Hello once again. Welcome to Chapter 4!

I am glad to have you all here right before I get back into school for my final semester ever! It has been a long road, overall. 6 years of cumulative schooling for a undergrad and graduate degree. It has been a lot of work, but it should pay off in the end. I am just hoping that this semester and job search doesn't get in the way of writing this. In some ways, it will slow me down.

Regardless, that is why this had been brought to all of you as quickly as it has. I have to say that I have done a very good job in staying on top of all of this writing. It has been a bit of time since I have written this much. Hopefully it doesn't reflect too much when you actually read it.

I wish to say more here, but I have gotten a lot of guest reviewers to respond to. Well, I believe all or nearly all of the reviews for last chapter were guest. So lets me get to it.

Guest #1: I'm already looking forward to Spring Broken (Guess that'll be chapter 5?)! Though I can't wait to see your work on the original chapter 4, I'm ecstatic either way. Though I can't wait Verosika and her posse (especially the former) getting stars in their eyes to see Kyle. Though I'm not sure how Stella's first meeting with Kyle will go when they meet in person.

P.S:Not that I'm a shipper, but could you make this a harem story (Loona X Original Character X Verosika)?

Response: You would be right in placement of Spring Broken at Chapter 5. After that, I am unsure where the following episodes will go. It should be a few chapters after Chapter 5 before I get into either C.H.E.R.U.B. or The Harvest Moon Festival. Glad to have you looking forward to side characters as much as I am in writing them. Verosika should be an interesting one to cover, and she will very likely come up again from time-to-time. As for shipping, it will happen (obviously), but I am not sure about a harem. Love triangles (two 'fight' over one)? Perhaps, don't know. Need a compelling reason for either.

Guest #2: Please make a happy ending. Make kyle and loona stay alive forever and together, get married and have children please

Response: Hey, this review is familiar... XD Anyways, I am WAY too far away from a formal ending to be thinking about that stuff. Like a story before, children are unlikely. Could do a BoJack Horseman or other show explanation, but I don't think that is popular. Plus, adoption would work just as well as biological children.

Guest #3: I have an idea for an Octavia/OC story, I'm not asking you to do anything, it's just a neat unique idea that popped into my head one day and I'm just throwing it out there.

...

Maybe he can convince them he came down to hang out with Sinners since Jesus did that on Earth, then convinces the Exorcists to go back to Heaven when the Purge has only just started, and thus the Extermination was thwarted at least for one whole year. I think if Charlie saw or knew of this, she'd probably kiss him.

Response: I shorted the review to make it properly fit. I have read it all, and I am ecstatic to have such a long review. I would like to personally thank you for having spent time on writing it. Now, I love some of the details that you included for another human OC turning into a Cosmic Garou like character. Yes, I have seen One Punch and I know about Garou's evolution. Some parts of your tale were very funny and I know you put a decent amount of thought into it. Still, I don't know if any of it would fit into what I am writing. I would suggest that you try and write it up and post it. You could probably even find someone on this site to help you along with that if you are willing to make an account and do that.

Guest (Tommy256): Great chapter nice work

Response: Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the review. Even if it is small, I appreciate you spent time to say that.

Guest #4: Just pace yourself on this story, you don't have to burn the midnight oil on both ends.

P.S: Do you think you could get Kyle on good terms with Verosika Mayday, her posse, and Stella Goetia in their respective episodes?

P.P.S: Can you have Kyle keep Verosika and her posse out of trouble with the law without killing the police officers? Just throwing that out there.

Response: I don't know the meaning of 'pace'. Just kidding, I am going to have to do this coming up here soon. I used to pace a release every 2 weeks for my first story. I will try and keep that in mind while going for future releases. Next, I plan on having Verosika being very interested in the OC with her posse having interest in him as well. Might even affect the bet that goes on... As for Stella, she doesn't seem like the one to like some random plebeian. Unsure how I will write here at this point. And for your last thing, I don't think the Spring Broken will end the same say. I want to have my own flair to it, and that will likely involve tossing our the arresting at the end. Regardless, open for suggestions and I will read them as I write Chapter 5.

