Finally! I am done with this chapter. I have to apologize. There were a few places where I completely redid the dialogue because I was dissatisfied with the result, and then I got writers block regarding those moments. It was a bit of a mess, and it was all a little harder to finish than I initially thought. Still, I am done with it!

Now, with that out of the way, I wanted to address the elephant in the room (or comments, etc.) Yep... Beelzebub. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I have seen the finally released Episode 8, and that there were quite a few of you questioning me on what I am going to do about her now. It does pose a small problem because Gluttony is the first Sin that I am tackling. Well, I guess I should say that it DID pose a small problem. After a bit of thinking, I have decided to move forward on another route that is different from where I was initially going. My problems arose mostly from Tex's centricity in all of it. Still, I think I have managed to find a route that allowed me to leave the story unaltered, and where I would be more comfortable while flexing my creativity.

So, I clarify that I am changing my plans from what I was initially going to do. Still, Gluttony will be the first one that I deal with. That is all that I will reveal to all of you so that you are free to enjoy the content being unspoiled while also coming up with your own theories as to what I might do. I do enjoy that part. XD I am at least Season 2 Episode 5 didn't throw any curveballs...

Now, onto the Guest Reviews from Chapter 13:

Nexxuz (Guest): Give me your face. Give it to me NOW!

Response: Umm... I don't really know how to respond to this, especially with it being the first comment. I am just going to say no, and please clarify what you mean. XD

Anon (Guest): Not all 'holy' weapons need to come from angels... and Larissa doesn't have to spend an afterlife at all.

Response: Yeah, not all holy weapons need to come from angels. However, this one is supposed to be special, and it is completely unique compared to any others. The way that it is imbued with power makes it completely unique, and only usable by the OC at this point. That means it is different from the blessing weapons that are used by Striker, and I believe the Cherubs. Those weapons are lethal to higher demons, but don't give power to those wielding them. The reason that Azazel's blade has power was just to even the playing field between the most powerful in Hell and the OC so that there was a 'realistic' (not realistic in the literal sense) story to happen.

Also, what do you mean by Larissa not having to spend an afterlife at all?

Guest #1: Thank you for the update. Please update soon. I love this story.

Response: No problem, and thank you! I do my best to get it out quickly and cleanly.

Guest #2: Thank you very much for confirming that it will be loona x kyle and that there will be no harem or three way. Really thank you very much for confirming it not only with the answer you give me but also with this chapter. My mind is at easy now. Now more than ever the only person that can help kyle is only loona

Response: Tight. No Prob.

ReadingBeta (Guest): Do sinners usually lose their memories when they fall to hell? Or was this really an entirely different person who just perfectly looks like who's he looking for? Update soon. That dumbass needs to know he has a sexy hellhound ass that would gladly wag for him.

Response: Well, you can freely make your own conclusions as to how it happened. If you want to know my thoughts, it is from the crash that occurred. So, it is just another thing for Kyle to blame himself about... It is intended to be Larissa, so it isn't someone else mistaken for her. Feel free to have that wacky theory, though. XD

The OC has major fucking problems, so he might not realize the 'sexy hellhound ass' wagging for him. Soon, though... Maybe.

Guest #3: Damn, I can't imagine what Kyle is going through after what happened in this chapter.

Response: And that is why part 2 exists! XD You will get some idea on what happened since then.

Guest #4: Yikes! Imagine seeing your former flame again, seeing that she has no idea who you are, and having moved on with her life. You really do feel the same emotions Kyle does!

Also, I know some reviews tend to give Blitzo serious flack, but he's right about something: Hell can be unforgiving, and sometimes there are no fairy-tale endings.

Response: I think after everything he has dealt with and all he has suffered from to atone, it is probably the worst thing that could have happened. None of it even mattered to her, and he didn't matter to her. I am also glad that you caught the small glimpse into what type of philosophy I take away from the show when it comes to how Blitzo operates and how he views the world. In his own little way, this could be seen as him trying to console Kyle. He is just really shit at trying to connect with others. No flack for him. It is my interpretation of him, after all.

...

That is all the guest reviews from last chapter. I hope that I covered what was said well enough. Now, enough of all that stuff. Time for the actual chapter.

Chapter 14: The First Step to the New

POV: 3rd Person

Things had not been going great over the last couple of days. Ever since Kyle disappeared, I.M.P. had been following clues as to where he had run off to. Their only source of clues was from the mouths, or in some instances the Sinstagram posts from random demons. It always felt like they were one step behind, and that was probably because of the sword the human was lugging around. The group kept finding itself in stranger and stranger places in Hell. At least it wasn't in the human world.

Their most recent tip had led them to an underground fight club in a warehouse section of Imp City. These types of events were commonplace within Wrath. Within Pride, this was a way for the Imps to connect with their homering while they were away. It wasn't just the Imps fighting, however. Many different Hellborn, and some Sinners, found themselves trying to take chunks out of one another.

Moxxie and Millie had been greatly concerned about what had happened when Blitzo, Loona, and Kyle went off to find the latter's girlfriend. When he didn't return, they knew something bad had happened. However, when they had seen a silent Blitzo and devastated Loona, they knew that it couldn't have gone any worse. The two Imps were now walking with one another asking the various patrons if they had seen the human. The responses they had gotten weren't promising.

"Yeah, I had seen him. That guy seemed to be pissed off about something. He refused to use a weapon, but he still ended up winning every match he entered." The Imp that had been talking showed Moxxie and Millie a bundle of cash while he was practically salivating while pointing to a corner with a dozen or so different demons, "Look at what he did to all those suckers! He made a lot of us a lot of money!"

Moxxie asked more directly, "Is he still here?"

The Imp shook his head, "Naw. You missed him by about an hour, and I don't know where he went. Say, if you end up running into him, give him my thanks." The Imp began to laugh loudly as he walked away.

Moxxie pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep breath. Millie had already started rubbing her husband's back. She then consoled him, "I know, sweetie. It feels like we are running 'round with our heads cut off."

The male Imp took his time before responding, "I just wish we could get some clue as to where Kyle is. All this moving around is getting redundant. We go somewhere, someone says he has wandered somewhere else, and then we're back to square one." He let out a sigh before adding, "I am afraid to say it, but I am worried about him. Hell is not a place for living humans for a reason. He could get in trouble, or worse."

