Chapter 9
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. Rachel belongs to CageBlack1443. Kyorichi, Fuko, Bloody Mary, and Kely OC belong to ninjashin11. Blitzo and Sophie McNight belong to XSreiki772, and the characters of Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel belong to VivziePop. I own nothing. This is pure fanfiction, just for fun.
Cody wore the same thing when he toured the school for his day with Slade: blue cargo jeans, black and red sneakers, a black T-shirt with a red skull on his chest, and his black jeans jacket with its grey hoodie. Slade wore his usual gothic attire as he drove Cody to the arcade in his demonic red and black 1969 Mustang Mach 1.
The muscle car was a beast as the engine roared while driving. Slade showed off the car's speed and driving skills on the highway. Cody was impressed as he and Slade looked at each other, smiling and laughing. The arcade, Retrocity, was the same arcade that Cody and Kim went on their first date. Slade and Cody played Skee-Ball first as they talked. Slade knew he had to open up about himself, and the same went with Cody, but both were unsure of what questions to ask without getting too personal.
"So, what made you join the Canadian Special Forces?" Cody asked before rolling a ball.
Slade rolled a ball and scored a good hole, "A dare."
Cody turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "A dare?"
"Yeah, this guy I met at a bar, Ethan, he was JTF2 too. He knew how tough I was. Somehow, I got into a fight with some thugs. He bought me a drink and then and then and then. One thing led another; he looked me square in the eye and dared me to prove my worth," Slade said and then chuckled as he shook his head, "I don't know if it's what he said or how he said it, but my life changed that night. I guess I wanted to belong to something."
Cody nodded before rolling a ball and scoring a good hole, "I can understand that. Nothing wrong with wanting to belong to something. I certainly did after I lost my parents."
They both collected their winning tickets and moved to a different arcade game. A racing arcade game called Dirty Drivin'. It was a racing game where you drive monster trucks that can shoot machine guns and rockets, make their tires giant, turn all the other racers tiny, and you can ram other trucks. Cody and Slade had a lot of fun playing that. After playing several games, they ate lunch, but Slade really wanted to take Cody to a new place that had just opened. It was a soda bar called Tapper, like the arcade game.
Someone saw the Wreck-It Ralph movies, liked the designs of Tapper's bar, and decided to make it real. It was a good idea because it quickly became one of Hell's most popular non-alcoholic bars. It served soda, soft drinks, and non-alcoholic drinks. It had the same blue wallpaper, wooden bars, lights, neon lights on the walls, and even the big glass jugs.
Cody and Slade tried out the root beer, which was pretty good. Slade felt this was the place to open up more about himself.
"I suppose you have questions about your mother and me, don't you?" Slade spoke.
"Some, yes. I know that you, Mom, and Aunt Rachel all grew up in the same orphanage. You tried to get out more than once. Rachel thought Mom was dead, and you got adopted before she did, but you were angry at yourself for so long for some reason . . . am I right?" Cody said.
Slade nodded, "Yeah, that's about it."
Slade took a long sip of his root beer and spoke again.
"I left her. I should have went back, but I didn't . . . and I hated myself for it. After that, and I got adopted, my adoptive parents were murdered, so I had to avenge them. I tried to convince myself that avenging them was why I couldn't go back for her, but that was stupid. Then, after I killed the bastard and his thugs for killing my parents, I drifted around until I joined JTF2 . . . and they kept me busy," Slade explained.
"Yeah?" Cody asked after sipping his root beer.
Slade nodded, "I wasn't just a sniper. I was a hunter for terrorists . . . and I was very good at it. I definitely did a lot of it. The killing you get used to . . . but losing friends and comrades in your army? No, you don't get used to that. I was the last one of my original company. All the others were KIA, so you can imagine how that made me feel. That I'm still here while all the guys that I served with are dead. Good men, too. Men with families – wives and kids."
Cody placed his hand on Slade's shoulder. His Hellhound father turned to him.
"It's okay, Slade. I mean, I know it's not, but I'm glad you're here. I'm happy because you matter to me and my mom. Always remember that. That's what I had to keep telling myself after my parents died," Cody said.
Slade and Cody finished their root beers. Then, they ordered Coca-Cola, and the bartender gave them two glass bottles. From there, they told one story after another—Slade's life in JTF2 and Cody's life with Loona and the others in Hell.