Guest #5: Ah, so it's good to know Kyle and Moxxie start off on good terms. I really like this since Moxxie happens to be my favorite Helluva Boss character. Starting off really well here!

Response: I am glad that you like them starting off on good terms. It was a good way for the OC to not be instantly murdered in Hell by Blitzo and co. I am glad you are enjoying what I am doing so far, and I hope you enjoy future releases. Thank you for the review.

That is all the guest reviews that I have to share up to this point for Chapter 3. I will usually respond directly to account-linked reviews, so keep and eye out for those if you happen to read this. I wish to extend my dearest thanks for those who reviewed. I appreciate it more than you know.

Now, onto this chapter.

Chapter 4: Heal and Hurt

Morning. Even in Hell, it was an enjoyable time of the day. There was very little traffic where I was to bother me while I carried boxes full of my items. Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot to say that I was being paid for my work at I.M.P. That shouldn't have been surprising, but I partially expected Blitzo to skip out on payments to me since I was, well, human. Nope, instead, he cared more about having me not live in their office anymore.

So now, I was moving into a small apartment in Imp City. It was quite a surprise to those who rented the units out that someone like me was asking for a place to stay. Loona was right a few days ago when she said that I was viewed as upper-class by the Imps. They seemed curious about why I wanted a place but didn't engage in arguments with me like they would with Moxxie. I thought that they would look at me like a Sinner at least here in the Pride Ring, but apparently, I had an 'aura' of being from Hell, whatever the fuck that meant.

I knew that all that bullshit was more likely because of the mark on my wrist than the demon disguise. I still knew very little about it other than it limits my activity in my world and that it makes me immune to some other demon's powers. Other than that, I don't really know what it was for. However, I had been having strange dreams in my sleep of a place I had never been to before. It would always start the same. I would be shown a place that was deep under the concrete below me. I would end up falling into the ground before being in a cave or ancient structure of some sort. Beyond that, the dream would fizzle out into just nothing, and I knew they were the fucking mark's fault as well. Maybe this warranted a talk with Stolas. He could know what it is all about…

I realized that my attention had been somewhere in my thoughts as I focused back on the present. There were a few remaining boxes that were in the back of a box truck. I scraped together some money to purchase some basic stuff for my new place like bedside tables, a bed, and cookware. Most of that big stuff was already inside, and I was only left with the lighter boxes. None of it was that much of an issue for me to carry, but that wasn't true for my little helpers.

As if on cue, Moxxie and Millie walked through the front door to the apartment with looks of exhaustion. Well, Millie was smiling through it all compared to Moxxie, who was just exhausted. I let out a huffed laugh before approaching them.

Moxxie let out labored breaths, "Oh, crumbs."

I smirked, "Thanks for all the help before work. I prefer to have the ones I know rather than hired movers getting all my shit into my new place. Sorry if a lot of it ended up being heavy."

Millie dismissed my concerns, "Oh, don't worry about it." She smiled before letting out a country-laced 'whoo' and wiping her forehead. She followed up with, "I haven't moved this much equipment since living at my parents' ranch."

That comment was followed up by Moxxie saying, "I don't understand why you needed such a large bed."

I shrugged, "Well, it isn't that large. I am just a little taller than both of you. So, it seemed big to you. Also, who knows? Maybe I want to bring home some company at some point."

Millie smiled, "Oh! I did not expect that. Are you sure you will be able to do that with a demon? Humans are a little more, umm, uhh… What's the word I am looking for, Mox?"

He wheezed out, "Prudish. Sexually asphyxiated." He caught his breath before thinking out loud, "Still, there are also a lot of humans out there who are perverts." He smirked at me.

Millie turned back to me, "So, you are just a pervert?"

I pinched my nose while holding back some laughter. I responded, "No, I-I was just cracking a joke?! By the standards here, I am sure that I am a little more on the 'prudish' side of things." I thought for a brief moment before saying, "Still, if I am stuck here for an indefinite amount of time, then it is possible that I bring company home. Humans aren't known for staying alone forever. Wait… Why am I even talking about this with you two?"

I stacked and carried a few boxes swiftly before moving indoors before they would carry on the conversation. I talked up the single flight of stairs before walking into my apartment. This place seemed like a ton of room for an Imp, but it qualified as a small studio apartment for me. It was also not in the best of conditions with disrepair to the various walls and floor. Again, everything seemed to work to a fine degree. I don't plan on staying here for my entire life.

