Helluva Boss: The Human And The

Hellhound
By: lightningspark1999

Have you ever wondered if demons really existed? If so, are they just like
they say they are? Well, no, they're actually way worse. Meet Zack Trevle,
age 21, the first human to grace hell… ALIVE!

Status: complete

Published: 2021-04-05

Updated: 2021-11-12

Words: 128386

Chapters: 25

Rated: Fiction M - Language: English - Genre: Mystery/Adventure -

Characters: OC, Loona, Moxie, Blitzo - Reviews: 112 - Favs: 224 -
Follows: 235

Original source: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13855434/1/Helluva-Boss-

The-Human-And-The-Hellhound

Exported with the assistance of FicHub.net

Helluva Boss: The Human And The
Hellhound
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
A Special Thanks
Chapter 1
Chapter 1: A Hit Job Gone Wrong

The clock struck 10:35 AM, as the sound of bustling citizens went on
about their daily lives on New York City streets. Every person had a
purpose, a reason, or maybe even a job that they were off to take
care of. 'The city that never sleeps' is what they called it, and for
good reason. Now for those that didn't need to leave their homes to
get to their jobs were the ones who needn't worry about the
overcrowding sidewalks and traffic jams, a lot like our normal hero.

In the precinct of New York known as 'Hell's Kitchen', lived a normal,

ordinary young man. He had short, sharp-looking black hair, tan skin,
and hazel-brown eyes. His height, around 5'8, and his build was that
of a medium-sized adult, though he was slightly scrawny. He let out
a soft sigh, as he stood in front of the kitchen counter, waiting for his
every-morning caramel coffee to finish brewing. The machine began
to sputter slightly which caused his face to scrunch up in annoyance.

"Damn it, it's doing it again…" he pressed the button to turn it off and
pulled out the coffee mug filled low-grade coffee-like water, "Looks
like I better get a new coffee maker..again."

He let out a soft groan, as he took a sip from the coffee mug. He let
grimaced, but continued drinking it anyway. With his mug in hand, he
headed off to the back where an office resided, complete with a dark,
oak-wood desk, an HP laptop, a stack of papers and notebooks, and
a lamp that sat at the far left corner. His own in-home office, one
where spent countless hours writing and brainstorming. His
occupation, if you didn't already know, was that of an author. He
wasn't famous or a big-wig, but was very successful for being only
21. His books were mostly mystery-fantasy novels, some of them
even having a hint of romance. Funny, considering he never even
experienced something like 'romance' before.
His footsteps rang through the room, as he walked to his swivel chair
and took a seat in it, stretching himself a bit. The last thing he
needed to do was finish up the ending, to which he still didn't know
himself how he would tie up the final events of the mystery. He had
always been good at planning a story from finish to end, but for
some reason, he had a slight bit of trouble with this one.

"Hmm… maybe I should end it with a failed attempt at suicide? Nah,

that's too played out. Maybe the culprit will pull out a detonator and
threaten to-" he shook his head, an annoyed and disheartened look
forming on his face, "Too out of the blue. It needs to make sense…"

He grunted, obviously pissed at his inability to do his job. He stood

up and walked out to his balcony, as he stared out his apartment and
at the people walking out on the streets. His eyes watched as the
many people walked from place to place, some with families and
some by themselves. He smiled softly, as he leaned against the
railing, enjoying the wind against his skin. Even if these issues
happened with his writing, he could always count on the relaxing
view to help his writer's block.

"Hey Zack! Down here!"

Zack looked down, his eyes instantly landing on an elderly man with
dark skin and grey hair, who was wearing a pair of grey slacks and a
red, plaid-patterned shirt. He was probably around his 80's. Zack
smiled, knowing full and well who he was.

"Morning Morris. How's the shop treating yah?" he called back,

waving at him.

"A hassle, but still a great success. You havin' a bit of trouble with
your book? You're out on your balcony again." Morris said, causing
Zack to chuckle lightly. He knew him so well, almost like an uncle or
a really close friend.

"Yeah, you got me. I can't seem to get the final act finished up. It's
like the outline I wrote didn't help with the actual events of the story."
"Well, don't fret over it. You usually get done with your books ahead
of time, so why not take a break?" Morris' eyes narrowed, as he
stared up at him suspiciously, "I know for a fact that you haven't
been sleeping as much as you should, Mr. Caramel Coffee."

Zack smiled awkwardly, as the words 'He knows' popped into his
head.

"R-Right right, good idea. I'll be sure to relax. And you do so too, I
know you're still fit and kicking but you're still old."

Morris let out a hearty laugh, to which Zack joined him on. This was
a consistent thing with the two. Every morning and every night, they
would talk to each other, check up on their daily lives, and even
make small talk, most of which was just about news or articles in the
paper. Morris snapped his fingers, as he stared back at Zack.

"Oh yeah, did you see CNN last night? Apparently, another person
got killed. Said that it was also unexplained."

Zack blinked in surprise, as he leaned froward more on the balcony.

Things like this always intrigued him, which was fitting for a mystery
writer.

"Really? What was the cause of death this time? Drowning, sniper,
samurai sword?"

"Nope. This time, it was like he was clawed and mauled to death. He
wasn't eaten, but he had bite marks on his neck and claw marks on
his body." he replied, causing Zack to wince.

"Fuckin' hell… That's definitely a horrible way to die. This would

make the fifth death this week, right? You think they're connected
somehow?" Zack asked. Morris only shrugged in thought.

"Don't think so. It'd be pretty odd for all these people to get killed.
Maybe it's just an unlucky month this year."
Zack couldn't help but stare out in thought. Multiple deaths, none of
the, connected, each spanning about a day or two apart from each
other. It was, without a doubt, something that peaked his curiosity.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask, do you know any… what's the word…
cosplayers?"

Zack tilted his head in confusion, before shaking it to the side.

"No, you know I only talk to you. Why?"

"Well, some weird lookin' people were asking for you. Now I may be
old, but even I could tell they were off, so I just gave them some
address on the other side of New York. They were probably just
door-to-door salesmen." he answered.

After a few more minutes, the two said their goodbyes and went
about their business. Zack closed the sliding door to his balcony and
sat at his desk again, determined to finish up his work.

Hours went by, and the sun started to set, the city glowing in the light
of the orange sun. The office was filled with the sound of Zack's light
snoring, his head laying on his arms that rested on his desk. His
snoring, however, would soon be flooded out with the sound of a
strange, fire like ring, that appeared on the left side of the room.
Zack's head shot up, as the sound got louder and the room seemed
to get hotter and strangely tense.

"What?! What's going on?! What's happening?!" he shouted, as he

quickly got to his feet and jogged to the door of his office. He
stopped just outside, as he slightly cracked the door, letting him see
into his office.

"What the hell is that thing?! A portal?! Unless this is Portal 3, this
should not be happening!" He thought, as his skin began to seep
with a nervous and fearful sweat. His eyes darted to the portal
entrance, as a set of four figures stepped out. Zack let out a silent
gasp, as he stared at the intruders.
One of them was a red-skinned, strange-looking creature with large
white and black striped horns, a devil-like tail, yellow eyes, and white
splotches on his face. He was wearing a black suit with red buttons,
with red cowboy boots.It almost looked male. Another also had red
skin and a tail, this one only having 3 white freckles on his cheeks,
with white hair, yellow eyes, and black and white striped horns. It
was wearing a suit as well, this one wearing a red bow-tie. It also
seemed to be male. The third one was, you guessed it, red-skinned,
with a single mole on it's right cheek, a couple of white splotches on
it's arms and tail, and was wearing some black lipstick. It had black
hair, and solid black horns. It was wearing a black shirt with yellow
buttons and a pair of black pants. This one, however, seemed to be
female. The last one was definitely the odd one out. She seemed to
be a white anthropomorphic wolf with white fur, white long hair, red
eyes and sharp claws and fangs. She was wearing a pair of black
shorts, and a ripped dark grey shirt that exposed her stomach, some
black finger-less gloves, and black knee-socks that exposed her
canine toes.

Zack's eyes widened in disbelief, as he rubbed them, trying his best

to wake himself up from what he assumed was a dream. To his
surprise, it was certainly real.

"What are those things?! Demons, aliens, fursuiters?!" He screamed

internally. The cowboy-boots wearing creature looked around the
room, as he brushed his coat with his hands.

"Here we are! 'Bout time too, we shoulda found this place hours
ago." he said with an oddly optimistic bravado. The white-haired
creature scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Maybe next time we can ask someone who actually knows target." it
said with a very apparent annoyance. Zack gulped down a fear-filled
lump in his throat, as he stared at the intruders, his heart beating a
mile a minute.

"Target? What do they mean by target…?" He whispered to himself.

The four intruders began to really take in the room, each one
touching and inspecting the miscellaneous objects that littered his
desk. The female demon sat at the desk, her eyes glancing at the
computer screen.

"Oooh, what do we have here?" she said, as her eyes traveled down
the screen. Zack huffed, as he stared her down, praying that she
didn't hit any buttons. The leader of the group walked to her side and
began to read with her. After a few seconds, he let out a chuckle.

"Huh, must be a writer. We don't get many of those types of targets.

Shame he won't finish this."

Zack's heart stopped. What did he mean by 'he won't finish this'?
What was he after. The only thing he could think of, was that they
were here to-

Zack let out a silent gasp, as he slowly backed up and away from the
door. He had to get away, had to run as quick and as far as he
possibly could. In his shock and fear, he soon backed up to far and
bumped into his ugly vase. His face turned while with horror, as the
glass decoration crashed into the ground breaking into pieces. He let
out an audible gulp, as the door to his office opened, his eyes staring
directly into the eyes of the white canine. She smirked evilly and
stepped closer to him, her claws almost shining in the house's light.

"Blitzo, I think I found the lucky guy." she growled out, her body
slowly following Zack's.

"Great, mind holding him down for us?" said the leader demon, now
known as Blitzo. Zack started to sweat, as he backed up further until
he was against the kitchen counter. He started to pant, his heart was
beating a mile a minute. He had to get out, but first, he had to deal
with her.

"W-Wait, wait, hold on. Can I just ask you something?" He sputtered,
as his hands gripped the counter. The wolf tilted her head, as she let
out a slightly annoyed huff.
"Sure, fine, what is it?"

"You like coffee?" Zack asked, as he reached behind him, grabbing

the semi-warm coffee cup and swiftly threw the contents on to the
canine, blinding her for a second. Using the opportunity, he slammed
the cup against her head, knocking her down to the floor with a solid
thud. "It's caramel!"

With that taunt shouted, he grabbed his skateboard and bolted out of
the apartment and down the stairs on to the streets of New York. The
three demons ran out of his office and over to the canine, a bit of
worry spread on most of their faces.

"Loonie, are you okay sweetie!?" Blitzo asked the canine known as
Loona, as he helped her to her feet. Within seconds, Loona's face
grew red with rage, as she punched a hole into the counter with all of
her might.

"That. fucking. human. HE'S FUCKING DEAD!" she screamed, as

she bolted out of the apartment after him, leaving the three demons
standing in Zack's kitchen. The three stood in silence, most likely not
seeing this job going down this way.

"Should we… go after her?" the white-haired demon asked.

"Nah, she's got it. Not many can get away from her when she's
angry. Let's raid this guy's fridge instead." Blitzo answered, as he
walked to his fridge.

"Ooh, dibs on the ice cream!!" the female demon called out.

As Zack rolled down the street on his trust skateboard, his mind was
working on overtime. His thoughts filled his mind, each one
spawning questions upon questions upon questions.

"How is this happening?! What were those things, demons?!"he

rubbed his chin, as he passed by the shops and homes of the area,
"And that portal.. it seemed like a pentagram, right? That usually
shows up when demons and hellish stuff is in the mix. They were out
to get me though, but why? Were they hired?"

Zack shook his head, as he took a phew deep breaths. Stressing

about it wouldn't do him any good. In fact, it'd only distract him from
the task at hand, which was getting the hell out of danger and away
from those creeps.

"No use thinking about it now. I should head to Central Park, I can
hide there for a whil-"

"YOU FUCKING BIIIIIIIIITCH!!!" Zack's eyes widened, as he looked

over his shoulder. His heart stopped for a whole second, as he
gazed upon the crazy, white-furred monster that was already
barreling towards him at full speed.

"Oh shit, she's going Sonic 2 speedrunner!!"

"GET BACK HER YOU MOTHER FUCKER!! I'LL FLOSS MY

FUCKING TEETH WITH YOUR SPINE!!"

Zack let out an comically girlish scream, as he pushed himself off

faster, his hair flowing in the wind from the speed of his board.

"Listen we can talk this out! If this is about hitting you in the head
then that was my mistake, I'm sooooo sorry!!"

"OH DON'T WORRY, I FORGIVE YOU!! THAT'S WHY I'M ONLY

GONNA KICK YOUR ASS FOR 5 HOURS INSTEAD OF 50!!" Loona
screamed with rage. Zack shrieked, as he turned left into an alley,
hopping that he could at least get to somewhere more populated to
lose here.

Big.

Fucking.

Mistake.
Zack skidded to a halt, as his sight was filled with the image of a
brick wall. He ran into a dead in, and there was no fire escape or
open door that he could go into.

"Fuck…"

He tensed when he heard the sound of footsteps followed by heavy

breathing and snarling. He slowly turned around, his eyes growing
as big as saucers from the fear of his impending demise. Loona only
seemed to get big with each slow step, she had to be at least a foot
taller than him, and that alone was enough to put Zack on edge. He
didn't even realize that he was moving back until his back hit the
brick wall behind him.

10 feet, 8 feet, 6 feet; closer and closer she got, until she was mere
inches away from him. His heart pounded against his rib-cage and
his breathing grew heavy. He smiled nervously, as he stared up into
her eyes.

"U-Um, listen, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Hi, I'm Zack, I'm
an author. N-Nice to meet you, um, Ms.-"

"You're. Dead."

"N-Nice name, I think my mother had a c-cousin with the same one."

She gripped his neck and pinned him to the wall, her claws poking
into his throat. His eyes landed on her sharp teeth, each one coated
in her drool. His thoughts soon drifted to the sight of his blood
coating them instead, as his knees trembled. Loona smirked, as she
watched her prey cower in her clawed hand.

"Got to admit, you caught me off guard, but you're not gonna get
away this ti-" her taunt was cut short, as the sound of an M9 Pistol
rung through the area, the bullet hitting wall behind Zack. They're
eyes widened with shock, as the looked out the alley to see who
fired at them. As if things couldn't get any worse, it was actually
multiple people, all of them human, who flooded the alley, each one
carrying a firearm of some sort. Zack glanced at Loona, his face now
showing more annoyance than fear.

"Seriously? You brought more people just for me? Over-dramatic

much?"

Loona grunted, as she let his neck go and pulled a large trash can in
front of them, shielding the two from the spray of bullets that the
unexpected guests fired.

"Now they're shooting at both of us!? Great, just great! All I wanted
was to finish up my mystery, but no, I had to deal with a bunch of
freaks trying to kill me, and now another bunch of freaks is joining in
on the fun! It's as if I-" before Zack could even finish, Loona game
him a swift punch to the back of his head, shutting him up. She
growled in anger, as she quickly ran out into the fray, shocking him.
All that he could hear was the sounds of scream, ripping, tearing,
and gunshots, before silence was ultimately heard. With an audible
gulp, Zack peeked his head from behind the trash bin, seeing the
alley littered with blood, body parts, and torn clothes.

"Holy shit… Doom Eternal 2 just came early…"

His thoughts were cut short, as Loona looked back at him, her body
and clothes covered in the poor human's blood. She huffed in
annoyance, as she stared at him.

"Now, back to yo-" One last shot was heard, this one coming from
the street. This shot however, met its mark, grazing Loona's left
should. She yelped in pain, as she fell on to her rear and gripped her
wound. Zack gasped as he stood to his feet, feeling both relieved
and worried for the wounded canine. The sound of steps and shouts
could be heard, as more of the human gunmen approached the alley
and, in turn, Loona.

Zack needed a plan. If he could just slip away, he could get to

Central Park and hide out there for awhile until things blew over. He
would need a way to get past them though. He searched the area,
hopping for something to get him the distraction he needed. He then
spotted a dead human, his hand gripping a cylindrical object with a
pin in it.