Millie responded with an empathetic look, "I'm worried too, Moxx."

Moxxie looked at his wife with some surprise, "You are?"

"Of course, I am! He has saved our hides before, yours a couple of times. I didn't think it could get like this, but it felt like we were really becoming a family here."

Moxxie hesitantly, "If by 'family', you mean the most dysfunctional company in existence. I still see what you mean."

Millie then reassured, "Besides, after seeing what Kyle has done here…" Just as she said that a larger male Baphomet that was all bruised, bloody, and unconscious was being carted by them from the injured group from before. She continued, "I don't think we have to worry about him. If the situation was different, I would be so damn proud of him and myself. I trained him well, didn't I?"

Millie always had a way to cheer Moxxie up. His smile was brief, but it made him feel better than before. It wasn't until his eyes looked on at the other two of their group. To start, Blitzo didn't seem to be that bothered that Kyle was missing. Their boss said that all the human needed to do was blow off steam for a couple of days and that he would come back. The only reason he was here was because of the prince, which was also the reason why his phone was clutched in his claws.

Loona was a completely different story entirely. She would ask around the various demons walking around while showing her phone screen lighting brightly against the dark atmosphere. From it, she would show a selfie that she had taken with Kyle and herself on it. Every time she asked someone, her face would show a hint of hope right before the grips of depression ripped her back down when they admitted they didn't know where he was. That wasn't much better than the frustration she showed when she was outright ignored.

A big sigh escaped Moxxie before he said, "I just hope we can find him soon. It's hard for me to admit, but even I feel a little bad that Loona is this upset."

Not even Millie's brighter attitude could entirely survive that detail. Millie's gaze slowly moved to look at Loona's drooped form. She sighed, "Yeah…"

Moxxie continued, "I get that Kyle is the only one she likes to hang out with, but if I didn't know any better, I would say that she likes him more than a friend."

Millie's heart skipped a beat for a moment. She never liked to hide the truth from her husband, but she did promise to keep the little 'night of passion' between the two a secret. Things had even deepened between the two since then. Those were all juicy details that she wanted to tell Moxxie, but she had to keep her mouth shut. An unusual nervous inflection presented itself in her voice, "Why do you think that, hon?"

The little male Imp didn't even react to her tone before he went into his analysis, "Well, for starters, she doesn't care about anyone, but she is completely different when she is with him. Based on her personality type, I would have thought that she would be-"

Millie felt like she was going to burst out that the two had sex, but then she found an outlet for her attention. She shushed her husband, "Oh! Loona's coming over."

In an instant, Moxxie closed his mouth before the two watched the Hellhound wander over to them. She grasped her phone in both hands while she continued to aimlessly look around for Kyle. It wasn't until she was only a few steps from the two before she looked at them. She said, "Uhh, hey… Have either of you found out if he is still here?"

Moxxie opened his mouth for a moment before closing it swiftly. He finally found the courage to say, "Yeah… It appears that he departed about an hour ago."

The fur on Loona seemed to stand up. The fury in her eyes seemed to ignite at Moxxie's words. The grip on her phone tightened like she was threatening to break it in two. The male Imp was afraid of what she might do now that they were at another dead-end. In a few seconds, she could very well unleash her frustration on him.

Millie finally swooped in to say, "I'm sorry, Loona. I'm sure he will turn up somewhere. Just know that we are here for you and that we are worried sick about him as well."

The anger in Loona's eyes dissolved slowly, and it was finally replaced with a look of guilt. After what had happened, there was always the question in the back of the Hellhound's mind as if she had done enough. Seeing as Kyle was still missing, that answer was no. All she knew was that freaking out on these two wasn't going to find the human any faster. Therefore, the guilt of her feelings when Larissa rejected him was going to remain.

With an aggravated sigh dissolving into another depressed look, Loona said, "Yeah, I figured he wouldn't be here. It's what I deserve…" Both Moxxie and Millie looked at each other with mild confusion before Loona turned around to see Blitzo wandering over. She said with anger, "At least you are doing more than someone else!" That caught the boss's attention, but he seemed completely oblivious to the stink eye he was getting. Loona added, "So, thanks."

Moxxie looked over at Millie with confusion and bewilderment at Loona thanking them. The female Imp just shrugged her shoulders before Blitzo interrupted, "Based on the stupid look on Moxxie's face, I guess he isn't here." Moxxie and Millie shook their head. This caused Blitzo to blurt out, "Damn it! It is annoying enough that I keep getting calls from Stolas for status updates every fucking minute. We should be up in the human world rolling heads right now!"

Loona folded her arms before growling out, "You know you could at least give a shit about Kyle being missing. It is part of your fault that he left!"

Blitzo seemed genuinely confused, "I don't see how this is any other fault than that bitch for playing the oblivious card. I was just preparing him for the worst. I don't see how any of us are guilty."

Loona yelled back, "No, you were just teaching him how to always be disappointed. You know, Blitz, you can be a real asshole sometimes."

Moxxie then added, "Most of the time."

Blitzo was about to angrily respond, but his phone rang with some scream. The Imp paused before groaning out, "Fuuuuuuuck. He is calling again. Just get back to the van. I'll make this quick." Blitzo pulled out his phone before saying, "What?! Huh? Yeah, we still haven't found the little pecker anywhere…"

Blitzo began to walk away, but a heightened volume of the voice from Stolas told the three that the prince was far from happy that they hadn't found anything. They were just glad that Blitzo was dealing with it, and not them.

Moxxie and Millie began to walk back toward the entrance they came in while Loona gazed at her phone. Her ears flattened back while she calmed down from her yelling. She realized she may have let out a small outburst at Blitzo, and it might be viewed as unfair to him. The Imp was usually emotionally withdrawn and would make inappropriate comments at the worst times as shown by him worrying about the company's bottom line. Still, he was here with them to search for their lost human.

Loona then addressed M&M without breaking eye contact with her phone, "I think I am going to give Kyle another call… Hopefully, he picks up this time…"

Loona began to wander away with her phone to her ear. Meanwhile, Moxxie and Millie were completely stunned by what had transpired. She didn't take her frustration out on Moxxie, and she was rage-filled if the yelling at Blitzo was any indication. This situation couldn't look weirder to the two.

