Verosika was a mess. There were no two ways about it.

Her time with John in the past twenty four hours was the happiest she'd ever been in two years. For once, she could leave her regrets in the past, the guilt, and just be happy without getting drunk out of her mind.

She was so excited for John and everyone else to meet, and she was hopeful for him to hear her new song.

But of course, nothing lasts forever.

The song was about John, everyone knew it, but it was about how she'd thrown everything they'd had away for the heartbreaker right across the hall. Once she started singing, she couldn't help it. Everything came back to hit her full force. Every bad thought, every bit of regret, every single part of her that she hated returned with a vengeance.

And once more, the guilt was all she could feel.

She didn't care that she'd broke down in front of her friends. Well, she did, but it wasn't exactly the first thing on her mind at the moment.

Verosika simply couldn't get the bad thoughts out of her head. She'd been called a slut, a whore, a drunk, a heartbreaker, a cheater…

And she felt that all of those names were accurate, as much as they hurt. They were all true.

And it hurt.

She was so happy this morning, and now, it was like the only thing she could feel was the biting sadness and guilt over all her wrongdoings. Every single bad thing she'd ever done was weighing on her mind in that moment.

Cheating on John.

Becoming a drunken mess.

Being a Grade-A bitch to all of her friends, even Vortex.

Shutting out her family.

Leaving home.

Getting everyone stuck in a very bad position over a stupid bet.

And that didn't even account for the fact that she was… well, a whore.

She'd told John that she'd never participated in the orgies… but that didn't mean she wouldn't find some random demon and make a quick buck in return for spreading her legs.

All things she'd done, all things she couldn't forget, all things she couldn't forgive herself for.

She hated herself. It was as simple as that. She hated herself for everything she'd done.

When she'd told John that she wanted to be alone for a bit… she didn't mean it. She didn't want to be alone right now. She'd much rather be next to John, hugging him, holding him, anything for a means of comfort… but she didn't want him to see her like this, in this funk.

It wasn't the first time she'd find herself having these moments. Over the past two years, whenever she would be alone, and not shitface drunk, she'd just sit and cry. Sometimes she'd cry herself to sleep, other times she'd cry until she couldn't anymore, and then get drunk all over again.

She didn't want anyone to have to see her like this. She actually felt bad that she'd broke down in front of everyone.

"God…" Verosika muttered to herself. She was sitting on one of the couches in the recording booth, with her legs pulled up to her chest. It was like she couldn't do anything else but cry. She just wanted this to be over, so she could go back to being happy, to being the Rose and Verosika everyone else knew.

No… she knew, Verosika was the façade. The part of her she couldn't seem to get rid of anymore. Rose was the real person, shrouded and covered by the veil of the facade she'd created.

It was in these moments, alone, that Verosika Mayday would disappear, and Rose Mayday would weep.

However… she wouldn't have to be alone in these moments anymore.

Verosika's head raised upon hearing the sound of the door to the studio opening, spotting John's large frame making it's way through the doors, making sure to crouch low enough to miss the top of the door frame this time.

"Rose?" His voice was quiet as he looked at her, his expression one of concern as he made his way towards the the succubus.

Suddenly aware of the tears that refused to stop flowing, Verosika immediately brought her hands up to her eyes in an attempt to quell them. "John?" She couldn't help but to say. "Is everything okay?"

"I should be asking you that." John responded as he took a seat next to Verosika on the couch, resting his arms on his legs as once he was finally seated.

Verosika shook her head at John's words, averting her gaze away from him. "I'm fine." She tried to reassure him, but even she could hear the quiver in her voice that sounded anything but honest.

"You and I both know that's not true." John replied, his voice gentle as he looked down at her. "We are all worried for you."

"We?" Verosika couldn't help but ask as she finally brought her gaze up towards John.

"Yeah, we."

It wasn't John who'd answered, but Vortex, and Verosika's eyes turned towards the door once more, where she saw not only her cousin, but Loona, Kiki, and the rest of her friends entering the room.

"W-What's going on?" The question left Verosika's lips after a moment of silence, as she turned her gaze towards John in confusion.

