Wow! A quick one, and not necessarily a short one. I guess there must have been some level of excitement from me to get this thing written as quickly as I did. I am writing somewhat off of source material, so I guess that there was help there. Still, I did manage to put in a good amount of original work into this to make it a decent hybrid chapter.

I am glad to hear about the positive feedback for the last chapter. Finally made it above 200 favorites for the story along with a single day viewership of above 1.2K! I have to say, I am happy to see everything trending up as I continue to write. It must mean that I am doing something right.

Now, I guess I should get to the Guest Reviews from Chapter 14:

ReadingBeta (Guest): Oh my duck we still haven't got to that episode yet, I completely forgot considering all that has happened. But maybe this means Kyle can let loose in Wrath, like ending up alone with Loona in barn n they can do some fucking behind barn walls? It's hell, inhibitions died when u come here so I don't see why they shouldn't act like fucked up teenagers. I mean, name me one instance where teenagers don't have sex in the barn? So the crash was for Larrisa, not Kyle. Though that would explain a lot how depraved she was as a human. Guess he never really knew his own girlfriend at all if she was really a messed up bitch who shits on any crap she sees. Then it's highly possible that her time dating him may have been some sort of scam she was going to exploit before she got killed by some other sucker who wants revenge. Update soon.

Response: So, I am going to be a little blunt with this. They will NOT being fucking behind the barn walls. If you have been following with the writing closely, you will notice that is not how I roll. I enjoy the slow build up of the relationship since that grows some level of attachment from the views. At a surface level, you all know Loona but don't know Kyle. Without proper buildup, everything will feel very fake and not enjoyable to read. There will be numerous sexual scenes in the story, do not worry. That being said, we need to get there, and they won't be everywhere because the maturity of the story will dissolve.

Onto Larissa: She wasn't a depraved human. The point I was trying to make was how she was somewhat of a more optimistic Loona (I believe that is nearly a quote in the story). She wasn't a bitch before, and she didn't exploit Kyle for her gains when she knew him. The point was that she lost her memory (probably from the accident), and now the society in Hell has warped her into someone who is not kind or good. This is one of the injustices that is going to be viewed by Kyle. Hell turns people who were good and kind into something else. I get that I leave some interpretation up, but I want to make it perfectly clear what level of complexity there is. People in this won't be one-dimensional. Clear?

Guest #1: I hope that kyle will not kill beelzebub. She's so nice and a fantastic person and I would be sorry for vortex because they are cute together and beautiful couple. I prefer if he decides to go after asmodeus, he deserves it. After satan, since Lucifer has changed a little after charlie was born, for me is the most evil of the 7. Will kyle and loona become a couple before or after ep 8? I can't wait for next chapter. I really love this story

Response: Basically, I have my own thoughts and opinions on Beelzebub. To simply put it, she will also have a level of complexity added to her. Surface-level, she will appear to be the same to you. Will she be killed in the story? I won't answer that. I won't answer what will become of any of the Princes. Additionally, hard to say what relationship Loona and Kyle will have at 8. I don't want to put a timetable for them, so I won't. Things are moving along though, and this chapter will show that. Also, thank you for your kind words. I am happy to hear that you love this story.

DZ (Guest): Been awhile hasn't it?

Nice update and it good to see Kyle getting his shit back together. I do wonder how the patch up of Kyle/Loona relationship will be put back together as that rift was made rather wide in a short time frame.

I recall you talking about Bee in a chapter or two ago and I'm sure that many will disagree with me on this I thought that Bee was trash as she only cares for her only gluttony and will not care for those not with in her sight or providing the honey/candy that she insnares all those to her will.

Bee cucks Tex which he's way to high on the cotton candy to even think straights.

When she kicks Loona and Blitz from the party I think she did it more in line with it her feeling of gluttony being the center of the party was being spoiled.

Not sure if you think the same but the more recent ep from Vis seems to be more forced rather then the free flow of their earlier ep as the humor has just dropped off for over the top trying way to hard jokes.

Anyways take care and I look forward to your next chapter.

D/Z Out!

Response: Yep, development for the OC going on. Also, the rift is relatively small. Loona isn't going to push Kyle away when she is trying to get him to open up and heal. Since he opens up a little more in this chapter, it can be said that there isn't a lasting fissure between the two.

I like your take on Bee, and I find it very interesting. Surprisingly, that isn't the first time I have heard that opinion. With that said, I am going to take my own approach when it comes to Bee. Some things will feel very surface-level, but I will also bring in a ton of stuff beneath the surface. Some people may not like my plan, but I will simply put it like this: I don't care.

I like the point that you make though. Sometimes, there are individuals that have more sinister intentions below the surface. It really has me thinking...

Guest #2: If only I had known Cristina Vee's Birthday was yesterday... Oh well, Happy Birthday, you talented actress!

Even though I hadn't even known she voiced Shantae (As well as some other fan-favorites), Both she and Verosika were characters I had fallen for just from the voice!

Response: Damn... I didn't know that. Thank you for the further info on the voice behind Verosika and the review!

Guest #3: Kyle, there are a lot of Succubi and Incubi who are only interested in one-night stands, so don't lump Verosika in with them. Though, I do believe their conversation needed to happen and I think you handled it very well. Not to mention, with Larissa having moved on, Kyle will as well, but with better people by his sides.

Now then, prepare yourself, the Harvest Moon Festival is upon us!

Response: Do you mean that there are a lot of Succubi and Incubi that AREN't interested in only one-night stands? I am a little confused by that. Also, it was a shallow thought that he had to get her to go away. He was in one of his lowest moments, but he still shouldn't have said it. XD

I like what you had to say in your review. He did need to move on from Larissa, but he still has work to do to move on entirely from the consequences. Thank you!

Guest #4 (face guest): I'm the face guest. I just watched how they just ruined my Transformers childhood by pandering to geewuuners.

Response: You, sir, are a true enigma. I am going to ignore the last part since it just confuses me even more. Still, glad to have you with us! XD

...

That's it! I guess there is nothing more to do other than see how things pan out here!

Chapter 15: Harvest Moon Pt. 1

POV: Kyle

The stiffness in my back finally caused my eyes to open. The slight sting of them caused me to blink a few times before I looked around. Everything was still bathed in darkness with the smallest hint of light coming from outside. There was no hope in trying to go back to sleep at this point seeing as the day would probably start within the next couple of hours. That, and I doubt my mind would settle enough for me to rest.

