Chapter 2
This is a fanfiction based on Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, and the fanfiction Loona the Caretaker. All OC rights belong to their original creators and owners. The characters of Loona the Caretaker belong to MetalBrony823. Slade OC belongs to Blurey08. Zepar, Bael, Leo, and Francesco belong to Acker. Kyorichi, Fuko, Bloody Mary, and Kely OC belong to ninjashin11, and the characters of Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel belong to VivziePop. I own nothing. This is pure fanfiction, just for fun.
Cody nearly drank a gallon of water. Then, loud knocking from Stolas's front erupted the peaceful palace. As soon as the servant unlocked the door, it burst open, and someone flew in and landed in the living room and dining room. Everyone got ready on the defensive to protect themselves and each other.
The demon that flew in was a half-succubus, half-hellhound female demon with soft blonde hair that faded to pink at the ends. Her fur and tail were a lighter blonde color. Her wings and horns were pink. Like Verosika, her body was healthy and gorgeous with big round boobs, a small waist, long strong legs, and a butt to die for. She was wearing a sparkling red shoulderless dress with very stylish high heels. Both her wrists had gold bracelets, and she had a gold heart locket necklace. She didn't look very happy.
"Where. Are. My. Daughters?!" she demanded.
"Mom!" Ave and Phoenix called in unison.
Everyone turned to them with confused looks, "Mom?"
The blonde demon flew to the two Hellhounds and hugged them tightly. The girls hugged her back.
"Oh, my babies. Are you both okay?" she asked.
"Yes, Mom. We're okay," Ave said.
"Oh good," she said and then yelled, "Where the fuck have you two been?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"
Phoenix spoke in Spanish, "Calm down, Mom. We're okay. We meant to call you, but we got caught up."
Their Mom also replied in Spanish, "You call that a valid excuse not to call me? Your mother? Don't tell me to calm down. What were you two doing?"
Kimberly stepped forward, "They were helping us. I asked them for help."
Before the blonde mother could say anything, Verosika also stepped forward, "Laraine? Is that you?"
Laraine's eyes widened, "Verosika? What are you doing here?"
A voice from the front door called, "Laraine!"
Everyone turned to see Queen Bee of the Glutton Ring fly in. Everyone was stunned to see her. They'd recognize that colorful blue, pink, and orange floating lava-like hair and tail anywhere. Everyone was confused and didn't know how to react as their eyes shifted everywhere and at everyone.
"Is that Queen Bee?" Slade asked.
"I told you not to freak out, and you can't just go barging into someone's place like that! This Prince Stolas's palace!" Queen Bee said.
"Bee?" Vortex spoke.
Bee turned to him wide-eyed, "Vortex?"
Stolas's servant walked in, "I don't mean to interrupt this, but there's one more guest, my dark lord."
Wally Wackford walked in, and as soon as he saw his girlfriend, Verosika, he rushed over to her with happy tears.
"Verosika! I say, I say, I found you!" Wally cried joyfully.
"Wally!" Verosika spoke back.
They wrapped their arms around each other in a tender, loving embrace. However, Wally's face was buried in the magnificent bosom of Verosika's boobs that any man, woman, and demon would kill to get close to.
"I was so worried for you, my darling! You didn't call or text. I spent all night looking for you," Wally said sorrowfully, trying to fight back tears.
Verosika glided her fingers through his hair with a sincere look of sympathy, "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I had to help Cody."
"Okay, what the literal fuck is going on? How do you guys know each other?" Blitzo asked.
Phoenix spoke, "This is our mother, Laraine, and her girlfriend, Bee."
"And how do you guys know each other?" Kim asked, pointing at them and Vortex and Verosika.
"Bee and I used to date, but we broke up, and now I date Loraine. It's not Laraine here with an 'A' but Loraine with an 'O'. So don't get confused," Vortex explained.
"And Laraine here and I used to date, but that was long ago," Verosika added.
"Oh, was it that long ago, babe?" Laraine asked seductively as she walked her way over to her.
Seeing them next to each other, they looked like a pair of goddesses of beauty. Verosika was hot with her long legs, small waist, big boobs, and her lengthy layered hair. Laraine was similar to Verosika, only she was half-succubus and half-Hellhound. They looked good together.
"We used to sing together, and we were slaying it!" Laraine spoke confidently and then turned to Verosika with 'do me' eyes, "And I still remember those hot nights together, and I know you do, too. I was the first one that made you squirt."
Everyone gasped and was wide-eyed. Loona dashed over to Cody and covered his ears. Fuko did the same thing to his daughter, Kim.
"Laraine!" Bee exclaimed while grabbing her arm.
"What? I'm just messing around," Laraine teased.
"Excuse me! There are children here!" Loona declared firmly.
"Yeah, keep the dirty talk out of their presence!" Fuko added.
Both Kim and Cody groaned and rolled their eyes as they got their parent's hands off their ears. They turned to face them with their shoulders slouching.
"Daaaaddd!" Kim groaned.
"Mooommm!" Cody groaned.
Both Loona and Fuko replied in unison, "What?"
"Don't embarrass us in front of everyone," Kim said.
Cody added, "We're not toddlers or babies."
"Hey, I'm still your mother, and I don't want that nasty dirty talk around my kid!" Loona protested.