Millie finally said, "Come on, sweetie. We should leave them both be." Moxxie only nodded in agreement while he was dragged out of the building by his sleeve.

Meanwhile…

In another part of Hell where there was a torrent of rain and dark blue skies, neon signs called to the most unseemly of the residents. The sexual atmosphere provided by the Hellborn here made it one of the most popular of the rings to visit. It was where the most depraved fantasies seemed to come alive, after all.

Despite the flashy signs for the most exclusive eateries, or the various strip clubs and brothels, there was still a fair share of tame establishments where many go to simply relax and enjoy a drink. The crowds were usually minimal with only a few sitting at the bar, and only a couple of tables seemed to have various demons sitting around them.

However, one bar seemed to differ completely from the others. It seemed to be just another place for different Hellborn to meet one another and hook up. The alcohol was plentiful, and so was the food. There was a sort of mood that the various shaded lights provided to the space below. None of this made it stand out. No, it was the crowds that filled it that did. They were livelier, and there was a livelier aura around them.

There was a lot of chatter from the Succubi, Incubi, Imps, Baphomets, and various other demons of the other Rings. Their gazes would periodically look toward the figure sitting at the end of the bar by himself. He didn't utter any words to anyone, and he would only say something when he needed another drink. Still, he seemed to draw the most attention out of anyone there. They all knew the human who was stuck in Hell when they saw him.

Reaching into his pocket, Kyle pulled out his phone since it was buzzing. He looked at the screen with a saddened look to see the name 'Loona' on the screen. On top of the few calls from Moxxie and Millie, each, Loona had been calling him every couple of hours, and each time he would ignore it. He wasn't ready to talk to her or explain why he had run away. He was ready to have been yelled at or hit, but he was never ready to be forgotten while he didn't spend a day without thinking about… her.

This time was different, though. Instead of pressing the red button on his screen, he sat there with a sad gaze while it continued to ring. His thumb slowly moved toward the green button to respond, but he stopped a couple of millimeters away from touching the screen. A couple of seconds of hesitancy was more than enough for the ringing to expire.

A small breath of regret exhaled through Kyle's lips as he put his phone down on the counter. He threw his head back with his drink in hand to down the rest, but he was saddened to find out that he'd already finished the glass. He was barely buzzed, but perhaps it should stay this way. What part of him had any right to numb the experience of Larissa's words stabbing into his heart, or that fact that he was being a shitty person to the last group that he held any warm feelings toward.

None of that stopped him from motioning toward the bartender to get him another drink. He was in a sour mood, and the only way he was going to improve was through a little bit more drinking. He didn't even need to say anything since he had gotten the same thing three times before.

The same female Baphomet walked over with a big bottle of whiskey in hand. To say that she was skimpily dressed would be an understatement. There were basic coverings for her chest and groin area with fine fabrics and her heels clicked against the floor as she walked. A seductive look in her eye while she gazed at Kyle while pouring his drink. It was probably a small way of flirting just to get an extra tip, or maybe she was lusting after him. None of that mattered since it was barely noticed by the human.

Instead, his eyes gazed upon the glass that was not filled to a satisfactory level. Once she stopped pouring, she began to walk away. With a scowl, Kyle said, "Really? That's it?" The Baphomet stopped and looked back around to see Kyle motioning her to come back. Once she was standing in front of him, he asked, "What's your name?"

As if getting some message that wasn't even there, she seductively responded, "Lily." Her lashes bounced while she breathed out a little smoke.

Kyle hummed in response while unimpressed. He then dug through his pocket before placing it on the table. He spoke with a trace of irritation, "Well, Lily, I am going to leave you with this while I take that bottle from my hands. Does that sound good?" He reached over and grabbed the bottle out of her grasp before he could even receive a response. He followed up with, "Hmm? Yes? Good. Now, fuck off."

Half expecting anger or at least an indignant expression from the Baphomet, Kyle was surprised to see that she jumped a little with a blush before grabbing the money. It was almost as if she were turned on by his rude and commanding tone. She walked away, and Kyle shook his head at the oddities of Hell. He then poured himself a more proper drink.

Before he could even finish with the pouring, he felt the presence of another standing at his side. It didn't take much imagination for Kyle to figure out that it was some succubus based on the high heels and aroma of too much perfume. She didn't even have to start speaking before Kyle started to down the drink that he had poured himself.

Her voice was filled with seduction, and just as smooth as all other demons from the Lust Ring. However, there was also a tinge of a French sound to her accent., "I couldn't help but notice you sitting here all by your lonesome. I just wanted to keep you company."

This did nothing to lift Kyle's spirits whatsoever. He was hoping that the girl would take some hint that he wasn't interested in anything she had to offer, but he was let down when she began to speak again, "You are gaining quite the reputation down here."

Kyle finally responded, "Why's that? I haven't done shit."

The succubus leaned against the bar trying to catch the human's eye. She bent forward with the hopes that her cleavage could lure him in. She then said, "Don't tell me you haven't seen the videos everywhere on social media!"

Kyle grunted out in response to that. Stolas was hopeful with the videos circulating with him getting into fights, or interacting with Hell's residents would help ease the minds of the Ars Goetia. Neither he nor Kyle expected how much of the pariah look would disappear from something as simple as that, or even how much fame he could gain from a few fights and acts of modesty. It was all very strange. However, he wasn't recognizing that for the moment.

The succubus finally greeted Kyle properly, "I'm Desirae, by the way. It is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you." When Desirae received no response from the human, she decided to be direct with her next request, "See, my friend wanted to meet you as well. I was just wondering if you would be interested in coming along with us and seeing what the evening brings us."

Kyle turned around and looked back to the demon she was pointing at. Sitting at a circular table was an Incubus dressed nearly as slutty as the other demons in the place. The Incubus was already looking over and raised his glass with a wink. Kyle turned around without even glancing at Desirae. He spoke with an even, yet cold tone, "Not interested."

None of that seemed to deter the Succubus. Kyle's brow scrunched while the smile on her voice could be heard through her voice, "I see… You look like a guy who would be interested in ladies only. If you wanted to, we could…"

While Kyle was preoccupied with the Succubus at the bar, near the entrance was a demon. Her hot pink eyes with yellow sclera seemed to be completely focused on the human. A light seemed to shine over her to show the form of none other than Verosika Mayday. This was never her type of venue to go alone, but sometimes there were exceptions.