"A flash grenade! That's perfect!" he whisper-shouted, as he quickly

took his opportunity to grab the grenade. With it, he could get out of
there no problem. It would be tight, but he'd have just the right
amount of time to run and get into another alley not far from there to
escape and ditch the assailants. He nodded his head in agreement
to his own plan and curled his finger around the pin. He started to
pull, but stopped. His eyes slowly drifted to Loona, who was leaning
against the wall behind a trash can, the men coming closer to her
hiding spot.

"Oh no… No no no, you are not doing that. She tired to kill you
remember?! She'll try it again!" He screamed to himself. He bit his
lip, as doubt and worry gnawed at his judgement. Would he help, or
just leave her? Would she kill him if he did? He groaned, as he
pulled the pin and threw the grenade out toward the group. Without
any time to react, the grenade went off in the men's faces, blinding
and deafening them, their shouts and curses filling the small alley.
Without a second thought, he ran towards Loona and grabbed her
left wrist, pulling her on to her feet and out of the alley.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?!"

"Getting us out of here! Now come on, Central Park isn't far, we can
hide there!"

Without giving a second thought, the two bolted down the streets of
New York, hiding in large crowds of people and taking shortcuts
through side-streets and alleys, even some backyards. All the while,
Zack's mind only filled with him making out a certain list…

"I leave all my Dragonball Z Cards to Morris's Grandson, and my

Nintendo Switch to the mailman-"

*Yes's Roundabout Plays*

To Be Continued…
Chapter 2
Chapter 2: My Killer Is A Hellhound, Right?

It didn't take long for the young human man Zack to get to his
destination, even with the hellhound woman Loona being dragged
along with him. Central Park wasn't terribly far from their location, it
with the multitude of shortcuts, alleyways, and backyards that they
crossed through, their time wasn't long at all. The moment they
arrived however, their unwanted guests were already approaching
Central Park. Without a moment to lose, the assailants entered into
the park, each one of them holding a weapon if destruction and
death. As they searched the area for the two, Zack was watching
them from a special and secret cave, hidden behind tall grass and
bushes. With a soft sigh of relief, he made his way back into the
cavern, where a confused and slightly battered Loona sat.

"Looks like those guys followed us, but it doesn't seem like they
noticed us hide in here. We should be safe for the time being." he
said, as he took a seat across from her. His eyes glanced at her
wound, a slight bit of blood dripping from it. "Are you gonna be okay?
That wound looks kinda painful."

She stared at him as if he had grown a second head, maybe even a

third.

"None of your fuckin' business dumbass." she replied, her words

seeping with a venomous undertone.

With a awkward smile, Zack leaned closer to her, his eyes locked on
her womb. It wasn't deep, but it would cause issues if it wasn't
patched up. There was no telling how long they'd be their too, so it
was a dilemma that Zack couldn't help but worry about. He huffed in
determination, as he pulled off his hoodie and placed it beside him.
Loona watched him cautiously, as he soon took his undershirt off
and ripped a piece of it it, before he began wrapping the strip of
material around her damaged arm. She flinched, before quickly
bringing her clawed hand to Zack's neck, her eyes filled with rage.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?! Don't even think about trying
to-"

"Shush, they'll hear us. Calm down, okay? I'm not gonna hurt you,
I'm just trying to patch you up. I promise." he said, as he slowly
finished his primitive patchwork, making sure that he didn't make any
sudden movements. He couldn't help but find it funny, the situation
seeming as if he was trying to help a wild beast that instantly saw
him as a threat, due to her sense of danger rising. Only difference,
was that he was helping what was essentially every furry's fantasy.
The moment he finished, he slowly backed up to his original spot, a
slightly frightened smile on his face.

"See? I told you, I wasn't gonna hurt you. You should get that
patched up with a real first-aid kit though."

She rolled her eyes, finding his misplaced and mundane kindness to
be not only an annoyance, but just downright stupid in general.

"Yeah, whatever. I didn't ask for you help now and I didn't before, so
don't expect me to say thanks."

"Trust me, I didn't expect one to begin with." Zack thought to himself,
as he let out an awkward chuckle. Now that he was slightly calm and
a bit closer to her, his eyes began to study her appearance and
disposition. One thing that Zack did when he ran into people was
study them. Nothing that would be deemed stalker-ish, but normal
things, like how they dressed, their attitudes, and sometimes even
their nationality and race; However, it would be more like species in
this case, considering that Zack wasn't even sure what she even
would be classified as.

"She seems to dress in dark, slightly revealing clothes. Must mean

that she's considered 'goth' by most. Attitude and character trait,
most likely a tsundere, and she has an 'I know I'm a bitch' sorta
attitude." He thought, as his eyes trailed down her silver-furred arms
and legs. "Claws, and I bet those teeth of hers are more like fangs.
Could she be the one that killed that other guy? Seems more than
likely..so then why did she save me from those guys..?"

He looked back up at her face, her blood-red and silver-white eyes

staring out at nothing in particular, his own eyes analyzing her
thoroughly. So many questions danced in his head, and his curiosity
was growing with each ticking second. He had to know what was
going on, and the first thing to do was start off with introductions.

With a nervous cough, he soon spoke, "Um, so anyway, I'm Zack

Trevle, nice to meet-"

"I didn't ask." she interrupted, making Zack's nervousness skyrocket.

"Uh, a-ha, right you didn't. Er, might I ask what your name is?"

Her eyes cut over to him so fast that it almost seemed like she was
cutting the air. He could almost feel the menacing aura surrounding
her, causing him to sweat from fear. She huffed in apparent
annoyance, as she turned to fully look at him.

"It's Loona. Better memorize it, because I'm not telling you again."

Loona; a fitting name for what seemed to be a werewolf. He

wondered if it was Luna with a U, or Loona with two O's, though he
decided against asking her that. One question down, about a few
dozen more to go. He looked around the cave, as he tried his best
not to stare at her in curiosity and interest.

"Sooooo, uh, mind if we address the elephant in the room?" he

asked. Loona tapped her clawed finger on the rocky ground, her
eyes growing dark with contempt.

"If this motherfucker doesn't stop talking…"

She let out a loud huff, as she waved her hand at him, "Fine,
whatever, what is it?"

"Great, so uh, here's a question; why are you a werewolf? Why were
you trying to kill me? Who were those other guys? Are you the one
who is responsible for the multiple murders recently? Are you really
a fe-" before he could finish the next question, his stomach was met
with a swift kick from Loona, leaving him winded.

"I'm not here to answer every damn question you have! Tch, no point
in even telling you my name anyway, considering that you'll be dead
anyway."

Zack looked at her in a mixture if shock and pain, as he rubbed his

sore stomach.

"First of all, ow. Second, so you were trying to kill me before… and
due to the fact that I've never met you or even seen, uh, whatever
you are in my life, that must mean you're the serial killer that's been
on the news recently."

Loona raised an eyebrow at him. Serial killer? That was the first she
was called that, maybe because not many people even knew of her
existence, and if they did, they were promptly told to keep their
mouths shut, lest they want their life ended quickly.

"Huh, I guess you can say that. Though I'm not sure that a serial
killer matches my job description. I'm a contract killer, not some
fucked-up, mental teen with daddy issues."

"Okay, that's kinda harsh. She definitely has no filter…" Zack thought
to himself.

"So, if you're a contract killer, then that means somebody hired you
to off me, right? If that's the case, who would want me dead?! I
haven't done anything to anybody!" he exclaimed, his heart beating
faster at the realization of the situation. Loona shrugged, as she
leaned against the wall, her left leg resting on her right knee.
"Beats me. Blitzo doesn't care, I don't care, nobody cares. We just
do the job and get paid, plain and simple."

Zack blinked in confusion at the foreign name. Must have been one
of the other intruders from before. With a slight nod or his head, he
leaned against the wall, his mind processing what had been told to
him, minimal though it may be.

"I see… So, that means you're a wolf contract killer? Talk about a
strange turn of events."

Loona grunted, as she glared at him, her fur and hair slightly
standing on end.

"I'm not a wolf, I'm a hellhound. Tch, dumbass."

Zack's eyes widened, as he stared at her in disbelief. If she was a

hellhound, then that meant that she was some sort of demon, which
would make those red creatures imps. Add that with the strange
pentagram portal that he saw, and the answer was as clear as day.
She was a contract killer demon from hell.

"So, you're a demon from hell?! B-But that's impossible, demons

don't exist, right?! That's just folklore and ghost stories!" he shouted,
as he began to sweat profusely.

Loona scoffed at his dramatic display. She was used to having

people freak out over that fact, but she still found it funny that his
mind was dead set on that fact and not the fact that his life was
gonna end soon.

"Well, apparently, they aren't. Get used to it kid, because you'll soon
be joining the old realm of hell." she said, as Zack calmed himself
down.

"So..you're really gonna kill me..? Like, actually gonna kill me?" Zack
asked, to which Loona simply nodded.
Zack was, for lack of better word, stunned. He was seriously gonna
die, all because she was paid to do so. He wondered if she was paid
by a demon in hell, or by a human with a childish grudge. He knew
he would die at some point, but not like this. The idea was
completely hard to believe, but whether or not he believed it didn't
mean anything. His fate was set in stone, and the reality of that tore
at him.

With a sigh, he lowered his head, his eyes staring at the ground
beneath him. Loona raised an eyebrow, as she folded her arms in
front of her, a smug and snarky smirk growing on her face.

"Don't look so down. On the bright side, at least you don't have any
friends that'll mourn you, so nobody's gonna be down when you're
dead. Plus, your death will have some meaning, in me getting paid."
she hissed with an evil chuckle. Zack merely sat there in silence, as
he tensed in a mixture of hopelessness and contempt. She was
already gonna kill him, so why tear his spirits down? With a small
chuckle, Loona got to her feet and brushed herself off.

"Welp, I think that's enough waiting. First I'll just tell Blitzo the
situation, then I'll-" she stopped, as her hand brushed against her left
pocket, then to her right. Nothing but air. With a slight gasp, she
pulled her pockets out in a flash, only to find nothing but pocket lint
and air.

"What the fuck! Where's my phone?!" she shrieked, as she searched

around the small cave. There was no sign of it. It was definitely not
hard to miss, since it's color was such a bright, blood-red.

"Did I drop it somewhere?! I didn't feel it when I was running after the
human..So that means.."

She turned her head to the depressed human, as her eyes squinted
with anger. Their were either two scenarios here; He either took the
phone, or it feel from her pocket when she was knocked to the
ground. Regardless, her anger and blame was pointed to him like a
gun, and she was ready to take aim. With a low growl, she gripped
his collar and raised him up to her eye-level, snapping him out of his
daze.

"Where is it? I know you have it." she spat, causing Zack's face to
twist in confusion.

"Okay, uh, first of all, your breath stinks, like really bad. Second of
all, I don't have anything of yours whatsoever." he spoke out.

Loona growled, obviously not liking his answer. She threw him
against the wall and pinned him to it, her teeth poking out of her
menacing frown.

"You better not be lying to me fucker. I've killed for way less reasons
than this."

Zack couldn't help but swallow hard in fear. Here he was, getting
abused by a hellish creature that was paid to kill him for no reason.
Nevertheless, he had to think of something and fast. There had to be
some way to get Loona to back off a bit and see him as someone to
keep alive. He thought for a moment, before getting what people
would call a "lightbulb moment".

"Perhaps your phone fell out of your pocket at my house. You did
take a tumble on to the ground, so it's possible that's where it is right
now." Zack suggested. Loona blinked a few times in thought. It made
sense, and if it was there, then she wouldn't have to also find her
way back to where Blitzo and the others were. It'd kill two birds with
one stone. Even so, there was still the matter of getting there. She
had no idea where exactly his house was, and it'd take days to
search the entire city. As reluctant as she was, she needed the
human, even if for a little.

"Alright, if that's the case, then you're taking me back to your house
so I can get my phone."

"Why would I help my own killer get their phone back? What, so you
can kill me later?" Zack countered, as he raised his eyebrow.
"It's either I kill you quickly, or I beat the shit out of you and then kill
you. Take you pick, smartass."

"I really don't see a difference. If anything, I have more time to live if I
don't help you. So again, why would I help my own killer?"

She growled louder, as her grip on his shirt tightened. She couldn't
exactly refute what he was saying, but even so, she needed to get
her phone back and find a way back to Blitzo. There had to be
someway to get him to bend the knee. Perhaps beating him to pulp
would do it, or ripping off one of his fingers? Before she could even
do anything, Zack sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine, I'll help you." he said, much to Loona's dismay.

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, I might as well. I'm gonna die anyway no matter what, and if I
die, you're more likely to die too, thanks to those guys. So, why have
both of us kick the bucket? Might as well just be one of us."

Loona wasn't sure what she was hearing. Was he seriously going to
help her, even though if he did, then he'd be a dead man? She
couldn't help but stare in disbelief and caution.

"You know if you try to run, then I'll catch you, right?"

"I know, trust me. I'm only thinking of what exactly would be the best
course of action in terms of loss, gain, and just straight up morals.
Plus, I wouldn't feel right if I was the reason someone got killed."

"Fuckin' hell… what's with this guy…?" she thought to herself, as she
continued to stare at him. He was going to help her, after everything
she said and after the realization that he was gonna die. She was
was definitely not convinced, but she still had to get home. She
grunted, as she let his shirt go with a light shove, and folded her
arms under her ample breasts.
Zack brushed his hoodie down and slid his hands into his jeans
pockets, as he started to head towards the exit to the cave.

"Come on, I think those guys are gone now. If we hurry, we can
catch a bus over to Hell's Kitchen." He called out to her, as he exited
the small cave. Loona soon followed behind him, her crimson eyes
staying locked at Zack's back. If he was going to run, she would
make sure to catch him and give him a swift and painful death.

As the two walked down the park sidewalk, making sure to not to
draw attention to themselves, which was hard considering that one
of them was a silver-furred hellhound, Zack couldn't help but look
back at his life. His memories, dreams, aspirations, everything was
just flooding his mind. The only thing that bugged him, was that he
was gonna die a virgin. He sighed, as he muttered to himself,
"Guess I'm dying a virgin…"

Loona snickered, as her face grew a belittling smirk. Zack groaned,

as he looked back at her, frowning.

"Hey, at least when I die, I won't end up in hell with the likes of you
and your killer cronies." he challenged.

"Whatever, at least I get paid, and it's not like I care whether or not
you go to heaven or hell. To me, it's all the same."

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he turned around and walked

backwards, staring at her in confusion.

"Really? Well, mind explaining it to a person that's never been to

either of them?"

Loona raised an eyebrow, as he looked back at him. As much as she

didn't feel like 'shooting the shit', she might as well keep his mind
away from trying to find a way to escape. With an audible grunt, she
started to explain it to him.
"Hell is literally just another part of this world. It may have demons
and shit, but it's basically this place here. You have death, you have
crime, you have drugs, and you have a whole bunch of bullshit that
people deal with. Heaven is the opposite, but even some amazing,
evil-less, paradise of a place has some sorta stain on it's pearly-
white sheets. There is no paradise, there is no safe haven, and there
is no peace. I haven't seen any place like that ever and if I don't see
it, then to me, it doesn't exist."

Zack couldn't help but stare at her in a mixture of disbelief and pity.
He couldn't help but think to himself and reassess what made her,
well, her. That's when his mystery writer itch gnawed at him. Even
though she was gonna kill him, and was a bit of a bitch, he still
wanted to know a bit more about her. He might as well, considering
after going through every possible idea in his head, he saw no way
to escape his fate. So, to start off with, he had to ask her more
questions.

"You said that you live in hell, right? How are you able to live in a
place like that?" he asked, making her shrug her shoulders.

"It all comes down to power. Whether it comes from yourself or who
you know, it's all about power. If you're weak, you're likely to get the
shit beat outta you, mugged, killed, and even..well..other things
that'd make you shiver. I was just lucky that I ended up where I was.
Not to mention that I can kick the ass of anyone who wants to fuck
with me."

"Yeah, I can tell that you've been in a few scraps. I mean, you took
out all those dudes by yourself. Not to mention that your clothes are
all ripped and such." he said, as he turned back around and slowed
his walk just enough so that he was walking next to her. She let out a
chuckle, placing a clawed hand on her hip.