Both Moxxie and Millie carried the last box into the room and dropped it. Millie then said, "On an unrelated topic from earlier, Moxxie and I have noticed how well you and Loona get along."

I was no longer thinking this conversation was a joke. My expression turned into one of irritation, "Damn it! It isn't like that."

Moxxie butted in, "Oh, we know. You would need to prepare for Blitz to castrate you with a rusty knife, and I don't think you are willing to do that. Millie does, but I don't. No, we were just wondering why she was, well, less of a bitch to you."

"Yeah!"

I shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I am just an easy person to get along with. She talks, I listen, it is called being a friend."

Moxxie pointed out, "Yeah, I have tried that. She tried to rip my head off every once and a while until I gave up. You just manage to not anger her like that."

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't. I don't feel like I do anything special to reciprocate kindness. I just talk to her like I have to others before her." I began to take some of the stuff out of the boxes and organize it. I didn't have much time to do so since we would be going back to the office anytime soon. I changed back into my human form before I continued to speak, "I don't think it is because I am special, because I am not. The only special thing I have managed to do in my life is get stuck here while I am still alive. No one has managed to fuck up that badly."

I didn't feel sad about my little omission. My feelings about being here were very complicated. I am in Hell, and I have to hide until I inevitably die, but I have managed to connect with 'people' for the first time in a while. Even at my last job I never hung out with any of my colleagues, and I barely had a friendship with the bartender there. Here, I could say that I have already spoken more to Moxxie and Millie, and definitely with Loona.

Both Imps looked at one another in silence before Millie said, "Look, sweetie, I don't think I will ever forget that you saved my Moxxie from another human. If that ain't special, then I don't know what is. Both Moxxie and I think you are different, and apparently, Loona can see it as well."

Moxxie added, "And who cares what Blitz thinks. He's an idiot."

I responded, "Look, I appreciate the sentiment. I view you two as true friends, I really do. As for Loona, I know that she has to get out of her own way before she is ready to call me a friend even though I view her as such. While your jokes about there 'being a thing someday' between us are funny, it will never happen. I am not sure I want it to, either. Now, can we please stop talking about this and just get to the office?"

That was a very 'subtle' hint that I was done talking about it. I viewed Loona as a friend, and it was a silly notion by the two to paint what we had as anything else but that. We were just friends. Just friends.

I broke myself out of my circular thinking before moving toward the door. The two Imps said nothing else as they just followed behind me. I led them through the door and closed and locked it. With all of that moving done, it was time for us to head to the office. We were going to be a little late. Hopefully, a big deal wouldn't be made from it.

At I.M.P. a few minutes later…

"Where the FUCK have you three been?!" Blitzo's arms were crossed arms at the three of us. He continued to yell, "We have a big list of kills to get through today! A whole cultist village in Scandinavia to massacre and burn to the ground! It will probably take all day."

Moxxie approached, "We were just helping get Kyle's belongings to his new place, sir."

Blitzo responded fierily, "Maybe you should carry a watch around with you, Mox! Don't let this shit happen again, or I swear that I will be taking it out of your ass." Blitzo then pointed to the mad Hellhound being the receptionist's desk, "Loona! Open the portal."

Loona didn't waste any breath in verbally responding as she did as she was told. The portal was opened in no time to the cold snow of the Scandinavian region. Blitzo groaned, "Not the fucking cold again! Why do we keep getting these types of clients?"

Moxxie and Millie walked through the portal, and I was about to go with them until Blitzo's palm stopped me. He then said, "You're not going. I don't have the time or patience to babysit a baby dick who won't kill a couple of people. You stay here and, uhh, help Loony with her filing or something. Yeah! Do that. This will take a while." He then turned to Loona, "See you later, sweetie! Love you!"

Loona growled and spat back, "Fuck off!"

I didn't even respond to any of that as Blitzo jumped into the portal followed by its closing. Now, it was just Loona and me in the office. She didn't say anything while she moved back behind her desk fuming. I stood still for a second while I watched over her.