"An intervention." Kat spoke as he took a seat on one of the stools. "At least, I think that's the word for it."

"I think you're looking for something else." Coco couldn't help but to say as she glanced towards the incubus, before her gaze settled on Verosika. "We want to help, Verosika."

Now Verosika was even more confused.

"Huh?" Her tone was one of confusion as she tried to figure out what everyone meant. "What do you mean?"

"We never questioned why you drank so much until today." Apple spoke up, rubbing her arm out of guilt as she looked at Verosika. "We never thought it might be because you were hurting, and we never tried to figure it out, just so long as it was fun to hang out with you."

"And for that, we're sorry." Kiki added, resting her hands on Apple's shoulders as she too glanced at Verosika. "We called ourselves your friends, but never showed any ounce of real care."

"It's fine-"

"No, it's not." Vortex spoke up, interrupting Verosika as he crossed his arms with a sigh. "I was dumb enough to think that you and John getting together would somehow fix everything, but I was wrong on that front too."

"It should've been enough…" Verosika mumbled as she tucked her face into her arms once more.

"No." John spoke up, causing her to glance back up at him as he looked down at her. "Not with these kind of issues." He brought his hand down upon her back, giving her a gentle rub as he continued. "Rose, how long as all of this been going on?"

"What do you mean?" Verosika couldn't help but to ask, but she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I've seen you like that one other time, Rose." Vortex spoke up, catching her attention. "But I know you well enough to doubt that was the first time either." Shame was clear in his voice as he said it

Verosika couldn't help the guilt that surged through her. They felt guilty over her breakdown, and they had no reason too.

"Guys, it's not your fault." She told them, and this time, she meant it, honesty in her tone as her gaze traveled over all of them.

"Doesn't matter." Ace spoke up, looking at Verosika with a shameful gaze of his own. "We've let you deal with this on your own for long enough."

"Guys-"

"We want to help, Rose." John said, his gaze turning into a pleading one as he spoke. "It doesn't matter if you can, you shouldn't have to deal with it by yourself." His tone was sincere as he said it.

"He's right." This time, it was Loona who spoke up. Admittedly, the hellhound felt out of place speaking, but regardless of the limited times she'd actually spoken with the succubus, Loona was just as concerned as everyone else. She was Vortex's family, and that was enough reason for her to care.

Verosika looked at Loona in surprise. "You too?" She couldn't help but to ask, her voice soft as the question left her lips.

Loona smiled. "If you're Tex's friend, you're my friend. And you could say I know what it feels like to be alone."

"We don't you to feel like that." Kiki stepped forward, crouching down in front of Verosika as she looked her friend in the eye. "We don't want you to feel guilty anymore, we don't want you to feel alone, to keep hating yourself."

"I can't help it…" Verosika admitted, her voice a quiet whisper as the tears once again began to build up in her eyes. "I've done so much wrong… and I hate myself for it."

"But we don't." John spoke up, gaining Verosika's attention as his expression softened. "We can forgive you for your actions… and we don't want you to keep hating yourself for things long since forgiven."

"It's not like I can just forgive myself." Verosika said with a shake of her head as she turned her gaze back towards Kiki. "I can't just be forgiven and pretend everything is okay…"

"No one is saying it'll be easy, Rose." Vortex said softly as he too moved towards the couch, taking a seat on the opposite side next to her as he looked at her. "But that doesn't mean it's impossible."

"We want to know Rose Mayday." Josh said as he stepped towards the couch. "We want to know the person, not the disguise."

"We want to be the friends that we should've been." Apple said, her hands coming together as she looked at Verosika pleadingly. "Please…" She had tears forming in her own eyes as the worde left her lips.

The site of Apple beginning to cry as she looked Verosika desperately was one she wasn't sure she could handle.

"Okay…" Verosika whispered, nodding her head as she looked at all of them. "I can't make any promises… but I'll try not to push anyone away.

"That's all we're asking, Rose." John said as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his side as the rest of the group all felt relief flow through them at Verosika's words. "That's all we're asking."