"This is what I wear dumbass. It's always like this." she relayed,
making Zack smile sheepishly.
As the two walked towards the bus stop, Zack asked more and more
questions about her. Turns out, she didn't die like most did in the
living world, but was born in hell, to which her father figure Blitzo
found her and took care of her. She was also not the usual person
who went to kill people, but instead was the secretary, who rarely
ever picked up the phone. With every question asked, the two slowly
began to relax, even throwing out the occasional joke. They were
both enjoying themselves, so much so that they passed the bus stop
and walked the way there instead. It didn't take long for them to
arrive at Zack's apartment building, to which they were walking down
the halls to his apartment.

It was so strange to Zack. She seemed so normal, like she was a

normal human. Though she was rough around the edges, he
believed that it was merely because of the place she lived and was
raised in. Something was still bothering him though, a question that
was gnawing at his mind. He had to ask, lest his curiosity kill him
before she would.

"So, I've got another question.. Are there any demons that are good
in hell?"

Loona looked down at him, her eyes observing his face, trying to see
if he was actually being serious with his question. He looked back at
her, his eyes housing a mix of seriousness and curiousness. She
couldn't help but truly think about it. Her father-figure Blitzo could be
seen as good, but he was a person who had no problem killing for
money. Was he really good? She couldn't help but shrug her
shoulders, her eyes looking ahead of her.

"I don't know. Probably not, considering that demons in hell are
mostly dead assholes who used to be alive." she answered, as she
crossed her arms over her chest. Zack couldn't help but shake his
head, as he scratch the back of his head.

"Well, you're a demon that lives in hell, so that means there's at least
one good demon out there."
Loona stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock. Did he just
say she was good? She was gonna kill him, he knew that fact, yet he
was saying she was a good demon. She stared at him, as he turned
to a door, observing his face for any signs of fear, disgust, deceit,
anything at all to show that he was just simping out on her. There
was only a small smile on his face, as if he was committed to his
words. She couldn't help but smile, her mood growing much more
happy than usually.

With a click of the opening door, he stepped into his home. He took a
deep breath and smiled, as he walked into his living room. Loona
walked right behind him and closed the door behind her. The
moment they walked in, she started to search the ground, until she
noticed a bright red gleam in the kitchen. She leapt toward the
gleam, it being her phone, and picked it up, her eyes inspecting if
there were any damages to it. To her relief, there was nothing she
could see.

"You find it, Loona?" Zack asked, as he stood in the living room. She
nodded, as she walked towards him and flashed her phone to him.
Zack smiled at her, as he slipped his hands into his pockets. His
mission was achieved, and now all that was left was for him
to..mentally prepare.

"Alright, so, how should we do this?"

Loona blinked in confusion, as she looked through her texts, one

from Blitzo. He said that they went back to hell and to call him so
they could make a portal back to hell for her when she was ready.
She slid her phone into her pocket.

"How should we do what?" She asked, as she put a hand on her hip.

"Well, you said that when I help you, then you'd kill me. So, I was
just asking how we were gonna do that. Like, are you gonna do it
quickly, or will there be a lot of pain? Cause, if so, then I'll definitely
have to prepare myself."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was going to actually
let her kill him? Was he planning something? Did he have some
underlining reason behind it? She was at a lose for sure, and his
calm, almost emotionless face only made her more uncomfortable
with it all.

"Wait, you're actually gonna just stand there and let me kill you?
What's your deal? Don't tell me you're fuckin' suicidal and actually
want me to kill you."

"A-ha, no, not at all. To be honest, I'm terrified, but if I look at it

logically, there's no reason..why.. I…" his voice trailed off, as his
eyes drifted past Loona and towards the window. It was normal
outside, except for one thing. There was some sort of weird light
coming from out of it, almost like a laser pointer. It was pointing
towards the ground, but was slowly moving around, until the light hit
Loona's right side. Zack's mind went on overdrive, as the many
pieces started to instantly fall into place. The fact that they gave up
to quickly, the fact that no one tried to stop them, even though they
were walking out where everyone could see them, and the fact that
there was no one at his house, or at least no one that made their
presence known. They were watching them, they were trapping
them, and that light wasn't a laser pointer. It was a…

"Laser sight…" Zack mumbled to himself, as his face lit up with fear
and shock. Whoever was out there was gonna take a shot at Loona!
Without thinking, he lunged towards her and pushed her to the
ground, just before the sound of shattered glass rang through the
room. She rubbed her rear, as she looked back at the window,
surprised by the sudden sound.

"The hell was that?! And what did you say, laser sight?!" she
shouted, as she turned her head to Zack. He wasn't standing in front
of her however, he was instead on the ground. She rolled her eyes.
He must have tripped and fell to the ground. She stood to her feet
and walked towards him, until her left foot stepped in something
damp. She jolted in surprise, as she looked down at the unknown
substance. It was a dark red puddle that seemed to grow with each
passing second. Her eyes trailed down the path of red, until it
stopped near Zack's body.

"The fuck… was… was he shot?!" she mentally exclaimed. Without a

second thought, she quickly knelt next to him and moved him to his
back. Her eyes widened, as she stared directly at the gaping hole in
his side. He hissed in pain, as her held his wound.

"I think..that they f-followed us. Th-They must have known y-you and
I were headed here. It's an a-ambush." Zack strained, as he panted
heavily from the sheer, intense pain that wrecked his body. The
sounds of shouting and banging could be heard outside, as Loona
took a discreet peek put of the shattered window. There were more
of those guys out there, all of them looking to be a bunch of
mercenaries. She silently cursed, as she pulled her phone out of her
pocket and dialed Bitzo's number. Within seconds, he picked up the
phone.

"Hey Loonie! Got the job done? You really surprised us with your
little episode, though I'm happy to see that you're-"

"Not now Blitzo! I need that portal open right fuckin' now! Hurry up!"

She hung up and went back to her spot next to Zack, huffing in
puffing from the intense situation. He was already getting pale and
his eyes were starting to droop. Within minutes, Zack would die.
Loona, bit her lips, as she looked around the area, trying to find
something to slow the bleeding down.

"L-Loona..you have to run! If they catch you, then y-you're dead!" he

exclaimed, as he coughed a bit, causing Loona to look at him again.

"And what about you?! You can't even fight back, they'll skin you
alive!"

"I know, b-but don't worry about me..I was gonna die anyway, s-so at
least you don't have to get your hands d-dirty. Plus..it's not like
anyone is gonna mourn me, r-right?" he said with a small, pain-filled
smile. Loona grimaced at his words. This was the first time she
regretted saying something to a target. Out of nowhere, the sound of
the portal opening caught her attention. This was her chance, she
could get out of there before they got her and collect her money, but
something was stopping her. Or rather, it was someone. She looked
towards Zack, then the portal, then back at the portal again. With a
soft huff, she sped back towards Zack and slowly pulled him up to
his feet, earning a gasp of surprise from him.

"Wh-What the..Loona?! What are you doing?!"

"No idea! Just hold on, because you're going on a one-way trip to
hell!"

"Wait, hell?! What do you me-?!"

And with that, she sped towards the portal with Zack in tow. His eyes
widened and his heart rate quickened with each step. His
consciousness was fading, his body was getting weaker; was this it
for him? Was he seriously gonna die here? He closed his eyes, as
he soon fell into a state of comatose, the only thought in his mind
being…

"Damn it… I really am dying a virgin…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Ticket Straight To Hell

The smell of a sterile room hit Zack's nose, as a soft groan escaped
his lips. His body ached and his consciousness was fading in and
out with each breath he took. Voices intruded his ears, as his eye
fluttered open and closed. Minutes passed, then hours, until he
finally grabbed a hold of his fading consciousness. His eyes soon
opened, the sight of a white ceiling with a fan above him invading his
eyes. He huffed a silent breath, as he slowly sat up.

"Wh-Where… am I…?"

He looked down at what he was laying on. It was a normal desk;

sturdy, yet a bit wobbly. He raised an eyebrow, as he brought his
right hand to his face and rubbed it, getting the sleep out of his eyes.

"What happened? Did I die…?" he said, as he placed a hand on his

chest right above his heart. It was still beating. He sighed in relief, as
he scooted up to the edge of the desk, letting his feet dangle. He
stood to his feet, a bit wobbly at first, but kept still, thanks to the
searing pain in his left side. He pressed his hand on his side, before
raising his hoodie up. His eyes widened in shock from the sight of his
bandaged stomach, dried blood coating the gauze and bandages.

"How the hell…? So, was that all real…?"

He brushed his fingers against the gauze, as his mind tried to replay
everything that happened. He looked back at the table, bits of dried
blood on the top of it. He paced around the room, searching and
inspecting it. It seemed to be more of a meeting room, the ones you
would see in a usual office workplace. His mind started to race, as
he tried to make sense of everything.
"Okay, calm down, let's think this through. Last I remember is that I
ended up getting shot after I pushed Loona out of the way. Then
afterwords, I was carried into some portal by…" his thoughts trailed
off at the thought of her. He couldn't believe it. Did she just save
him? How was that possible, why would she do that? Zack looked
down at his wound. Was she also the one who patched him up? He
shook his head, as he glanced at the door. No matter what was
going on, he had to get out of there. There was no telling where he
could be, or who could be in the foreign place to him. He speedily
walked towards the door, his hand reaching for the doorknob.

"Sir, I'm telling you that we need to stop-" Zack completely froze, his
eyes staring deep into the eyes of a familiar, red-skinned, yellow-
eyed creature. After a few seconds of awkward silence, he slammed
the door back in the creatures face, and quickly ducked behind one
of the desks. With a swift kick, the whit-haired creature barged into
the office. His face had an angered, almost annoyed look on his
face.

"Who the hell are you!?" he shouted.

"I should be asking you that! And where the hell am I?!" Zack
screamed, as he looked from behind the desk. Within seconds, two
other creatures walked in, looking strikingly familiar to the ones who
intruded his home.

"What's wrong hun? Oh, hey, it's that human." the female creature
stated, her southern twang extruding as clear as day. Zack stared at
the three creatures, his face instantly lighting up at the realization of
where he knew them from.

"Wait a minute… you're those freaky-looking things that broke into

my house! And by the way, you raided my goddamn fridge! I hope
you're prepared to pay for all my food!"

The trio glanced at each other, before looking back at Zack. The
leader of the group stepped closer to Zack, to which he quickly
started to back up, taking a defensive stance.
"Hold on, you're also that guy we were supposed to off. Wait, I
thought Loonie-"

"Oh, looks like you're awake."

The group turned their heads to the doorway, showing none other
than Loona, who was carrying a medium-sized first-aid kit. She
walked past the three imps and made her way to Zack. To their
surprise, she pulled up Zack's hoodie and began to inspect his
wound. There was a slight bit of bleeding, but not too much. She
sucked her teeth and began to change his bandages, earning a few
looks of surprise. Zack stared down at her, his face showing that he
was just as surprised as they were.

"Loona, what are you-" before he could finish, Loona looked up at

him, a frown on her face.

"You've got eyes, you see what I'm doing." she said, as she rubbed
ointment on his wound. "Anyway, how are you feeling? Feeling
weak?"

"N-No, I'm okay. A little dizzy, but okay nonetheless." he answered,

as he watched her.

"Good. You shouldn't move too much. You don't wanna open up your
wound again. It's healing really fast though… I wonder why-"

"EXCUSE ME!"

The two jumped and turned back the holder of that outburst. It was
the white-haired imp, his arms crossed in a look of disapproval.

"I hate to ask, but what the fuck is going on?! Why are you patching
up our target, and what the hell is he even doing here?!" he gritted
out, causing Loona and Zack to glance at each other.

"What's his problem? Did he sit on a dick or something?" Zack asked

aloud, causing everyone to let out a snicker, except for the shouting
imp.

Zack slipped on his hoodie, as he lightly stretched his arms. He

looked at the three imps, inspecting them a bit better. They did look
similar, yet distinct enough to tell them apart.

"Well, uh, sorry about not introducing myself first, but, I'm Zack
Trevle. What're your names?"

The white-haired imp scoffed, as he stepped forward with a

menacing disposition.

"Like we would tell you our name-" he couldn't even get his sentence
out before the leader of the group pushed him to the side and into a
table.

"Name's Blitzo kid. The O is silent. This is Millie," he pointed to the

female imp, who waved happily, "and the other one is Moxxie, her
hubby."

The one known as Moxxie brushed himself off, as he mumbled to

himself. Probably a few curses and words of disapproval. Zack
nodded his head in understanding, making a mental note of their
names.

"I see. It's nice to meet you all." he responded, as he waved back at
Millie. He smiled for a moment, before looking around the room
again, curiosity still present on his face. "So um, where am I? Is this
some kind of office building?"

The band of misfits looked at each other, then back at Zack, none of
them really knowing how to respond. The silence was soon broken
when Millie stepped forward and cleared her throat.

"Well, that's simple. Right now, you're in the IMP building. It's where
me, Moxxie, and Loona work. Blitzo is the CEO and owner too." she
replied, a smile on her face. Zack tilted his head in confusion, as he
opened his mouth to ask another question.
"It stands for Immediate Murder Professionals. Though you probably
should have guessed that already…" Loona muttered, as she began
to swipe and tap away on her phone. Zack's eyes bulged in shock.
So it was true, they were actual hitmen! Zack took a deep breath as
he tried to control himself.

"So basically you guys are hitmen? No, that's impossible, that's
straight up illegal. You guys can't have a literal hitman company out
in the open, and in an office building no less. You'd get caught and
arrested in a snap."

A silence filled the air, as the four misfits stared at him, each one
conveying their own source of awkward disbelief. He couldn't be that
dense, right? Moxxie shook his head, as he walked to one of the
windows and pulled open the blinds, showing the outside world.

"I don't think that really matters when you're literally in hell." he said,
as he gestured to the opened window.

Time seemed to have stopped, as Zack tried to process what was

said to him. His hands became clammy and his heartbeat quickened,
as he took slow, cautious steps to the opened window. As soon as
he got close enough, his eyes widened more than ever. On the other
side of the window, it didn't show a blue sky with bustling streets,
cars on the road, and the sunset dimming in the evening sky.
Instead, the sky was a dark, blood-red, the skies filled with violet
clouds. There was no sun, nor moon, yet the world was still
illuminated by an almost red glimmer, as if there was a spotlight
shinning down on the entire world. The streets were filled with
countless red-skinned imps of different sizes, and above all else,
there was no human in sight.

Zack's legs trembled, as his breath quickened. Unable to keep

himself on the ground, he stumbled back on to his rear, a bit of sweat
forming on his forehead from the stress. This wasn't New York, it
wasn't even Earth. He knew that for sure. No, this was just as Moxie
said. This strange, murderous, dangerous world, was hell.
Zack was deathly silent, as he stared down at the cup of water Blitzo
gave him. He was sitting in one of the chairs in the meeting room, as
the others talked outside of it. Zack looked out through the door
window, as his mind began to wonder.

"They're probably talking about what they're gonna do with me.

Wouldn't be surprised if they just went ahead and offed me."

Zack sighed softly, his head hanging low. Not only was he taken from
his home, but he was shot in his left side, and basically told that no
one would mourn him when he died. Though she was kinda right
about that, it still stung a little. Pushing that aside, he had to think of
a plan to escape if things got dicey. Maybe the window? No, he was
on a crazy high floor, jumping out at that height would break his legs,
and there wasn't a fire escape from what he saw. He looked around
the room, determined to find anything to help him escape. The only
thing he could see was a stone statue, a whiteboard, and some
markers. Nothing that could help him make a break for it.

"Maybe I can fight them off… No, there's too many of them. Plus,
even if I did escape, where would I go? It's not like my house is right
around the corner."

He huffed softly and laid his head on the large table in defeat. There
was nothing he could do at this point and moment. Fighting would
only delay the inevitable, and running wouldn't do him any good
either, due to the fact that Loona was much faster than him, to which
he found out when she was chasing him before the armed men
showed up.

"Wait… armed men… Those guys weren't with them, were they…?
They were definitely shooting at Loona, too. What was that all
about…?"

Zack rubbed his chin, as he sat up in his chair, his face twisting to a
look of pure confusion. Was there a reason? Were they some sort of
gang? Maybe hired mercenaries? Zack shook his head. There
weren't enough clues to suggest anything like that. For all he knew, it
could have just been a rival hitman group, or the secret service even.
Still, it was a little strange to him. With a shake of his head, he
leaned back into his chair and stared at the ceiling, his body growing
a bit more relaxed. Solving mysteries and enigmas always calmed
him down at least a little.