This should have been a place where she would be swarmed by her many admirers, but she was unbothered by the relative calm around her. This allowed her to stalk in peace. She only needed to wait for her opening to strike.

Verosika didn't have to wait long before Kyle seemed to get fed up with the company. Desirae's hand rested on his shoulder, and he jumped up from his seat. His stool slammed against the floor while he snarled over at her. The message was finally received by the Succubus as she left him with a displeased expression on her face. Kyle then picked up his seat, and he continued to drink as if nothing had happened. While there was a small pause in the atmosphere of the place, no one spent too much time looking over at him.

This seemed like this was the moment that Verosika had been waiting for, so she began to walk over toward him with a sway of her hips. No one else was going to risk the same reaction as Desirae, so Verosika felt that she was probably going to be left alone while she went to chat with him. Confidence seemed to fill her as she knew that she would receive a better welcome than that nobody slut. Who knows, the result could end in a very fun evening for both of them. From what she had heard, he needed a little bit of fun.

It wasn't long until Verosika made her way to the seat right beside Kyle. While he slowly drank his whiskey, his eyes drifted over to get gaze at the new Succubus that decided to sit next to him. A bit of realization overcame him before a wave of melancholy. He grumbled, "Ahh, shit…"

This provoked an amused expression from Verosika as she leaned on her hand before playfully teasing, "Aww, I was hoping for a warmer welcome." Only a small grunt was emitted from the human as a response. He was a tough cookie to crack based on his current attitude, but Verosika was determined to get something out of him this time. She always made sure to get her way.

Verosika said, "I heard that things had been shitty for you recently." Verosika reached over and nonchalantly grabbed the bottle of alcohol that was sitting in front of Kyle. He was initially surprised by the intrusion, but then a scowl took its place. The female demon continued to say, "I didn't peg you to be the one that would go crazy and make bad choices when shit hits the fan. You even look like you were in a fight a couple of days ago."

Kyle touched the slight bruising and scratches on his face along with a few scraps on his arms. While he wasn't invulnerable to the damage from his fighting earlier, the power from his sword still did a good job healing him quickly. He responded curtly, "I was in some fights an hour ago or so."

Verosika began to trace around the healing scraps on his arm with flirtatious intent. She followed up with, "You seem more like a guy who would hide it, or… release his pent-up frustrations." When Kyle waved away her touching, she changed her tone from playful to reengaged, "So, what happened? Our little Hellhound friend told me that it was because of some girl. What was her name again? Lily? Lana?"

There was a moment when Kyle's frustration and anger broke into a lost expression. It was hard to describe what was going through the human's mind. Perhaps it was about his old girlfriend's fate and his unanswered years of atonement. Maybe it had to do with how he just left Loona behind, and how he continued to ghost her along with the others that cared for him.

After taking a few deep breaths, the buzzed Kyle swiftly grabbed the whiskey bottle from Verosika's clutches before she could even take a sip. He answered, "Her name was Larissa, and I don't want to talk about it. Now, Verosika, if you would leave me, I could get back to what I was doing."

It didn't seem like she was going to listen to the dismissal from Kyle. Instead, Verosika decided to ask, "I'm always down for a good place to drink, but why come here? This seemed to be a place for your limp-dick boss to come for some quick, sad action. But you?"

Kyle said, "I wanted to go somewhere where I would have been left alone, and a low chance of me being found out." He looked over at the smirking female demon beside him and said, "Guess I should have just stuck around some Sinners back in the Pride Ring."

Verosika remained playful, "You know, maybe if you got whatever is bothering you off your chest, then you would feel better. I know that I would feel much better if I could help you in some way."

"Or I can continue to not think about it and just drink away my problems. I am familiar with that route, so I think I will do that." Kyle then warned, "Now, will you go away."

The persistence of the human was wearing on Verosika, and it showed on her face. Her smile dropped to the smallest frown. The fun was over. She didn't know Kyle well, but she a part of her wanted to hear him out. He helped her in a pinch back on the surface world during Spring Break. Even in Verosika's light friendship with Loona, she felt like she should at least somewhat try in doing something for the human that the Hellhound cared so deeply about. That… and she was drawn into him in some way. The thoughts of that unexpected hug from the last time she saw him came to mind.

Verosika spoke with a more serious tone, "Based on what little I have heard about what happened to you, I don't know the shit running through your head."

Kyle's hand on his glass tightened when he heard her words. His jaw clenched, but he refused to say anything. He didn't make any motion to look over at Verosika.

The Succubus continued by showing a little vulnerability, "Still, I know how it feels to have your heart ripped out." Verosika reached over and grabbed the bottle of whiskey that was sitting in front of Kyle. She added, "You may never forgive her, but you will get over it like I did."

It seemed like Kyle had enough. He slammed his glass on the counter shattering it and spilling his beverage everywhere. This caused Verosika to flinch back. The entire room quieted down from the sudden noise while they looked over in interest. Despite his bleeding hand bathing in alcohol, there was no hint of pain on the human's face.

Kyle's gaze was then locked onto Verosika's eyes. His pupils were constricted into points while his anger pierced through her. He spoke with venom, "You are right, you don't know the shit that is running through my head. You couldn't possibly fathom the pain and suffering I put myself through just to cope with my failure." He alleged in a howl, "I killed her! I mean, how was I able to live with myself after that!"

Verosika remained surprised and didn't say a word. Kyle continued, "To make things even better, she completely forgot about me! The years we knew each other, fell in love, none of that mattered! Poof! Gone!" Kyle took a deep breath before asserting in a calmer voice, "You know, I spent a bit of this time alone to try and figure out why she forgot about me. Her mind could have gotten fucked up in the crash, or it was fucked up by coming to Hell. It took me a while, but I concluded that it doesn't matter. She is here because of me. It all comes down to that. It is all. My. Fault."

The Succubus felt a need to calm down the human, but her words failed her. She had been hoping that some of her 'charm' would take the edge off the human, but then she remembered how none of that worked on this human. For better, and now for worse, he was completely unaffected by her sexual inducement. Without that, she was perhaps the worst person to help unload all this baggage.