"What was it like when you first came here to Hell?" Slade asked.
"It was . . . pretty scary," Cody said before sipping some Coca-Cola, "I thought I died, but then Loona explained what happened and I couldn't stop crying. She took care of me. She protected me. I still remember her holding me in her arms as she walked to I.M.P. headquarters because she was afraid some demon would snatch me from her. At first, I was afraid of her, but then I really clung to her because I felt she was the only person keeping me safe."
"When did she adopt you?" Slade asked.
"A while after the fire. She and the others asked if there was any next of kin that could take me in. There was my grandparents and my brother with his wife, which could have worked, but I would have had to move with them to France. I didn't have much problem with that. After living with Loona for a while, we grew on each other. She told me how much she loved me and asked if she could adopt me, and I said yes. Stolas did all the paperwork and made it official," Cody explained.
"That's really cool, Cody. I didn't think Loona would do that, but I'm glad she did that," Slade said.
"Slade," Cody spoke, getting his attention, "I'm not really that scared to die. I'm scared of Loona and the others dying. This war is big and destructive. Please, tell me, both as my father and as a soldier, are we going to be okay?"
Slade's eyes widened at that. He could see the desperation in Cody's face and hear it in his voice. He finished his soda, placed it down, and put his arm around Cody's shoulder.
"As a soldier, I'll say that all wars end. Some last longer than others, but they all end eventually, and not all soldiers who fought in the beginning stay in the fight to see the end. Now, as your father, I say yes, we'll be okay. We're stronger together, kid. All we gotta do is stand together and fight," Slade said.
Cody turned to his father.
"And you know how to fight. You're the Guardian of Hell. Overlords fear your name," Slade stated confidently.
Cody nodded, "You're right. However this turns out, I can't give up—not now, not ever."
"Atta boy."
"I know I already thanked you for stopping me from murdering Pentious, but still, thank you for stopping me. I really mean it," Cody said.
Slade nodded as he sipped his soda, "Killing him in cold blood wouldn't have brought your parents back, and I'm sure they wouldn't want you to be a murderer. You're already a killer, but not a murderer. To some people, that seems like splitting hairs, but revenge and justice are two different things . . . and I don't want you going down that path. I've been there, and believe me, there's no peace at the end."
Cody nodded in understanding. After they finished their sodas, they exited the soda bar. It was late evening, and the sun was setting, casting its beautiful red and orange light on everything. Cody hugged Slade. At first, he was surprised by it, but then the gothic Hellhound wrapped his arms around his son to hug him back. Both Slade and Cody felt a great sense of happiness as they stayed in embrace.
"Thanks, Dad," Cody said.
"No problem . . . son," Slade said.
They smiled as they walked back to the car. Cody pulled out his MIST pen. He inhaled and then breathed out a white cloud. Slade did the same thing. Halfway back to the car, Slade was coughing.
"Are you okay?" Cody asked.
Slade spat out some black gunk.
"One of the downsides of using MIST is that for smokers like me, as it's cleaning your lungs, it's forcing the gunk in your lungs out. So, you have to hack and spit it out. It's gonna be a while before my lungs got no more black shit in them. You don't have to worry about that because you've never smoked tobacco," Slade said.
"Oh, I see. Well, that's still good, right? It's getting the bad stuff out of your lungs," Cody said.
Slade nodded. They drove back home. By the time they got there, it was nighttime. Loona was cleaning up some dishes in the kitchen while Rachel and Blitzo were watching Cats Don't Dance.
"There are my boys," Loona greeted as they walked in.
She hugged them close and asked, "So, how did it go?"
"It went really great, actually. I'm glad it happened," Cody said.
"Me too," Slade agreed.
"Well, that's good," Loona said as she kissed her son and fiancé, "It's not the last time. You two should hang out more often. We're a family."
"So, tomorrow it's me and Cody?" Rachel asked.
"That's right."
"Where are you taking him?" Blitzo asked.
"To the mall and maybe the park near Cody's new school," Rachel answered.