I then asked, "Uhh, is everything okay?"

Loona snapped back, "No, everything is not okay!" I took a small step back at her outburst at me. She then took in a deep breath while still seething, "I went to the clinic today and they wanted to charge me money that I didn't have just to check if I even had Syphilis! What the fuck am I supposed to do now?!"

I thought for a moment before saying, "Well, the screening and treatment for Syphilis should be relatively cheap at a clinic in my world. Why don't we just go there?"

I was met with a questioning look from the Hellhound, "What?"

I repeated, "We could just go to my world if you need the treatment. We could even be there and back before Blitz and M and M need to be extracted. What do you say?"

Loona was now hesitant while she looked unsure. She looked away, "I don't know…"

I pressed, "Come on. You did say you wanted to go to the human world. This would be a simple trip for you to see what it is really like. And by the sounds of it, it should be very cheap compared to here."

If a look could respond before words, Loona's smile would be it. She then said, "Okay. It's not like I have a better choice, do I?"

"Alright. I guess we should open a portal, then. I don't know about you, but I kind of want to see real sunlight instead of whatever I get here." I then looked down at the marking on my wrist. I recalled that I had at least a day to spend in the human world before something bad happened. Do I die? Do I just feel excruciating pain? Am I just transported back here? I don't know the answer, nor do I care. I don't think I am risking it on this little trip.

Loona opened a portal, and I could see a park bathed in sunlight. We both walked through and sat in the bushes and then the portal closed behind us. I looked around for a moment to see that no one was around. I then looked back to Loona.

The Hellhound stood out completely from the human world. I was sort of shocked by how apparent she appeared compared to the surroundings. I looked at her questioningly, "Uhh… How are you going to blend in? I don't see you playing off as some domestic dog going super well."

I was greeted with a deadpan look before she said, "No, I have a human disguise."

My jaw opened a little, "Say what now?"

Loona stood up and was engulfed in a vortex of flames in a similar manner that I would be for my disguise. The sound of a howl and what sounded like bar chimes came from the transformation until it disappeared in an instant to reveal a human girl that was a little shorter than me. Her red iris no doubt was similar in coloring to her usual red eyes, and her clothes remained the same. Her hair was similar with it being great in volume for half of her head with the other part buzzed down. The only major clothing change was her shoes, which looked like a pair of converse sneakers.

She fixed her hair a little before looking at me, "How do I look?" I could see that the canines were a little more pronounced than my own as she spoke to me.

I was sort of at a loss for words by how she looked. I had no idea what to say or think as I scanned over her a couple of times. I tried to speak, but my throat was a little dry. My jaw dropped a few times before I began to stutter out while my face became hot with a blush, "I-I, w-well, I guess that, you know, you are… uhh…"

It seemed like my loss for words and continued gazing upon her disguise had an effect on her. She began to look away awkwardly while she rubbed her arm, "It's awful, isn't it?"

She caught me off guard with her conclusion before I grabbed her hand to turn her around toward me. I said, "No, absolutely not! That is far from the truth. I would say that you look very beautiful right now."

I mentally smacked myself after my words as I knew I was digging myself into a deep hole. I corrected, "Wait, I didn't mean to make it sound like you aren't always beautiful, because you are. Agh, that's not what I mean either."

All while I was fumbling around, Loona looked back at me with wide eyes and a small blush forming on her face. She didn't look like she wanted to say anything back at the moment, but she also looked like she was thrust into this moment. I wouldn't say that she didn't look negatively at my comments, though.

I stopped talking before sucking in a breath and releasing it. I then spoke a little clearer, "I think your disguise will work out perfectly."

Loona brushed her hair with her hand analytically before saying, "Uhh, thanks..." I still realized that I was holding onto her hand, and I let go in an instant. To avoid any more awkward conversation, Loona asked in a rushed voice, "I guess we should get moving. Where are we going to anyways?"

I pulled out my phone and opened a map before scanning the local area for a clinic that we could go to. It didn't take me that long to find, and I spoke, "Well, it looks like a clinic is right beside this park. It is only a five-minute walk from here."