Her thoughts were cut off when Kyle looked at his hand while drawing in a sharp breath. It seemed like his anger subsiding was allowing him to realize the pain he was in. Still, that didn't stop him from continuing his verbal assault, "And you sit here telling me that you know how I feel. The simple fact is that you don't. I'm not angry with her, and I am no longer angry with how things went. I realize that, once again, I am furious with myself. Everything started with her death. I joined the military and hoped to die because of that. I killed and watched my friends get killed because of that. Now, I am stuck in Hell because of that."

Kyle stole back the bottle before finishing with malice in his voice as he tried for the last time to get rid of Verosika, "What do you possibly know about love anyways? You are some popstar Succubus that is the poster child of lust. You pull in people with your body and voice just so your lackeys can seduce them. You are even more alone than I am, but it seems to be more self-inflicted. The only relationship I have heard you have been with that so-called Imp that you constantly feel a need to shit-talk. What? Did you just get tired of him and drop him? Yeah, that sounds about right. You only know desire. You have no right to talk to me about love."

Verosika's cool and calm attitude dissolved into fury. Right as Kyle moved to drink from the bottle, Verosika slapped the bottle out of his hand, and it exploded on the ground. He then looked where the bottle once was before letting out a sigh. He knew that she would have been mad, but he was hoping that she would follow the example of the Succubus before her and just leave. Instead, it seemed like she wasn't done with him.

Verosika spat back, "You couldn't have said a shittier thing to me. Fuck you for thinking I am just some harlot hungry for cock!" Kyle's mouth formed a thin line. His eyes showed regret for his callous behavior.

Both Kyle and Verosika were silent. It wasn't until Kyle released a long breath to say, "Look, I'm sorry-"

The Succubus didn't seem interested in the apology. She decided to continue with frustration laced in her voice, "Shut up. I am going to talk, and you are going to listen. I know how it feels to have my heart broken. Yes, there was a time when Blitzo and I were… an item." Verosika seemed to get a bad taste in her mouth when she said that.

While the Succubus spoke, Kyle motioned for two drinks to be brought to them. Without wasting any time, the Baphomet scurried over with the drinks and left in a hurry. Kyle then waited patiently while Verosika continued to talk, "I was still early in my music career, but I was starting to make a name for myself. I won't bore you with how we met, and I hate to say it, but things started well between us. He had just gotten out of the circus, or whatever lame job he had."

Kyle nodded while he sipped his drink. He then hummed out in the friendliest tone that he had since the two had started talking, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Verosika resumed speaking while she slowly swirled her drink, "Look, I don't want to talk about all the cutesy details of our relationship. We went on dates, partied until morning, we fucked around a good bit. I wished that I could forget about it all."

Kyle commented, "If you want to forget about it, why didn't you just leave the relationship? Knowing how Blitz can be, I can imagine that the relationship wasn't that good."

Verosika only rolled her eyes, "It wasn't like that. I hate to say it, but it wasn't bad at that moment. I was… happy with him. We had a lot of fun, and I even got this piece done in the middle of it."

The Succubus pointed to the heart tattoo on her arm with Blitzo's name written over it only to be crossed off. Kyle only commented and questioned before drinking, "I guess he didn't always have his name crossed out. What happened then?"

Verosika said, "I wanted more, and I finally told him that. I guess some switch, or something went off in his head. All the good things in our relationship suddenly turned into shit. The final straw was when he ran off in my car to Wrath while maxing out my credit cards on horse-riding lessons. Oh, yeah! He also left me with the hotel bill. Like that, he was gone while leaving part of my life in ruins. I only later found out that he was probably using me the entire time to get something he needed." Verosika pulled out what looked to be some sort of crystal in thought. I didn't know what it was, nor did I choose to ask. Verosika then said, "I have been a bitter bitch ever since, and that was my last real attempt at a long-term relationship."

The hardness in Kyle's eyes slowly dissolved while he sat there in silence. He knew that he had been a little harsh toward the Succubus in his attempts to get her to leave him alone. He regretted what he said when it left his mouth earlier, and now he regretted it even more.

After a second, Kyle finally asked, "Okay, other than telling me that I am wrong and an asshole, why are you telling me this?"

Verosika laughed at the self-depreciation from the human. She then said, "When that little bastard left me, I was all alone. It may have been the same for you, but you have those like Loona. I am even sure those other two little Imps are there for you. They seemed to like you well enough when I saw you three together. I guess I am even here for you. It is the least I can do for what you did for me." Verosika then smirked in a way that showed off her confidence, "You know, you are a pretty lucky guy for someone stuck in Hell."

A small glimmer of appreciation could be seen in Kyle's eyes. He muttered, "Yeah, I suppose you have a point. I just don't know if I am ready to face them…" Kyle looked at his dwindling beverage before deciding to comment lightly, "I guess you earned the right to drink with me."

Verosika smirked back at him, "Good, because I wasn't leaving. I'm ready to get fucked up after all of that." Verosika then seemed to take a small pause to think. She followed up with, "If you give me a second, I need to take care of some business."

Kyle seemed confused for a second before realization overcame him. He pointed to the back of the bar, "I think the restrooms are back there somewhere. That's usually where they are in the places I have been."

Verosika smirked back before she took a few steps away. She turned around to see Kyle hunched at his spot. A little concern grew inside of her, and she asked, "Y-You're not going anywhere, right? I would hate to see you disappear the first chance you got."

The confusion returned before he connected the dots a little. Additionally, from her perspective, he had every right to just leave. He shook his head, "No. I won't go anywhere."

Verosika's shoulders relaxed a little before she continued on her way. She approached the bathroom but made sure to take a small turn into the little alcove to have a little privacy. She pulled out her phone, and immediately began looking through her contacts until she made it to 'Loona'. She thought for a moment before hitting the 'call' button.

While the phone rang, Verosika began to think to herself, 'So much for my night of fun.' However, she didn't feel any regret or disappointment with the night. Instead, she felt a deep sense of comfort knowing that she was doing the right thing. The right thing… That was something didn't think would cross her mind.

The phone connected after a few rings. The sound of Loona's voice came through, "Yeah? Sup?"

The tone of Loona's voice showed that she wasn't exactly happy. It was obvious that the Hellhound had no luck in finding the human. It brought Verosika a smile knowing that she had the power to change that right now. She just said, "Hey, Loona, why don't you pop down to Lust? We would love to catch a drink with you."