"You guys are good friends." Verosika said as she gladly hugged John back. "Don't ever think otherwise." He gaze found Loona, who was still standing away from everyone else, looking as if she didn't belong. "That includes you, Loona."

Loona smiled. "Thanks."

The moment was interrupted, unfortunately, by a harsh knock on the door to the studio, followed by a rather unwelcome voice.

"LOONIE! You've hung out with the whores long enough, we got a job to do!" Came the familiar voice of Blitzo.

Verosika looked at John, and even though his gaze was turned away from her and towards the door, she could see his upper lip twitching as his face twisted in irritation. His gaze moved from the door to face Loona.

"Want me to deal with it?"

"No." Loona said with a sigh of frustration. "As irritating as he is, he's right. We do have clients."

"Right…" John said with a sigh, still uncomfortable with Loona's occupation, but he wasn't going to bash her over it when it seemed like she didn't even want to do it in the first place. "You ever need any help dealing with him, give me a call. Tex has my number."

Loona couldn't help the amused chuckle that escaped her. "Thanks."

"LOONA!"

"I'M COMING, YOU ASSHOLE!" Loona roared back towards the door as she marched towards it in irritation.

Once Loona left, silence rang out in the studio.

And then John looked at everyone with a look of annoyance on his face.

"I hate that asshole."

It had been a full day since John and Charlie had returned from their trip with Verosika Mayday.

A full day since that email from Seviathan had graced Vaggie's eyes.

Ever since, the moth demon couldn't help the lingering feeling of discomfort within her. As if something was coming. She couldn't help it, she had the sneaking suspicion that Seviathan would try and pull something.

Honestly, Vaggie was more than eager to tell John everything about Seviathan, but it wasn't her that was being harassed, in spite of the rude things she'd been called over the email, and she didn't think Charlie would take to kindly to her informing the Juggernaut when the princess was more than a little hesitant to even involve him.

But still… it was biting away at her. Charlie seemed to think nothing would come of the harassment, but Vaggie wasn't so sure.

She knew what men like Seviathan were like. Especially men like Seviathan. They knew what they wanted, and they wouldn't stop till they got it. They wouldn't take no for an answer, and as far as they were concerned, women were supposed to do whatever they wanted, and if they disobeyed…

Vaggie shuddered at the thought. She knew Charlie was powerful, everyone knew it. Even John admitted that he'd probably get his rear handed to him if Charlie truly cut loose. But everyone also knew, unfortunately, that Charlie wasn't a fighter in any physical way.

She used her powers for sunshine and rainbows, presentations, little things like songs or making someone's day a little brighter. Even her demon form wasn't often seen by anyone unless she was spectacularly angry, and even then, she never did anything more than yell.

Even if her yell could shake the very foundations of hell itself…

In an actual fight for her life… Vaggie feared for her. Low level demons and most sinners were one thing, but if someone like Seviathan wanted to hurt Charlie… it'd take someone equally as powerful or tough to defend her.

That's why she wanted to get John involved.

Make no mistake, the moth demon knew that John was powerful, even for a sinner, but she wasn't foolish enough to believe he was anywhere near the scale of someone like Seviathan.

The thing is… John's true power wasn't… well, his actual power level. John could easily outmatch the likes of Charlie and Alastor with his strength alone. On the living world, Vaggie had heard rumors of things like how the Juggernaut was strong enough to hold entire buildings, things of that nature, but one thing Angel had blabbered on about was how John had held the entire planet together when he was still alive.

John had said that his strength had increased to an unfathomable degree, but that kind of strength from a living person, superhuman or not, was completely unheard of. If John was actually that strong when he was alive…

Vaggie wasn't sure what could possibly stop the behemoth outside the likes of… well, any of the Magne family. And even then, without magical enhancements, she didn't think any of them were still anywhere near as strong as the spiky sinner.

Though Charlie was iffy, Vaggie had faith in the giant, and no doubt in her mind that John could turn Seviathan to paste if so much as asked.

Like John had said, strength and power were two different things, and John was probably as strong as the Seven Deadly Sins were powerful, if she had to wager.