Suddenly, the door opened, as Blitzo and his team walked in. Zack
turned to them, fully prepared, yet scared, of what his fate was to be.
Though he did hope they would kill him in a way that wasn't too
painful.

"Alright kid, now then, what to do with you… Any of you guys got any
ideas? This hasn't really happened before." Blitzo asked. Everyone
merely shrugged.

"Wait, what about that one kid that we brought here?" Moxxie stated.

"Yeah well, that kid was an asshole, killing him was too enjoyable.
This guy here, I don't really have much of an opinion on him. So, I
think we should just kill him by throwing him off the roof. Moxxie,
Millie, grab his arms and-"

"Hold on a second," Loona interrupted, causing everyone to look at

her, "you guys can't kill him, at least not yet."

Zack's eyes widened in shock. What was she doing? Was she
actually helping him? Blitzo raised an eyebrow and placed his hands
on his hips in disapproval.

"Now Loonie, I know you're my favorite and all, but we can't just let
him live. We have a job and he needs to be offed so we can get
paid."

Loona shook her head, as she walked behind Zack and gripped his
shoulders. Her claws dug into his shoulders slightly, bringing out a
slight wince from Zack. He could feel an almost feral and evil aura
emanating from her, which caused him to sweat in fear.
"I know, but I wanna have a little fun with him first. Asshole really got
me good, and I never got a chance to kick his ass. I was thinking,
maybe a week or two. You don't mind, do you," she rolled her eyes,
as she finished her sentence, "dad?"

Blitzo's eyes widened, a sparkle flashing in them. With a soft squeal,

he smiled widely and folded his arms above his puffed out chest.

"Well, if it's a week, I'm sure that it won't be a problem. I'll just tell the
client that we killed him and then we can get paid. What he doesn't
know won't hurt him." he said with a hearty chuckle. That was a
weakness of his. All Loona had to do was call him dad every now
and then, and he'd easily be manipulated by her.

Zack gulped nervously. In a way, he was happy that he wasn't gonna

die, but at the same time, he was fearful of the pain that Loona might
bring. He hoped that he wasn't gonna get hit by those claws of hers.
He looked up at her. Up close, she easily towered over him. She had
to have been 2 or 3 feet taller, much higher than the 1 foot he
ascertained before. She noticed his staring and smiled a menacing
smile, her eyes filled with anger and malice.

"Great. If that's the case, I'm taking him home." she hissed, as she
threw Zack over her shoulder, earning her a small eep from Zack's
lips. He squirmed, his heart pounding against his chest.

"H-Hey, let me go! I'm not gonna be your punching ba-" before he
could finish, he felt a hand harshly slap his ass, making him yelp and
shudder.

"Oh shut up, just be happy you'll live for a little longer, dumbass.
Now then, I'm off. Later fuckers."

Loona waved a hand at the three imps, as she walked out of the
door of the office and down the hall, before she made it to the
elevator. Zack shouted from Loona's shoulder, as the elevator door
closed. After a few moments, the two were outside and Loona was
walking down the sidewalk with a screaming Zack in tow. She looked
behind her in a cautious manner, before putting him down.

"You can stop acting like a pussy now. Honestly, I thought you were
gonna piss your pants."

Zack stopped screaming in an instant, a soft smile on his face. He

brushed off his clothes, as he slipped his hands inside of his pants
pockets.

"I just wanted to be convincing. After I saw your eyes, I knew you
weren't actually serious." he said, a smile on his face. She rolled her
eyes, as he legs began moving, heading down the sidewalk. Zack
instantly began to follow her, his significantly shorter body staying
beside her taller one.

"So, um, what now? Where are we headed?" he asked, as he

glanced over at her. She glanced back at him, huffing to herself.

"Well, since I had to save your ass, again, I might as well just take
you home with me."

Zack's eyes instantly widened, as his face turned a deep red. He

was going to be staying with her, the one who tried to kill him? Was
that even allowed!?

"S-Stay with you?! B-B-B-B-"

"But what? Is someone scared of me?" Loona hissed, as she bent

down to his eye level and gave him a sinister smirk. It was obvious
why he was on edge about everything! After all, she did try to-

"N-No, it's because you're a girl!"

Well… that was unexpected. Ahem, Loona's face instantly twisted in

a look of shock and confusion. Was he worried about something like
that? He was about to stay with a tall hellhound beast, and the only
thing he was worried about was the fact she was a girl. Needless to
say, she was completely taken off-guard.

"Wait, so you're just butt-hurt over the fact that I'm a chick and you're
a guy?" she scoffed, as she grabbed him and carried him over her
shoulder, "So what? Shit like that happens all the time. Ever heard of
co-ed? Geez, you're such a goddamn virgin."

Zack's face turned a deep red, as he crossed his arms in

embarrassment. It was true that he was a virgin, hell he had never
even kissed a girl before. Of course he had his crushes and
interests, but of course, when you're an awkward individual, creating
a relationship of that caliber can be very taxing. However, that was
beside the point. Sleeping in the same house as Loona, that was
what ate at his mind. Was it really safe to stay there? After all, he
would e staying in hell, one of the most dangerous, evil, stressful
places in existence. On the other hand, there was no telling what
would happen if he was to go back home. For all he knew, those
armed men could have come back to finish him off. He huffed,
seeing no other option. To stay alive, he had to risk it by staying with
the only person that he believed could protect him. Not to mention
that he was curious about this mystery. Zack nodded his head in
content, as he let her carry him, much to his embarrassment and
fluster.

After about 15 minutes, though it felt like 15 hours to Zack, they

finally made it to a small apartment building. Instantly, Zack made
comparisons to his own home, or former home as of now. It had a
similar size and shape to the walls, however the color-scheme
looked slightly run down. Perhaps they hadn't gotten on the
renovations yet. Zack shrugged the thought off and within a few
more seconds, Loona had stopped at one of the doors on the 3rd
floor. She placed him down on the ground and pulled out her keys.
As she fumbled with the keys, Zack's mind filled with questions and
thoughts about her place of residence.
"Hm, so this is where Loona lives. I wonder how she decorates. I
mean, even if she's a bit rough, tough, and other things that end in
'ough', I'm sure she keeps a clean house. Yeah, I guarantee that-"

She opened the door, and without even stepping inside, Zack knew
there was something wrong. The smell, it wasn't pleasant by any
means. His eyes widened, as his legs moved on their own out of
shear curiosity. The smell grew worse, as he moved past the
threshold and his eyes, hey almost burned, not just from the scent,
but from the sight. Bottles of booze and alcohol littered the ground,
stains soiled the floor and the walls, and even the ceiling! There we
scraps of food everywhere, and the smell. That god awful smell!
Zack gagged, as he covered his nose with his hands and coughed
violently. This was just rancid, putrid, inconceivable! Loona raised an
eyebrow, as she placed a hand on her hip.

"What? Got a problem?"

"Got a problem?! Yes I have a problem! You call this a house?! This
is a dump, a pigsty, a literally walk-in trash can! You live like this?!"
Zack coughed again, as he continued, "Look at this place! You have
food everywhere, bottles of moldy booze, and the smell! It's like a
mixture of body odor and… ugh… body fluids."

Loona growled in annoyance at his constant complaining. Zack

instantly picked up on this and stood at attention, putting on a fake
smile.

"B-But, it's definitely better than nothing! Thanks for letting me stay!"
he corrected, as he let out a forced chuckle. Loona shook her head
and rolled her eyes, as she walked past him, her hips slightly
swaying with each step.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go take a shower. Don' even think about

peeping at me, or your rotting corpse will be adding to the smell."
she warned, as the sound of a door slamming followed after. Zack
sighed, as he stared at the crusty apartment. It irked him, ate at his
sanity. There was no way he was living in a place like this. With a
huff of determination, he pulled off his hoodie and tied it around his
waist. If he was staying here, he was gonna do it comfortably.

Loona sighed softly, as the warm water cascaded down her bear
body. With all the shit that she dealt with, a nice bath is what she
needed. She looked down at the floor, her mind racing with
questions. Why did she save him? What was the point? Was it
because he saved her? And why were they after him, could he be
someone important? She shook her head. There was no way she
was going to find out allthe answer, especially without any proof. She
huffed, as she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.
There was no point in worrying about it. After all, Zack would most
likely either be back at home in a few days or dead from some
demon. She grabbed a towel and dried her furred body off, before
slipping on a pair of boy-shorts and a tight tank-top, the white
material hugging on to her full breasts. As she pulled her damp hair
into a ponytail, she stepped out of he shower, her eyes filled with
shock.

"What the hell…" she mumbled, as her eyes looked throughout the
living room. The room was, somehow, completely clean! The bottles,
the food scraps, the stains, everything was gone! Even the rancid
smell now had a sweet lavender smell. Through her awestruck
stupor, she didn't notice Zack throwing out a bag of trash off the
balcony and into a dumpster down below. He dusted off his hands
and walked back inside, closing the glass balcony door.

"Oh, heya Loona. I see you noticed the living room. You know, for
someone who seems to rarely clean, you had a lot of cleaning
supplies in your closet." he spoke, as he stretched his limbs. Loona
stared at him, his voice knocking her out of her daze.

"How the fuck did you clean this place so fast?! I mean, what are
you, a speed demon?!"

"Nah, I just clean pretty fast. You learn a few tips and tricks when
you've lived alone for a few years." Zack chuckled softly, his eyes
staring at the ground as if he was hiding something. She shrugged,
as she walked past him, this time towards her room.

"You know you didn't have to do that, right?" she mumbled, as she
stood at the threshold to her room. Zack nodded, as he sat on the
newly cleaned couch.

"I know, but I wanted to. Not only did I wanna live comfortably, but I
thought it could help you live comfortably too. I mean, if it helps both
of us, then all the more reason to do it, right?"

Loona stood in surprise, shock even. Was he even human? To her,

most humans were just trashy beings who did whatever they felt like,
regardless of the consequences. They'd lie, cheat, steal, and even
murder for the dumbest of reasons, so what was so different about
him? She huffed, as she shook her head. There was no way he was
different. All humans were the same, and one good deed wasn't
gonna make her see him as an exception.

"Whatever, not like I asked you to. Just don't break anything.
Anyway, I'm going to bed, you can sleep on the couch." she yawned
out, as she walked into her bedroom and closed the door behind her.
Zack blinked in confusion. He was sure that she didn't care, and yet,
he swore he saw her eyes soften for a split second. Was she really
that rough and edgy, or was she, in a sense, just a normal young
woman. Zack shook his head, as he laid back on the couch, his mind
moving on to other things. He closed his eyes, as the events played
again through his head.

"Okay, so let's recap on everything so far. So, Loona, Blitzo, Moxxie,

and Millie, are all hitmen for hire. Their job is to get revenge on
specific people who wronged someone in hell, whether it be for a
petty reason, or something major, at least that's what Millie said.
Blitzo is the boss, Moxxie and Millie are a husband and wife duo,
and Loona is the receptionist. Apparently, those seem to be the only
people that work there, and the only people who can even contact
them have to be in hell as well, so that means that the one who
placed the hit on me has to be a demon too. Thing is though, is that
I'm still confused on how he or she was able to send that group after
me. Does it have anything to do with the mystery demon who wants
me dead? If so, then I need to find a connection…"

Zack yawned, as his eyes drooped. There was no way in, well hell,
that he was gonna figure anything else out. The only way he was
gonna find those clues, was to search for them, but how? He didn't
know his way around hell, and Loona was most certainly not gonna
take him to go sight seeing. He shrugged it off a merely checked it
off as a bridge he'd cross later. With how late it was, he wasn't gonna
get any thinking done, thanks to his fatigue. Within seconds, he soon
found himself falling asleep, his body curling up against the plush
couch. He knew this was only going to be the beginning of this
mystery, he just hoped he would somehow make it out alive.

To Be Continued…
Chapter 4
Chapter 4: The Four-Eyed Demon Owl

The night seemed to span for mere minutes, as the day soon
returned. In the surface world, the sun would be rising, waking
people for the coming day. In hell, however, that was nothing but a
pipe dream. Demon's had grown so accustomed to the way it was
down there, that the sun became unnecessary, and if they needed a
way to get up on time, their phones or alarm clocks would do the
trick. Loona was one of those demons.

Her phone buzzed and rang, a punk/metal song playing from it. She
huffed in annoyance, as she grabbed it and turned off the alarm. The
alarm, a sign that she would have to get up and get over to her job,
to which she found to be a nuisance. She couldn't just quit though,
Blitzo wouldn't have it, and she wasn't gonna give Moxxie the
satisfaction. Someone had to annoy him and take jabs at him. If she
didn't, who would? Well, Blitzo would most likely, but she wanted to
have a bit of fun with it too.

With a grunt, she lugged herself out of bed and pulled off her
comforter. She scratched her bear chest, as she went to grab her
clothes. It had been a warm night, what with it being hell, so she got
rid of the tank-top she was wearing. After sluggishly putting on her
usual attire, she walked out to her bedroom door. She stopped in her
tracks, as she sniffed the air curiously. Was that, bacon?

"The fuck… Don't tell me he's…"

She opened the door slowly and stepped into the living room. The
faint sound of clanking plates and sizzling oil hit her ears, as she
walked towards the kitchen. She entered it, and to her surprise, Zack
was in the kitchen, not only cooking bacon, but also cooking eggs,
hash browns, and even cut up a few fruits to make two full bowls. He
was humming softly, as he made two plates and carried them out of
the kitchen. His eyes slowly landed on Loona's, a surprised, but
happy smile on his face.

"Oh, good morning Loona. I was wondering when you were gonna
wake up. Um, I made you breakfast." he exclaimed, as he handed
her the bowl of diced fruit, and a full plate of the cooked breakfast
items. She raised an eyebrow in suspicion, as if not knowing what to
do with them. She placed them on the table, as she rolled her eyes.

"I didn't ask you to cook. Your job isn't to be my butler; well, more like
maid in regards to you, but still."

Zack placed a hand on his chest in fake-offense, as he made an

overdramatic gasp.

"How rude Lady Loona! I was merely making you breakfast for your
work day! Why, I never… harumph!" Zack crossed his arms and
looked away, his chin held high. She couldn't help but snicker at his
reaction, as she sniffed the food again. To her, it was slightly odd. It
had been a while since she had a home-cooked meal. Most of her
dining experiences consisted of fast-food and things of that nature,
but to have a meal cooked and prepped at home, it was almost
foreign to her. With slow movements, she sat down and began to eat
her breakfast, which only made Zack smile. He sat across from her
at the table and ate his portion, as his eyes watched for her reaction.
He was pleased to see that she didn't gag.

Zack's eyes continued to stare at her, as his mind filled with

thoughts, all of which saying one thing; how was he gonna find
clues? He had to find someway to get information, and sitting around
wasn't gonna do anything. Though he new Loona wasn't gonna give
him a tour, he could at least see if she could give him information.
With a clear of his throat, he placed his fork on his plate and began
to ask her questions.

"So, Loona, you've been in hell for a very long time, right?"

Loona glanced up at him, as she nodded her head.

"I was born here, obviously. Never was a human or anything like
that." she answered, as Zack nodded his head, making a mental
note of that. He had to get more information, so he continued his
interrogation.

"So that means there are deceased people from the surface in this
town or city?" he asked her. She shook her head, as she bit into her
piece of bacon.

"No, those people are usually sent to a place called Pentagram City,
though some of them are in this city. By the way, this city is known as
IMP City. Imps usually live here." Zack nodded again, as she
continued, "Pentagram City is where the used-to-be-humans live,
due to it being much more crime based. Don't get me wrong, crime
happens here too, but in P.C, you'd have a easier time trying to get
away from air than not seeing some crime happening there."

Zack rubbed his chin, as he stared at his half-eaten eggs in thought.

If what she was saying was true, then that means that his best bet
would be to search Pentagram City. Loona burped, as she finished
her breakfast and got up from her chair.

"Alright, I gotta get outta here. I'm already late enough, and I'm sure
Moxxie is gonna piss and moan about it." she groaned, as she
headed for the door. Before she could reach the door, Zack quickly
grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Wait, I have one more question…" he said, making Loona huff. She
waved her hand, signaling for him to speak. Zack smiled awkwardly,
as he looked up at her.

"Do you, uh, have a change of clothes I can wear… like at all?"