With that figured out, I got off the couch that I was sleeping on while I twisted my torso. A few cracks alleviated the ache for the moment, and I found myself glancing at my surroundings. I had stayed at M&M's apartment for the last few days, and I have grown accustomed to the neat little layout that the two Imps shared. It shouldn't have been surprising that it was so tidy with Moxxie living here, but I was impressed with how much better of a place it seemed to be compared to mine. It was also rather unique to the two with the various weapons and dangerous equipment for Millie along with the musical-oriented wallpaper for Moxxie and instruments. It was very interesting to look at.

With a tired sigh, I got up from where I was sitting before, I began to throw on pants to walk around their place. I monotonously made my way through the various morning tasks that I assigned myself every morning. Using the bathroom and making sure I was clean before I walked into the kitchen to start the coffee.

None of it took any thought, which was good seeing as my mind continued to settle on the current state of my life. The pain of everything was still fresh in my mind. My love for Larissa was fading. There was only so much I could do to sustain my love for her before, and my last memory of meeting her here was more than enough to break it. I felt some sort of liberation from that, but I still felt weighed down by the grief of my mistakes. Despite her no longer being close to my heart, I still killed her. She was here because of me. There was an urge to settle in the dark and be consumed by it.

I still wanted to be alone to hurt.

Then, like every time I think about my depression, I remembered that I was not alone. The two Imps that let me stay with them also made it a habit to spend a little bit of every day trying to do something fun or joyful with me. I couldn't forget their efforts through watching some films, and even spending time playing a board game with me. I found myself smiling to myself at what they tried to do.

On top of that, Loona made it a habit to stick by me when at the office. I wasn't going on any of the missions, so that left us alone at the office. Sometimes she decided to skip out on work and take me somewhere new. I could sense the bad feelings she held about leaving starting to fade, and how we began to reconnect as friends. Well, I guess best friends at this point. Ever since coming back, I felt like I was seeing her in a new light. Loona seemed to be… different to me.

None of this even considered the small little messages that I would receive from both Verosika and Stolas making sure things were going okay with me. The latter was one that I didn't expect anything from, and I was surprised to see that I was even thought about by one of Hell's Goetic Princes. I guess I gave him too little credit.

I was brought out of my mind by the pinging of the coffee machine. I was in the middle of my core strength training seeing as that activity seemed to ease my mind when I was alone. I got to my feet and entered the kitchen before pouring myself a cup of coffee. The smell tricked my mind a little that it was anything other than a crap cup of coffee. Still, it did the job of waking me up along with relax me when it was paired with a little extra essence of alcohol.

Yeah… I still wasn't in the perfect mindset despite the efforts of those closest to me. Sometimes, I felt the need to ease the pain. I think that a little bit of brandy in my coffee was one of the lesser harmful things I could turn to. The one that I used was tucked away within my belongings.

I finally pieced together my morning beverage and let out a sigh while I reset the coffee machine to keep some warm for whenever Moxxie and Millie decided to get up before I returned to the living room to relax. I sat on the couch that I was sleeping on before I moved to turn on the television. The sound of Moxxie's and Millie's bedroom door creaking open stopped me and I was surprised that they were awake at this time.

I then became confused when I watched Blitzo being pushed out by an irritated Moxxie who was dressed in his sleepwear. I couldn't even formulate in my mind what exactly was going on, but I watched in silence as the two turned to look at me. Blitzo seemed to be in a playful mood, which usually meant that he was spying on the two other Imps.

Moxxie used this opportunity to open his front door to push Blitzo out. He said, "Sir, please. Let Millie and me prepare to leave in peace. Satan knows that I need it when packing."

Blitzo playfully smirked, "Say no more, Mox. I will head out now…"

The taller Imp made no moves to leave while he continued to stand at the front door. Moxxie's patience started to wear thin before he decided he had enough, "Please. Leave."

This elicited Blitzo to walk forward, "Yeah, I'm going Moxxie. Sheesh, don't get your panties in a twist."

Moxxie pinched between his eyes before he said, "Goodbye, sir."

Blitzo turned around once he was outside of the door to say one last thing, "Don't forget to bring your best Wrath garb. I won't have my style tainted by those not prepared! Also, don't forget that we are leaving-"

Moxxie sensed that Blitzo was just using this time to make excuses, so he decided to close the door in the boss's face. He let out a sigh while he slowly turned and looked at me already awake. This caused him to deflate before he said, "Oh, crumbs… I was hoping to get some extra shuteye."

I motioned for him to return to his room, "Nothing is stopping you."

He seemed to give me an appreciative look while he tiredly toddled back to his room. However, a very excited Millie ran from their room in sleepwear before practically yelling to me, "Didn't you hear! We're goin' on a trip to the Harvest Moon Festival!" She looked over at Moxxie before saying, "There's no way we can sleep now, Moxxie! It's all just too excitin'!"

My cup of coffee and alcohol almost jumped from my grasp from the sudden yelling. Moxxie also jumped at the excitement from his wife before he let out a sigh and turned to the bathroom while mumbling incoherent negative words to himself. Despite his depressed mood, Moxxie seemed rather unelevated by this trip.

Speaking of the trip…

"What are you talking about," I gave a look of confusion as to what this 'Harvest Moon Festival' was.

Millie seemed to calm down a little bit after her husband disappeared. She still held a beaming grin while she said, "You know the prince?" I nodded assuming that she was referring to Stolas. She continued, "Well, he needs his book for the Harvest Moon Festival in the Wrath Ring. Blitz thought it would be a terrific idea to go alone and enjoy it this year! It's gonna be so much fun! You will get to meet my folks and see where I grew up!"

I felt a little awkward being unmoved by her excitement. Then, a thought began moving through my head and my lips lifted into a small smile, "Well, I guess I could use a trip. I haven't been to Wrath, yet. It should be interesting to see."

Millie replied, "Oh, it is! It is really unforgiving, and working on the ranch was hard yet satisfying labor. It just wasn't for me or Moxxie." Millie then changed the topic before saying, "We're gonna need to get you something better to wear to Wrath. We can't have you stickin' out like a sore thumb."

I let out a groan before saying, "I am the only human in Hell. I am going to stick out regardless."

The little Imp placed her hands on her hips before saying, "You're still getting some. My mama and daddy will probably appreciate the help from someone like yourself while we visit. The stay isn't always free. We gotta work for it."

I sighed, "Alright… I guess I can pick up something new for the trip. Anything else I should know?"

Millie pondered for a moment before she pointed at the longsword that rested against one of the living room walls. She said, "I wouldn't bring that if I were you."

My eyes scrunched before I hummed in thought and guessed, "Because angelic weapons aren't allowed at your parents?"