The Next Day
Rachel drove in her red 1977 Lamborghini Countach LP400. She wore her usual mid-drift black tank top, ripped dark blue jeans, and black knee-high combat boots. Cody wore black jeans and his grey sweater with the red pentagram star on both front and back. The car was just as fast as Slade's Mustang. Malls in Hell were different than the ones up on the surface. Most of the clothing stores sold gothic clothing, with only a few that sold normal clothes, which suited Cody just fine. They shopped for some new clothes for school that fit Cody's size since he had grown from his training. Rachel bought herself a few new threads.
"So, Slade joined JTF2, and you joined Delta Force?" Cody asked while finding a shirt he liked in his size.
Rachel nodded, "That's right. It wasn't easy, but I got in."
"I didn't know Delta Force had female operatives," Cody said after finding a shirt.
"Well, who and what they have is classified. That's the big difference between Delta Force and other special forces like Navy Seals. We're more secret," Rachel replied as she put the shirt in the cart.
"Really?" Cody asked.
"Let's put it this way. The Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden, and the whole world found out about it later because they publicly announced it. If they wanted it quiet and no one to find out, they would have used Delta Force. Now, Navy Seals do classified missions too, but sometimes their missions get released to the news," Rachel explained while picking out some pants for Cody.
"And it's there that you crossed paths with Slade and his outfit?" Cody asked as he picked out a black rainproof coat.
"Some operations require help from allies, and sometimes we're after the same terrorists. So, we coordinate to ensure we don't bump into each other while on mission," Rachel answered.
She picked out some clothes for herself. Both she and Cody tried them on in dressing rooms to make sure they fit and bought them. There was a movie theater as well. They decided to see one. It was a Napoleon-era naval war movie made by humans from the surface, with lots of action. Ironically, while people couldn't go up to the surface due to Ozzy's travel ban, things still were able to find their way down to Hell. After the movie, they walked to the food court and had lunch. It's there that they talked some more.
"Why did you join Delta Force? Slade said he joined JTF2 on a dare. What was your reason for joining special forces?" Cody asked.
There was a long silence before Rachel answered, "I wanted to die."
Cody's eyes widened.
"After I thought Loona was dead, I didn't want to live anymore . . . but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So, I thought of dying while doing something meaningful like fighting terrorism. I joined the most dangerous outfit, hoping I would get killed in combat," Rachel explained and sighed heavily, "But I kept surviving and surviving, much to my dismay. Then my service with Delta was done, and I had nothing to do . . . but then Moses found me and asked me to join the Grimms, and I said okay."
"Then that's when you found out that Loona was alive," Cody finished.
Rachel nodded while looking away. Cody reached out and held her hand. She looked at him with glistening eyes.
"I'm so sorry that happened, Aunt Rachel," Cody said sincerely.
Rachel rubbed her thumb on Cody's hand. The Hellhound aunt reached out her other hand and gently held Cody's other hand. They sat there for a long while in peaceful silence, enjoying the warmth and sensation of the fingers and hands gliding and caressing over one another. Rachel asked what living with Loona after she saved him was like, and Cody asked about what Loona was like as a kid. They told story after story as they ate.
After they finished eating, they were about to head out, but the public TV showed breaking news with Katie Killjoy and Tom Trench.
Katie Killjoy: "In the last 24 hours, twelve cities and the surrounding suburban areas and small towns were viciously attacked by the VVV's army and militia. The surprise attack happened early in the morning before dawn almost simultaneously."
Tom Trench: "The Free Demon Union militia fought back as best as they could even as the army arrived to lend them support, but the fight ended with the areas falling to the VVV Legion. It is currently unknown what the death toll is, but we estimate it's roughly around 100,000, with millions homeless and at least 1.5 million missing. The Free Demon Union Army, with units of the Black Fangs and Red Feathers, are fighting to reclaim the cities."
Rachel turned to Cody to see the conflict of anger and sorrow in his face and eyes, especially when he saw footage of all the refugees. Rachel grabbed Cody's hand and took him outside. He took several deep breaths to prevent any tears from escaping his eyes. Rachel hugged him close in comfort, and Cody hugged her back. It didn't happen right away, but after a while, Cody felt better.
Rachel took Cody to the park that wasn't far from his school. The park was beautiful, with many trees, grassy fields, bushes, walk paths, winding ponds, fountains, and streetlights. It was almost like Hell's version of Central Park but prettier. The leaves on all the trees and bushes were red, while the bark was black and the grass was green. Cody and Rachel admired the beautiful scenery as they walked together. Cody didn't mind Rachel holding his hand as they used their MIST pens. Like Slade, Rachel had to spit out some of the gunk from her lungs.