"Hear-hear! That kind of crap is not the kind of influence I want you picking up!" Fuko stated.
"Oh my god. Slade! Help me here," Cody called.
Slade shook his head, "Oh no. Don't look at me. You listen to your mother."
From there, they went on and on about wanting what's best for them, what kind of bad crowd people who are extremely sexually active, and what kind of consequences can happen. Cody and Kim stated very clearly that they weren't stupid and wouldn't fall into that sort or make those kinds of wrong choices. Bee pulled Laraine aside to give her a lecture about keeping herself restrained. What stopped everyone from talking was the sound of a stomach grumbling coming from Cody. Everyone stopped and looked at him. All the eyes made him blush.
"Oh yeah, we still ought to feed him. That elixir calmed him down, but he needs to regain his energy," Octavia stated.
Kim teased as she rubbed Cody's belly, "Aww, that's right! A big boy's gotta eat! Plus, we need to put some meat on your bones, skinny butt."
"And we need to cut his hair. It's getting long. Cody, I'm calling Kiki. When she answers back, summon a portal to get her here so we can get you a haircut," Verosika said as she dialed her phone.
Cody groaned a frown.
"You know what? Why don't we all eat? I think a good breakfast meal will do us justice," Vortex stated.
Bee grinned as she put her hands on her hips, "Well, it's a good thing I'm here."
Queen Bee snapped her fingers, and the entire dining room table was filled with a buffet of mouthwatering breakfast food: waffles, pancakes, French toast, bacon, fruits, omelets, biscuits, sandwiches, sausages, and eggs of all kinds—sunny-side-up, over easy, and scrambled. Everyone drooled at the glorious food.
Cody turned to the queen. "Queen Bee, thank you for this food, and now I'm going to hug ya."
Cody walked over to her with his arms out. Queen Bee raised an eyebrow and a smile before wrapping her tail around him and pulling him in to squeeze him a hug.
"Fucking right, you hug me, cutie pie. And you better kiss me too," Bee said in a sassy tone as Cody hugged her back.
Cody kissed her cheek and then looked at Kim, Ave, and Phoenix. He jolted his head, telling them to hug her too. All three girls hugged Queen Bee, thanked her, and kissed her face. The Queen of Gluttony smiled a blush.
"Aww, I feel like such a mom right now," Bee cooed.
Draven appeared from a dark portal, walking in with his magical staff as they chowed down on the food. When Loona and Cody saw him, they both stood up, but Draven waved his hand to stop them.
"At ease," Draven said.
Loona and Cody sat back down.
"My dark lords," Draven spoke in his deep scratchy that sounded like Ermac from Mortal Kombat X, "I bring news. The Goetia Kings and Queens, along with King Lucifer and Queen Lilith, have come to a unanimous decision."
Draven waved his staff, and a glowing red paper with a black stamp and ribbon appeared. Everyone's eyes widened when it appeared. On the stamp was a pentagram seal and a skull marking on it.
"The I.S.N.A., including all its members and those that support them, are guilty of atrocities and crimes against both humanity and demons. Therefore, by order of the rulers of Hell, they are sentenced to death and to be punished here in Hell," Draven explained.
The glowing paper transformed into red glowing lights and went into Cody and Loona's chests, disappearing after casting a slight glow.
"You now have the power to banish any I.S.N.A. into Hell and straight to Samael. He and his punishers of evil will give them their just rewards for their deeds. Any I.S.N.A. member you come across, you are to banish them to Hell into the realm of punishment," Draven explained.
Cody and Loona glanced at each other before turning back to Draven.
"Yes, my dark mage," Cody said while bowing.
"Any we see, we'll do just that," Loona stated.
Draven nodded, "Very good. Keep your phones with you. King Purson will call you for further instructions."
He walked back through the dark portal. Loona and Cody glanced at each other again, slightly amazed at their new power and authority.
"That'll come in handy," Moxxie said.
"Fuck yeah! I can't wait to see their dipshit faces when they scream bloody murder as you send their asses down here," Blitzo said.
"Oh yeah, I'd pay money to see that," Wally agreed.
The food was delicious. They chatted casually. Kim, Ave, and Phoenix talked to Cody about what Red Moon Junior High School is like. There was a lot to look forward to. The school had an incredible campus, many opportunities, and students of all classes – rich and poor. Once breakfast was over, Laraine and Bee left with Ave and Phoenix. Kiki responded to Verosika and summoned a portal. They used one of the big luxurious bathrooms to cut Cody's hair. As requested, Cody got a scalp massage as she washed his hair. It wouldn't be cut too short – she'd leave a little length.
"Don't pout, Cody. We don't want your hair getting too long and looking shaggy," Kiki said.
"I'm trying. It's just I've never been a fan of haircuts. The only good part is the scalp massage," Cody said.
"You think this is bad? Wait until you start shaving. That shit stings. There's gonna come a day when you'll wish a pretty lady is willing to cut your hair. Especially one that's willing to cut your hair for free," Slade said.
"I know," Cody said.
As Kiki was cutting Cody's hair, Millie and Moxxie walked in.
"Cody, you got a minute?" Millie asked.
"What is it?" Cody asked.
Moxxie opened a yearbook from Cody's school to a page that showed Cody and all his classmates.