This confused Millie before she said, "Huh? No, it would be viewed as a challenge. Do you know how many Imps would love to take you down when you show that off everywhere? My siblings would also want a crack at ya. We're a different breed, and they would love the challenge more than the Imps here."

There was a level of uncertainty when I heard this. This would be the first time that I would be going anywhere in Hell without a disguise or some protection like this. I felt a protest arise within me, but I closed my mouth after realizing that she was probably right. I gritted my teeth, "Of course, I can leave it."

Millie seemed thankful that I was willing to be accommodating. She then smirked before saying, "Thanks, sweetie. Trust me, you will have a fun time in Wrath. The Harvest Moon Festival is always a blast." Millie then turned toward the bathroom door and turned around one last time, "It will be good for you."

With that said, Millie opened the door to the bathroom where running water could be heard. She closed it behind her, and the minor sound of muffled giggling could be heard by me. I let out a breath before I continued to drink my cup of coffee.

I felt my muscles relax the longer I sat alone. I had stopped looking at the sword while I convinced myself of this little trip. Going to Wrath, seeing Millie's family, nothing should go wrong, right? At most, I should expect to meet a tough group of denizens that I will be spending the next couple of days with. Yeah, it should be fun…

Later…

What was promised to be a fun trip had started out to be nothing but dryness, spikey plants, orange skies, and distant volcanos with orbs of magma. The landscape was rather desolate compared to the other places in Hell that I had been. I could see how Millie became the little Imp she is by growing up in a place like this. It did seem unforgiving. I don't see how our little group would fit in other than her.

Speaking of the little road trip group, it had been a little quiet in Blitzo's van as we continued to trudge down the various straight roads. In the front were all three Imps. Blitzo seemed to be relaxed and pleased by taking this small vacation based on his smile. Moxxie's expression was a little more difficult to read. He seemed to be nervous, but he was holding it back under a neutral expression while he held his wife's hand. Millie was elated as she barely contained herself in her seat. She hummed while looking out the window.

It was only Loona and me in the back. I had preoccupied my time by looking out the window at the 'scenery'. Loona, on the other hand, must have been completely bored with the ride since she had fallen asleep not that long ago. Her head was tilted back with her phone threatening to leave her grasp. The only thing keeping her upright in her seat was me. She was slightly propped up by her leaning against my side.

Everyone seemed to be dressed for the occasion for where we were going. Everyone wore clothing that would make them fit in with the country lifestyle while also showing off their personalities as well. Moxxie's outfit was a little posher with his bowtie and neatly closed vest, Blitzo was sporting some long dark pants held up by suspenders with his sleeves rolled up for his button-up shirt, and Millie with her belly-shit and torn shorts and vest. Loona wore something similar to Millie with the exception being shorter shorts and her usual leggings and collar.

As for myself, I went with something that wouldn't be as distracting seeing as I would be the first human many of the demons of Wrath had ever seen. I resorted to boots, dark pants, and a slightly lighter ashen button-up shirt with my sleeves rolled up around my forearms. I had forgotten to shave, leaving me with a good bit of stubble. Blitzo commented that it made appear rougher, and he is happy that I took the initiative to fit in. Sad to say, but I didn't feel a need to correct him.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I picked it up to check what message I had gotten. My eyebrows raised a little bit when I saw that it was Verosika messaging me. I had just told her about the trip to Wrath not too long ago. Her response appeared to be a kissy face selfie in her studio including her group seemingly arguing amongst themselves. She seems to be wearing something like the first time I saw her.

She had a message underneath that basically went like this: Wrath sounds better than this shit. Have fun! XXX

Well, the message required a little more translation from what was written. I was still getting used to messaging Verosika and Loona with their use of emojis and single letters. I felt a little out of depth when I returned the message with full sentences without any errors. I guess it was just another thing I had to tackle as I get used to being friends with them.

Suddenly, Loona's head managed to limply fall over until it rested on my shoulder. I looked over with confusion at first, but I found myself a little amused when her eyes fluttered open with confusion. She looked at me for a second before she bolted upright.

Loona lightly blushed from embarrassment, "Shit! Sorry about that."

I made myself appear unoffended, "It's quite fine. The road can be a bit bumpy."

As if to prove my point, the van was suddenly jolted by a big pothole in the road. We bounced a little bit, but the sound of the dirt road filled the space soon after. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable ride that I have endured in this piece of junk so far. That didn't stop the light chatter that was now happening in the front seat. That left Loona and I to talk in peace.

Loona groaned, "We're still not there?! I was hoping to sleep the entire drive."

I shrugged before responding, "Nope, but I doubt we have that much longer to go. I can tell by Millie getting more excited while Moxxie is getting more nervous."

The last part caused Loona to roll her eyes before she said, "What does he have to be so worried about? We are going to the middle of nowhere. It is a perfect place for him to lose a little weight."

I looked over at her with confusion before saying, "Umm, he isn't fat. Why do you keep saying he is?"

Loona brazenly smirked, "Does there have to be a different reason other than it pissing him off? I can't say that Mills appreciates it so much, though." She looked at me for my reaction to see that I was rather neutral about the inside joke. She followed up by saying, "I don't really bother him about it much anymore if that helps. He catches enough shit from Blitz as it is. Also, he and Millie are looking out for you as well. That still won't stop me from messing with him from time to time."

I let out a grunt, "I doubt he appreciates that very much."

Loona waved him off, "Don't worry about him. Moxxie is much tougher than he looks."

I cocked a brow before asking, "Was that just you giving him a compliment?" Loona realized her offhand comment and blushed in light embarrassment. Before she could decline, I continued, "Well, I agree. He isn't like Millie, but there is a quiet form of toughness underneath the surface. Maybe it would help if you said that to him?"

Loona didn't seem interested in continuing the conversation. Instead, she appeared to be looking down at my phone to see my screen still lit up. She managed to figure out that I was messaging Verosika. There was a hint of jealousy underneath that I could not see as she asked, "What did V say to you?"

I looked down at my phone in confusion before realizing, "Huh? Oh! Nothing much. Just telling me to have fun, I guess. It looks like her group is fighting in the background."

I showed Loona the picture. The Hellhound picked up her phone and checked her notifications to see that she had also received a message from Verosika. With a surprised expression, she privately checked what she had to say. There was a similar selfie from before accompanying it followed by a short message.

Look after Kyle, K? XXX

The jealousy within Loona soon disappeared and was replaced by a feeling of gratitude. Loona then thought for a moment before leaning over with her phone ready to take a picture. I was confused by the sudden contact, "Loona, what are you doing?"