"Was this war my fault?" Cody asked.
Rachel turned to her nephew, "No. Of course not."
"Do you believe that?"
"This war was going to happen sooner or later. Even if you didn't kill Valentino, it would still happen. Those civilian deaths are not on you."
Cody looked away, still feeling guilty while exhaling some MIST. Rachel pulled Cody's hand to make him closer to her, and she put an arm around his shoulder. Then she planted a kiss on his face. That was enough to make Cody smile as he put his arm around her waist.
"Let's talk about something else besides the war. So, as far as career-wise after the war, you want to do something with music, right?" Rachel asked.
Cody nodded, "Yeah. Loona doesn't want me to be in a band forever. So, I might work for a music studio or own one. Maybe make music for movies and TV shows. That'd be nice."
"Here or on the surface?"
"Probably here unless there's more opportunity up on the surface."
"Your mother will probably want it to be here so you won't be too far away. You know, moms are moms. They want to be close to their children."
"Hmm."
They walked around the park for a while, chatting, until they finally stopped to rest on a bench near a big fountain. Rachel had Cody lay down and rest his head on her lap so she could rub his head. Cody relished her gliding her fingers through his hair.
"I wanted to ask . . . are you seeing anyone?" Cody asked.
"No, and I doubt I will. I've been let down too many times, but I welcome a surprise. Why do you ask?" Rachel questioned.
Cody looked away while thinking of the right words.
"Well . . . October is coming soon. Kim and I will be fifteen. I wanted to ask what's okay for us to do," Cody said.
Rachel raised an eyebrow, then her eyes widened slightly, realizing what Cody was implying.
"You're talking sex," Rachel assumed.
"Well, I know fourth-base sex/intercourse is a no-no because we're not at the age of consent, which is 16 in Hell. However, Kim is . . . well, she's pretty straightforward. She goes after what she wants and wants to do stuff with me. So, I was wondering what we can and can't do. You know, the stuff around sex," Cody explained.
"Well, anything sexual, including oral and handjobs, is also a no-no. Teens do that stuff all the time, but it's still illegal. But anything from hugging, kissing, and making out is okay," Rachel answered.
"Hmm," Cody hummed while rubbing his chin, "What about video call?"
"Video call?"
"Yeah. Kim suggested while we're apart, we try video call sex. It's like phone sex but with video call. It's basically where we watch each other masturbate."
"Oh."
"Is that okay or . . . no?"
"I'm fairly certain that counts as sexual activity. So yeah, that's a no-no."
"Oh," Cody said with a bummed-out look.
"I'd play it safe and wait until you and Kim are 16. Now, honey, I understand you being cautious and unsure if you can have this conversation with your parents, but let me say you can talk to us about anything. I think we should have a talk about this. We don't want to make things awkward and uncomfortable, but we want you and Kim to be safe. Okay?" Rachel explained.
"Okay."
"Sweetheart, I know you and Kim want to try new things, but you two could get into serious trouble if you get caught. Plus, you're the Guardian of Hell. Your reputation is pretty important, and we don't want 'statutory rape' on your name."
"You're right. It's worth the wait."
"Exactly."
They returned home, similar to how Cody and Slade returned home. Blitzo and Slade were watching a show with Loona, and she greeted her son and sister with a hug and kiss.
"So, how did it go?" Loona asked with a smile.
"It went really good. I had a good time," Cody said.
"I'm happy to hear that. I'll get dinner ready."
As Cody sat on the couch with Blitzo and Slade, Rachel went to the kitchen to talk to Loona.
"We need to have a talk with Cody and Kim," Rachel said quietly.
"About what?" Loona asked.
"Cody was asking about what's okay and not okay before they reach the age of consent. I told him any sexual activity, he should wait until they're both 16. I think we should talk about safe sex when they reach that age. I think Fuko will want to have his say as well," Rachel explained.
Loona glanced at Cody and then back at her sister while nodding, "Okay."