"I'm confused. Why are you showing me this?" Cody asked as Kiki continued to cut his hair.
"Okay, so Moxxie and I noticed something in those I.S.N.A. bases. They attacked your brother and sister-in-law. Then they kidnapped Melman and Mikey . . . but they didn't do anything to your other friends from school," Millie explained.
"We asked Stolas to show us your friends from school, and they're all okay! Nothing happened to them. They're still there at your school. Dylan, Jake, Judith, Ronda, and all your other friends were left alone. They kidnapped Melman and Mikey, but they didn't touch your other friends. Why?" Moxxie added.
This made everyone's eyes widen with pensive looks. They glanced at each other, not knowing what to say. M&M broke the silence.
"If they wanted to spite you or fuck with you, then they would have attacked everyone close to you, but they didn't. Moxxie and I have a hunch," Millie explained.
"Cody, you said Melman and Mikey's parents knew your parents for a long time. We're thinking that if your parents were Grimms and Soul Smugglers, maybe they are too," Moxxie stated.
Cody hesitantly spoke, "That . . . actually makes sense. It could be how they knew each other."
"If that's true, then Melman and Mikey's parents have a secret room in their homes where they stashed their spell books and weapons," Blitzo said.
"If that's the case, then we should search their homes before the I.S.N.A. get them," Moxxie said.
"And finished. How's this?" Kiki asked.
Cody looked in the mirror to see his reflection. Kiki took a lot but left some length in his layered hair. He looked cool. He smiled and nodded.
"I love it. Thank you, Kiki. And that scalp massage was the best. How can I repay you?" Cody asked.
"How about having me and the crew over for dinner or all of us on a lunch date?" Kiki suggested as she and Cody hugged.
"I think a lunch date would be nice. How about I take us to Pink Shore? We eat lunch and explore a little. Molly offered me a gig. She's looking for new and talented musicians. I think that's a good place for Verosika to make a comeback. Molly could loan us a studio, and we could practice and make music there. Then, when the time is right, we can perform on stage for a concert – Boom! Verosika Mayday and her crew are back, baby!" Cody explained.
Verosika grinned a seductive smile, "Mmmm, I like the sound of that. That could work."
"I say, I say, that would grab a lot of attention. Pink Shore is a big city with lots of people," Wally said.
"Oh yeah. That would be one Helluva comeback," Kiki smiled.
"Uh, guys? I don't want to interrupt your big plans on show business, but we should get back to talking about the I.S.N.A. and the Grimms," Kim stated.
"Right, so what's the plan? We check out Melman and Mikey's houses for stuff Grimms would have?" Blitzo asked.
"Yeah, that's right. Cody, can you summon a portal to their homes?" Moxxie asked.
Cody got off the chair and said, "Yes, and I'm going with you."
"Whoa, slow down there, tiger. We can handle this on our own," Millie assured.
Cody gave her and Moxxie a stern look and spoke firmly.
"I saw my best friend turn into a werewolf. Ace, Josh, Kat, and Milky almost got killed getting the information from my parents' basement. I'm not making that mistake again. So, I say to you, without any false pride or ambition. I. Am. Coming. With. You," Cody stated clearly.
"Cody, you're the Guardian of Hell. You're way too valuable to lose. Not just us, but all of Hell, especially the Free Demon Union, would suffer," Octavia said, placing her hands on her hips.
"Actually, it's not a bad idea for him to come along. He's the ultimate protection. Plus, the more people searching, the quicker and easier it'll be to find whatever clues you're looking for," Kiki stated.
"That is a good point," Moxxie agreed.
"All right, all right, he can come," Millie said.
"Well, if you're going, I'm definitely going," Loona stated.
"Me too," Kim said.
"Don't think you're going without me, young lady," Fuko said.
"Me three," Octavia stepped forward.
"I'll come along too," Slade said.
"I'll go too. I could use some fieldwork," Verosika said while stretching.
Wally grabbed her hand, "Wait! You can't expect me in good conscience to let you to the surface without me, do you?"
Verosika held her boyfriend close, "Babe, you don't know any fighting style or martial arts. It's more dangerous for you than me. Besides, I got the Guardian of Hell to protect me and our friends. So, don't worry."
"So, I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing?"
"Actually, there is something that you and Blitzo can do," Cody said, pulling out his infinite cube.
Cody summoned two RC airplane drones with 8K cameras from his cube. Cody set up the computers and the controls on the table. The computers had split screens. One was to view in front of the planes to see where you were flying them, and the other was 8K cameras that could see everything from way up high. The 8K cameras had everything: infrared, night vision, thermal, etc. Cody explained how they worked and that they could use them to spot anyone coming to the houses so they could warn them ahead of time.
However, as he was ready to summon a portal, he stopped while closing his eyes while thinking. The others grew confused and concerned looks as the silence lasted a while.
"Cody? Everything okay?" Loona asked.
At first, Cody was silent, then he spoke, "Ah crap."
"What's wrong?" Kim asked.
"Well, it's been a long time since I've been to their houses. So, I don't remember exactly where they live."
"You don't know where they live?" Millie asked.
"I know where the neighborhood they live in is. I know they live in the same neighborhood and on the same street. I just don't remember which street or the house number," Cody explained.
Everyone glanced at each other.
"But you remember what their houses look like, right? You'll know them when you see them?" Kim asked.