Loona smirked, "Showing Verosika your outfit. She will really want to be here after she sees it."

My eyes widened right as Loona took the picture. She instantly began typing a message before I could even react to what she was doing. I found myself brushing my shirt with my hands while I self-consciously responded, "Ohh. Uhh, thanks for the compliment. You look cute, too."

Loona didn't say anything while she continued to message the Succubus, but her face burned from the compliment. She finally sent the message and turned to look back at me. She was about to say something, but she was interrupted suddenly by a loud Millie, "We're here!"

Loona's ears cocked upright while we both tried to get a look out of the van's windshield. The only thing I could make out was the gateway to the 'Rough N' Tumbleweed Ranch'. It couldn't have been a more honest name for the place that we were entering.

Ahead of the vehicle were two Imps with welcoming faces. The immediate thing I noticed was how the couple was older and how hardy they both appeared. I guess that is what you get for running a ranch. I could also guess that these two were both probably Millie's…

The van stopped and Millie practically bounded out of the vehicle into their arms, "Mama! Daddy!"

Millie's dad picked her up and twirled her around, "There she is! How's our little fireball of a daughter doin'?"

When she was finally put back on the ground, Millie smirked before saying, "I'm doing great, Pa. Thanks for allowing us to stay for the harvest jamboree."

Millie's mom waved her off, "Oh, it's no trouble at all. We are always more than happy to host you. It looks like you brought some new company with you this time. Are they also a part of this 'freelancing' too?"

It didn't seem like Millie entirely appreciate the ending tone from her mom. She explained, "Freelance doesn't mean we do work for free, ma. We are doing just dandy, okay?" She then approached the group that was getting out of the vehicle. Moxxie was currently struggling with a heavy bag, but it didn't seem as such with it appearing as small as it was. Millie pulled her husband in before saying, "Y'all remember my husband, Moxxie."

The small Imp was then pushed forward toward Millie's parents who looked at him with unimpressed looks. Millie's father even let out a snort when he glared down at Moxxie. Still, Moxxie tried his best to greet them, "Lin… Joe… How've things been here recently? Not too much trouble with those flaming twisters, I hope." Moxxie extended his hand for them to shake.

Joe exhaled while he squinted at the smaller Imp, "We had to replace our hired hand last week because of one of those terrors."

Moxxie's hand retracted, "Oh, crumbs… I apologize, I didn't mean to open that old wound."

Joe gruffly said, "Well, you did."

Moxxie deflated while he tried to get away from their ire. That was when the two seemed to direct their attention to the last three of us with curious looks. Lin asked, "Who are these other folks you have brought to our home, Mildred?"

Millie perked up, "Oh, yeah! Y'all haven't met my boss, Blitz, and his Hellhound."

Loona took offense to this, "I'm not just his Hellhound, you know."

Millie seemed to understand before cringing, "Oh, sorry 'bout that. It just sort of came out of my mouth."

Blitzo said, "You better be! She is also my daughter."

While Blitzo continued to walk forward, Loona scrolled through her phone without much care, "Whatever."

With that, the Imp boss began to try and woo the duo, "Pleasure to finally meet the sperm and egg factory capable of popping out this gem of an assassin. Trust me when I say it, but you couldn't have created a better killing machine. She's a stout bitch."

Both Joe and Lin were hesitant when Blitzo started speaking, but they managed to warm up to him quite quickly based on their happy expressions. Perhaps it was the way he confidently held himself or the fact that he knew where their pride resided. It didn't matter since they took a shine to him instantly.

Joe proudly spoke, "Hehehe, that she is. Nice to meet you as well, Blitz. That is a fine name. Blitz."

Lin added, "Sure is. It reminds me of war."

I found myself a little off put by their admiration of war, but I had to remember that these were two Imps of the Wrath Ring. They surely were a bit different than the others I had ever met, and that was saying something. With the exclusion of Moxxie, almost all the Imps I have met seem to always itch for a good fight.

Blitzo commented, "I like you two."

Millie finally came around before she pushed me forward, "And the last one is the newest addition to the company, Kyle. I think I mentioned him in a few messages that I sent to you."

I approached the two while they looked me over with quiet gazes. I could tell that they were unsure about me for a moment. They gazed over at me for a good moment while I didn't make a move to greet either of them. I just looked down at the two with a careful gaze.

Joe's eyes narrowed a little bit before he let out a gruff grunt in acceptance before he extended his hand, "Never met a human before. I always imagined they would be softer and weaker." I didn't waste any time before I took his hand and shook it. He continued by saying, "You got a firm handshake there. Millie has told us a little bit about you through the mail she sent us." We let go of each other's hands.

Lin added, "Yeah, she told us that you were a soldier before ending up here."

I gave a curt nod, "Yeah, I was. I was a combat medic."

The two Imps seemed confused by what role I played. They looked at one another with some confusion before Joe added on by saying, "I don't see what role a hospital has in a battle. Still, it sounds like you have done your fair share of killin'. Nothing makes a man strong like fighting in a war. Wouldn't you say?" The older male Imp flexed his bicep at us.

I responded while I tried not to think too much about what I did, "Yeah… I suppose so."

Before things got a little awkward, Moxxie cut into the conversation to my rescue, "You know, more battles have been won by technological advancements not only in the human world but also in Hell. For example, guns that utilized angelic technology have changed the landscape of Hell's combative-" Moxxie trailed off once noticed how instead of impressing Millie's parents, he sort of lost them in his explaining. He added in a dumb tone, "I mean, war fun."

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I understood why he was so nervous now. It was obvious to me since we got here how much Joe and Lin didn't like Moxxie. It didn't help that he was trying as hard as he was in trying to win them over. Still, I have to give him props for trying.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed. Loona, while she continued to look at her phone, sarcastically said, "Real smooth there, Moxxie."

Joe added, "Yeah, guns are nice and all, but they hardly compare to the feeling of tearing the head off a hellish beast. A man ain't nothing if he can't do that. Even that boss of yours and this human here use guns, but they look like they can resort to their bare hand when wrangling with their prey." Joe smacked me on the back suddenly, and I barely shifted forward in step. He laughed, "Ha, see. This one is strong."

Millie began to scold, "Pa, what did I say about harrassin' Moxxie?"

Joe held up his hands before saying, "Sorry, pumpkin. It just had to be said."

Blitzo joked, "Moxxie, he's right! You can't do anything without your guns. Your hands are as soft as a baby's buttocks."