I pointed in the direction that we needed to head in. We walked side by side but made no effort to talk with one another. I was unsure what her thoughts were about my rambling earlier, but I was kicking myself. I was also screaming in my head at Moxxie and Millie. It felt like that conversation earlier had gotten stuck in my head and was affecting me. The best thing to do was allow this walk to clear those thoughts. Loona, on the other hand, seemed to be looking around at the surroundings with some level of enthusiasm. I wasn't going to ruin that right now.

Thirty minutes later…

It seemed like a slow day within the clinic as there weren't that many people waiting around in it. We had already waited in the waiting room, then we went into one of the patient rooms where we discussed why we were there. The doctor asked a few more questions before he drew some blood and left the room to check her antibodies.

Now, we waited around in the room with no form of entertainment beyond each other. Loona sat down at a treatment table while I stood around to look at all the medical posters on the wall. The silence wasn't doing me any good, and I could tell that Loona was a little nervous about the atmosphere. I decided to ask an innocent question, "So… does your blood change with your form? Will the doctor find out that you are a Hellhound?"

Loona looked at me with irritation before speaking likewise, "What? How the fuck should I know? All I know is that it is an ability that I have. I don't know how it works." She then tried to calm down, but it wasn't happening. She still added, "If he comes in here with some cops or some shit like that, then I guess we will find out, won't we?"

I turned completely toward her with a little worry. I asked, "Is everything alright, Loona? You seem on edge."

She looked a little on edge, and it didn't seem to disappear. Her voice was a little panicked, "No, I'm not. I don't trust hospitals, clinics, or anything that has to deal with doctors and nurses. I don't want to be here."

I responded, "Calm down, Loona. We are only going to be here for a moment longer. The doctor will confirm your infection and give you a couple of shots. We will be out of here before you know it."

The only thing I managed to do was freak her out a little more. She got up to her feet before she began to pace, "Shots! You didn't tell me that I would be getting fucking shots!"

"Loona, calm down!"

She talked to herself while holding her arms over her chest, "I can't get any more shots. The last time I got a shot, I ended up in a fucking cage."

It finally clicked in my mind. It wasn't the fact that she was here and dealing with doctors or nurses. It didn't even have to deal with the fact of the shot itself. She was scarred by something in the past, and I guess it was some sort of post-traumatic stress.

I then asked, "Are you scared because of something that happened in your past?"

The Hellhound-turned-human looked at me with fury as she snapped, "I don't want to fucking talk about it!" She walked over and prod me in the chest, "Stay out of my fucking business, Kyle!" She then took some deep, quick breaths before saying, "I can't stay here. I need to go."

I then rushed to her before she could grab the handle to the door, "Wait, Loona, don't! Just stay here and listen to me."

She turned to me with a harsh look, "Why the fuck should I? You aren't going to stop me from leaving."

I shook my head, "I won't stop you, but I want to listen to something first." She pulled away her arm before I convinced her, "Please, it is a very personal story."

This shut the girl up for a moment while she looked critically at me. She took a moment to think over what I was saying before she responded, "Fine. I will bite. What could you possibly say to make me stay here?"

I offered her a seat on the exam table, which she took with a huff. She turned to me with her arms crossed and with a waiting expression. I stood across from her before saying, "Promise me you won't share this with anyone. It isn't a story I wish to share with everyone."

"Who am I going to tell, Moxxie? Blitz?"

I let out a huffed laugh before saying, "Yeah, good point." I got a little more serious before saying, "I am going to tell you about a girlfriend I had when I was around seventeen to eighteen years old. Her name was Larissa." Loona's posture stood up a little straighter as she listened in with more intensity. She seemed confused yet intrigued by what I had to share. I knew what she was thinking. I said, "Now, I know what you are thinking: What could a story about your older girlfriend do to change my mind about leaving here and now? Let's just say I was very close to her. Well, close enough to impregnate her while we were still in high school."

Loona let out a small huff, "Wait, really? I find that hard to believe."

I smiled a little, "Yeah, I know. I wasn't always the guy living alone in the middle of frozen nowhere saving defenseless Imps. I was once young and foolish with a girl who was equally so." I then thought again before continuing with my story, "The funny thing is that you kind of remind me of her. She was a bit of a firecracker willing to call me on my bullshit from time to time like I am sure you aren't afraid to do. You and her look similar, too. She also had the cutest look when she looked at anything with wonder. Her eyes would always light up in the most wonderful way. She was stunning."