"Yeah, I remember them," Cody answered.
"Okay, that's good. How about this? You summon a portal to the neighborhood entrance, retrace your steps to the street where the houses are on, and take it from there," Slade proposed.
Cody nodded, "That'll work."
Verosika clapped her hands, "Okay, everyone whose going, get your human disguises on."
Verosika, Octavia, Loona, Fuko, Slade, and Kim activated their human disguises. Their eyes lit up, and their bodies were engulfed with magical blue flames and symbols, causing their demonic bodies to become human. Fuko and Kim looked interesting, with their hair still the same color but with human bodies – their nationalities were white Americans. Everyone else smiled and clapped. However, the only ones not in a human disguise were Millie and Moxxie because they didn't have human disguises.
Cody walked over and clapped his hands together, and his eyes and hands were glowing a blue light. Cody spoke a spell in ancient Satanic, and some floating symbols appeared as he waved his hands. The symbols spun around and came together to make two spheres of light. They entered Millie and Moxxie's chests, and like the others, their eyes glowed, and their bodies were engulfed with magical blue flames and symbols. When the fire and symbols disappeared, M&M had human disguises.
Millie's human disguise was pretty, with light brown skin and black hair – she looked almost Hispanic. Moxxie was handsome, with white hair and pale skin, and looked more American. They both took a moment to gaze at their new human disguises before smiling. They cheered as they both hugged Cody.
"Thank you, Cody! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Millie said excitedly.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like them," Cody said, pulling out some items from his infinite cube, "Put these earpieces on. Even if it's from across the street, we'll be in touch."
They took their earpieces and put them on.
"Does everyone have a gun?" Cody asked.
Loona, Slade, Kim, and Moxxie nodded, but Millie, Fuko, and Octavia shook their heads.
"Here, I got three extra revolvers. All chambered in 357 magnum, eight round cylinders, and speed loaders," Moxxie said, pulling three revolvers.
One was in black, one in a matte finish, and the third painted gold – all three had pentagram stars on the frames. Those were one of many weapons that Moxxie had on him. Millie, Fuko, and Octavia took the revolvers, stuffed them in the back of their pants, and put the speed loaders in their pockets.
"You have a gun, Kimberly?" Fuko asked.
"Yeah," Kim nodded.
She pulled out her demonic SIG-Sauer P320-XTEN. It was chambered in 10mm, 15 round capacity, had a cool red slide, and had a threaded barrel so you could attach a silencer or a suppressor. Everyone raised their eyebrows in surprise.
"And where did you get that sweet piece?" Fuko asked his daughter.
"It's a gift," Kim answered as she put her arm around Cody's shoulders, "From my Cody-Bear."
She smiled and planted a long kiss on his lips. Everyone cooed an 'aww' or an 'ooooo,' which made Cody blush, and Kim stuck her tongue out at them. Fuko, on the other hand, raised his eyebrow with a slight smile as he studied them – Loona and Slade saw that before they glanced at each other.
"Verosika, do you have a gun?" Cody asked.
She pulled out her gun, spinning in her hand, and then pointed it up. The weapon was really something. It looked a lot like Shalua Rui's gun from Final Fantasy Dirge of Cerberus, except it was slightly bigger and had a demonic design with black and red colors and stainless steel inlay shaped like flames. It looked like an oversized 1911 with an extended barrel, and it was chambered in the new 429 DE and held 17 rounds.
"I don't know. Do I?" Verosika asked sarcastically.
Cody nodded, impressed, "Yep, you got a gun. Keep that and your ninjato swords ready."
Verosika winked a smile, "You got it."
She spun her gun to holster it.
"Okay, everyone, I know what Melman and Mikey's houses look like. I just need to refresh my memory of where they are. The neighborhood is big, so there's going to be a lot of walking," Cody stated.
"Good thing I quit wearing those sharp heels and switched to boots and tennis shoes," Verosika said.
"Yeah, you look a Helluva lot better without those knife-like heels. I actually like those shoes. They look good on you," Loona complimented.
"Thanks, and you're not the only one who likes them."
Verosika turned to the side and lifted one of her legs, showing off. Wally howled like a hound dog, and then he panted with his tongue out and had big heart eyes. His girlfriend grinned a confident smile. Some of the others, like Blitzo, rolled their eyes.
Then Cody summoned a portal to the neighborhood. They walked through to see the gates and front entrance of the place – Oak Helm. The neighborhood was extensive, with the houses spread apart instead of right next to each other, and had lots of trees and bushes. The RC camera planes flew up in the sky, and the cameras synched to Blitzo's and Wally's computers.
"Okay, we're online," Blitzo said.
"We see you and the whole neighborhood," Wally said.
"Alright, let's find these houses and see if there's anything there that'll show if they're Grimms," Slade said as he started walking.
"Off we go then," Octavia agreed.
However, they noticed that Cody wasn't walking with them. He was standing still, staring at the sky and the trees. A gust of wind blew into them, rustling the trees and moving their hair.
"Cody?" Loona spoke as she approached her son. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder, "Sweetheart, what is it?"
"It's been a long time since I've been to the surface," Cody replied.
Everyone glanced at each other and looked to where Cody was pointing.
"Everything's different up here. The sky's blue and the leaves are green . . . and the wind smells different," Cody stated.