Loona's face twisted in confusion. Her eyes raked up and down his
body. His clothes didn't look ripped or anything, except for the bullet
hole in his hoodie and shirt. Out of nowhere, she gripped his hoodie
and pulled her towards him. She brought her nose to his clothes and
sniffed them.
"Oh yeah, you never took a shower, didn't you? Alright, fine, give me
a second." she said, as she walked into his room. After a few
seconds, she came back with a pair of black jeans, and a black shirt
with a skull on the front. She threw them at him and he caught them
with ease. He looked them over, a smile on his face.

"Thanks! Um, by the way, these look kinda small for you. Are these
from your childhood?"

Loona shrugged, as she responded, "Nope, those were given to

Blitzo by someone. He told me to take them and burn them for some
reason. I must have forgot or something."

Zack blinked in curiosity, as Loona walked out of her apartment, her

phone in her hand.

"If you're smart, you'll stay here. If you leave, there's no way that
you'll survive, trust me!" she called back, as she slammed the door
behind her. Zack stared at the door for a second, before looking at
the clothes. He shrugged, as he headed for the bathroom to take a
nice, well-deserved shower.

A few minutes later, Zack was standing in the bathroom, fully

cleaned and dried off, the spare clothes in his hands. His eyes
looked them over, inspecting each hem and thread.

"They look normal. Hell, they look human-made. Huh, might as well."
he mumbled, as he slipped on the clothes. They were slightly snug,
but they would do just fine. He looked at the bathroom mirror, his
reflection looking back at him. He scratched his stomach, an itchy
feeling gnawing at his skin.

"Huh, I look pretty good. The pants are kinda snug around the crotch
and ass regions though… and damn it, why is my stomach so
itchy?!"

He pulled up the shirt and looked at the fabric against his skin. It
wasn't a rash, but instead, it was a strange patch. Zack's brows
furrowed in confusion, as he stared at the patch. It was a circular
shape, a pentagram design at the center, with a few strange words
on it.

"The hell? Why's this here? Shouldn't this be on the outside?" he

wondered, as his fingertips brushed against the patch. He tugged at
it, until he felt it slowly pull off and plop into his hand. He brought it
up to his face, taking a closer look at it.

"It says 'Instant Penta-Portal… Wait, Penta-wha-" before he could

even get his voiced thoughts out, the entire bathroom began to glow
a bight light, to which he quickly covered his eyes, "What the hell!
What's going on!?"

Zack panted heavily and rubbed his eyes, as his body grew heavy
and his consciousness slowly left him. He fell to the floor, as his body
went limp and his eyes closed.

"What… the…"

Loona yawned loudly, as she flipped through her magazine, her feet
propped up on the receptionist desk. As the receptionist, it was her
duty to answer the phone and take calls; too bad she barely did any
of that and instead decided to do her nails or read magazine articles.
Most of the calls she got were from random sellers, scammers, and
callers of the "personal" kind. Due to this, she rarely took phone calls
seriously, but still did at least the bear minimum to keep her co-
workers and boss/dad from getting on her case.

She tapped her finger on the side of her leg, as her eyes grew
slightly concerned. There was something not quite right. She had
remembered to eat Moxxie's lunch, made sure to lock the apartment
door, got the right nail polish, black or course, so what was it? As
she thought to herself, Blitzo walked towards her, his usual snarky
smile plastered on to his face.
"Hey there Loooooonie! How's it going?" he asked, as he leaned on
to the desk, which made Loona slightly lean back from him. Personal
space was obviously not Blitzo's forte.

"It's fine Blitzo. Had a great sleep, messed with the human, hazay
blazay, yada yada yada." she huffed to him, as she continued to read
her magazine. Though her response was anything but polite, his
face still had the same grin it usually had.

"Well that's great dear. Oh, by the way, did you take care of that thing
I wanted you to do?" he asked, to which Loona shrugged her
shoulders.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you said, I already did it."

"Oh good, that was a close one, ya know? Those stupid clothes from
that beak-faced fuck; pretty sure that would have been a disaster."
he chuckled, his hands on his hips. Loona's eyes slightly widened
from what she heard. Did he just say clothes? He couldn't be talking
about those clothes, right? He continued, "I mean, if I would have
worn those things, I'm pretty sure I would have ended up in his
stupid room. Well, either way, no need to bitch about something
dealt with. Nice work Loo-"

In a flash, Loona ran towards the door and busted through it,
knocking it off it's hinges. She bolted down the stairs, leaving a
confused and shocked Blitzo standing alone at the receptionist desk.
Her thoughts ran rampant, as she sprinted down the road, panting
with each lunge.

"Fucking damn it! That's what I forgot! If he puts those things on, it's
curtains for him! There's no telling what that bird-brained prick will
do! Gotta hurry!"

In a matter of minutes, she finally made it back to her apartment. The

door was still locked, yet that didn't mean anything in this case. She
fumbled with the lock and opened the door, as she called out for
Zack loudly.
"Zack! Hey, pussy, you there?! Did you put those clothes on?!" she
shouted. No answer, nothing but a deafening silence. She stepped
into the apartment and looked throughout the living room. No Zack.
Her footsteps rung throughout the hallway, as she looked into the
bathroom. Her eyes looked down towards the ground, the only thing
there being his clothes and the spare clothes, laying on the ground.
Her eyes widened, as she growled deeply. It was too late. The spell
took into affect! She jumped out of her apartment, not even bothering
to close the door back. If her hunch was correct, then there was only
one place Zack was, one place only…

Zack's consciousness slowly began to return, his body tingling from

the new sensation he felt. His eyes fluttered open, and with a soft
sigh and groan, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He
shook his head and rubbed his neck, as he took a deep breath.

"Where the hell am I now…?" he muttered, as his body shivered and

his skin pebbled over. It was cold, much colder than usual. Was the
AC on? He touched his bear knee, as he looked throughout the pitch
black room to get a good indication of where he was. Wait, bear
knee? Zack's eye's widened, as he looked down at his body. It
wasn't just cold, he was literally ass-naked! He yelped in
embarrassment, as he quickly hid his junk with his hands, his face a
deep red.

"What's going on? Why am I here on what I have deemed as a king-

sized bed? And why the hell am I naked?!"

All these questions needed to be answered, before something bad

happened! He soon started to feel his way around the bed, trying to
find a way out. That was when, he heard it. A soft chuckle,
emanating from the other side of the room. His head slowly turned to
it, his heart pounding against his ribcage more than ever before. In
the darkness, shrouded in thick shadow, four blood-red eyes peered
down at him, each one intense with an emotion Zack just couldn't
seem to read. The four eyes squinted, as a voice called from the
darkness.
"It would appear, that my little plan took into affect~ Hmhmhm, how
magnificent~" the male voice said in a hushed and sexually charged
tone. The tall figure closed the distance between him and Zack,
causing him to slowly back up until his body was pressed against the
bed's headboard. Zack gulped nervously, as he tried to speak.

"Wh-Who are y-you? What do y-you want?" he stammered, bringing

out a soft, bone-chilling giggle from the figure.

"Now now, my little imp~ Changing your voice won't fool me~ You
know exactly what I want, and there's nowhere for you to hide~" the
shadowed figure said, as he clapped his hands twice, causing a low
purple light to glow from above the bed, "Don't worry, I'll be sure to
pleasure you nice and-"

Time seemed to have stopped, as Zack stared up at the illuminated

figure. His eyes widened with pure denial, as he stared at the
creature. He had to be at least 8 feet tall, his entire body covered in
grey and black feathers, his face a pure white with soulless, glowing
red eyes, and… a beak… he had a beak! This thing, it wasn't a man
nor an imp, it was a giant, talking owl!

"Wait… you're not Blitzy…" it muttered, as Zack shook his head

quickly.

"Blitzy..? Are y-you talking about Blitzo?! I know that guy, he's
Loona's dad!" he exclaimed, causing the oversized owl to place a
hand over his beak in shock.

"Wait, you know Loona? And Blitzy as well? Oh, well this makes
things much easier. I was worried I picked up some random demon
off the street." he said with a sigh of relief. He flicked his hands and
in an instant, the curtains opened, letting the light flood into the
room. Zack groaned, as he shielded his eyes from it. He blinked a
few times, as he stood to his feet, a throw pillow covering his
exposed junk.
"Um, not to be rude or anything, but it's kinda cold in here. Can I,
um, get some clothes?" Zack asked, as he lightly shivered. The owl
giggled softly, as he slipped on a robe and walked towards the door
opening it.

"Come with me, human. I'll get you some clothes, and perhaps we
can sit for some tea. I haven't had a conversation with your kind in a
while." he said, as he walked out the door, a grin on his face. Zack
gulped down a lump of nervousness, as he followed behind him. To
Zack, this was a very dicey situation. Would it be a good idea to do
this? He was sure that Blitzo didn't explain the situation to the owl
demon, and not only that, he was left defenseless against him. If he
ran, he wouldn't get far without getting captured either. Right now,
this was the only thing he could do…

"This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy Zack!" he internally

screamed, as he sat at the table with the owl creature, a cup of tea in
his trembling hands. His eyes began to truly study him, though he
made sure not to make eye contact. The creature was now wearing
a pair of brown pants, a red shirt with gold buttons, long black
gloves, a red cape with white edges, and a black top hat.

Now Zack's clothes were a bit more casual than his. Zack was
wearing a pair of black jeans, red sneakers, and a dark blue, short-
sleeved shirt. It was a slight bit snug, but it was much better than just
walking around in nothing but his birthday suit.

"So, are you going to tell me your name, human?" the creature
asked, causing Zack to silently yelp in surprise.

"O-Oh, um, ahem, my name is Zack, Zack Trevle. What is your

name, sir?"

He giggled, as he took a sip from his cup and answered, "Stolas. It's
a pleasure to meet you, Zack."
Zack nodded, as he looked him over longer. His mind instantly
placed clue by clue together, his desire to ask questions and prod
him for information growing more apparent.

"His clothes are very royal like, and the way he sits and carries
himself, as if he has an leg up on any situation. Add all that with him
seemingly living in this house, and it's obvious he's either very
wealthy, or is royalty." he thought, as he finished his tea.

"So, um, if I may ask, how did I get here? Was that your doing?"

"Yes, technically it was. You see, those clothes were actually a gift
for my Blitzy. Unfortunately, as it seems, he didn't fall for my trick. Oh
well, maybe next time." he answered, as he chuckled to himself, his
hand over his beak. Zack couldn't help but slightly feel
uncomfortable, not knowing just how close he and Blitzo was at a
specific point. He had, however, deduced that they may have had
some type of sexual relationship, due to how Zack had ended up and
the fact that he had no clothes on when he woke up in Stolas's room.

"Er, well, couldn't you just invite him over? Seems like a bit of a
hassle to try and trick him like that."

"Countless times I've tried. However, my Blitzy loves to play hard to

get. Though, in a way, it does make the reward so much sweeter."

Zack couldn't help but slightly pity him. Even he could see that there
was most likely no way that Blitzo saw him the same way, or even
wanted to have anything to do with him for that matter. Though, so
keep himself from being eradicated on the spot, he refrained from
speaking his mind. With a clear of his throat, he stood up from his
seat and brushed his pants off. Talking was well and good, but a part
of him didn't want to be alone with this towering owl demon any
longer than what he had to.

"Um, this has been fun and all, Mr. Stolas, but I really gotta get back
home. Er, well, to Loona's house. If she saw I wasn't where she left
me, I'm sure she'd, um, kick my ass." Zac said with an awkward
smile. Stolas couldn't help but chuckle, as he nodded his ead,
motioning to the door with a swift hand.

"Just head out that door and head down the hall. You'll see a flight of
stairs not far from here. After that, the front door will be just a few
steps away."

Zack nodded in understanding, as he made his way to the door, a

relieved smile on his face. As he walked out, he bid him a farewell
and started on his trek to the entrance. Back inside, however,
Stolas's face held a grim, serious expression. He silently spoke to
himself, an almost venomous undertone dripping from his words, as
he stood to his feet.

"That human; Zack, was it? Something is definitely wrong with

him…"

As Zack walked down the hallway, he began to rub his chin in

thought. He wanted to ask Stolas more questions, but with the
situation, thought it'd be best to postpone that. Instead, he took the
liberty to fully study Stolas. He had almost everything about his
character and mannerisms down, but the only thing that was
unmentioned or off to him was his work or livelihood. It was obvious
that he was well off, more so than most people in even the living
world at least, so it had to be well paying. Perhaps it was even an
illegal job. He soon made his way to the main hall, a flight of stairs
heading down to the giant front doors.

"This must be the entrance. Perfect, now I can get the hell outta here
and somehow find my way back to Loona's." he thought, as he
started down the stairs. Before hitting the third step, he stopped and
turned back, a giant painting catching his eye. It was well crafted,
with a golden frame bordering the artwork, giving it a royal feel to it.
As Zack stared, his curiosity soon got the better of him, causing him
to walk back up to take a better look at it.
It was a family portrait, having Stolas at the right, a white, red and
blue eyed owl woman to the left, and a dark grey, pink and white
eyed owl in the center. Within seconds, Zack had all of their features
memorized and had already came up with an idea of their
personalities and mannerisms, to which he mentally spoke to
himself.

"The one on the left is Stolas, right? So then he has a family. Must
mean that he's having an affair with Blitzo. The one on the right must
be his wife, or Ex-Wife, perhaps? No, judging by her look, she
doesn't seem like the type to want anything ruin her image. It's
unlikely that they're divorced, at least not yet any way," his eyes
scanned towards the middle of the portrait, "So then this must be
their daughter. She doesn't seem to be the most royalty driven,
judging by her getup. I wonder if she knows about the affair, and if
so, does she even care…?"

His thoughts were cut short, as the faint sound of metal music
flooded his ears. He looked towards the other hall to his left, his
eyebrows raised. Giving into his curiosity, he slowly stepped forward,
in an attempt to find the source. After a few minutes of silent walking,
he stopped in front of one of the many doors down the hall. It was
cracked, not even closed all the way.

"Whoever is in their must not get many visitors. Must be why they've
got the door slightly ajar." he thought, as he slowly stepped closer
and peaked through the opening. With an observant eye, he
searched for the source of the noisy music, before coming across it.
Someone was in their, a woman he assumed. She was sitting on her
bed, with her phone in her hand and earbuds sending music into her
ears. She, however, wasn't just a normal woman. She looked a lot
like Stolas, with a white face and beak, the tip of it housing a black
point, almost like a bit of lipstick. Her feathers were a dark grey,
some acting as her hair, and most covering her body. As Zack
studied her appearance more, he realized something. She was, in
fact, not fully clothed! She had on a tight, formfitting t-shirt, and a pair
of hot pink and white panties on, but other than that, nothing! Even
though she was still an animal-like creature, she still had a very
feminine form, one that would make human models envious.

Zack's eyes widened and his heart almost stopped, as she laid on
her stomach, giving him a very, VERY good view of her tail-feathered
ass. In an instant, he went from serious and curious, to flustered and
embarrassed.

"So… it's not just Loona who has an, um, interestingly thicc body
type… Gah, what am I doing?! I'm not a peeping tom, I just wanted
to find the source of the noise. I better go before some sees-" as he
got to his feet, a little to quickly I might add, his foot stepped
incorrectly, making his ankle buckle under his weight. With widened
eyes, a stopped heart, and a fearful squeak, his body fell backwards
against the door. With a loud thud, he hit the ground, his upper body
past the threshold to the owl girl's room. He groaned softly, as he
looked up towards the bed, his eyes staring straight into the pink and
white one's of the room's owner. Needless to say…

"I'm fucking dead…"

To be Continued…
Chapter 5
Chapter 5: I Wasn't Staring, I Swear!

Time seemed to have stop, as the two stared deep into each other's
eyes. This however, was not due to enticement, but out of fear. Each
passing second made it almost impossible for them to even speak,
yet Zack knew one thing. If he didn't explain himself, he would be
branded a pervert for the rest of his life! With a clear of his throat he
waved his hand, blushing slightly and growing much more
embarrassed as the seconds went on.

"U-Um, hello."

Her eyes widened further, as her mouth opened. Zack's skin with
white, she was getting ready to scream. If she screamed, Stolas
would hear, and if he does, it's curtains! With a swift jump forward
and without thinking, he covered her mouth with his hand, kicking the
door closed behind him. The owl girl did her best to claw at him, but
to no avail. Zack sighed. He was already in deep, so he had to see
this through.

