleased. He was more than ready for fighting as Blitzo charged at him ready to bring the pain. Striker was immediately on the defensive. He blocked two punches from Blitzo before returning with one to the former's stomach. Blitzo backed up a little and used his tail to grab Striker and throw him to the side.

From here, I was the closest combatant. Striker anticipated this and punched my stomach. I lurched forward before he came in with another strike. I managed to grab his wrist and twisted it awkwardly before sending a fist into his ribs followed by one to his face. He let out a strong hiss in pain and anger.

I let go of his wrist and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. I lifted him and pinned him against the wall. I seethed out between my teeth, "What the fuck do you think you're doing."

Striker smirked before clarifying, "Finishing a contract."

I was confused for a moment before the dots began to click in my head. The gun, the location… He was trying to assassinate Stolas. My eyes narrowed right before the wound on my cheek screamed for my attention. I flinched while letting out a pain-filled hiss.

Striker let out a few throaty chuckles, "Hurts, doesn't it, red-blood? I wasn't expecting to do anything to you, but I am pleased to see that you are nothing without that little blade of yours."

My eyes widened before I shoved Striker into the wall harder. I followed up by saying, "How do you know about that?!"

Striker toothily smiled, "I don't usually rat on potential clients. Someone wants you dead. I thought you would have been too much trouble for the reward." I found myself somewhat shocked by this revelation. I should have been more prepared by how Striker seemed to be shifting so slightly. He then said, "I think I am starting to come around to the idea of collectin'."

Before I could do anything, Striker sent a strong kick right into my chest. The air was knocked out of me while I fell backward. I didn't even get a chance to defend myself when Striker's jaw found its way around my shoulder. He bit down hard, and I let out a pain-filled scream, "AHHHH!"

The demon assassin refused to let go of what felt like forever. The searing pain was unbearable, and his hold was as strong as a vice grip. With my free hand, I sent multiple hard punches into Striker's stomach and ribs. However, it wasn't until Blitzo sent a strong kick into Striker's side that he let go. His sharp teeth tore along my flesh, and fresh blood began to flow out.

I tried to soothe the pain while I glared at Striker as he tried to recover. He spat out blood that filled his mouth before he tried to get to his feet. However, he didn't dare make a move after a bullet out of the rifle in Moxxie's grasp hit right beside his head.

Striker looked toward Blitzo, "You should have taken my offer. We could have changed things here. Instead, you have thrown your lot in with this human and miserable failure of a-"

Another shot rang out, and Striker looked over at Moxxie with wide eyes. The smaller Imp spat out, "I'm done hearing the shit that comes out of your mouth, and don't you fucking move, partner."

Striker sneered, "You don't have the grit to kill me, little one."

Moxxie seemed to aim even more, "Just watch me…"

However, another intruder seemed to enter the scene. At the doorway, Loona seemed hyper-focused as she looked at each of us. Her eyes settled on my damaged, bloody, and out-of-commission form before she locked onto Striker. Her pupils narrowed while she roared out, "You motherfucker!"

As Loona pounced toward Striker, the assassin smirked to himself. He managed to dodge under Loona's claw which left deep impressions on the wall. He kicked her back which caused her to yelp out in surprise and pain. She flew over and landed on Moxxie.

Blitzo looked over at Loona in surprise and worry, and the gun that was in his hand was smacked away before he was shoved down. He bounded for the nearest window. He turned around once more before saying, "Y'all nothin' but vermin. Weak and pathetic." His eyes narrowed on Blitzo before he said, "Maybe you will get the chance next time, Blitzy."

Loona shook the daze out of her head before she growled out and sprang toward Striker. Her claws were only centimeters from reaching their mark before Striker jumped out of the window. Blitzo ran to the window with his pistol in hand ready to shoot. However, Striker was out of sight.

With him gone, all traces of anger was gone from Loona's features. She turned around with insurmountable worry and ran over to me, "Shit! Kyle, are you okay!"