Everyone took a moment to gaze at everything and see that he was right. In Hell, everything is dark and red. Also, depending on which ring you're in depends on what sky, weather, and environment you'll get. In the Wrath and Pride Rings, the sky's red along with the leaves, and the bark on trees and bushes is black – sometimes the sky is orange in the Wrath Ring. In the Lust Ring, the sky is always dark blue like the night, and it always rains. In the Greed Ring, the sky is green and full of smog and smoke from all the pollution. In the Gluttony Ring, the sky is yellow, Envy's sky is purple, and Sloth is pink.
"You're right," Moxxie said as the others gazed at it all.
"Cody, when's the last time you were up here on the surface?" Verosika asked.
"I can't even remember. I think probably since last Spring Break, but being in the time chamber while training, it's felt like years," Cody explained.
"How old has it made you?" Millie asked.
"I asked Lipton and Loopty to scan me to see how old my body is."
"And?" Loona questioned.
"They said I'll be 15 this coming October," Cody said.
"That's how old I'll be! Our birthdays are only three days apart," Kim stated.
"Hmm, we could have parties for both on the same day," Verosika suggested.
"Maybe, but let's focus on what's happening right now. Cody, start refreshing your memory," Fuko ordered.
"Hold up," Loona said before pulling out a black baseball cap with a white Punisher's skull, "Better we don't draw attention to ourselves."
She put the hat on Cody's hat and put his hoodie over it. Verosika did the same thing, putting her hoodie over her head and putting on a pair of aviator sunglasses, looking hot and stylish. Cody nodded, and they started walking. Cody was able to recognize certain streets and know which way to go. Along the way, Blitzo and Wally scanned the neighborhood and found something odd about it.
"Is it me, or does it seem too quiet here?" Moxxie asked.
"It's not just you, Mox. Wally and I scan the place, and it's almost completely empty!" Blitzo said on comms.
"Really?" Loona asked.
"Yeah, there's only like three people in their homes. Elderly folk sleeping," Wally added.
"Where the heck is everybody? Why's the place empty?" Kim asked.
"Maybe that has something to do with it?" Verosika pointed.
They saw some signs advertising a food truck event happening. The dates of when it was happening were today.
"Huh. Yeah, maybe that's where they're all at," Loona said.
"The place it's saying it's happening isn't far from here," Cody said.
Blitzo flew his RC camera plane near the area, switched to thermals, and saw a significant haze.
"Yep, they're there. I'm seeing the whole village and a shitload of trucks," Blitzo said, looking at the computer.
Kim held Cody's hand as they walked while M&M held hands, as did Loona and Slade.
"Man . . . the memories. It's all coming back to me," Cody stated.
"Yeah?" Kim asked.
Cody nodded, "Where I used to live is less than five minutes from here. So, every holiday, my parents would bring me here. This is where I came for trick r' treating. Over there in that small cul-de-sac, the neighbors would bring out their grills and tables for cookouts and bonfires. This is where I ate smores for the first time during my first Halloween trick r' treating. And during the 4th of July, they'd make burgers and hot dogs, and the tables would be full of chips, snacks, and sodas. I was five years old when I first had a burger and a hot dog. Melman, Mikey, and I shot fireworks on this road here. Shooting comets, Roman candles, cherry bombs, rockets, lady fingers, crackers, sparklers, all the good stuff."
"Cool," Kim said, then asked, "What are Melman and Mikey like?"
"Melman's a tough kid. He hates bullies. He loves the outdoors and likes to play outside more than anything. Yeah, he'll play video games for a good bit, but he's more into the outdoors. Mikey is the opposite. He's sky and gentle. He's a huge nerd, which is why he loves video games and sci-fi and fantasy stuff like Star Wars, Star Trek, War Thunder, Dungeons and Dragons, Overwatch, Arcane, League of Legends, and all that stuff," Cody explained.
"And their parents? What do they do for a living?" Fuko asked.
Cody scratched his head before speaking, "Ugh . . . let's see. Melman's dad, Ethan, is an accountant. I think a tax accountant. His mom, Amilya, is a professor at a big university. She's head of a research and science program there. Mikey's dad, Randall, is vice president of a VPN service company like Nord and ExpressVPN. He went to Harvard and got a degree in computers. Mikey's mother, Darla, works for a big jewelry shop chain. I can't remember the name, but it's not one of those cheap jewelry stores. It's one of those high-end ones that people go to for wedding rings. Gold and diamond rings, watches, necklaces, and earrings."
"Huh. Interesting. Do you mind telling us what your parents did when they weren't being Grimms and Soul Smugglers?" Kim asked.
Cody's face grew serious as he stared out into nothing. Kim cringed, instantly regretting asking that.
"Sorry, we don't have to talk about—"
"It's fine. It's okay. My father, Daniel, was a mechanical engineer. My mother, Abby, was in charge of a distribution center that handled the sorting, packaging, shipping, and delivery of any and all alcoholic beverages in most of the Midwest and East Coast," Cody explained.
This impressed everyone, and their eyes widened.
"Really?" Kim asked.
"Yeah, the place she worked at is where a lot of alcohol that you see came from. From there, it goes to places like liquor stores like ABC, bars, wineries, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. Anywhere that sells alcohol," Cody stated.