"Shh, keep it down, I'm not gonna hurt you. Look, this is just a big
misunderstanding; let me explain it to you before you scream,
please." he blurted out. She stare at him, as she slowly nodded her
head. Slowly, Zack released her and backed up, his hands held up in
surrender. The owl woman brushed her feathers, as she raised an
eyebrow.

"Well? Start explaining." she ordered, an almost British accent

seeping with her words. Zack sighed softly, as he explained
everything to her. Well, everything that she needed to know, mostly
about Stolas and his "penta-portal" patch that he put in the clothes
he wore. After 10 minutes, the woman groaned, as she pinched the
bridge of her beak.
"Ugh, that explains it… I'm very sorry that you had to deal with that.
My father is simply incorrigible when it comes to that imp…"

"It's no big deal, no harm no foul," he cleared his throat, as he

introduced himself to her, "Either way, I'm Zack Trevle. It's nice to
meet you."

The owl woman nodded her head, a small smile appearing on her
white face.

"My name is Octavia. Charmed to meet you as well. So then, what

exactly were you doing peeking into my room? You don't exactly
seem like a pervert, though most humans are good at hiding that."
she asked, causing Zack to blush slightly. He scratched the back of
his head, as he huffed in embarrassment.

"Well, I heard some music coming from your room, so I went to

investigate. I was just about to leave, but I ended up tripping and,
well you know the rest." he explained, the embarrassment keeping
him from making eye-contact. Her eyebrow raised, as she walked
closer to him. One look at her instantly told him that she wasn't
buying his story.

"Heard music? That's impossible, I had my earbuds in. For you to

have heard that you would hav-" she stopped halfway through her
words, her eyes widening slightly. Zack looked up at her, confused at
her loss of words. Without any warning, she stepped closer to him
and held his face, staring deep into his eyes. Zack squeaked in
surprise. Was she, going to kiss him?! Zack tensed, his body
freezing in place.

"What is she doing?! Is she about to kiss me?! No, nonono! If Stolas
found out, he'd surely-"

"Is something wrong with your eye? It's all red…" she asked, her
hand gently brushing his hair from his eyes. Zack blinked in
confusion. Was his eye red? He didn't hurt it or anything, did he?
Noticing his confusion, she quickly grabbed a pocket mirror and
opened it, before showing him his face. He stared at his reflection
intensively. She was right, it was red. His right eye had a slight
reddish hue, almost as if it was poked or scratched.

"The hell… how did this happen? I know I didn't scratch it. How could
it have-?"

"Via dear! I made us some lunch! Why not come and eat with me?!"

The two's skin and feathers respectively went a pale white, as they
both stared at the door, the sound of footsteps coming closer.
They're minds both instantly thought the same thing! If Stolas were
to see them together, things wouldn't go well for them. Not only that,
but Octavia was almost half naked! Zack needed to leave, and fast!

"Shit, it's Stolas! How do I get out of here?!" he silently shouted. She
pointed to the back window. Within seconds, he opened it up and
jumped out without looking. Now that, is the choice of a dumb
person. The window was at least three stories high, and Zack was
falling fast!

"Oh shit!"

He closed his eyes, as he braced for the impact of the ground.

Three, two, one… nothing? Zack opened an eye, as he looked down
below him. He was… on the ground? But how, did something stop
him, or maybe cushioned his fall? He shook his head, now wasn't
the time for worrying about that! With a swift leap forward, he sped
out of the yard and made his way down the path from the castle-like
home and down the street, not even bothering to wonder which was
to go. Back at the window, Octavia's eyes were widened with shock.
He seriously jumped out of the window, without hesitation, and
what's weirder was…

"Did… did he just land perfectly…?"

*"
"Well damn it… Now where am I…?" Zack said with a sigh. After
minutes of running and more spent walking, he had made himself
more lost than he was before. "I should have asked Stolas for
direction back to Loona's house. Hell, I could have asked Octavia,
but one issue after the next and a lot of embarrassment had to fuck
me over… Damn it all…" he kicked at a nearby rock, as he slipped
his hands into his pants pockets. It seemed as if things were just
hopeless. Not only was he a human in hell, but he was a LOST
human in hell. No cellphone, no map, no directions, not even a way
to defend himself. It was almost as if he was left in the hands of fate,
but fate was squeezing him half to death!

"Well… there's gotta be something I can do! Gotta think…" he

tapped his chin, as he closed his eyes, letting his mind do all the
talking and thinking that was necessary.

"Should I ask someone where Loona's house is? No, there's no

telling if they even know who she is. Maybe ask for directions to
IMP? Probably not, Blitzo and the other two would probably kill me
on sight just for the fun of it. However, maybe if I hide out for a while
and stake out the place then-"

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Zack's thoughts were cut short, his ears invaded by a sinister voice
coming from behind him. He slowly turned around, his face white,
and his lips curling into an awkward smile. As he slowly looked up,
he saw not just one, but 3 large, muscular, and evil-looking demons.
They looked as if they could be triplets, each housing a dark blue
skin tone and a pair of devil horns on their heads. Their clothes
consisted of black jeans, and a a tank-top, one wearing yellow, one
wearing black, and the other wearing brown. The demon in the
middle seemed to be twirling a knife in his hand.

"H-Hey, fellas. Um, d-don't suppose you could point me to the

Immediate Murder Professionals, could you? H-hehe…"
"FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!!" Zack exclaimed, as he quickly
bolted down the streets, the three demon thugs hanging on his
coattails.

"Don't run pal, we just wanna talk to yah! Why do you smell so
appetizing?!" one of the shouted, sending a shiver up Zack's spine.
There was no way he was gonna stick around to figure out what he
meant by that! His legs grew tired and sore from the consistent
speed he was sprinting with, but he couldn't stop now. He had to find
a way to lose him! As he turned a corner, he started to think quickly.

"What do I do?! Those guys are gonna catch me soon if I don't think
of something! Okay, calm down, let's think about this, those guys are
way bigger than me, so it'd be impossible for them to keep up with
me forever. All I gotta do is keep running, then I can-"

His heart stopped, as the world around him seemed to turn and swirl
around him. His foot missed the sweet-spot that was the ground. He
tripped, and to make matters worse, he was about to fall and tumble
down a hill!

"Oh shit!" he exclaimed, as his body slammed against the ground

and rolled down the hill. "This couldn't get any worse!"

His eyes widened, as his ears perked from the sound of a loud train
whistle directly bellow him. He wasn't just rolling, he was rolling
straight into a moving train!

"Son of bit-!" his body crashed through one of the wooden cars, his
head throbbing and his body screaming from the pain. His eyes grew
blurred and his consciousness was fading fast. The adrenaline was
quickly fading, and soon, his ability to stay awake faded with it,
causing him to pass out. The last thing he heard, was the sound of
the train moving, taking him away to it's next stop.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN HE JUST LEFT?!" Loona

screamed, he fangs barred at the owl prince of hell.
"I mean he just left. Not too long ago actually. I'd say about 10
minutes ago. After that, slight miscalculation, I ended up sending him
on his way." Stolas explained, as he sat at the table in his kitchen.
Loona's anger seemed to only grow, as she stared straight at him.

"AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO GIVE HIM A MAP OF

DIRECTIONS?!"

"He never asked, hmhmhm~"

Loona growled, as she clenched her fists. She always found Stolas
to be annoying, even from just how he would constantly call the
office to get in touch with Blitzo. To her, he was an annoying prick
who couldn't take a hint, though in a way, she had to blame Blitzo
too, for getting himself involved with the guy.

Stolas soon grew a more serious look, as he rubbed his feathered

chin in thought.

"Speaking of Zack, he told me quite a lot about what happened when

he was here. He said that you saved him from death and patched
him up. Is this true?" he asked, causing Loona to look at him with
confusion. Why was he asking her such a question out of nowhere?
What was it to him anyway?

"Yeah, I did. So what? It's none of your fucking business." She spat
back at him. Stolas merely nodded, as he took a sip from the teacup
in front of him.

"Was that all you did; Patch him up? You know what happens to a
human when-"

"Oh fuck off, and go back to whatever horny jail you belong in! I told
you, all I did was patch him up, that's all! I'm outta here, I gotta find
Zack… !" and with that, she stormed out of the kitchen and back
towards the entrance, her face fixed in a look of pure anger. Stolas,
on the other hand, was more intrigued than angered. Whatever was
going on had Loona at the center of it, and Zack was merely a
bystander pulled in by the choices of a certain imp and his team. He
chuckled softly, as he poured himself another cup of tea, before
standing to his feet. It was funny to him, but mostly, it was quite the
show.

"Nngh… ugh… head… my head…"

Grass brushed against Zack's face and body, as he pulled his

consciousness back to it's awakened state. His body pained and
ached all over, as he slowly pushed himself up to his knees. His
eyes opened slowly, the color around him returning, as he stood on
to his wobble feet.

"Where am I…? I was, on a train at one point after I crashed into one
of the cars… Am I, somewhere in Imp City?"

He looked around the area, as he brushed his clothes off. Tracks laid
behind him around the ditch he laid in. His eyes soon looked towards
the hill before him, as if taunting and beckoning him to climb up to
view what lied ahead. With a shrug of his shoulders, he trudged up
the hill, his legs still sore from his tumble.

"At least those guys are off my tail… Minor setback, but I'm sure I
can ask for directions and get to the IMP building. Then I can keep
going from there." he thought, as he soon got to the top of the ditch.
As he got closer, the sounds of voices, cars, and even music could
be heard, as if it were a normal day in New York. However, one look
would tell him that it was nowhere near normal. Throughout the
streets, demons of different shapes and sizes walked from place to
place, some with groups and others by themselves. Zack's eyebrow
raised, as he picked up on something awfully strange. None of them
were imps. Instead, they were all different classes of demons, some
large and menacing, while some looked small and still menacing.

"What the hell. This isn't right. Where are the imps? I thought it was
called Imp City for a reason…"
He rubbed his head, as he looked up at the sky. It was the same,
dark sky as before, yet something was glowing in the middle of it. A
giant, pinkish pentagram floated in the sky with a glow that gave the
dreary sky an eerie feeling, one that sent a shiver down his spine.

"A pentagram? That wasn't there before. Did I get sent to another
city…? But the only other city I know of is…" Zack's body froze and
the world around him grew deathly quiet to him. It couldn't possibly
be. But it had to, it was the only thing that made sense. The train, the
change of demons that were around him, the pentagram in the sky.
There was no mistaking it, none whatsoever. He was…

"I've just landed myself in Pentagram City!!"

To Be Continued…

Hello! To all of those who are reading, sorry about that long
hiatus. Life has a way of causing roadblocks in hobbies, and I'd
rather not write when I'm feeling exhausted or not into it. My
work significantly suffers from it and no one wants a half-assed
chapter or story.

Anyways, I was thinking and I decided to do something fun for

the artists who are tuning in to my story. If anyone has any fan
art of the story, or creates any art based off the story, I will add
it and your handle to the end of each chapter from here on out.
Just send it to me through the messenger through Fanfiction
DMs, or send it to my email, . This story will be quite the long
journey for our heroes, so you all have plenty of time! With that,
have a good evening, day, or afternoon, and I'll see you all in
the next chapter!
Chapter 6
Chapter 6: A Safe Haven, Here?

Pentagram City, also known as The Pentagram. It was known as one

of the worst, terror-filled, you're-gonna-die-a-fucking-terrible-death
kind of place you could be, and it made sense. After all, this was
where the sinners would end up after a death in the living world.
Most would be given special skills, and if you were lucky, powers.
However, that was definitely not the case for Zack. As a human, who
wasn't even dead, being in a place like that would be a death
sentence. To bad he was already being force to sign it!

"This is bad! Real bad! At least Imp City was a place I could kinda
feel safe in, but here, this place is the definition of dangerous!" he
mentally shouted, as he peeked out from the alley he was hiding in.
He started to sweat with fear, and for good reason of course, his
thoughts quickly processing everything, "Okay, okay, calm down
Zack, panicking won't do you any good. First order of business is to
come up with a plan. Alright, if I'm correct, I ended up getting here by
train, right? If that's the case, then I should be able to take the train
back!" he looked down the street and spotted the train station. It had
to have been only a few meters from where he was. He sighed in
relief.

"There it is. Not too far at all. Now, next order of business. I can't go
out there as I am. They'll instantly know that I'm human. Hmm…" his
eyes caught the sight of a dumpster, "I know I'm gonna hate it, but
maybe there's something in there that I can use to shield my face."

With a heavy sigh, he walked towards the dumpster and opened up

the lid. It smelled worse than it looked, with evidence of blood, vomit,
and other body fluids being housed into it. He held his breath and
dug into the garbage, his skin crawling with each sloppy sound that
was made under his hands. Moments later, he stopped, his fingers
coming in contact with something wooden and round. He pulled it out
with a curious face and inspected the mystery object.

"The hell is this thing…?" he mumbled. His eyes widened, shocked

at what he found. It was a white mask, of all things, and it was a very
strange one at that. The top of it had red fox ears on it, as well as
strange red markings on the right cheek. The nose area of the mask
had a muzzle shape to it and a black fox nose design, and the
eyeholes were filled in with a black see-through material, except for
a white spot in the middle of them, acting as pupils. It even had a
fox-like mouth under the nose.

"What is this? A Japanese kitsune mask…? Why would this be in the

trash, and in hell of all places. Could someone have dropped it…?"

He stared at the mask, his mystery writer mode taking into affect.
Why would there be a kitsune mask here? Who would have this?
And above all else, it looked brand new, so it must have been lost
recently. Was there a deeper meaning to it? Zack shook his head, as
he placed the mask on his head. Sure, it was strange, but worrying
about it right now wasn't wasn't the best idea. He gagged again. It
smell like shit!

"Ugh, okay, okay, just breathe through your mouth Zack, you can
handle this…" he said, as he made his way to the train station. Hi
heart pounded against his chest, as he felt the eyes of the demons
he passed by. Whether they were large or small, he could feel just
how powerful they were. It left him in a state of unadulterated fear,
but he pressed onward. Just a little more, and he'll be on his way
back to Imp City. The minutes it took felt like hours to him, but
regardless, he made it to the station.

"Okay, perfect. Now, if I can just find the ticket booth…"

He turned his head to his right and spotted just what he was
searching for. He smiled, as he walked towards it. He looked into the
ticket booth and knocked on the glass gently.
"Um, hello? Is anyone there…?" he called out. No answer, not even
a grunt. e looked down at the counter in the booth, noticing a paper
sign. On it, it read "Trains closed. Come back tomorrow". Zack's
heart sank.

"Tomorrow?! But I can't wait here until then… Should I find a hotel..?"
he mumbled, as he looked back out towards the city. If he did that,
then he would have to go back in there, and knowing from just
observing the area, he could tell that there were only going to be
roach motels and possibly a few love and sex hotels. He sighed, as
he sat on one of the benches near him. It almost seemed hopeless.
If he stayed, he was bound to get mugged and killed, but if he stayed
at a motel, he would most likely get robbed and killed there too.

"Damn it… Am I just stuck on an unwinnable save, Yggdra Union

style…?" he breathed out. With a groan, he leaned back on the
bench, seemingly giving up. That was when his masked face was hit
with a flying sheet of paper. He yelped in shock, as he pulled off the
piece of paper ad stared at it. Strangely enough, it had some writing
on it, to which he silently read to himself.

"Are you looking for a place to stay that is safe? Do you want to
become better and rehabilitate yourself? Then the Happy Hotel is the
place for you..?"

He stroked his chin, as he raised an eyebrow. Was this a flier? And

not only that, a flier for a hotel? He couldn't believe it. It was literally
boasting about being safe and what did it mean by rehabilitate? It
seemed sketchy to him. However, upon closer inspection, he saw
that it wasn't too far from his location. Would it be a good idea…?

"Hm… The Happy Hotel, huh…?"

"Is this the place…?"

He looked up at the mysterious building, a look of slight skepticism

on his face. It was definitely a hotel, a large one, though to anyone
that wasn't a demon, it would look more like a haunted house. The
building had a dark purple and pink color scheme, with a neon sign
glowing on the roof. One thing that gave him a shiver up his spine
was the yellow eye at the top of the building. It was almost like it was
watching his every move. He didn't doubt it, since it seemed like
anything could be alive and demonic in hell.