Moxxie growled under his breath before retorting, "My hands are more than capable enough to get the job done. If I remember correctly, I am a far better shot than you, sir."

Blitzo elbowed Moxxie playfully, "Being a one-trick pony isn't anything to be ashamed of, Moxxie. It seems to be working well enough for you in the bedroom."

Moxxie was about to unleash a torrent of insults, but he was cut off by Joe saying, "Speaking of strong hands, y'all should meet our new help." He then shouted into the air, "Hey, Striker! Get over here!"

The sound of approaching trotting could be heard in the distance until the demon in question came in riding a flaming demon horse. The Imp riding on the back of it was one of the more unique ones I had come across. He was on the taller end of the spectrum with his outfit being full western garb. He had a sort of intense look about him. It wasn't until he made it in closer did I notice the shiny, sharp gold tooth and brief mustache.

He rode his steed up to our little group before it reared up. He contained it before hollering out, "Well, howdy!" His voice was grizzled and rather hoarse. It seemed to fit the entire rancher vibe that he had going. He took notice of our entire group, "Well, look what we got here. You must be the famous Mildred that your folks were talkin' about!"

Striker jumped down from his horse while he approached Millie. In response, Millie beamed, "Yep, that's me!"

He smoothly said, "Your folks had a lot of good things to say about you, little lady. I'm happy to finally be able to put a face to the name."

Millie seemed rather honored by the comments before extending her hand for him to shake, "Nice to meet you as well!"

He asked, "So, Whatchya doing all the way in Wrath? It is a mighty long way away from the fancy cities in Pride. Free work startin' to run out?"

That question caused Millie to cock her brow, "Freelance isn't free, but no. We are actually here for the festival. The prince is hosting it, and he is our boss's boyfriend." Millie seemed to romanticize the last part of what she was saying.

Blitzo approached with a displeased expression, "Millie, I am not above hitting a female in front of her daddy."

This caused Striker to turn his attention over to Blitzo with a mighty grin. He extended his hand, "So I assume you are the brave Imp that managed to start his own killin' biz. Gotta say that is one of the crazier stories I have heard. Quite impressive there, sir."

Blitzo seemed unsure about the praise, "Yeah? Huh, yeah! I guess it is. I suppose it was one of my better ideas." His chest started to inflate while his confidence began to rise.

Striker seemed to hit home on the point, "More respect for being able to con that ditzy blueblood in helping you get to the surface?" He grunted in admiration, "Gotta say, that takes even more guts."

The confidence in Blitzo's face and body slipped away quickly while he tried to ride with the praise. He finally stumbled on his words, "O-Oh, yeah. I guess I did what I needed to get things kicked off. There is absolutely nothing between us. It is strictly business, you see."

This received a curt nod from the Imp helper with an expression that didn't seem to entirely buy into the words coming out of my boss's mouth. After that, his attention turned toward me with curious eyes. I could hear the sound of a rattlesnake rattle but figured out that the sound was coming from Striker. I was uneasy by the attention, but I continued to stare back at him with equal interest. The guy oozed strength and confidence. It became abundantly clear as to why he was hired by Millie's dad by what I have gathered from the two.

I could hear Loona growling under her breath while she watched Striker from the background. She remained motionless but seemed ready to act. Striker simply ignored her. He finally extended his hand which I grasped in a tight hold. He shook my hand while saying, "The talk of Hell, the human. How did you end up getting stuck in a place like this?"

I bluntly stated, "It's a bit of a long story, but mostly a bunch of bullshit that deals with magic."

Striker let out an impressed huff, "Well, you're here now. This is a place where only the strong can survive. Looking at you now, I can see you have what it takes to make a name for yourself down here."

I was somewhat surprised by the Imp's words, and I simply nodded at him. We let go of each other's grasp before Joe managed to yell out, "Speaking of strength, Striker here was thinking of entering the Pain Games. Blitz, you seem like a strong and capable Imp, you should think about entering for yourself. I would suggest you enter as well, Kyle, but I don't think your kind would be welcomed as a part of the competition."

I held up my hand while saying, "It's quite alright. I'm happy enough just cheering others on."

Blitzo asked, "Pain game! Sounds fun, I like pain!" Blitzo paused for a moment before asking, "What are the Pain Games?"

Lin began to explain, "Every harvest festival, there is a competition to find out who the roughest, toughest bastard in Wrath is." Lin looked over at Millie with a saddened look, "Our little girl used to participate, but she always takes it too far."

Millie proceeded to pout, "Yeah, it's not fair! Sallie May gets to compete even though she takes it just as far."

Lin smiled while scoffing, "Sweetie, Sallie May doesn't have a neighborhood body count."

Millie responded swiftly, "She SO does."

Out of nowhere, whom I presumed to be Sallie May was walking in the background dragging a corpse along with her sibling. She called out in a singsong voice after hearing the conversation, "It doesn't count if they don't find the body."

Millie's eyes constricted as she looked at her sibling with visceral hatred. To the side, Blitzo rubbed his chin in thought, "You know, this Pain Games shindig sounds like it could be a blast and a half. You know what, I'm in!"

Lin smiled broadly while motioning toward Blitzo while saying, "It will be just as fun to watch from the stands, Mildred. You get to support your kin, and now you get to cheer on your boss."

Out of nowhere, Moxxie proclaimed, "I'm in, too."

There was a sudden silence while each of us gazed at him with different expressions. Loona had looked away from her phone with an amused expression topped with a cocked brow. Millie looked over with a concerned expression as to where this idea came from. Striker looked down at Moxxie with a superior look while Blitzo seemed to be holding back his laughter. This didn't seem to be something Moxxie would enjoy, so I was curious as to where this was coming from.

Finally, loud laughter emitted from Joe as he slapped his knee, "HAHAHA! You joining the Pain Games… Wait, you're serious."

Moxxie perked up, "Of course I am! I will have you know that I was born here just like Millie and the rest of y'all. I got some fight in me." Moxxie tried to hit home on the point by bringing out some of his country drawl, but it felt a little undercut by the looks he was given.

Joe shrugged before he spoke, "Well, then let's see what you got."

Moxxie deflated, "What?"

Without acknowledging Moxxie's fleeting confidence, Joe called out, "Striker. Lend him your knife and rope. He's gonna need them to wrangle that hog for dinner." Joe pointed over toward the penned-up hellish hog.

Without much warning, Moxxie felt a blade and rope thrust roughly into his chest by Striker. He looked down at them with fearful eyes before he looked up at the much larger Imp. Striker spoke in a deep voice, "You're gonna need these to wrangle that hog for supper, little one. That should provide to be an easy enough challenge for someone of your capabilities."