The Weekend
Cody dressed nicely for his meeting with Princess Helsa at the Royale Café. The café was full of demon nobles and royals. It was fancy and definitely the place for demon nobility – decorated curtains and tablecloths, demonic statues, and waiters fully dressed as if they worked at Buckingham Palace. He wore something similar to what he wore at the ball. A dark blue outfit with golden buttons, black pants, boots, and a shiny silver shoulder cape that matched his eyes. Lucifer and Lilith sat close by at one table while Octavia sat with her father, Stolas, at another table nearby. They all gave reassuring nods as he passed them by to his assigned table.
"Princess Helsa will be along softly, my dark guardian," a waiter said.
"Thank you," Cody said as he sat down, "May I have some water, please?"
He turned to another waiter standing nearby, and he poured Cody a glass. Cody waited patiently at his table until Helsa arrived. She wore a fabulous white coat with black fur on the collar and cuffs. On the coat were silver sparkling stars. They were big around the shoulders and got smaller as they went down the torso and sleeves. Her skirt was black with white fur, and she had shiny leather boots. Her hair was long and beautiful, and her bangs covered one eye. She smiled as she walked toward Cody at the table. Cody got up to bow as the waiter declared her presence.
"Her Royal Highness, Princess Helsa of the Envy Ring and the Black Ocean Kingdom," the waiter announced.
Cody gave a gentleman's bow, and Helsa returned a lady's bow. Then she walked over and hugged Cody. Cody saw Lucifer and Lilith having mixed looks. Lilith looked away in anger while sipping her tea while Lucifer breathed a sigh as he looked back at his drink. Octavia showed a disgusted look. Stolas reached over and held her hand, giving her a look and hand gesture to calm down. Octavia inhaled sharply before eating a fancy mini quiche. Cody gently hugged her back.
"Thank you for coming to see me, Cody," Helsa said kindly.
"Of course. It's no trouble," Cody replied.
Helsa ordered bourbon pecan chicken, while Cody ordered angel hair pasta with shrimp. They talked casually at first, and then Cody asked the pending question.
"What is it you wanted to talk about privately?" Cody asked.
Helsa glanced at Cody and scanned around her before speaking quietly, "Remember when I said that things are going crazy at the kingdoms of the Envy Ring?"
Cody nodded.
"My dad is secretly a supporter of the VVV along with several other monarchs of the other kingdoms," Helsa said.
Lucifer quietly growled when he heard that. No doubt eager to want to strangle King Leviathan, Helsa's father.
"The people are outraged by this. They hate the VVV. Have you heard of Princess Eris?" Helsa asked.
Cody shook his head, "I have not. Who is she?"
"She was a princess who called out against the injustice and cruelty of the VVV. She went to the people to rally for justice . . . and her father, the king, executed her. He killed her the same way Joan of Arc was killed – burned at the stake for defiance," Helsa explained.
Cody's eyes widened, and a cold chill crawled up his spine.
"The king did that? To his own daughter?" Cody questioned.
Helsa nodded, "Yes, and the people fought back. The kingdom is falling right now. No one knows where the king is; the people are still hunting him down. Cody, the other princesses, and myself are forming an alliance. We're calling it 'The Princess Rebellions.' We will fight back against the kings and monarchs to reclaim our kingdoms. We won't support the VVV Legion anymore."
Cody looked away slightly in deep thought. A part of him felt like he had misjudged her. There was more to Helsa than meets the eye. He had no idea that she wanted to start a revolution against the injustice happening in her and the other kingdoms of the Envy Ring.
"That's . . . pretty amazing. But these are people monarchs, Helsa. They're powerful. You should tread carefully," Cody said.
"That's why we're organizing. We're planning. We know we need to strike with precision. We're going to appeal to the people to give them better kingdoms," Helsa replied.
"Where do I come in all this?" Cody asked.
"Cody, these people HATE the VVV Legion, but they are no friends of the Union. There's only one thing they truly believe in."
Cody breathed a heavy sigh, knowing where it was going.
"Me," Cody guessed.
"Dingo-Bingo," Helsa answered before she got up, "Walk with me."
Cody glanced at her and his friends. He gave the waiter his black card to pay for the food. The waiter checked out the food and was grateful for the tip. As they walked, Cody quietly cast a hearing spell so the others would hear what he was hearing. The Royale Café had a grand garden in the back with a vast array of exotic flowers and plants. The café was beside a river, and its garden was their attempt to make it similar to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Next to the café were hotels and a casino. The garden was beautiful, in a hellish and scary way. Helsa had an arm around Cody's arm as they walked.