I barely noticed how Loona's cheeks reddened while I continued to compare her and my old girlfriend. I was too deep into my thoughts. I could still remember what Larissa looked like as if I had kept a perfect picture in my mind.

I shook my head, "I am getting a little off-topic. Anyways, she got pregnant for obvious reasons. My first throughs were how fucked I was. I was certain that either of our parents was going to kill at least me. She managed to talk me into trusting her and going to her parents with her to explain things."

Loona asked, "Did her parents want to murder you?"

I smirked before shaking my head, "No, they didn't. Actually, they were very happy that we told them, and they supported the relationship and eventual marriage that we were planning. My parents were no different from them. It seemed like things were bound to be alright from there."

I looked over to see Loona had no questions or interruptions. She didn't seem in such a rush for the door anymore. She was well-planted in her seat with the intention to listen until I was finished. That satisfied me for now.

I resumed, "Well, remember how I said you remind me of her? Well, let's just say that comparison also extends to her hatred of hospitals and anything medical-related. She couldn't even watch those doctor drama shows because they made her wheezy. Pregnancy has a way of bringing her to the hospital, and she would always fight with me no matter the reason for the visit. From ultrasounds to bloodwork, she treated them as if they were the same thing. She wanted nothing to do with them, and she wanted to leave immediately."

I took a few breaths as a break before continuing, "Every time, I would simply stick by her side and tell her that I will stick by her in whatever decision she wanted to make. I would say, though, that we came here because we are looking out for her health, and we are looking out for the health of the baby. No matter what happens, I will stick beside her, and everything will turn out fine in the end. I trust her and she trusts me. I would then take her hand and do exactly what I said and sit beside her while she made a decision, and it always seemed to work. She would calm down and stick through whatever the appointment was for."

Without wasting any more time on my brief anecdote, I scooted closer to Loona. I continued, "While I don't know how you view me, I do know that I think of you as a friend. Like Larissa, I won't force you to stay here if you don't want to. Still, I ask you to give a little trust in me and listen to me when I say that this will benefit you more than you know. Please stay and get the treatment you not only need but also deserve."

I looked at her with anticipation as she thought. She seemed to avoid my eye contact at first as she looked at the door with anxiety. She seemed to scan her pale hands for a moment as she thought. Finally, her red eyes connected with my blue ones for a moment before the worry seemed to sink away from her shoulders and then back. She seemed to relax with a look of determination.

She nodded at me, "You're right. Now is not the time to be a pussy about this. I have gotten this far. I need to see it through."

I let go of her hand with a nod and a light smile. We waited for maybe another thirty seconds or minute before the door of the doctor came back with a nurse at his side. In her clutches were a rather large needle and vial on a tray. The doctor began to speak, "Well, you managed to get a checkup at the right moment. If I were to guess, you aren't too far away from Latent Stage Syphilis. All we need to give you is an injection of long-acting Benzathine penicillin G and you will be set to go."

Loona nodded, "Alright… So, what? Does that big-ass needle go in my arm or…"

The doctor started to put on gloves before he shook his head. He said, "Umm, no. The injection site will be through one of your hip muscles."

I could practically see Loona's face drain as her eyes contracted in slight fear. She then uttered, "Oh…"

The doctor continued to prepare with the assistance of his nurse. He stated, "You just need to pull down one side of your shorts enough so that I may sanitize and administer the medication. Your boyfriend can leave-"

Loona yelled a little, "No!" The looked back with embarrassment before she said, "He stays." She completely ignored the 'boyfriend' part, which I barely noted as well.

The doctor didn't seem to care either way while he continued to prep. Loona pulled down her shorts on one side to expose part of one of her cheeks. I stood in front of her while waiting patiently for all of this to be over and done with. Loona jumped a little when he sanitized the area with a sanitation wipe. When he was done with that, he threw it away before moving and grabbing the needle.

The doctor spoke, "You might want to take a deep breath. This is going to hurt."