"Wow, that's kind of cool," Verosika said as they walked.
"Hold up," Cody said as they approached an intersection, "Right is a dead end and straight leads to another cul-de-sac. So, we go left," Cody said before they walked.
Back at Stolas's palace, where Blitzo and Wally were being their eye in the sky, Kiki saw something on the screen.
"Wait, go back," Kiki said and pointed, "Can you zoom in there?"
Blitzo did, and the screen showed a poster of a missing person. However, the name on it said 'Cody Laurent.' This raised their eyebrows with surprise.
"Cody! Can you hear me?" Kiki called.
"Yeah, I hear you," Cody replied on comms.
"Go right. There's a poster on a post past a tree. It's a missing person's poster with your name on it," Kiki said.
Everyone glanced at each other before running down the street to the post. Cody pulled it off to examine it closely. The poster was in a plastic seal to resist the rain. There was a picture of Cody with his name, number of contacts, and even a reward money at the bottom.
Verosika leaned in over Cody's shoulder, "Looks like your time away didn't go unnoticed."
"Yeah, I got a feeling this is Melman and Mikey's doing," Cody nodded as they walked back down the street.
"As they say, no one's a failure so long as they have friends," Octavia cited as Cody folded the poster into his pocket.
"Speaking of friends, what are we going to do with Melman and Mikey? Whether their parents are Grimms or not, it's too dangerous for them to live here on the surface," Slade pointed out.
"I've given that some thought," Loona said, and everyone turned to her, "I don't know about Mikey, but I think I know what to do with Melman. He's a werewolf now. You can't cure that, but you can learn to control it."
"How?" Cody asked.
"Serena and Crystal had a few cousins and friends who became werewolves. They said they had to walk 'The Path of the Wolf.' It's a journey they must take in the spirit realm with a wolf spirit guide."
"The spirit realm?" Millie asked.
"Yeah, I know what she's talking about. There's a realm where spirits roam free. Many Native American tribes fled there when white settlers were expanding west. Some found their way there, while many were stuck here or chose to stay. Of course, we all know how that turned out for them," Fuko explained.
"Yeah, the Trail of Tears and forced relocation," Moxxie answered.
"Wait, what are you suggesting?" Verosika asked.
"I think Melman should, for now, live with Serena and Crystal. They've been around werewolves, so they know the stages that they go through, what diet they eat, what habits they should get into, etc. I know it's a lot to ask of them, but I think it's the best option. If Cody can adapt to living with me after I saved him, then I think these boys can, too," Loona explained.
There was a long silence as everyone let that suggestion sink in.
Cody nodded, "Yeah, I think that could work. Plus, I trust them, but I hope they'll say yes."
"They will. At least, I know Serena will," Fuko said.
"How did you know?" Millie questioned.
Fuko smiled, "Serena's my girlfriend. I know her pretty well."
"Wait, what?! Really? You're dating Serena?" Cody asked, amazed.
"Yeah, she's a pretty cool Hellhound. I take it you know her and Crystal?" Kim questioned.
"Yeah, she's a friend of ours. Also, I agree. I don't think they'll say no to this. I think it'll be good for them. Looking after a kid changed my life," Loona stated while rustling Cody's hair.
Cody blushed, and the others smiled.
"So, Melman goes with Serena and Crystal for the Path of the Wolf. What about Mikey?" Slade asked.
Loona rubbed her chin while thinking.
"What about Charlie and Vaggie?" Cody asked, "Mikey's real shy and timid, like a deer. Charlie and Vaggie are the most human-looking demons that we know. I think he'll be okay around them. Mikey will definitely be scared of Hellhounds and other demons – no offense."
"None taken," Millie and Moxxie said.
"Alastor will definitely creep him out, but he's protecting the hotel with his dark magic. The hotel is one of the safest places in Hell, and Charlie is very sweet and understanding. I think she and Vaggie will take good care of him until we find his parents," Cody explained.
Octavia nodded, "I think so too. I was going to suggest Mikey live with me and my dad, but I think he'll be too freaked out seeing two owl demons."
Cody slowed to a stop. His face showed slight sorrow. His two closest friends may be orphans like him. There's so much to explain to them. Cody could deeply understand their situation. They've lost everything and now have to live in another realm.
"Babe?" Kim spoke.
Cody let out a heavy sigh, "Man. Their lives are going to change forever. Oh guys, what am I going to tell them?"
Loona went over to her boy and held his face. Cody looked up at his adoptive mother with gentle eyes.
"The only thing you can tell them – the truth. But you don't have to do it alone. I'll be there with you," Loona said.
Cody gave a small smile as she rubbed his face.
"Also, not to plant ideas in your head, but you are personal friends with Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah. So, having him there to help explain might cushion the blow," Loona added.
"That is true. Wait, there they are! There's the houses."
After walking for a while, they finally found Melman and Mikey's houses. Melman's house was a grey two-story house with a dark grey roof. Mikey's house was white with a black roof. Both were big like the rest of the houses in the neighborhood, but Melman's house looked a little more messy, and Mikey's house was more fancy with the yard decorations.
"I think Mikey's family makes more money," Octavia said, looking at Mikey's house.
"Yeah, his house was always nicer," Cody said.
"Whoa, look. The driveways," Slade pointed.