"Why won't you just tell him?" Vaggie mumbled the question to herself with a frustrated sigh and a shake of her head as she walked the halls of the hotel, enjoying a little bit of time to herself.

"Um, excuse me?"

A voice caught Vaggie's attention, and she raised her head to find herself staring at a female demon, a rather humanoid one in appearance, with the exception of a pair of cloven hooves in place of feet and a pair of small, stubby horns poking through her black hair.

"Can I help you, Miss?" Vaggie asked, putting on a friendly smile and falling into her manager and caretaker role. Charlie may own the place, but she and Vaggie both shared the responsibilities.

"Um, I was wondering if you could help me find Room 20." The demon rubbed the back of her neck as her face flushed in embarrassment. "I know it sounds stupid, but I don't leave my room all that much, and I haven't memorized the layout yet."

Considering what the poor soul dealt with before arriving at the Hotel, Vaggie wouldn't judge the woman at all for staying in her room. "It's fine." Vaggie assured the demon with a smile. "This place is a damn maze. When me and Charlie first moved here, it took me a month to memorize the place's layout." She admitted as she turned towards the other end of the hall. "Down the hall, up the stairs on the left. Rooms 15 to 30 are right above us."

The demon smiled at Vaggie's help, and nodded her head. "Thank you." She said, before turning and walking down the hall.

Vaggie was a little glad the place had actual… well, technically they were Hotel guests, but Vaggie felt it better to call them residents.

Even before she and John had their heart to heart, she could admit that John's actions regarding Valentino and his studio were nothing short of noble. Angel let it slip in a casual manner what Valentino's slaves went through, and that was enough for John. Nothing else was important except putting down the sleazeball and freeing his victims.

She remembered a time in her living life, when she was first forced into prostitiution, when she'd idolized people like the Juggernaut, The Metal Maker, and the Flame. Hoping that someone like them, a superhuman, would come and wisk her away, save her from that life.

And then her third customer/rapist had ended up being a particularly cruel superhuman with magnetic abilities, whom had proceeded to rape her until she was unconcious, and never even paid her.

That and the resulting punishment from… him, had pretty much corrupted her entire view of men, and shattered any sort of faith in superheroes she'd had.

And yet, now here she was, literally living with a man, the Juggernaut himself nonetheless, who did nothing but good despite the fact that he was in Hell.

He was like a giant teddy bear.

A spiky, super strong teddy bear.

Vaggie stopped in her tracks.

"Wait, where did that come from?" Vaggie couldn't help but to ask herself in confusion.

John was a genuinely good guy, definitely, but of all comparisons for her to make… a teddy bear?

A better comparison would be a protector, a hero, a good samaritan… and yet, the first thing that springs to mind is a teddy bear.

Why was she even making a big deal of it? It's not like it meant anything, what she compared him to. The point was, John was a hero. And he was walking proof, to her anyway, that not all men were monsters, assholes, and sickos.

John was restoring her faith in men.

That was the best way Vaggie could think of to describe it.

John was the first man she'd ever truly been comfortable around. Angel was one thing, but he was gay, and had a clear distaste for sexual relations with women, so she didn't have much to really be wary about with him, other than he was an asshole. And while she was a little more tolerable of Alastor, she trusted him about as far as she could throw him. Less than that, even.

"HOW ARE YOU SO GOOD AT THIS?!"

"Well, my dear, it's not that hard to operate a… controller, you called it?"

Speaking Alastor- wait.

Controller? Like a video game controller?

There's no way Vaggie could've possibly heard that right.

She recognized both voices as Vanessa and Alastor, respectively, and they were coming from the recreation room up ahead.

Extemely curious as to what they were talking about, Vaggie made her way towards the room, where she could hear the sounds of Vanessa grumbling in what sounded like frustration and the occasional noise of what did indeed sound like a video game.

But as she made her way into the room, moving up behind the couch that was currently occupied by sinner succubus and radio demon, the moth demon found herself eating her words.

On the TV was Mortal Kombat 11. The characters being used were Spawn and Shao Kahn. Shao Kahn's healthbar was dangerously low, whereas Spawn's was only halfway.