Moxxie asked in a weaker voice, "Is there a reason why I can't use a firearm?"

Striker's smile broadened while he leaned forward in a threatening way, "Those little toys in your jacket won't even scuff its outer shell. You need to use that knife there to get underneath and find an openin'."

As Striker began to wander away without a second glance, Moxxie muttered, "Right…"

Moxxie moved into the pen while I leaned on the gate with a watchful eye. The small male Imp was only doing this to stand out more to Millie's parents, that much was obvious. I could only imagine how it felt to Moxxie for him to look for Millie's parent's recognition only for them to recognize Blitzo, and for some reason, me over their son-in-law. I could have intervened for him, but that would only drive him further from his goal. The best I could do was sit in the background and watch what happened. Right now, it looked like Millie was going to say something while Blitzo gave him a 'prep talk'. I didn't even get to hear anything in that conversation before Loona walked up beside me with interest.

Loona asked, "So… what do you think about Moxxie trying to join in on the Pain Games, or whatever the fuck it is called."

I watched intently as Moxxie wasn't deterred from trying to kill the hog by Millie. I was slow to respond, but I finally said, "I don't know. I can't imagine that he will have any advantage in it based on what is said about it. Still, it is his decision to make."

Loona shook her head, "He's going to get himself killed. He has always been second place when it comes to this kind of thing."

I raised a brow, "Are you calling him weak? Where is all that talk of him being tougher than he looks?"

Loona pointed out, "I was talking about his determination. You have to admit, Moxxie relies on his wife for anything that deals with physical strength. Do you expect he will even be able to keep up with Blitz, or even that dude, Striker? All this just to gain respect from his parents-in-law. I don't understand."

Well, it seemed like I wasn't the only one to figure out why Moxxie was doing this. I could imagine that Millie also pieced it together. Hell, this might be a regular occurrence to them for all I know. I knew that he probably didn't stand much of a chance, but I knew exactly what it felt like to wish for the respect of my significant other's parents. In my case, I lost it. I finally responded, "I understand…"

Without much warning, Moxxie had pounced in the air to try and get on the back of the hog. He tied the rope around its neck for him to hold onto while he got to work. While it reared up, Moxxie raised the knife he was given while he tried to make an opening for him to kill the beast from. When the blade struck the hog, it stopped in an instant before penetrating. His eyes went wide in panic when he figured out that he had failed. All he could do now was hold on.

The hellish hog let out a loud squeal in fury before it began to run around the pen with a petrified Moxxie holding on for dear life. Millie's parents watched the debacle with renewed disappointment, and Striker seemed to watch it with great interest. Millie worried for her husband while Blitzo 'cheered' on his worker. To my side, I noticed that Loona had begun filming the entire scene unfolding with a smirk on her lips.

Then there was me. I just stood there with a blank expression. I wasn't supportive, but I wasn't mocking him in any way. I just watched from the sidelines while the Imp struggled to get the knife into the beast, or at the very least, control the animal.

It seemed like Striker had enough watching before he decided to intervene. He hurdled the fence before he caught up with Moxxie. He managed to shove Moxxie off while simultaneously grabbing the knife from his grip. The hog didn't even stand a chance once Striker grabbed it. He twirled the knife in his grip before shoving it seamlessly into the back of the beast. It all seemed to be a little showy for me, but he did end up getting the job done.

Moxxie laid on the ground with a pain-filled expression. It seemed like the air was knocked out of his lungs. He took a few seconds, but he finally breathed out, "Ugh, what happened?"

His gaze finally found the form of Striker standing over him with a triumphant look. He smirked down, "If I were you, I would stay far away from the competition. You could find yourself hurt, or worse." Moxxie growled out in response to this. As he watch Striker walk away, there was the same sound of rattling that I heard earlier. Striker walked toward Joe while asking, "Which of you real men wanna join us to skin this thing?"

Blitzo exclaimed, "Fuck yeah I do!"

Seeing that there was going to be enough testosterone wherever the three were going, I decided against it. I pointed back toward the van, "I've got shit to unload."

Striker shrugged before he walked with the other two, "Suit yourself."

Loona waited around for me while I grabbed all of the bags in the van and also the one Moxxie was dragging on the ground from earlier. While I got everything together, Loona joked to me, "Hardly surprising that Blitz is going to that. Nothing speaks more about himself than skinning manly meat with manly men."

I snorted, "Yeah, that is hardly surprising. He seems to attach a little to that Striker guy as well. I guess that's what happens from one little compliment."

It seemed like Lin was waiting around while I carried everyone's belonging before she said, "I will show you where everyone will be sleeping."

I nodded, "Sounds good."

As I followed behind the older Imp, I managed to find that two others from our group had failed to join either of us. I turned my head to see Moxxie settled on the ground with a tired expression while Millie consoled him. I could somewhat tell that Millie was letting him know that her parents' opinion of him didn't matter, but that seemed to give him resolve. That was all I was able to see before I entered Joe's and Lin's home.

The Afternoon…

"I'm entering those games."

I wiped the sweat from my brow while I looked over at Moxxie lingering to the side in the shade along with Millie. Loona, on the other hand, seemed to be sitting away from the two while she was busy watching me do my work. For my work, I was enjoying something that I had done many times while living in the snowy north, chopping wood. Seeing as it was needed to cook up the butchered hog from earlier, I decided to offer my services instead of Lin doing it. I supposed the work would be appreciated, and I found comfort in doing it. The dry heat did feel like I was baking in an oven, though.

Back to Moxxie, I turned and asked, "What?"

Moxxie reassured, "I am joining the games. I know what you are going to say-"

Loona cut him off before saying, "Uhh, yeah. That's a stupid idea."

Moxxie proceeded to glare over at Loona while Millie asked with annoyance, "If you aren't going to say anything helpful, then don't say anything at all."

With a roll of her eyes, Loona explained, "I'm not saying that it is a stupid idea because he will get thrashed in every way imaginable… Well, he will." Millie's eyes narrowed at Loona who proceeded to lift her hands in a disarming way, "I am saying that it is a stupid idea because of why he is doing it. Entering those games won't make her parents like you any more." Loona pointed at Millie while looking at Moxxie.

Millie looked surprised, "Oh… I didn't expect that." Loona shrugged in response while Millie looked at her husband with her hand resting on his shoulder, "See, Loona agrees… I guess… Will you please reconsider, honey?"