"Why do people believe in me and not the Free Demon Union? I fight for the Union. I'm on their side. So, how can they believe and not the Union?" Cody asked.
"You see, Cody, these people have worked with their hands through blood, sweat, and tears. They're peasants. Labors. The kings live off of their labor. The Goetia Family leads the Union, and the last thing the people want to do is bow down to another monarch or different bureaucracy. They want to be independent. They believe in you because you did something impossible. You killed an all-powerful Overlord. They think you are the impossible. That's why you give them hope . . . and it's also because you're human. You're not Goetia," Helsa explained.
Cody nodded, "I see. So, you want me to kill the corrupt kings and monarchs supporting the VVV?"
"No, the other princesses and I have to kill them. If you kill them, then they'll never listen to us. If we kill them, we'll earn their respect. We need you to support us so they'll listen to us. If they see you siding with us, the people will court our favor in our cause."
"Ah . . . I see. And if you win them over, you can convince them not to fight the Union, right?"
"You got it, baby."
"You're really willing to fight against your father?" Cody asked.
"My father is a bastard who betrayed our kingdom and the Eldritch family long ago. He's a stain on our name and honor," Helsa answered.
"What about your mother and brother, Seviathan?"
"My mother's onboard with rebelling against my father. My brother likes fast women and slow horses, so he's a worthless fool. He could live a thousand lifetimes and never be half the man you are."
Cody raised his eyebrows. Clearly, she had no love for her father, King Leviathan, or her brother, Prince Seviathan. She still had a connection with her mother, Queen Bethesda.
Cody and Helsa stopped to admire the view and scenery. The plants, the river, the sky, and the clouds were all so pretty. Helsa hugged Cody's arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. Wanting to stay on her good side, Cody allowed it. She had a peaceful and relaxed smile on her face. Cody couldn't help but admire her beauty but reminded himself of his girlfriend, Kim.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Helsa spoke.
Cody nodded, "It is."
"Have you ever been to the Envy Ring?"
"I haven't."
"You should see it. The oceans are gorgeous, and the sea life makes the seas up on the surface look like amateur hour."
"I hope I see . . . but this war continues to be a complicated one. I am truly not sure how this will end."
Helsa lifted her head, gently turned Cody to face her, and gave him a serious look.
"Tell me what's on your mind, Cody. I opened up to you. Now it's your turn to open up to me, and I told you before that you can trust me," Helsa stated.
Cody glanced back at the water while thinking. Helsa did have a point. She shared very sensitive information that could have killed her if Cody snitched on her. She gave him trust, and he should give her some in return.
'There's no way she's with the I.S.N.A. or the Neo Templars, so it's okay to talk to her about that. Plus, Ozzy did announce them when he declared the travel ban to the surface. So, she's bound to have heard about them,' Cody thought.
Cody sighed, "Well, I'm fighting the VVV Legion while also having to deal with the I.S.N.A."
"Those zealot people hunting demons? They're the reason why Ozzy put the travel ban to the surface, right?" Helsa asked.
"That's right . . . and they tried to kill my brother and my pregnant sister-in-law."
Helsa's eyes widened, and she asked very seriously, "What?"
"They wanted me, but my brother told them to fuck off. So, they attacked and tried to burn him and his wife out of their house. My sister-in-law got out fine, but my brother lost an arm and a leg and got burned all over. A doctor scientist was able to heal his burnt flesh and install mechanical limbs for my brother, Tommy," Cody explained.
"Holy sweet Satan. Cody . . . that's terrible," Helsa breathed.
"I also gave him some of my blood to enhance his body, making him stronger and faster," Cody said and sighed, "But Tommy wants blood. He wants revenge, and he's a fighter. He won't quit until they're all dead."
"Well, I say let him hunt. The more of the I.S.N.A. dead, the better, and not just for him, but for everyone," Helsa said.
"Yeah, but I'm just . . . I'm just worried that this dark path will change him. Plus, I don't want his unborn child to live in a world without his father . . . but I can't worry about everything at once. I have to take things one step at a time," Cody stated.