And sitting on the couch next to Vanessa was Alastor, video game controller in hand.

She watched as Shao Kahn made a jump a on the screen and attempt an areal attack, only for Spawn to quickly dash away and follow it up with an attack that launched a pair of chains at his opponent, taking away what little health remained.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Vanessa shouting such profanity and rage actually shocked Vaggie out of her stupor. She'd never heard the succubus being so open and comfortable enough with anybody that she'd be able to let herself have such an outburst.

She'd figured Vanessa had been Spawn, but now she knew better.

"Now then, our wager?" Alaster asked, looking towards Vanessa with a playful smirk.

Vanessa glowered at the Radio Demon in response. "Beginner's luck."

"My five prior victories say otherwise, my dear." Alastor retorted with a raised eyebrow, amusement clear on his face. He finally noticed Vaggie standing behind the couch, staring at the two in complete confusion and utter shock as she processed what was happening. "Ah, Vaggie! How nice of you to join us!"

"I- I don't even- Since when do you… I'm so confused." Vaggie's words pretty much fell over themselves as she tried to find the right words to say. "Since when do you play video games?"

"Well, Vanessa here challenged me to a bet!" Alastor informed, smile present on his face that seemed to be a mixture of his typical sinister smile and one of genuine amusment as he looked at her. "If I could learn how to play these video games in spite of my hatred for modern technology, she would have to forego any and all forms of modern media and stick to only books for a month."

"And if he lost, he'd have to watch movies with me." Vanessa grumbled, visibly pouting as she crossed her arms in response.

Vaggie looked between the two for a moment, completely and utterly confused.

"Wait, Alastor actually agreed to this bet?" She couldn't help but to ask with a raised eyebrow. She may have only had one eye, but she still had two eyebrows.

Alastor chuckled at her words. "I'm always one for a friendly wager."

"Like I said, beginners luck!" Vanessa tried to defend herself as she glared at Alastor, though it was abundantly clear to both that their wasn't any actual hostility in her words. Frustration, however, is another story.

"Well then, by all means, pick another game." Alastor challenged, smile clear on his face. "Perhaps Vaggie can join us to give you a fighting chance."

"Oh, you are on, Fox-Ears!" Vanessa wasted no time leaving for the game console's home screen, scanning through to find another game she could probably best Alastor at.

Then, she stopped on one particular game, and grinned.

Bloodborne.

"We're gonna try something different." Vanessa said as she selected the game, and Vaggie had a pretty good idea of what the succubus was planning. Though she wasn't an avid gamer, she had her own video games that she enjoyed, and she was not ashamed to admit that From Software titles were not any of them.

They were difficult for a reason.

"How so?" Alastor asked, looking at Vanessa with a raised eyebrow.

"This game is single player, and we have to take turns." Vanessa explained as she offered her controller to Alastor. "You'll go first, and we'll switch out when each player dies."

"Okay then…" Alastor said as he took the controller from Vanessa, setting his own down as he refocused on the screen.

Vaggie couldn't help the grin on her own face.

This, she had to see.

A/N: Yes, I know, it's a short chapter. Unfortunately, there wasn't much more for me to really put into this chapter, and the next one closes off the first real arc of this story, so I wanted to save most of this arc's end for the next chapter.

Also, something you might be asking yourself: WHY IS ALASTOR GOOD AT VIDEO GAMES?!

Well, the thing is, though he has an aversion to modern technology, Alastor doesn't strike me as one to back down from a challenge, and despite his age, he isn't exactly crippled with the typical ailments we mortals face in old age.

And being honest, video games aren't actually that difficult to learn, even if you've never played any before. Figure how the controller works, play a game, simple. I remember playing Nascar with my father as a past time a few months before he died, and my grandmother would play Super Mario Bros on the Wii with me a lot, so… it's actually not that hard for me to believe Alastor would be able to figure out how to play video games.

As for why he's good at Mortal Kombat of all games… well, spoiler, it's not that he's a prodigy… Vanessa just sucks at fighting games. Sorry Ness!

Anyway, that's the end of this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you all in the next one.