Both driveways had skid marks from tires, and the garage doors were open. Everyone glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.
"Looks like someone left in a hurry," Kim said.
"Okay, let's split up. Fuko, you take M&M, Octavia, and search Mikey's house. The rest of you with me to Melman's," Loona stated.
"Everyone, guns out. Check every room to make sure we're not alone," Cody said, pulling his 1911.
Cody's friends pulled their sidearms and approached the houses. Loona and Slade took the lead, with Cody, Kim, and Verosika following close behind. They checked every room: the living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, bedrooms, garage, etc. There was no one there but them. The place was almost exactly as Cody remembered it, with only a few changes.
"Clear," Slade called out.
"Clear," Loona said.
"No one here but us chickens," Verosika said.
"Octavia, anything on your end?" Cody asked on comms.
"No, the place is empty. It's nice, but nobody's here," Via replied.
Cody saw stacks of missing person posters with his face on them on the kitchen table. Millie and Moxxie reported on comms that they also found stacks in Mikey's house.
"Looks like I was right. They're the ones who put them up," Cody said.
"They must have searched high and low for you," Loona said.
That made Cody smile. It felt good knowing he's got friends who really care.
"Hey, Cody," Kim said, tapping his shoulder, "If we're looking for a secret room that might tell us if the parents are Grimms, I think that might be it."
Cody and the others looked where she was pointing. A bookshelf door opened in the study room for Melman's dad with a doorway to another room. They went inside and saw stuff similar to Cody's basement. There were weapons locked and shelves of books and bags of items. However, some weapons and books were missing. There was some stuff on the floor. Cody and his friends holstered their guns as they looked around.
"Yeah, someone left in a hurry. You don't leave a mess like this unless you have no choice," Slade said, looking around.
Loona opened a weapons locker, "Some of the guns are missing, and whatever ones are still here are ancient. What is this? An enchanted blunderbuss or flintlock elephant rifle?"
The weapon looked like a flintlock rifle, but the barrel was enormous, with strange carvings on the barrel and stock and a peculiar dragon's head figure at the end of the barrel.
Kim opened a duffle bag, "These duffle bags have foreign cash and passports with names that aren't the parents' real names: Japanese yen, Chinese yuan, Russian rubles, and others. There's a shelf that's labeled European euros that doesn't have any bags. I wonder if that's where they headed."
"Maybe," Cody said while looking.
"Talk to me, people. What did you find?" Blitzo asked on comms.
"A goldmine, sir. We're still investigating," Moxxie replied on comms.
Verosika picked a book and examined it, "Cody."
He turned to Verosika to see her holding a book with a familiar symbol, "Look at the crest. Millie and Moxxie were right. Melman's parents are Grimms, just like yours were."
"And Mikey's. There's not a whole lot, but there's stuff that looks just like what was found in your parents' basement," Octavia said on comms.
"Then that's why the I.S.N.A. kidnapped their kids but didn't touch any of Cody's other friends," Fuko said.
"These bastards are targeting anyone that's related to Grimms, even their kids," Loona said.
"Goddamn low lives. What do we do now? Do we take this stuff, too? Like Cody's parents'?" Verosika asked.
"Take it? What if they come back?" Cody asked.
"Yeah, what if they return and the stuff they need isn't here?" Kim sided.
"If they're smart, they won't come back, and we can't risk the I.S.N.A. getting their hands on any of this," Slade said, crossing his arms.
"He's right. Store it all in your cube, Cody," Loona stated.
Cody glanced at everyone before he pulled his cube. He shrunk all the weapons, books, duffle bags, intel, and other items and stored them into his infinite cube. Verosika suggested they do the same to Melman and Mikey's personal stuff. After Cody was done with Melman's house, he and the others joined Octavia at Mikey's house to get everything.
"Is that all of it?" Loona asked.
"I think so. I got all the Grimm's and Mikey and Melman's personal stuff. Their beds, furniture, clothes, video games, books, comic books, personal items – I don't know why, but I also got their backpacks as well," Cody answered.
Wally saw some movement coming into the neighborhood fast. He zoomed the camera in close to get a better view. It was three black vans driving in formation.
"I say, I say! Cody, you got company! Three vans are coming your way!" Wally warned on comms.
The three vans stopped outside the house, and Cody's friends got ready in the big living room with their guns out. Then, a group of men in black suits burst through the front door. They were dressed like secret service agents with black suits, sunglasses, and gloves. They were armed with what looked like taser guns and short-pole batons that looked similar to the shock prods in the movie Jumper.
They aimed their weapons at Cody's friends. As they shot taser rounds and electric claw trappers, Octavia summoned a magic shield to protect themselves. Everyone huddled together, protecting each other – Loona and Verosika held Cody close. They bounced off of the magic shield and fell on the floor. The electricity zapped and flickered light as they lay on the floor. Cody and his friends glared at them as a Man with no weapons approached them. His suit was more fancy than the others, and he had a pin on his coat – a higher rank. He yawned as he walked in.
"You there, demons," he said, pulling out a badge with a red Templar Order cross over a shield, "In the name of the Neo-Templar Order, you are all under arrest."
Something about this man got Cody hot under the collar. The way he talked, his facial expression, and his calm disposition caught Cody's eye. The way he walked in and talked was as if he had done this a million times before, and he knew how this would end. Cody could feel the red-hot anger rising within him.