The depressed tone in Loona's voice was gone. Instead, it was replaced by an angry one, "You want me to come and drink now? Kyle is still missing! I thought I told you that he ran off somewhere." A pause came through the other end, and Loona sounded more confused, "Wait, what do you mean by 'we'?"

Verosika began to check her nails while she calmly said, "Oh, I should have told you that I found him. He is in some hold-in-the-wall joint in Lust. I can tag you the location. If I were you, I would get your furry ass down here before he disappears, or worse, gets taken home by some bitch for the night."

A small growl emitted from Loona, but there was excitement in her voice, "I'll be there as soon as I can."

It seemed like the Hellhound hung up, and Verosika smirked to herself. She prepped a selfie while giving a peace sign before she sent it. She received a like for the photo from Loona as a response. She knew that the Hellhound was going to be here soon. It was only a matter of time.

Verosika released a calming breath while she put her phone away. She let out a sigh before turning around and heading back into the bar. She felt some tension within her muscles until the moment she caught Kyle's form still in the same place as before. Verosika couldn't place it, but something about him seemed different than before. He seemed less hunched over, and his expression seemed to be a little more energetic. Maybe it was because he chose to run away no longer.

When Verosika's heels could be heard, Kyle turned his gaze to look back at her. He summarized, "Well, that didn't take long."

Verosika paused for a moment with wide eyes before cheekily stating, "You know, you shouldn't pick up manners from your colleagues. You know it is bad manners to comment on a girl's trip to the bathroom."

I huff escaped Kyle's lips before he muttered, "Yeah, I guess you're right…" He sipped his drink before turning his attention toward Verosika once again. He seemed to notice her lack of conversation other than her mischievous response. He arced his eyebrow before saying, "You seem to be a little quiet over there. What's going on?"

Verosika admitted, "To be honest, I thought you would have dipped out while I was away. You know, so you could keep your solo act going?"

Kyle shrugged, "No, I wouldn't do that. I said I wasn't going anywhere, so I stayed put. Besides, it would be in bad taste to ditch you after you opened up about your relationship with Blitzo."

Verosika rolled her eyes before saying, "Ugh, don't remind me."

While the two continued to converse, a small flash of some brighter light came through the window signaling the opening of a portal. From it, Loona trotted out with Stolas's Grimoire still in her grasp. She immediately felt the heavy rain hitting her head, and immediately sought out cover. Her gaze stopped at the place that Verosika posted, and she swiftly walked over while she tried to shield herself from the water.

Two demons were making their way to the door. One of them reached for the handle, but the door immediately swung open and smacked the two to the side. Loona walked through to get out of the rain. She didn't even notice the two now limp on the ground in a daze. She brushed off her top of the water and resisted the urge to shake herself off the wetness.

Her gaze scanned the room slowly until she found the duo that she was looking for. There was an immediate sense of relief when she saw Kyle. Knowing that the hunt was over, and there was no way of him getting away, she could now be at ease. However, that feeling was swiftly replaced by a sense of anger, annoyance, and hurt. Loona began to walk over to the two with a gaze fixated on the human, specifically.

When she started to get closer, Kyle looked over to see the bitter Loona making her way to him. His eyes widened, and his stomach fell to the floor. He paused for a moment while he tried to find the words, "Loona?! How did you- Where did you-" He then pieced together what happened before he turned to Verosika with a sigh, "You told her where I was, didn't you?"

Verosika smirked, "Guilty as charged." She took a sip of her drink before saying, "While I would have fully enjoyed getting completely fucked up with you, I know that isn't what you need. Call it experience."

A protest arose from Kyle, but he swiftly squashed it. He sighed before stating uneasily, "Yeah… I guess you're right. The drinking can only last so long. Time to accept the consequences."

He didn't say it, but he had his own history of drinking away his problems only to have them unresolved the next day. That wasn't an option anymore, by the looks of it. Now, he was going to have to face the consequences of leaving his friend without an explanation.

Loona was finally in front of him. Her eyes were full of fury, and she growled out, "You have some fucking nerve leaving as you did! You didn't return my messages or my calls! Give me one good reason to not maul you right here!"

Kyle put his drink to the side while he tried to think of a good explanation for what happened. It was obvious enough that he just couldn't handle what happened a couple of days ago, but that wasn't going to cut it as an explanation. Truthfully, he didn't have a good explanation to give her. In his moment of weakness, he showed himself as someone who would rather run from their problems than face them head-on.

It was easy for him to be there for others in their times of need. He was there for Loona when she had to go to the clinic in his world. He sat there with Octavia when she felt completely alone and got her to open up her feelings to Stolas so that they could have a meaningful conversation. He even put himself on the line for Verosika and her posse even with his being a prize to be won for the former. However, when it came to being the one needing help, he seemed to abandon those who cared for him before they could help him.

Kyle's gaze found itself descending to show that he didn't have a response. Loona's ears flattened against her head. She just wished for something from him, but he was still so closed off from her. She let out an irritated breath while she pinched the bridge of her nose. She said, "I just don't get why you did what you did. I get that your ex-girlfriend said probably the shittiest thing to you, but why did you run?"

A second or two passed before Kyle spoke from the gut, "I had to deal with her death on my own. Ever since then, I have been alone, so I guess I just thought that I should deal with it by myself."

Loona was now sounding more hurt when she opened more, "I am still new to having to be there for someone, and I would have probably sucked at it. Still, I would have done anything to help you. Even Moxxie and Millie would have done anything to make you feel better. I guess Blitz, he would-"

Loona paused for a moment while she bit her tongue. Verosika looked at her with the side of her eye with a hint of hatred at hearing him mentioned. Not only they, but the two knew that Blitzo had struggled with doing the right thing like this. With that, Loona sighed before redirecting, "You are my best friend, and I care about you more than anyone else. You know that, right?" A small blush formed on her cheeks while she hugged herself and looked away.

Kyle nodded, "I do…"

Loona said, "Then, why didn't you let me help you?"

Both Verosika and Loona looked at Kyle for a response. Instead of coming up with an answer right away, Kyle sat in his seat with a slight tremble. It wasn't until two small tears rolled down his cheeks that he acted out of instinct. Instead of saying anything, he just got up from his seat and pulled Loona into a tight hug.