Instinctively, Loona grabbed my arm in a bracing position. A second later, the doctor moved in and punctured the needle into her butt. I could feel the Loona seethe and tighten her grip on my arm. She spoke through gritted teeth, "I fucking hate you for this."

I wasn't even going to mention the rather strong grip she had on my arm. I knew what a shot in the ass felt like. I completely understood the harsh pain. I nodded, "I know you do for now, but you won't after all this."

Soon enough, the injection was complete, and the doctor discarded the needle in a needle bin. The nurses placed a bandage over the injection site. He then stripped off his gloves before saying, "Alright, that is it. I would suggest that you massage the muscles around the site a little to ease the ache and discomfort. When you get home, I recommend using warm and cold pads on it."

Loona pulled up her shorts while she massaged her sore area, which was basically her ass. She mumbled under her breath, "I fucking hate shots…"

The doctor opened the door and motioned us to go through. That seemed to be it for the clinic visit, which was rather painless if I do say myself. Well, I guess it was painless for at least one of us. What I meant was that it took a short amount of time…

Anyways, after dealing with the remaining items from the clinic, Loona and I left the building for the sunlight once again. Even though I could tell that Loona was rather sore, there was a sort of relaxed glow about her that was hard to describe. It was almost as if a tiny weight was relieved from her shoulders. She still looked weighed down, but there was a positive change now.

Loona looked over at me through the side of her eye. She said, "What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking at you," I stated nicely and evenly. Loona cocked her brow at me in confusion before I added, "I am just enjoying how you seem to be at greater ease."

Loona rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, that is one less reason that I am a fucked up girl, then. If that is what you call progress…" Her eyes then looked forward while she held her tongue for a good few seconds. I remained silent for her next words. She said, "You are more dependable than the guys I have had in my life, I suppose… I guess you are someone I can trust a little bit."

With a smirk, I responded, "I will just have to take whatever I can." I sucked in a deep breath before I released it to relax. I then said, "We should probably get back. I know that you want to check out a few things, and so do I. Still, we probably have different opportunities to check out other things later."

Loona scoffed, "Yeah, I am not really in the mood for anything after that painful shit I just went through. Heading back to somewhere familiar sounds good." She thought for a moment before saying, "You know, after all of this, I don't think you owe me anything for going to Loo Loo Land. We are even."

I chuckled, "Good to hear."

We entered the park where a few people were enjoying their days. A few of them were running, relaxing in grassy areas, playing with their dogs, and some even with small children. None of them seemed to pay much attention to Loona and me other than a friendly nod from a few we walked by. This seemed to confuse Loon a bit.

She then remarked, "I thought this place would be a little more like Hell. Less carefree, friendly people."

I looked to see what she was saying before I stated, "It depends on where you go more than anything else. It can change as much within a city as it does from across a country. Some places don't welcome outsiders that much while others embrace them. We are probably in a safe and wealthier part of the city. You would be surprised by alike some places can be to places like Imp City."

Only a nod escaped from Loona as we continued to walk side-by-side. She then spoke again, "You know how you brought up that girlfriend of yours, Larissa, to stop me from being a fucking wimp? What happened between you two?"

Any contentment that I held on my face instantly melted away and was replaced with a mix of sadness, anger, and desolation. As if mirroring my feeling, a large cloud began to block out the sun and darkened the atmosphere. Loona looked at me with a concerned look while I struggled to respond to her question while my paces slowed to nothing. There wasn't anyone around us anymore as we sunk away from the peering eyes of the public. We were alone.

She then said, "Hey, it's cool if you don't want to talk about it. Forget I asked."

It wasn't as easy to forget when it has already been brought up. Images felt like they played through my mind making it hard to focus on anything else. I was unsure whether I could think about anything else until I talked about it. I didn't want to, and it had nothing to do with who I would be telling it to. It was a memory I refuse to forget but wished wouldn't come up. There was no turning back from what I was going to do.

I blankly stated, "It was around New Year's Day when I was eighteen." Loona turned around and looked at me with curiosity. She remained silent while I continued with an averted gaze, "Larissa was probably seven or eight months along with her pregnancy, and she and I had left right after. We were in the middle of nowhere tucked in the mountains, and I believed that the roads were alright enough for the area. I was experienced enough to drive through conditions like that at least."