I pulled my hand away from my bleeding wound to see my palm covered in red. I painfully spoke through my teeth, "I got distracted, and I hesitated. I could have ended it there…"

Blitzo walked out of the room with frustration. He didn't say a word to any of us while he was stuck in his thoughts. It was apparent that he was going to be going back to Millie's place alone at this point. So much had already happened today, and everyone was probably dealing with their own shit. It was not going to be an easy night.

Loona offered me a hand, "Come on. Let's go."

Next Morning…

The events of the previous night had been explained to everyone. From Moxxie not trusting Striker to Blitzo getting a hunch about what he was going to do. There was also how Moxxie almost got strangled to death after finding the rifle that could kill demon royalty and Millie subsequently getting her leg mangled when she went to save her husband. Everyone was already up to date on the big fight that happened with most of us at the festival.

The sleep wasn't exactly restful. My shoulder was killing me, and with everyone on high alert, there was no inviting Loona up to my room. It was surprisingly lonely without her there, and I barely slept a wink. Everyone else involved, except Blitzo, had a shit night as well.

I was brought out of my thoughts as I let out a hiss in pain after being jabbed by a needle in Loona's grip. I had popped the stitches of the teeth-marked holes on my shoulder when I tried to help load bags into Blitzo's van. I wanted to take care of it, but Loona wasn't having any of it. I reach up, "At least let me do this. You shouldn't have to-"

Loona shook her head before smacking away my hand, "I wasn't the dumbass who thought it was a good idea to lift heavy bags when you should be careful. I have watched you do this before, and I think I know what I am doing."

I flinched a little before saying, "You 'think'?" I let out a breath while she looked at me with irritation, "Yeah… I'm sorry."

I looked over at Moxxie while he tended to the wrappings on Millie's leg. I decided to address it now, "And I am sorry to you, Moxxie. I should have listened to you when you expressed your concerns about Striker."

Moxxie downplayed it, "Don't be. Even I couldn't have imagined that Striker was a hired gun that was trying to kill the prince."

It seemed like the conversation was overheard by Joe and Lin as they both came outside. They both gazed at Millie. Lin said, "I'm just surprised that our little girl wasn't capable of taking him on. None of this would have been an issue if he didn't trap you, Millie. Haven't we taught you better?"

Moxxie's hands clinched when he heard this. Still, Millie gave an excuse, "I was seeing red, Ma. Also, he was a slippery one."

Lin shook her head, "Those are just excuses, Mildred. You're better than that."

Joe gave a nod of agreement, and something within Moxxie seemed to have snapped after he caught a glimpse of Millie's expression. He finally let it out, "You know, I thought that your respect was something that I needed. I've tried many times and have failed each and every time to even get an iota of any sort of recognition. Now, I realize that it is something that my relationship with your daughter doesn't need to be complete."

Both Lin and Joe looked at one another with some confusion. However, the hostility the two usually held for Moxxie was gone. They stayed silent and allowed Moxxie to continue to speak, "I know that I am not some meaty dickhead, or that I probably won't be able to wrangle a hog anytime soon,-"

Blitzo cut in rudely while he loaded his vehicle, "Or probably ever, Moxx! Let's be real!"

Moxxie continued to say without missing a beat, "-but I now know that I have the strength within me to never give up on myself, and to always be there for my wife when she needs me. So, I say this after saying my piece: shame on you for blaming her for the mess caused by the psychopath that you hired."

Nothing was said by either Imp parent, and Moxxie didn't waver an inch. After a second or two of silence, Joe finally walked forward with his arms folded and an unimpressed look on his face, "So, you will be there for our daughter, hmm?"

Moxxie stated strongly, "Always."

Joe let out a grunt before nodding. He then said, "I don't like you much, boy, but I think I can live with that."