Loona stood there petrified while she tried to process what was happening. She lightly blushed at the sudden contact while Verosika looked at them with interest and with her drink in hand. A moment passed before Loona realized that Kyle was containing his emotions behind a flimsy façade. He made a major mistake by pushing her and everyone away, and there wasn't anything he could say that would make him feel better about it.

Kyle finally spoke, "I'm so sorry if I made you feel like I didn't think you weren't there for me. I also can't express how sorry I am for pushing you away. Since Larissa's death, I have dealt with everything on my own. I've been isolated with bullshit like this so many times, and this was the first time I had someone like you by my side. I guess I am just scared of bringing someone else into my mess, especially when I don't know what to do."

To the side, Verosika found herself subconsciously smiling warmly at what was happening. It wasn't until she noticed that she hid it behind her sipping her drink. The voice of Loona softened substantially, "I get it. That shit was a complete fucking mess." She pulled away a little just so she could look at the distressed gaze of Kyle. She lightly smiled, "I also know what it is like trying to let someone in. It took a bit for me to trust you. Just… Just let me try and be there for you. Okay?"

Kyle nodded, "Okay."

Loona perked up a little before saying, "I almost forgot. You should probably say something to Moxxie and Millie. They helped quite a bit, and Mills wouldn't stop nagging me when I was coming here to bring you back okay."

This resulted in Kyle rubbing the back of his neck with unease, "Yeah, I guess I owe them an apology as well…"

There was a moment of quiet between them until Verosika finally said in a teasing way, "Well, that was fucking adorable. I'm almost feeling a little cold all alone over here."

Loona growled out, "Bite me."

Verosika laughed before shooting back, "Gladly."

Kyle barely comprehended the side conversation that was going on as he found himself trapped in his mind again. His gaze seemed distant, and he found himself slowly moving away from Loona. Things seemed to be wrapping up as far as the other two could tell, but it wasn't the case. It didn't take too long before they noticed and stopped talking.

Loona finally addressed him, "I can tell something is still bothering you." Kyle looked over at the Hellhound before she said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Before he said anything, Kyle sat back in his seat. Loona just walked up to the other side of him from Verosika before she waited. He finally said, "No, I don't want to talk about it." Loona folded her arms with an unimpressed look. Kyle sighed, "After everything that happened, I don't know how to move on from here."

Loona asked, "What do you mean?"

Kyle thought for a moment before he finally found the right words, "Larissa's and my paths are no longer intertwined. I have loved her for so long without any reciprocation. After what happened, there is no way that I can continue to love her. I must try and move on."

Loona seethed at the memory of what happened, "Good. You shouldn't have to deal with that bitch ever again."

Kyle followed up with, "She is still here because of me and what I did. As far as I can tell, I can't forgive myself."

Verosika cocked a brow, "You are already in Hell. This is the place where Sinners live out the rest of their lives." She paused before correcting herself, "Well, not here. This place seems to be filled with denizens looking for easy fun."

Kyle seemed unconvinced about that. It wasn't enough to be simply in Hell, and there wasn't much the two could say to persuade him. Instead, Verosika said, "Look if it helps, it took me a while to rebound from my last relationship with…" Verosika trailed off and decided to not say Blitzo's name. Instead, she continued, "I can be a bit of a bitch because of it, and I let my group do the swooning. I'm over him, and it fucking sucks to admit it, but I'm not over what he did. I am trying to say that no one expects you to get over it. It takes time. Even in Hell, you're somehow not alone."

While he thought to himself, Kyle tapped his glass with his finger. Her words did manage to bring him some sort of solace. Based on how the pace seemed to be going, he was going to have to accept that. He couldn't have imagined that some of his help tonight would come from the Succubus that tried using him to get back at Blitzo a while ago.

Kyle nodded, "Alright. I guess I will try."

Verosika smirked, "Good. Now, I am feeling a little worked up, and I could use a good girl's night out. Unless you want to be seduced by my friends who want to meet you, I suggest you get out of here." Verosika looked over at Loona before adding, "The same goes for you. I would invite you, but we both know that you need to take him home."

Loona paused for a moment before shaking her head, "Uhh, yeah… Hey, umm, thanks for calling me. I don't know what I can do to repay you."

It took a second for Verosika to come up with a response, but she finally said, "Just tell Blitzo that you spent a little time with me tonight. I'm sure that will make him miserable."

The Succubus's confident smile disappeared, and her eyes widened when she felt Kyle's hand lightly grasp her arm. Her eyes connected with his for a moment before he said, "I know I was an asshole, but thanks for sticking by me tonight. I didn't expect you to, so I guess you are one of those friends that I can rely on."

Since she didn't entirely expect the contact and warm words, Verosika's cheeks lightly deepened to a darker pink blush. She didn't want to sound like a stuttering mess, so she took a moment to calm herself before saying, "Yeah… Just don't expect me to forget the shit you said. You owe me, big time. I think I already have a few things in mind…" Kyle narrowed his eyes while Loona didn't seem entirely happy with the suggestive tone. Verosika laughed, "Don't worry. Nothing like that. I'm sure Loona won't mind giving me your contact information."

Kyle breathed before saying, "Fine. I was a dickhead. I guess I owe you something in return."

Loona folder her arms while being less convinced, "Yeah, I don't think so."

Verosika stated, "Don't worry, Loona. I won't steal your boy toy away from you."

Loona's cheeks burned in response before she said, "Let's get the fuck back to I.M.P." What she didn't notice was how Verosika's teasing managed to get a small blush out of Kyle.

Without arguing back, Kyle followed Loona out of the bar. Verosika watched the two depart while she continued to sip on her glass. The evening happened to be more eventful than she thought. While she did so in a fit of anger, Verosika had opened herself up to the human. That was something she didn't see happening.

Verosika traced her fingers across the part of her arm that Kyle had touched only moments ago. A warm feeling swelled within her once again while she let out a calming breath. While he might view himself so critically as being the type of scum that deserves to be in Hell, Verosika found herself being a better version of herself around him, and even Loona seemed to be more open around him. That made him someone very special in her eyes, and she couldn't wait for the next time they meet.