My mouth had gotten a little dry as I wettened it a little. I continued, "We were on the road for about thirty minutes, and it then we hit a downfall of snow. I didn't think much of it even as we drove through the mountains. Larissa insisted that I slowed down, but I was too damn arrogant and foolish to think that I needed to listen. A few miles or so down the line, I felt the grip of the tires instantly. I realized too late that we hit a large patch of black ice. From there, I was helpless to do anything as we flipped over a road barrier and rolled down the mountainside."

Loona changed her form back to her Hellhound self while she continued to listen. Her ears had folded back while she shared a gloomy look with me. Her eyes peered right at me and refused to leave my form.

I found it a little harder to talk as my voice wobbled, "I-I don't know how many times we must have rolled. Maybe a dozen? Probably more? All I know is t-that I knew everything was chaotic and then it wasn't." Small tears formed in my eyes before they fell one by one. I continued, "When the airbags deflated, I saw what I had d-done. I don't think there was a part of her that wasn't bleeding. She was unconscious from what I could tell, and I knew that by the time paramedics came that she was already dead. I just didn't know that our kid had passed as well…"

I wiped the tears away as I tried to regain control of my breath. I continued with some level of fury, "Her parents blamed me, and rightly so. I had killed their kid! Larissa trusted me, her parents trusted me, and it ended up with her death in the cold and on some fucking mountain in the middle of nowhere." I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands into fists. I spoke, "I wasted no time in joining the military in a force that would undoubtedly find some action. I hoped that I would end up dead in some shit-filled ditch somewhere to repay for what I had done." My anger subsided, "Too bad that some of the guys in my unit count on me staying alive to watch their backs. What sort of debt have I accrued for me to be the one that makes it out while they die? What sort of fucked am I for the ones I put into the ground."

Loona took a step forward, "Kyle. I didn't-"

My eyes connected with hers as I continued, "While I might question how it is possible for me to be bound to Hell, I know that I earned being stuck here. My wrongs may only be solved in the most condemned place. Maybe I will have a chance at some redemption then."

Her eyes still held sadness, "And you deserve this because of one mistake?"

My eyes remained unwavering as I stared her down. I spoke sharply, "Without a doubt. I will carry that shame for the rest of my existence, and maybe even longer." I released a breath to calm down. I neutrally said, "I think it is best that we get back. I need some time alone."

Loona wasted no time in creating a portal back to the I.M.P. office. I swiftly walked past her and into the hole. I didn't even bother to look back at the distraught Hellhound holding out her hand to grab me only to pause a moment before contact. She hesitated for a moment. She was too scared to act in helping ease my mind.

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out to see a text from Blitzo:

Will need pulling out soon

Moxxie decided 2 actually do his job

See u soon!

XOXO

Loona let out a tired sigh before jumping through the portal herself and closing it off. The soreness in her ass seemed to not bother her as much as she looked around for me. Sounds in the breakroom indicated where I had headed off. The hollow feeling in her chest was a new one for the Hellhound.

The Hellhound remained still in the center of the reception area. The work that she hadn't even started today didn't seem to be bothering her that much. She was conflicted about what to do or say. Her thoughts were too preoccupied with me to think about anything else. This all came down to inaction, and new ways she cursed at herself for being terrible.

Sometimes, there are no words that can be spoken to make things better.

That it all I got for this time. A relatively short chapter for this story thus far. It was just a little less than 7K words in actual writing. I still hope that doesn't decrease enjoyment.

If you enjoy this story and wish to support it, please feel free to Favorite, Follow, and/or Review for the story. I always appreciate what you guys are willing to give. If you just enjoy reading, then I am happy with that as well.

Beyond that, I thank you for reading. The next chapter will be Spring Broke redone. It has the chance of being quite long, and may even need 2 parts (unlikely, but still). That might make it longer to release, just so you know. Still figuring out what I want to do exactly, but rest assured that it should have character moments you are familiar with.

Lastly, I would like to extend thanks to those who helped me with 'lore' or whatnot for this chapter and for the story overall. I don't usually keep up with that stuff very well, so I appreciate their efforts through Discord.

Until Next Time,

Forsvaret-Komandir