"Well, I'm here, so I might as well take a look. Ugh, I feel like I'm
gonna regret this…" he huffed, as he walked towards the door. It
illuminated a yellow glow from the light it shone, as he shakily pulled
open the door and walked in. He shook off his fear. As long as he
kept the mask on, he'd be safe. As he took a deep breath, his eyes
looked around the lobby. Upon closer inspection, it at least looked
festive, unlike the outside. There we couches, a front desk, and
potted plants around the area, however, the hotel felt empty. No
demons, or anyone for that matter. Zack shrugged, as he walked
towards the front desk.

"Is no one here? Maybe they're in the back…"

He looked towards the front desk, a bell sitting on the top of it. He
placed his finger on the bell and rung it a few times. Nothing but
silence followed. He cleared his throat, as he called out.

"Hello? Anyone in here that's not murderous and can help me out..?"

Silence again. He raised an eyebrow, as he tapped in the bell again.

He was used to people being a little slow, but in this situation, he
was more on edge.

"Um, hello, anyone?" he called again. This time, he got something.

Footsteps run down the stairs, causing his head to turn towards the
sound.

"Sorry, sorry! I was dealing with something upstairs, I'm here now!"
the individual said in a rush. They skidded to a halt behind the front
desk, as they stared up at him, a smile on their face, "Okay, so, how
can I help you?"
Zack's eyebrow raised, as he studied the demon's appearance. It
was a female, no doubt about that. Her skin was a pale white, except
for her pink cheeks. Her hair was a very light blonde, and she wore a
white shirt, with a pair of black overalls and black shoes. As Zack
observed her, he felt his cheeks grow warmer. Was he blushing?

"U-Uh… I need a room, please?" he squeaked out, slowly growing

more flustered. She gasped softly, as she covered her mouth with
her hand in surprise, her eyes widening.

"R-Really?! You actually want to stay?!" she gasped out, as she

leaned over the desk with a large smile, her face mere inches from
his. He gulped softly, as he smiled awkwardly behind the mask.

"Um, yeah, that's right."

She squealed, as she jumped over the counter and wrapped her
arms around him, forcing a squeak out of him. After a few seconds,
she took his hands and pulled him down the hallway.

"I'm so glad you're interested in our rehabilitation program! You'll be

a second guest to take part in it! Now, let me give you a tour of-" she
stopped in her tracks and looked back at him, "Oh my gosh, I'm
sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet."

She cleared her throat and looked up into the eyes of his mask, "I'm
Charlotte Magne, co-owner of the Happy Hotel. Everyone calls me
Charlie, though."

Zack nodded his head, as he smiled behind the mask. She didn't
seem as blood-thirsty as the rest of the demons, and her smiled
seemed to be pretty contagious too.

"Nice to meet you, Charlie. Ahem, I'm Zack Trevle. So, you own this
place huh?" Zack asked, to which Charlie nodded.

"Mhm, as well as with my girlfriend, Vaggie. We even have a few

people that are helping us out," she explained. Zack rubbed his chin,
as his mind began to put things together. As he did, he began to ask
more questions while the two continued their trek down the hallway.

"So, you said I was the second person to show up here for a room.
Does that mean that there's only two people doing this whole
rehabilitation thing?"

She smiled awkwardly, as she scratched the back of her head and
chuckled in slight embarrassment.

"Y-Yeah, that's right. It's only you and another person named Angel
Dust." Zack's eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Did she say Angel Dust? As in, like the drug?"

He shook his head, as he nodded in understanding. The pieces

seemed to be in place, at least dealing with the hotel.

"Something tells me she hasn't had much luck with this hotel. No one
around the place, no other guests besides me and this Angel Dust
guy, and the way she looked when I asked her. Yeah, no doubt about
it…"

He glanced at her, as they soon made it to the lounge. It was a

spacey area, with multiple couches, a bar filled with alcoholic
beverages, and even a pool table. He had to admit, he was
impressed. Why wouldn't anyone want to stay in a place like this?
There had to be a reason.

"Um, how about we take a seat. We can talk a bit about the way
things are, maybe get ourselves a drink?" Charlie suggested, pulling
Zack from his thoughts. The two sat at the bar, before Charlie called
out to someone.

"Husker, we have a guest! Could you make us something to drink?!"

she politely called out. Out of nowhere, a figure slowly got to his feet
and pulled himself up from behind the bar counter. This demon, a
male one, was a human sized, anthropomorphic black, re winged
cat, with a white muzzle, paws, and underbelly. His eyebrows were
bushy and red, and he only source of clothes he wore was a red
bowtie and a black top hat. Zack froze in place, completely stunned
by the creature in front of him.

"Is that… a fucking cat with wings?!"

"You don't gotta fuckin shout! Ugh, anyway, what'll it be?" Husker
slurred, as his tail swayed behind him.

"One Peach and Vanilla Frappuccino." she answered with a smile.

He then looked over at Zack, his eyes staring deep into the mask
with an almost judgmental look.

"And what about you? Hurry it up, I don't got all day, kid."

Zack cleared his throat and shook off his stressful fear, "Uh, just
some water, is fine. I don't drink."

Husker stared at him, his eyebrow raised in confusion. His tail

wrapped around a glass and filled it with cold tap water. He placed it
on the counter and moved to work on Charlie's drink. She looked
back at him, a smile on her face. Zack smiled back, as he continued
his questioning.

"So, let me ask you, what's this rehabilitation all about? Are you,
trying to make bad demons into good ones?" he asked. Charlie
nodded her head, as Husker placed her drink on the counter and
walked off to who knows where.

"It goes even more than that," she sighed, as she took a sip of her
drink, "I know this seems crazy, but I think I can find a way for
demons to become angels."

Zack blinked in complete silence, as he stared a her. He was, for

lack of a better term, confused as fuck.
"You lost me here. What do you mean by demons can become
angels? Aren't sinners here as punishment?"

"That may be true, but think of it like this, if a demon has a soul just
like a human, then that means they have something to make better.
It's the only way I can help my people, to allow them to live and end
this," she shivered, as she held her shoulders, "this yearly
extermination…"

Zack's eyes widened and his heart stopped. He could have sworn
that he heard her say extermination.

"E… Extermination…? What… extermination…?" he forced, slightly

shaking. She looked at him with a mixture of confusion and shock.

"You've never heard of the yearly extermination? That's odd, but

anyway, it's a yearly event where angels come down into hell to kill
any demons that they see in plain sight. Unfortunately, angels aren't
like demons, so trying to stop them is near-impossible. Which is why
I'm trying to get this to work, so that I can help with the
overpopulation in a peaceful way." she explained, leaving Zack in
shock. He couldn't believe it.

"Angels kill demons for such a mundane reason? Is this the price for
being a sinner? No, that wouldn't make sense. If that w as the case,
why the hell would it only come around yearly? Not only that, but
some demons are born here, so they wouldn't be sinners. How
odd…" Zack thought, as he rubbed his chin, a serious look on his
face.

Charlie looked at him, as she sighed softly, "Doesn't help that almost
all the demons here don't even wanna give it the light of day… But, I
won't give up! Thanks to Vaggie, and Alastor, we may just have a
chance to get this to succeed!"

Zack smiled softly. His heart warmed from her confidence and smile.
Not only that, but she wanted to do this just to help people, not
herself. Even though he was happy, he was still a slight bit ashamed.
A part of him still thought that all demons were evil, deadly even.
Sure there was a majority that was, but even demons can be kind
and caring, right?

"Geez, I guess I had demons all wrong… Maybe, they're not all that
bad. Alright, for now on, I'll try to not judge a demon by it's cov-" his
thoughts were instantly interrupted, as he felt a hand land on his
shoulder, causing him to jolt. His head slowly turned to look up at the
owner and when he did, his the color in his face drained. The owner
was a tall, thin, male demon with red hair, pale skin, and dark red
eyes. He wore a dark red, pinstripe suit, a monocle, and dress
shoes. His free hand held on to a scepter, a microphone on the top
of it. His face held an almost deadly smile, one that would instantly
strike fear into anyone's heart.

"Why, hello there, my fellow. Might I ask what you're doing here?" the
demon male asked. His voice sounded strange, like a radio filter was
over his every word. Zack did nothing but stare, his heart pounding
against his chest. He knew that he was bad news, just from his
smile, from his stare.

"Oh, this is a new guest! Zack, meet Alastor. Though, you already
know him probably. The radio demon, ya know?" she giggled out, as
he gestured to the demon named Alastor.

"New guest you say? Well, isn't that interesting. Kind of strange for
us to have a guest like this." Alastor said, his grip growing slightly
tighter. Charlie tilted her head, as she looked up at him.

"Strange? I mean, we haven't really gotten any new guests but that
doesn't mean-"

"This smell, it's oddly familiar, and don't think me rude, but it's also
very enticing." his grip tightened further, causing Zack to wince.
What did he mean that his smell was enticing and familiar? Was he
talking about the mask, maybe the dried blood caked on to his
fingers from his digging in the trash can? Alastor slowly brought his
nose closer to him, taking a long whiff of the air. He smirked
devilishly, his hand slipping past Zack's shoulder and wrapping it
around his neck, gripping it.

"How curious, your smell, it's awfully," he slowly brought his lips to
his ear, and whispered silently and menacingly into it,
"Huuuuuumaaaaaan."

Zack's eyes widened and his heart stopped. He knew?! But how, his
mask was on and everything, it'd be impossible! Before Zach could
even rebuttal, he felt the absence of his chair and the entire hotel
seeming to whizz past him.

"D-Did I just get thrown…?" Zack thought, as his body crashed

through the door, his body tumbling to the ground.

Charlie stood to her feet, her eyes widened and pupils shrunk in
confusion and worry. Alastor, however, had a wicked smile that grew
on his face. He walked slowly and menacingly down the hall and out
the doorway, his hands folded behind his back. Zack's body ached
and screamed in pain, as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, his
vision wobbly and dizzy.

"You should know that I can instantly tell a human by their smell. Call
it a skill that any, how do you say, cannibal will soon grow
accustomed to." Alastor spoke, his voice holding an almost upbeat,
yet sinister feel to it. Zack gulped in fear. Did he just say cannibal?
He slowly backed away, his body tingling in pain, even his eye.

"Damn it, what do I do?! This guy, he has to be much stronger than
me, and not only that, but if he's truthful about that sense of smell,
then hiding won't do me any good."

Alastor slowly stepped closer, a dark figure squirming behind him.

Was that, his shadow? His shadow was moving, rising off the ground
even! They soon shaped themselves into an almost tentacle figure.
They almost looked sharp to the touch.
"Now usually I would kill a human on sight, but it's been so long
since I've been able to have some fun with one. So, we're gonna
play a game, if you don't mind. All you have to do, is survive. If you
can, then I'll kill you quickly. Fail, and well, you'll merely die anyway."
he said, as he chuckled softly.

Zack instantly felt helpless. There was nothing he could do, nothing
whatsoever. His body trembled, his eyes starting to water. Was he
seriously going to die here? His eyes looked down, noticing the
many pieces of glass and wood on the ground. His masked reflection
looked back to him from the glass. Just the sight made him feel,
almost ashamed. He was a trembling mess, the sight would make
anyone laugh at him. He was hopeless, useless, and soon would
dinner…

"Are you seriously going to give up like a little bitch?"

Zack's eyes widened, as his eyes widened, his body freezing in

place.

"How pathetic, and after all the other times you cheated death. This
shouldn't be any different."

Zack couldn't hear anything, not a voice or a sound. Was he just

hallucinating? No, the voice was real, he could hear it clearly. Was it
coming from his mind, or was it coming from somewhere else?

"I can't do anything… there's nothing I can do…" he mumbled,

seeing if he could speak to it.

"You fool. You have all the tools you need. The glass, as your
weapon, and your strength; it's just what you need. Now, let yourself
go, let the demon within you take control, RELEASE THY RAGE!"

In that moment, Zack's eye began to throb, as if it was a beating

heart. A warm liquid ran down his eye and cheek, as his head looked
up at Alastor, his body still and straight. That smile, his smile, it
pissed him off. Like he could do anything he wanted, just because he
was stronger. It irked him, angered him even. The only thing he
wanted right now, was to see that smirk wiped off his face, and that
was just what he was going to do, even if he had to rip it off of him.
Zack growled lowly, as he grabbed a long piece of glass, holding it
as if it was a knife. His hand bled from it's sharp edge, but to Zack, it
was nothing but a minor inconvenience. Alastor however, had a look
of amusement. A human fighting back against a demon, to him, was
always seen as a good show.

"Oh? Are you suggesting that we have ourselves a little bout? Ha ha,
a wonderful idea! It'll make this much more fun!" he exclaimed, as
one of his shadow tendrils shot towards Zack at blistering speeds.
Zack however, didn't move an inch. With a quick swipe of weapon,
the shadow was immediately cut in two, leaving it's severed piece on
the ground. Zack's hand slowly removed his mask, finally exposing
his true face to the demon before him. He glared at him with such
malice and distaste, his right eye now a deep, dark red, with his iris
being a light silver. Blood leaked from the corners of his eye, as if he
was crying angry tears of blood. He wasn't running anymore. He was
going to take action.

"Alright, you stupid, strawberry dick. Let's fucking dance."

To Be Continued…
Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Dual Against The Strawberry Pimp

"What the hell am I doing?!" Zack mentally screamed, doing his best
to keep his facade of power and strength. It was odd, he felt
powerful, but it was almost as if his body and voice was on autopilot.
He was in control, but wasn't at the same time. Never in his life
would he go off and threatens to fight a human, let alone a demon
with the power to kill in mere seconds, but in this moment, he felt like
he had to take a stand. He had to fight, to hell with running. Alastor,
on the other hand, merely snickered.

"How peculiar. The look in your eyes, or rather eye, is quite different.
With any luck, that look isn't for show," he spun his can in his hand,
and slammed it down in front of him, his face exuding authority, yet
humor, "Now, do try not to bore me. There's nothing more that I hate,
than shear, absolute, boredom."

As he spoke his last word, all four of his tendrils shot at Zack faster
than eyesight. With a swift leap to his left, he dodged the first attack,
rolled under the second, and spun to his right, dodging the third and
fourth tendril. Each attack rounded back towards him to go for
another attack, their pointed ends nearing his legs. Zack huffed in
annoyance, as he leapt into the arm and landed on a nearby tree
branch, his hand gripping at the trunk to keep himself steady. His
eyes scanned the area.

"Damn it, those shadow tentacles of his are relentless. There's gotta
be a way I can get in closer!"

The sound of rustling leaves pulled him from his thoughts and
caused him to turn his head. With a quick pounce, he jumped and
evaded a hidden tendril, the tip of it nicking his left arm. Zack winced,
as he hit the ground with a roll and leapt forward on to his feet.
Alastor raised an eyebrow, his smile growing.
"Well well, looks like you're getting serious. Good, let's see what you
can do!"

Alastor's eyes grew a darker shade of red and his pupils shrunk, his
face growing a more demonic and sinister smile. The shadow behind
him grew larger, towering over his already tall figure, and with a snap
of his fingers, it began to morph. Through the darkness of the ink-
black darkness, needles of shadow sliced through the air and
launched towards Zack, who was barreling towards him. Zack
sneered, as he gripped his make-shift knife of glass in his hand
tightly. They were coming, and fast! He knew he could slice them all,
there'd be no way, and dodging them all wouldn't exactly be
possible. There was only one way, though it'd prove to be
dangerous. No time for thinking, only action! He quickly crossed his
arms over his face and lowered his center of gravity, as he ran
straight through the needles of shadow. His body tingled and
throbbed, as he felt each one pierce his body. Most went straight
through, but at lot of them stuck into his skin, as if they were
acupuncture needles. He had to keep running through it, after all, he
couldn't keep firing those things forever. Soon, the barrage of spines
stopped, but so did he. His body was covered in the shower of
spikes, his breathing hard and labored. He was only a few yards
away, just a little more and he could get to him. One punch, that's all
he needed, just one punch!

"Come on, I gotta get in closer! There's gotta be some way I can-"
Zack's eyes widened, as he noticed something. Was that a line, just
floating in the air? No, he had to be seeing things, but it was
connecting to his person, a tree, and to Alastor. Was this some sort
of sign? A guide perhaps? The only thing that came to mind for him
was some sort of guide you would see in a game's tutorial. He shook
his head; if this could help him, then he was gonna take him out.
Alastor, however, was completely oblivious. He merely laughed out,
his shadow returning to it's normal spot behind him.