Moxxie shook his head, "Sorry, Millie, but no. I know that my chances are slim, but I know in my heart that this is something that I have to do."

There was a bit of a defeated look from the female Imp. Her eyes looked at me before doing a double take. She asked, "Kyle, do you think you can talk him out of it?"

I cleaved a piece of thorny wood in half before responding curtly, "Nope." I picked up another piece for me to chop.

Millie raised a brow in confusion, "Why's that?"

I struck down with the axe in my hands before letting out a small, tired sigh. I looked over at the dejected Moxxie before looking at Millie. I said, "Because I agree with him."

Everyone looked at me with different levels of shock before saying simultaneously, "What?!"

Millie tried to figure out why I agreed with Moxxie for a moment on her own before she found herself unable to. She asked, "Why do you agree with him?"

I decided that it was a perfect opportunity to take a break. I leaned the axe against my small pile of lumber before letting out a long breath. I took a seat before I began to explain, "Moxxie feels like this is something he needs to do. He sounds like he understands the risks."

Loona pointed out, "Okay, but none of that tells us why you think he should enter the dumb testosterone competition."

"Hmm…" I thought for a moment as I saw what she was talking about. I finally looked over at Moxxie before asking, "Moxxie, why do you want to enter those games?"

He looked at me with confusion before stuttering out, "W-What?"

I repeated, "It doesn't seem like something you would be interested in, so I ask again. Why do you want to enter those games?"

All eyes were on the Imp male as he seemed to reflect on the question for a moment. He finally looked over at Millie while saying, "I want my wife's parents to respect me. I know that I'm not the 'toughest bastard in Wrath', but I want to show them that I am not as weak as they make me out to be."

Millie finally shared with him, "Don't let them get to you, Moxxie. And hey, they will respect you one day."

There was a thankful expression from Moxxie, but he finally looked away before saying, "Yeah…"

From that small gaze, I knew that I had gone through a similar thing as Moxxie. It was more than just wanting this for himself. The acceptance from Joe and Lin would help validate himself in their eyes, and that in turn could make Millie happier. Well, I couldn't be sure about that entire theory. In essence, I could have been projecting as well.

Moxxie piped up once again, "I know that I might fail and that some of you might take great joy in that, …" Moxxie's eyes narrowed at Loona, who in turn seemed to be slightly affected by the attention. The harshness in his voice caused her tail and ears to droop, and her phone relaxed in her hands. Moxxie continued, "But I know that I shouldn't give up because of that. I have to try."

Loona hesitated for a second before saying, "Uhh, Moxxie. I, uh…" Her voice trailed off again while all eyes were on her. For a moment, I could see that she was going to tell him exactly what she had told me in the car, all that stuff about him not being weak. In that moment of hesitation, she lost her nerve. She sighed, "Uh, never mind…"

Instead of letting the atmosphere settle into an awkward tone, I decided to share with the group, "I am right there with you, Moxxie. I know exactly what you are going through."

"You do?"

I nodded in confirmation before letting out a deep breath, "Yep. After… Larissa's death, I was alone. All those whom I viewed as my support suddenly left me out to dry, or so to speak. Larissa's parents' words to this day stick in my mind. I will save you the details, but they essentially wished me dead instead of her or wished that I never came into existence." There was a brief silence from the group. I saw Loona minorly flinch at my story. I finally continued to say, "I wanted nothing more than to mend the break between us by any means. I thought that Larissa would have been happy with that, or that I would be doing her memory an honor at the very least. I understand that you are determined to carry this out no matter what, and I will be there to support you through it."

My words seemed to have some positive impact by the way Moxxie's mild frown had turned into a minor smirk. It seemed like Millie's attitude had also changed. She gave a small nod, "I understand that I won't change your mind. So, I might not like that you are competing, but I will still be there to support you."

Moxxie gratefully said, "Thank you, both of you."

Loona decided to join in and spoke outside of the usual irritated or sarcastic way she would to Moxxie, "Uhh, I guess give them hell, Mox."

Moxxie's features tensed a little, but he still looked over at Loona with appreciation, "Oh… Umm, thanks, Loona."

I clapped my hands together, "Okay, I promised Lin that I would finish this all up and get it stacked before the meat was ready to cook. I should probably get back to this."

Millie nodded, "Okay!" She grabbed Moxxie's hand before pulling him away, "Let's get you ready for tomorrow, Moxxie! There are plenty of things you should know about the challenges before supper."

The little male Imp couldn't even get in a word, but he didn't seem to be resisting her pulling at all. The only one left in my company was Loona. She didn't look like she was going anywhere by how she seemed to be relaxing on her phone. My attention caught her eyes. She finally said, "There's nothing else to do around here."

I shrugged and got back to what I was doing. While I proceeded to finish chopping the last bits of wood for the fire later, Loona scrolled through her phone. She finally settled on the video of Moxxie's blunder on the hog while she watched it play out. She formed a small grin at the video, but it finally settled back into one of regret. She was going to post it on her Sinstagram page later when they were back on less shitty internet, but her finger slowly hovered over the 'delete' button. After a few seconds, she finally watched the video disappear from her phone's memory.

Night…

The night had been spent tossing and turning in my bed. I found it impossible to get comfortable despite everything feeling right. Were the two Imp-sized beds put together too uncomfortable? No, I had more than enough space and the cushions worked well enough. Was the room too hot? It wasn't anything too unbearable. My mind just wouldn't ease up, and the room felt like some sort of trap. I could use some nice fresh air to relax.

I threw the sheets off my body before I got up to my feet. I didn't see a need to put anything else on beyond my briefs as I walked to the entrance of my room. I stretched out my body before I opened my bedroom door slowly and as quietly as I could. The hinges seemed to creak as the door swung open for me to peek out into the hall. I looked at each of the bedroom doors to see that they were all closed.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I slowly walked into the hallway with minimal squeaking below my feet. I then slowly descended the stairs to the living room only to see Loona's tall form bent over the much too small couch. I stopped momentarily as I had forgotten that she was sleeping down here. There weren't enough rooms, so guess who was first up to get the couch? Yeah…

With a few relaxing breaths, I made my way through the room as I tried not to disturb the Hellhound. Instead of heading for the front door like I was initially planning to do, I decided to head for the back door to not wake Loona. I almost made it completely out of the room, but my final steps caused the wood under my feet to creak lightly.

Unbeknownst to me, Loona's sleeping wasn't entirely deep due to the discomfort of her posture. Her ear flicked toward my position right before she peered over the couch to catch the smallest glimpse of me. Loona looked in confusion before muttering, "Kyle?"