Back at I.M.P…

It didn't take long once Loona and Kyle walked back through the portal into the office before Kyle's personal space was taken up by two small Imps. She had already explained to everyone where she had found him, and in what company he was with. There was nothing more that Loona was willing to do to get them off his back, either. She sat at the side while she leaned against her desk with her arms folded. It was his mess to clean up, after all. This was her way of getting even.

Millie angrily said, "So, you decided that it was a good idea to disappear without telling any of us where you were going? Huh, mister?"

Kyle didn't appreciate the tone from Millie. It made him feel like he was being scolded like some little kid. He rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, I was hoping to figure things out while I was on my own. At the very least, I just wanted to dull what happened."

This time, Blitzo responded while standing to the side, "Interesting way of doing it. Lust is the last place I would pity drink. All those thirsty sluts are looking for nothing more than to diddle your holes. That isn't even considering how you were with that bitch, Verosika. And you brought my daughter into it!" Loona's ear flicked with an annoyed expression on her face.

Moxxie scolded as well, "It was completely irresponsible of you to just leave as you did, even under the circumstances."

Kyle let out a sigh before he ran his hand through his hair. He candidly replied, "Yeah, I am a shitty person for dipping out like that. I should have considered all your feelings, and I shouldn't have shut myself off from allowing you all to help me." Kyle kneeled so that he could be closer to Moxxie and Millie when he said, "I guess I am trying to say that I know that you guys care about me, and I am sorry for what I did."

Both Moxxie and Millie kept up their angry expression for a second before they melted away. Millie beamed at Kyle before she hugged him followed by Moxxie coming into the embrace. She said, "You were going through a hard time. I accept his apology. What about you, Moxxie?"

Moxxie responded with a comforting smile, "Of course I do. Just as long as he promises not to pull something so careless in the future."

A small found its way onto Kyle's lips, "Yeah… I guess I will resort to other methods in the future. Ones that don't have me ghosting you all."

Blitzo interrupted, "Yeah, yeah. I'm glad we found a conclusion to all this mess. Now, if you will excuse me, I wish to get home at a reasonable time." He then pointed at Kyle, "Because of you, we have a backlog of potential clients that wish for us to off targets. If you don't want me to lose out on their contracts to the competition, then I suggest that we get working on that right away."

Moxxie squinted before saying, "Sir, we don't have any competition. As far as I know, we are the only business that deals with killing in the human world."

Blitzo chided, "An attitude like that will make sure competition shows up, Moxxie. There is a lot of money in the business, and that means a lot to lose if we don't keep up." He then looked at Kyle with an unreadable expression, "So, I hope you got everything out of your system because we have our work cut out for us. That, and Stolas moved up our little 'meeting' to this weekend, and he wanted me to bring his fancy book. That gives me a bad feeling."

Blitzo began to pout, and Kyle took this as a sign to exit, "Okay, then… I guess I should be heading home."

From the corner of his eye, Kyle saw Millie nudge Moxxie before giving him a certain type of look. The male Imp seemed to get the message before clearing his throat, "Right! Actually, umm, Kyle. Millie and I were talking, and we thought that it would be best that you didn't go to your home where you would be alone."

Kyle raised a brow at this, and even Loona seemed interested in what they were saying. Words began to come out her mouth without her realizing, "Well, I'm sure that we could-"

Blitzo cut her off, "Nope, not going to happen. As far as I'm concerned, you are also grounded for going to the Lust Ring all alone, missy. Plus, I won't have some human wandering around where he can get into my personal business."

Loona didn't appreciate the fact that she was being chastised for doing the right thing, but her mood calmed when Kyle gave her an appreciative look. Moxxie then cleared his throat with an accusatory expression, "Excuse me, sir? You don't want HIM getting into your personal business?"

Blitzo replied, "Yes, Moxxie, I don't want him looking at all my personal shit. Not everyone is so open about their personal lives like you and Millie."

While Millie looked over with confusion at the remark, Moxxie pinched the bridge before muttering under his breath, "Unbelievable..."

Millie ignored all of that before she brightly said, "Well, Moxxie and I want you to stay with us while you get over things. It would be nice for you to have someone around."

Kyle began to make an excuse, "I don't want to impose on you guys…" He found himself trailing off when he got a look at the hopeful looks from Moxxie and Mille. Millie was a little brighter in her expression while Moxxie was more reserved. Kyle found himself hesitating before caving in entirely. He was trying to change his approach, after all. He continued, "Yeah, okay. I guess I could stay a little while. I just need to pick up a few things from my place beforehand."

Millie pumped the air, "All-fucking-right! You won't regret it!"

Kyle gave a light smile in response, but in the back of his mind, he was still recovering from everything. Things were still not great, and everything that had happened to Larissa still stung, but it was different. There was a path of healing for him to follow, and the first step was for him to let go of his feelings for Larissa. There was uncertainty about whether all of this will lead to him being able to find some self-forgiveness. It was going to be one step at a time, after all.

Kyle's eyes moved from the happy Moxxie and Millie over to Blitzo's nonchalance before he settle on Loona where he felt his hopes elevate a little. He found himself thinking back to what Verosika had said about him being lucky for having the friends that he did. It was true. He was very lucky to have them, and he knew that he would need them for the path forward.

That is it for now!

I thought that it would be good to throw in a little bit of Verosika since she will slowly transition to a more major role in this story. Lust is a Ring, and therefore a future target for Kyle. It should be interesting to see what kind of relationship someone from that Ring has with it... Enough of that for now, she obviously knows her shit about terrible endings to relationships. Things didn't go entirely her way, but I would hardily say that she is disappointed with the result. It is also good to see some of Kyle's friends in Hell rally around him.

Next, Harvest Moon Festival (2-Parter). I would say that the first chapter will most likely set up everything in Wrath from setting to characters while the second chapter will cover the actual festival. They did stay at Millie's parents, so it would be a big shame if I didn't cover them actually staying the night... Who knows what could happen from that. Also, if a 3rd part is needed, I will toss it in (I doubt it will be needed).

Also, thank you all for those who have supported the story! I make no money at this, and spend a good amount of time on it. However, it makes it worth it when a lot of you come and enjoy what I produce. I just want to personally thank you all since I haven't really done so as of yet.

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.

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INVITE CODE: 8RT9hC5Aau

That is all I have to give!

Until Next Time,

Forsvaret-Komandir