He stepped forward, took off his sunglasses, and spoke clearly with venom in his voice, "That's my line."
Cody's eyes and hands glowed a white light. With his right hand, Cody used his powers to roughly and quickly seize their weapons out of their hands. The Neo-Templars were taken by complete surprise by this as the weapons were hovering in the air. Then, with his left hand, Cody held them all in the air with incredible force, like Darth Vader using the Force on his enemies. The men in suits moaned and gasped in pain as they hovered in the air. Their faces showed complete and utter fear, especially the man with the badge – a wet spot emerged from his private era.
"In the name of the Free Demon Union and the rulers of Hell, you are all under arrest for your crimes against humanity and demonkind and condemned to the realm of punishment in Hell. May Lucifer and Lilith have mercy on your souls," Cody stated as his hoodie fell off.
An agent called out, "Wait! You're him! You're—"
Before he could finish that sentence, Cody summoned the banishment curse given to him and Loona by Draven. A big red and black pentagram symbol appeared on the floor, and a flaming hole appeared. Everyone could feel the heat, and the Neo-Templar agents looked down petrified. Their faces were white as a sheet, and they broke in a cold sweat as they panted uncontrollably. Monstrous roars erupted from the hole as large demon arms and hands with claws violently grabbed the agents and dragged them into the hole. The men screamed bloody murder.
"No! NNNNOOOOOO! God almighty save us! LORD AND SAVOR JESUS, HELP US PLEASE!" the men screamed.
They continued screaming as they were violently pulled into the fiery pit. Loona and the others got chills watching the horrific sight before them. It was like a scene from 'Drag Me To Hell.' However, Cody, on the other hand, did not show the slightest bit of fear. His face remained firm and serious with a hint of anger as he kept his hand flexed and his fingers cringed, keeping the curse up. Once it was over and the portal closed, Cody breathed heavy, labored breaths. Then he stood up straight, tilted his head to the side to crack his neck, and straightened his clothes.
He turned around to face his friends, "Is everyone okay?"
At first, nobody said anything. They just stared at Cody with a stunned look. Finally, Verosika broke the silence, "Holy shit! That was insane!"
Cody flinched a little and then saw smiles on their faces.
Verosika went over and hugged Cody, "You delivered that execution. 'May Lucifer and Lilith have mercy on your souls'? God, that was hot!"
Kim went over with big eyes and a smile, "Cody, you were amazing! That was so cold and professional. I love it!"
She smothered her boyfriend with kisses. Cody blushed but wasn't sure if sending men straight to Hell was something to be proud of.
"That was better than I expected! Those bloody bastards got what they deserved," Octavia said proudly while rustling his hair.
"Good job, kid," Slade said, giving him a thumbs up.
"Holy mother of Satan! That was scary as heck!" Millie exclaimed.
"I got chills. I almost wet myself," Moxxie spoke as he rubbed his forehead.
"Loona? You okay?" Slade asked.
Loona stood still silently. Then, a smile grew, followed by a soft laugh. Her hand gently held Cody's cheek, and she had a subtle devilish smile with her eyes glowing red.
"That's my boy," Loona said.
Cody got a chill from the look in Loona's eye and her tone of voice.
"Evil has something to be afraid of now. They deserve to suffer, Cody. We will hunt them down and send them all to Hell," Loona stated as she held his face, "You're very special, Cody. You're making a difference. These . . . animals, these lowlife scum, they're going to get what's coming to them. They're not going gently into that good night. We're going to give them the hard goodbye. Loud and nasty. Our kind of goodbye."
"Goddamn right," Fuko agreed.
"Hell-fucking-yeah!" Millie hollered.
Moxxie nodded with a devilish grin, as did the others. The group hugged, and Cody summoned a portal to return home. Everyone went through, but Cody quickly took the Neo-Templar's weapons and their vehicles and shrunk them into his cube. Then he and Loona got the RC places back before joining the others.
"So, what happens now?" Verosika asked.
"Now, I have to tell my brother and my two best friends from school that I'm the son of two powerful angels, one of the Arch Angel of Death, that I'm the Guardian of Hell, I'm the slayer of Overlords, that my adoptive mother and I are knights for a Goetia demon king, we're fighting a civil war in Hell, there's a Neo-Templar organization, one of them is a werewolf, both their parents and mine are Grimms, there's corruption in Heaven, and I just send a group of men screaming in the depths of Hell. I haven't even mentioned that I'm friends with the Verosika Mayday, and my girlfriend is a badass assassin imp demon whose father is a badass ninja Hellhound," Cody explained.
Loona touched his shoulder to get his attention, "You won't have to do it alone. Now is a good time to see if Jesus can help us."
Cody nodded and held his hands together in prayer, "Jesus, if you can hear me, I could really use your help right now. I—"
Before he could finish that prayer, a heavenly light shone down from the ceiling, and the man himself was there. Cody smiled and walked over to hug him, and he hugged him back.
"Good to see you. I take it you heard what happened?" Loona asked.
Jesus nodded, "I did, and I'm so sorry."
"I . . . there's so much to tell them, Jesus. I don't even know where to start," Cody said.
Jesus placed his arm around Cody's shoulder, "We'll start from the beginning."