I finally made it outside to find that the air was slightly cool. I don't quite understand what to make of how a place as inhospitable as the Wrath Ring could feel normal to me. I found myself leaning on the wood railing of the balcony while I rubbed one of my hands across my face. I knew I was tired, but it felt nice out here.

My ear caught the sound of the screen door opening, and I looked over to see Loona looking at me with concern. Well, that is what initially caught my attention. I then found myself looking at her relative lack of clothing. She wore a loose-fitting black crop top where one strap was on the shoulder and the other was loose around her arm. My eyes slowly descended to her exposed stomach before I found that she was only wearing underwear on her bottoms. I guess she found this place a little warmer than what she was used to, or so I suppose.

I found my cheeks warm up despite me only spending a second looking Loona over. She didn't seem to notice as she asked with worry, "Kyle, what are you doing out here?"

I looked away briefly while I got the blush under control. I cleared my throat before responding, "I guess I couldn't sleep, so I came out here to just relax and enjoy the fresh air."

Loona seemed to read through my thoughts by the look she was giving me. She approached me and rested her hand on my shoulder. She gave a look of sympathy with some irritation and said, "Are you thinking about that bitch?"

I looked over with a comical look, "That bitch?" I shook my head, "No, I think that I have basically gotten over her. I guess being here has just brought back some memories of what happened after Larissa's death."

Loona leaned beside me, "Well, I'm not going to let you sit out here alone like some loner. Tell me about it."

I sighed, "Well, it's about Moxxie. Seeing him try and prove his strength in front of Millie's parents feels like an echo of me in the past. It was a big surprise to hear that he wanted to enter those 'Pain Games' against Blitz, and now I guess Striker. It is not like him."

Loona bluntly said, "He's not going to do well." After looking at my lost expression, Loona said, "But that isn't what is bothering you, is it?"

I shook my head, "No. I can just see how much it matters to him to get some sort of recognition for all of this. It has been on my mind since we got here. It's just… I know the feeling. I also know what it is like to have my efforts be in vain. I don't want that to happen to him."

It was then that Loona reminded me, "Millie is always in his corner cheering him on. With you there, too, he will be fine."

"And you?"

Loona pulled away a little before stating, "The only thing I will be doing is sitting there and being bored as fuck."

I let out a huffed laugh, "Funny because this place sort of reminds me of the summers of my childhood."

Loona smartly replied while joking, "How fucking sad for you. I can't imagine being this fucking bored all the time."

A small smile formed on my lips before it slowly disappeared. I decided to speak my mind, "It's ironic. I feel like everything has changed since coming to Hell. I have gained some good friends, and I feel like I have a purpose now. I thought that I would spend the rest of my life in a cold hell trying to drink the feeling out of my body. I just don't know what I did to deserve this."

Instead of immediately replying to me, Loona prodded me on the arm until I turned toward her. She then slowly wrapped her arms around me and brought me into a deep hug. From a Hellhound that seemed quite prickly toward all the others, she seemed rather comfortable hugging me as often as she does. My arms found their way around her back as I felt the fine fur of her lower back. I had forgotten how little clothing was wearing for a moment as my face began to burn again.

Loona pulled away while holding a tired expression. She simply said, "Come on. Let's get back inside. I have a feeling that this bullshit is going to start early."

I simply agreed while I followed Loona back into Millie's parents' home. There was a deeper quiet when compared to the outside. It was a little darker, and I found myself trying to adjust myself before I accidentally walked into something. I have a feeling that the first thing that anyone in this place would do when hearing noises downstairs would be to reach for the guns.

I looked over to see Loona preparing herself to sleep once again. My eyes trailed to the small couch while sympathy overcame me. Finally, a thought popped into my head. My heartbeat accelerated while I awkwardly said, "You know, you could join me upstairs."

Loona's head couldn't have flicked around faster. She stuttered, "W-What?"

I clarified, "That couch looks fucking uncomfortable, and my bed is just two of their sized beds put together. It is more than enough room for both of us." I then held up my hands with alarm, "I'm not trying to repeat what happened last time. It's just an offer for a more comfortable bed for you."

The Hellhound stood there for a moment in deep thought before her tail began to wag. She smiled with a thankful expression, "Good enough for me…"

Seeing as we didn't want to wake up anyone even more than before, Loona and I stealthily walked up the stairs before we entered my room. I was first to lie down followed by Loona a few hesitant seconds later. There was a decent separation between us while we both chose to get comfortable for the remaining few hours that we would have to rest.

I turned around to get a look at the covered Hellhound. She looked around to get a good look at me. I said, "Good night."

"Good night, Kyle."

I don't know exactly what it was, but I could feel myself relax far more than I had at any earlier point in the night. The conversation outside didn't do much to solve my problems, but there was something about it that did the trick. Maybe it was the fact that, like Moxxie, I knew that I wasn't alone anymore. Being next to Loona right now, I felt at great ease. I didn't even realize that I subconsciously pulled Loona in right before I passed out.

On the other end, Loona found herself surprised once she was brought into an embrace. She looked around with shock with a question forming on her lips, but my closed eyes and slow, heavy breath stopped her. She then found herself thinking things out in a relaxed way.

Her gaze looked me over with a deep expression on the conversation from earlier. Seeing as how I was resting without the worry of being caught, she took it upon herself to lean in and planted a brief kiss on my cheek. Loona's eyes looked at me while a thought popped into her mind. She was the fortunate one out of the two of us. The feeling in her chest... She finally know what to make of it. Love.

She closed her eyes before whispering to herself with a giddy feeling, "I love him…"

And the cutoff is here. Yep, interesting point to end the chapter.

It will be interesting to see where everything goes on from here since a lot has happened. The most pertinent and important thoughts have to revolve around Moxxie. How will he grow beyond this, and how will he change for the better after all of this is said and done. From a secondary POV, what will everyone else learn.

Enough about that. I thought that it was important to start and develop the relationship between Moxxie and Loona. She can't be a bitch to him forever, and I decided that a good start for them to come to at least respect and tolerate each other was to start here. Moxxie is at a low point, and she isn't a completely heartless bitch. She just has a view regarding the respect of parents that might conflict with him. She is, after all, adopted...

Thank you for the continued support, and the next chapter will be coming along. Just be glad that I managed to get this one finished and ready for release as I did. I still anticipate at least a 2 week window before we get to Chapter 16.

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

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

VVVVVVVV

INVITE CODE: 8RT9hC5Aau

That is all I have to give!

Until Next Time,

Forsvaret-Komandir