That was it. Joe turned around and walked into the house followed by his wife. It didn't need to be much for Moxxie and Millie to understand what had just happened. Millie spoke with a lot of glee, "Wow! He has never accepted you like that, Moxxie!"

Moxxie rubbed the back of his neck as the confidence dwindled a little, "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

Blitzo cut in with a cutesy voice, "Aww, that was so special! Moxxie putting on the big boy pants in front of Millie's parents. I wish I had a camera to capture this special moment."

Loona decided to say after Blitzo, "I didn't expect you to do that, Moxxie."

Moxxie decided to just ignore Blitzo before looking at Loona. He then said, "Had it not been for what you said to me yesterday, I don't think I would have realized what I needed to. So, thank you."

Millie was already up on her crutches and followed Moxxie over to the van. Loona wrapped up my shoulder wound with a light blush present on her cheeks. I asked with confusion, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him what I think about him." I raised a brow at this before concluding that it had something to do with what she said to me a couple of days ago. Loona finished wrapping up my wound and looked at me for a moment. She seemed disappointed in herself, and then she finally said, "I should have been there. You wouldn't have gotten hurt, and that fucker would have gotten what he deserved…"

Before she could settle into her remorse, I grabbed her by the hands and looked her in the eyes. I said, "It's not your fault. I got hurt because of my negligence. I am happy to have you here to just fix me up. I am really lucky to have someone like you by my side."

Loona's blush darkened a lot in what I thought must be her being embarrassed. She sat beside me for a moment while I held onto her hands while rubbing my thumb over the back of them in a soothing way. She then cleared her throat awkwardly before saying, "Come on. I am sure Blitz will blow a fuse if he waits around for us any longer."

I nodded, "You go ahead. I just need to get my shirt back on."

Loona nodded before she slowly slipped out of my grasp. After she turned around, I found myself thinking to myself about what Striker had said:

I don't usually rat on potential clients. Someone wants you dead.

I knew that this someone had to be someone with power if they were looking for someone capable of killing demon royalty, aka Striker. The choices were limited, but almost all the choices were unknown to me. It was a real threat.

Not being able to dwell on it anymore, I grabbed my shirt and pulled it slowly over my head. I got to my feet and began to walk over to the van. After everything that has happened recently, I needed a good rest. However, I doubt that it would be the next thing that happens. From what I can tell, I'm not even close to the end.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The group failed to take out Striker. WhO cOuLd SeE tHaT cOmInG. In all seriousness, Striker will return, and a lot of the members have a score to settle with him. It should be exciting... I just need to think up how and when...

Welp, that little arc is finished. Moxxie had his little development (a little different than in the episode), that means Millie will probably be next out of the two. And Loona is learning to expand her friend circle. I am excited to cover what will happen next, which will most likely be a chapter dealing with Kyle's past and what he will need to do in the future. :D After that, it will likely be a very relax chapter with Verosika, her posse, Loona, M&M, the OC, and a beach... Maybe. I am still figuring that out. After that, onto DHORKS. That is all I plan to share about the imminent future for now.

Thank you for the continued support, and the next chapter will be coming along. Just be glad that I managed to get this one finished and ready for release as I did. I still anticipate at least a 2 week window before we get to Chapter 17.

If you are enjoying the story, I implore you to favorite, follow, and/or review for the story. I very much enjoy hearing and seeing all that good stuff from you guys. I am always happy to answer questions as well. I am good at responding to named reviews, too. I usually work on the chapter when I am feeling motivated, so it is hard to know when it will release. I will try to stick with 2 weeks, but that can easily move onto 3 if I am having a bit of block.

Now, if anyone is interested, I am going to leave the discord channel code available to any of you. I usually ask for small details, and some ideas are discussed with others on what I should do with the story. You can even just chat with others in it. I don't really fucking care, it is available to you below if you want in.

VVVVVVVV

INVITE CODE: 8RT9hC5Aau

That is all I have to give!

Until Next Time,

Forsvaret-Komandir