Helsa gently tapped his cheek, "Atta boy. That's right. If I worried about everything happening in my life, I'd be pulling my hair out by now out of madness."
After a short while, Cody asked a question.
"How many princesses are in on this rebellion you're organizing?" Cody asked.
"Right now, seven. We're hoping for more, but thankfully, we did get Olivia to join us," Helsa answered.
That caught Cody's attention, as did his friends who were listening.
"Wait, Olivia? Princess Olivia Elvesis? The Blood Princess of Hell? Daughter of the Blood King?" Cody asked.
Helsa smiled, "You've heard of her."
"Yeah, I've heard of her and the vampires of the Dark Star Kingdom. Legend has it that they're related to Count Dracula."
Helsa shrugged, "I don't know about that, but I do know that she's powerful. Some say she might be a prodigy in dark magic, but I think it's too soon to tell. She's only fifteen."
"Hmm," Cody nodded, "Well, Helsa, when you need me, I'll be there to rally the people. The people may believe in me, but I still fight for the Union . . . and it's better not to have them as an enemy. You and the other princesses do whatever you need to do, but be careful. Be patient and strike when the time's right."
Helsa nodded, "I will. In the meantime, you be careful as well. This war is becoming more destructive by the week. And remember—"
Helsa leaned in and whispered into Cody's ear.
"—know who you can trust. You can trust me, Cody . . . but watch your back around the others, especially Charlie."
With that, they gave a goodbye hug. Helsa kissed his cheek, and Cody kissed her hand like a gentleman. He walked down the street and got in the limo with Lucifer, Lilith, Stolas, and Octavia. They talked as the car drove away.
"How'd I do?" Cody asked.
"I say you did brilliant. Nicely done. She trusts you completely," Olivia answered.
"This just keeps getting better and better. I haven't seen a war this entertaining since the French Revolution," Lucifer smirked.
"Helsa wants to rebel against her father? 'The Princess Rebellions?' And Princess Olivia, the Blood Princess, is in on it?" Lilith asked.
Cody nodded, "Yes, my dark queen."
"You're not in on this, too, are you?" Stolas asked Via.
"No, of course not. She didn't reach out to me, and I don't expect her to," Octavia answered.
They arrived at I.M.P. headquarters, where everyone else was waiting: Loona, Slade, Kim, Blitzo, Tommy, and all their friends. Cody walked in, inhaling and exhaling his MIST pen.
"What did she want?" Loona asked.
Cody exhaled some MIST, "Helsa wants to start a rebellion with the other princesses against the kings of the Envy Ring, including her father, who rules all of the Envy Ring. They're doing this to avenge Princess Eris, who was burned at the stake by her own father. Helsa needs me to rally the people because they believe in me. If I support her in her and the other princesses' cause, the Free Demon Union will have more allies than enemies."
"Whoa, I had no idea," Moxxie spoke.
"She didn't strike me as a revolutionary," Millie added.
"Nor me," Kimi said.
"I guess we never know a book until we start reading," Shadow said.
"I still don't like it," Loona said, crossing her arms.
"We don't have to. We just have to play along. The Envy Ring has a lot of people who hate the VVV but aren't chums with the Union. They believe in the Guardian of Hell. Unifying them on our side will tip the odds in our favor," Lilith pointed out.
"If we can control the oceans of the Envy Ring, there goes the VVV Legion's supply line," Stolas added.
"But why does Helsa keep telling Cody he can't trust anyone but her? She's trying to get too close to him for my liking," Kim said while crossing her arms.
"She mentioned Charlie specifically. Did something big and bad happen between her and Helsa?" Cody asked.
"They didn't get along in high school. Charlie always described her as the mean girl bitch at school. You know, head cheerleader asshole bully type. Charlie fought back and didn't take her shit. So, they were enemies, but after graduation, they went their separate ways," Lucifer explained.
"But she's still holding a grudge against Charlie if she's saying she can't be trusted. Charlie doesn't seem like the hurtful type. So, what the fuck happened between them?" Tommy asked.
Vortex stepped forward, "Maybe she used to trust Charlie, but something happened, and it affected her. Maybe Charlie did something indirectly and realized it too late. I'm not pointing fingers, but something happened to Helsa that made her paranoid and made her distrust people. Trust is a fragile thing, and it's hard to rebuild."
"Then why is she digging her claws in my son and trying to get inside his head?" Loona asked.
"Cody may be her golden ticket to real change in the Envy Ring. He's unique, special, and very powerful. Plus, she is right about people believing in him. Having the people on your side is a powerful tool and weapon," Slade said.
"So, what's the play for Cody? Rally the people when she needs him?" Fuko asked.
Lucifer nodded, "Yeah, that's right. For now, he'll play ball, but our main goal of killing the VVV still stands."
Cody's phone rang, but it was the phone that Gestas had given him. Cody got chills when he saw that the caller ID was him. He glanced at the others before answering it. Everyone else looked at him silently with pensive looks.
"Hey, it's me (pause) Wait, what? (long pause) No . . . when? (long pause) Okay, I'll tell them. Thanks for letting me know," Cody said before hanging up.
"Cody, what that?" Slade asked.
Cody didn't answer. He walked over to the front desk, leaned forward on it, and took several deep breaths, which concerned everyone.
"Cody?" Loona spoke.
She went over and massaged his shoulders motherly. Tommy walked over along with Blitzo.
"Cody? What is it?" Tommy questioned.
Cody stood up straight and faced everyone.
"What?" Blitzo asked.
"Melman and Mikey's parents are dead," Cody answered.
Everyone turned to him wide-eyed. Some of the girls gasped.
"They died in a shootout with the I.S.N.A. in Hamburg, Germany yesterday. They said they couldn't find the bodies of Melman's parents, but most sources confirmed their deaths. The Grimms are trying to get the bodies of Mikey's parents."
"Christ on a fucking stick," Blitzo spoke.
The whole room was silent for the longest time.
"So, that means Melman and Mikey are orphans now," Moxxie said.
"That's right," Stolas said.
"What's going to happen to the boys now?" Octavia asked.
Cody thought for the longest time and then asked Lucifer and Stolas a question.
"Loona adopted me. Stolas arranged all the paperwork. Could Charlie adopt Mikey, and could Crystal and Serena adopt Melman?" Cody asked.
"Well, Crystal and Serena live in Howler Haven. Their law states that people must be in a domestic partnership in order to adopt someone," Stolas answered.
Fuko stepped forward, "What like they have to get married?"
"Not necessarily. You can be a domestic partner with someone without any romantic involvement. If Crystal and Serena become domestic partners, they can legally adopt Melman. However, with Mikey, it's different," Stolas explained.
"Why's that?" Loona asked.
"Our daughter is a princess. She would have to marry. Then once she adopts Mikey, that automatically makes him a prince of Hell," Lilith answered.
"We should talk with Charlie, Vaggie, and Mikey to see what they want before making a decision. We'll wait until Melman completes his training before hearing the news . . . but I'll have to break the news to Mikey," Cody sighed.
"We'll go with you," Kim stated.
Meanwhile
Melman's training continued successfully. He meditated, feeling and harnessing the energy around him. He was able to use the magic of the elements: water/ice, fire, earth, wind, light, and darkness. He mastered it beautifully.
Most werewolves' final test was crossing the woods and reaching the great lake. However, Winona believed he was worthy of acceptance by the Great Wolf spirit. So, she had him climb the mountain. The high mountain where its summit was close to the magical Northern Lights of the Spirit Realm. The mountain was dangerous, and evil spirits and creatures lived there. To Winona's surprise, he killed and defeated them in his werewolf form and used magic without any difficulty.
When Melman got to the summit, it was breathtaking. The stars and Northern Lights looked like they were just out of reach. Within the lights were spirits of animals running and flying free. Melman was blown away and left in awe as he gazed upon it all wide-eyed. Then, a giant black wolf with glowing green eyes walked over to Melman. He looked the boy right in the eye, staring at him for the longest time. Then he howled, and it was long and loud, echoing through the silent mountain range.
His light shined brighter. Then his energy flowed straight into Melman's chest, and he could feel it coursing through him. When it was over, Melman slowly stood up straight, staring at his hands, feeling the power and the Great Wolf Spirit within him.
"He is part of you now, Melman. The Great Wolf Spirit is part of you. Should you ever him in your darkest time, he'll be there to destroy your enemies," Winona said.
"Great . . . so what happens now?" Melman asked.
"Now you can go home. You have finished your training."