"Hahaha!! You're quite the interesting little human! Not many can
jump around and dodge my attacks like that, and the way you
charged through my barrage, how interesting," he smirked devilishly,
as he rubbed his chin, "however, this wasn't as fun as I wanted it to
be. No hard feelings though, I'm sure you'll be much more enjoyable,
on my dinner plate." He spoke, his voice housing more static with
every word he said. Zack, gripped the glass in his hand; it was now
or never, do or die! With a twist of his body, he launched the knife
towards the the tree. Alastor instantly stopped in his tracks and
glanced at the tree. At that speed, it would surely shatter! To his
surprise, it bounced off of the tree, changing it's directory. Within
seconds, it would land puncture his neck, yet he merely smirked.
With a flick of his wrist, the knife stopped in midair, a dark red hue
surrounding the perimeter of glass.

"Hehe, did you really think that would-"

BAM!!!

With a loud and sudden echo of contact, Zack's bleeding right fist
came into direct contact with Alastor's left cheek, the shear power of
his attack knocking him off of his feet. Zack glared, he witnessed his
body fly back by at least a good yard, before finally tumbling to the
ground as a limp, unconscious mess. He huffed, as he inspected him
from afar. Was it over, did he knock him out? Zack couldn't help but
raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Was that it? Damn, I didn't think this would be a DBZ Broly type
thing. Oh well, at least that's that. Now then, I better get out of here
before another demon like him shows up to-"

Zack's body stopped and fell to his knees. His body trembled, and
his breathing grew heavy. It was almost as if his body had something
weighing it down.

"Th-The hell?! What's going on? Why can't I m-move?"

"Now that was a very fun show! Very very good!"

Zack's head slowly turned towards the familiar voice, his skin turning
a deep white. Behind the trunk of the tree, a clapping, grinning
Alastor appeared! He was there, completely conscious! Zack
couldn't believe it! He should at least have a bruise but he was
perfectly fine, no a mark of any kind!

"Wh-What?! But, how?! I thought I-!"

"Did you really think I would be fighting you myself? Haha, no no, my
shadow is more than enough for you," he snapped his finger,
causing the doppelganger to sink into the ground and return behind
him, "or at least I thought so. You did much better than I thought, not
even demons can take my shadow, let alone myself. I must say,
you've intrigued me."

He smirked devilishly, as he stepped closer to Zack. The closer he

got, the larger his antlers on his head grew and the sound of radio
static grew louder. It soon became deafening to Zack, with Alastor's
voice being the only thing that he could hear.

"Now then, what to do to you. Shall I feast upon you, or shall I

merely torture you until I've grown bored?" He snarled out, as his
tendrils wrapped around Zack's immobile body, slowly reaching up to
his neck. It strangled at Zack's neck, cutting off his air flow. He
gagged and choked. There had to be something he could do,
anything, but first he had to get up! With a growl, Zack slowly pushed
off the ground, and with slow and painful steps, he trudged his way
closer to Alastor, his heart feeling as if it would explode. Alastor's
eyes widened in amusement and slight shock. Was he seriously
moving, even with his telekinesis keeping him grounded and
weighted?! His grip around Zack's neck tightened even further, so
much so that he could feel his bones popping. His eyes drooped and
his body felt weak. He wasn't getting enough air and the adrenaline
he was feeling was quickly fading. His body soon went limp, as he
feel to his knees and down to the ground. There's nothing else he
could do, nothing but feel the tight, dark hold, of death.
Zack gasped loudly, as his eyes shot open and his body flew up off
the ground. He panted heavily, as he looked around sporadically.
Darkness was everywhere, no light in sight. Was he dead?! He
looked down at his hands, his eyes seeing them as clear as day,
even down to the cut from the glass he held. He raised an eyebrow,
as he slowly calmed his breathing.

"What the… It's dark, yet I can see my hands. Where the hell am
I…? Am I dead? I don't feel dead…" He mumbled. He slowly got to
his feet, his legs wobbly and trembling. It was quiet, almost too quiet.

"Hello?! Anyone here that can help me?!" He shouted out into the
distance. He felt alone, yet felt watched. It wasn't at all something he
was too fond of feeling. His hair stood on end, he could feel
someone behind him. He slowly turned to look behind, his skin
turning white from the individual before him. It was a towering,
bipedal, evil-looking creature, it's clothes being nothing but a dark,
torn piece of cloth that covered his entire body. It's face, however,
was the star of the show. It was a skinless, muscle-less, pure white
canine skull. It was completely bare, not even eyes where present on
him!

"Wh-What the…"

Zack's body froze, his eyes opened wide. The figure merely stared at
him, as it slowly brought a boney, finger up to his right eye, pointing
towards it. Zack gasped softly, as he stared at it's finger. Before he
could speak to it, the creature jabbed it's finger forward silently, the
sound of flesh tearing filling the room.

"Gaaah!!"

Zack's screamed out in terror, as he sat up quickly, his body covered

in a cold sweat. He panted heavily and fearfully, as he touched his
cheek and eye, checking if there was any source of blood. It was
completely dry and his sight wasn't damaged from what he could tell.
Was it all just a bad dream? He took a deep breath, as he fell back
on the bed, doing his best to calm himself down.

"Fucking shit… that was a terrible nightmare…" He huffed out, as he

rubbed the sweat off his forehead. He turned his head, his eyes
raking over the room. It was a normal sized place, nothing too
special, but it definitely wasn't shabby. One problem, however, is that
he didn't remember getting here. Last he remembered, he was
getting strangled to death by Alastor. He touched his neck at the
realization.

"So, does that mean someone saved me, or did someone let me
go…? Well, whatever the reason, I'm getting the hell out of-" as he
pulled the covers off his body, he was hit with a cold breeze of air to
his legs. He shivered, as he stared at them. Now he had another
problem, his pants were missing! He yelped out in shock, as he
tumbled off the bed and hit the ground bellow him.

"Where'd my pants go!? I don't remember taking them off!"

Before he could even fathom what was going on, the door swung
open and slammed against the wall, as a figure stepped through, the
sound of what could only be their heels clicking against the ground.

"Hey, ya up yet? Charlie asked me ta' check up on ya, so I said I'd

do tha-" they stopped in front of Zack, who was groaning softly. Zack
slowly looked forward and up slowly, his eyes completely inspecting
the figure. Whoever they were, they didn't look human like Charlie
and Alastor. This prey, or demon rather, had white, fluffy fur, and dark
purple eyes, one of them being completely black. He wore black
heeled boots, a pink and white coat, a pair of low-cut black shorts,
and pink gloves, putting it all together with a black and pink bow.
Now that was weird enough, but was weirder, was that this
individual, had four arms! It was definitely another demon! Zack
quickly jumped on to the bed and grabbed a nearby pillow, holding it
up in a position to attack.
"Stay back you! I have a pillow and uh, I'll make you sneeze a lot
with all the feathers in it! I promise you, I'll do it!!" He threatened.

The individual merely raised an eyebrow, as their eyes slowly looked

downward. They smirked, as they looked back up at Zack.

"So, tell me, what's a human like you packin'?"

Zack blinked in confusion.

"Packing…? Like, luggage…? Or maybe packing peanuts…? Or…"

Zack's face turned a deep red, as he quickly covered his lower half
with the pillow he held.

"Th-Thats none of your business, and I'll ask the questions here!
Who are you and where am I?!"

The creature slowly walked towards him, their hips slowly swaying.
Their grin almost oozed an almost predatorial aura, their gold tooth
shown for the world to see.

"Oh calm down toots, I just wanna see if a human's got more than
the usual that I've seen~" they said, as they gently pulled the pillow
away and pushed Zack on to his rear. Zack's heart was pounding
rapidly. Was he seriously gonna get potentially raped, again?! The
fluffy demon, licked their golden tooth, as their fingers brushed
against the waist band of his boxers.

"Don't worry, your fluffy spida' Angel Dust will be very-"

"Angel, what the fuck are you doing?!"

The two's eyes shot open, as they quickly looked towards the door.
This time, it was a woman, one with a white dress, dark grey elbow-
length and different colored thigh-high boots, one being a dark grey
and the other being grey and pink striped. She had long white hair
with a pink bow at the back, and a glowing pink and white eyes, the
other being hidden behind her air, where a large dark pink X laid
over it. She, for lack of a better term, was pissed.

"The last thing we need is for you basically taking advantage of a

human! We just asked you to check up on him, not tear away at his
clothes!"

Zack sighed in relief. It seemed she was actually trying to help him.
The fluffy demon, who was named Angel Dust, shook his groaned in
annoyance, as he stepped away from Zack and towards the door.

"You know, you're such a fun sponge Vaggie. I mean, he was

probably enjoying it too, ya know." He called out from the hall, as he
made his way downstairs. The demoness, who was known as
Vaggie, huffed out a Spanish curse and walked into the room. Zack
quickly covered his lower half with the blanket near him, smiling
awkwardly.

"Sorry about him, he's always like that… You're Zack, right?" She
asked, to which he nodded in response. "Thought so. Charlie told
me about you and said that Alastor attacked you. It's lucky that
you're even still breathing…" She tilted her head, as she leaned
closer, inspecting him, "Your body seems to have even healed too…
well, except for that eye of yours."

Zack tilted his head in confusion.

"My eye? What did she mean about that…?"

Vaggie shook her head and shrugged, as she laid a pair of black
jeans on the bed. They were his!

"Either way, come on down when you're ready. We washed your

jeans for you, they were pretty muddy. See you in a bit." She said, as
she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Zack
merely sat in confusion, as he slipped his jeans back on, sighing
softly in relief. He hoped this wouldn't happen for a third time.
"Well she at least seemed nice. Are those two the other people that
Charlie spoke of? So that would make Vaggie that girl, and Angel
Dust that guy who was trying to strip me." He mumbled, as he stood
to his feet, "but what did she mean that my eye got damaged? It
feels fine to me, maybe a bit red before but it.. wasn't…" His voiced
trailed off into silence, as he stared at his reflection in the nearby
mirror. She was right, something was definitely off. He quickly leaped
to the mirror, getting a much closer look. His eye, it was a deep
blood red, and the iris was a much shinier silver than before. It was
almost as if someone replaced his old eye with a new one, one that
didn't even look human!

"What the hell is this?! What happened to my eye?! Did I damage it?!
No, I'm sure I didn't, I definitely would have felt it! But then, what
could have-?!"

The figure? The only thing that came to mind was the skeleton figure
that jabbed his finger into his eye, but that was merely a dream,
right? It had to have been a dream, no doubt about it! He could feel
his breath quickening and his heart pounding. Everything was
spiraling out of control. First he was taken by a hellhound, then he
ended up stuck in the worse city in hell, and now he's been feeling
his body changing, and not in the puberty way! His faster healing
process, his strange senses, his strength and speed increasing; it
was all something he couldn't fathom!

"What's going on..? What's happening to me..?"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 8
Chapter 8: The Clue Hidden On His Face

It felt like hours passed before Zack was able to pull himself away
from the mirror. As much as he wanted to make theory after theory,
he had to leave the room at some time. Charlie was obviously
worried and he didn't want to make her wait any longer. His footsteps
echoed down the hall, as he slowly calmed himself down, yet the
cold sweat wouldn't go away. He felt as if things weren't going to be
getting better any time soon, like the only thing he could do as just
hide in a room somewhere. He shook his head. Doing that wouldn't
get him anywhere, and not only that, but he wouldn't be able to solve
what was going on with IMP and why he was attacked before. No
matter how scared he got, his desire to solve mysteries always
overpowered it. He soon made it down the stairs, as he took one last
deep breath.

"Ahem, um, hello? Anyone down here?" he called out.

"Oh, Zack, we're in the lounge!"

He walked towards the voice, it belonging to Charlie, as he slipped

his hands into his pants pockets. As he stepped in, his eyes raked
the area top to bottom. Everyone was there, except for Alastor,
which he was relieved about.

"Hey, um, everyone. Sorry it took so long, I was just, er, processing
stuff." he said with a forced chuckle. He sat on one of the stools near
the bar, to which Husker was standing behind. Charlie soon followed,
as well as Vaggie and Angel.

"It's alright, I can understand that this whole thing can be a bit jarring.
Try to relax for a bit, okay?" Charlie comforted, as she rubbed Zack's
back. He smiled exhaustedly. The whole ordeal instantly sapped
everything out of him, and it didn't help that he had faced near-death
three times already.

"Thanks Charlie," he looked at the others in the room, each one

staring at him, "Um, and thanks to you all too."

Everyone smiled at him, well, except for Angel, who winked

sensually at him, and Husker, who was too busy preparing a drink to
smile at him. He soon poured the mixed drink into a glass and slid it
to Zack, a sliced lemon sitting on the edge of the glass.

"Here, you're gonna need that kid." he chortled, as he leaned against

bar. Zack stared at the drink, a slight bit nervous. He had never
drunk anything alcoholic in his life, but as things stood right now, he
knew it would at least relax him a bit. With a clear of his throat, he
quickly downed the glass in one go. His face twisted in a look of
slight disgust, yet forced a smile on his face, ending up with an
awkward, distressed grin.

"Th-Thanks, it tastes amazing." he forced out, his voice slightly

above a whisper. Angel laughed in the background, while Charlie
and Vaggie giggled softly. Husk smirked, as he fixed his hat.

"Hehe, so anyway, I think it's time we get to the point at hand, don't
you think?" Charlie said in between chuckles, as she sat next to him.
"Now, tell me what happened? How did you end up in hell, anyway?"

Zack gulped nervously. Should he really tell her? After all, if he did,
he could end up exposing Loona and her friends, and from what
Stolas told him before, it wasn't exactly legal for Blitzo to even have
the book in his possession. Even so, if he didn't, it would look like he
was trying to hide something from them, which would only make
them think he was plotting something. With a sigh, he shook his
head and told them everything, while leaving out any names.

"Well, it's a long story, but basically, I was pulled into this world after
getting shot by a sniper round. When I woke up, I was in hell, and
before you say that I may actually be dead, no I'm not dead. I haven't
transformed and I don't have any powers, like apparently that Alastor
guy does…"

"Did someone call my name?"

With a loud and girlish yelp, Zack jumped behind the bar counter,
hiding behind it. Before anyone could say anything, he had already
broken an empty bottle and held up the sharp-edged end, pointing it
at the strawberry-colored demon.

"Stay back you! You want a round two?! Because, uh, I'll have to
take a raincheck on that! How about next Tuesday!?"

Charlie smiled awkwardly, as she placed a hand on his shoulder,

clearing her throat.

"Calm down Zack, I don't think Alastor is going to hurt you again.
After all, he was the one who brought you inside."

Zack's face twisted into a look of confusion, as he looked at Charlie,

his finger pointing at Alastor. She nodded at him.

"Believe it or not, after you fell out, he took you inside and told me
that you needed a place to relax… though I don't know what the
point was in fighting you…"

Zack rubbed his chin in thought, as he chucked the broken bottle into
the trashcan nearby. What was the point in Alastor trying to kill him if
he wasn't gonna do the job to the fullest? Could there have been
another reason, or maybe he just wanted to mess with him?Well,
whatever the reason, he had to at least show a bit of gratitude. After
all, he Alastor could have done a lot worse to him.

"W-Well, if that's the case, then thanks for bringing me back inside…
and not killing me, I guess." Zack thanked, as he cleared his throat.

"No need to thank me, my fine frivolous fellow! A human like you
dying so soon would be a waste, trust me." Alastor replied back.
Something about the way he said that rubbed Zack the wrong way,
but he just shrugged it off. He walked from behind the bar and sat
back down on the stool, his hands resting on his lap. Charlie, along
with everyone else, breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Well, regardless of how you got here, you don't have to worry about
it anymore. My dad is kind of a big deal, so he can get you back
home somehow. I'll just have to pull a few favors and-"

"No!"

The group of demons' eyes grew wide from Zack's outburst. They
were definitely surprised, shocked even.

"I can't go back yet, not now. I kinda have some things I need to
figure out right now, and the only way that's gonna happen is if I'm
here in hell." He explained, as he rubbed the back of his neck. Angel
Dust snickered, as he crossed his arms, all four of them.

"Kid, that ain't exactly to smart of an idea. You saw how closer ya
were to dyin' before, didn't you? Not only that, but you're a human.
There's gonna be a lot of fucked up demons that's gonna wanna
piece of ya, and I don't just mean your ass." He said, which instantly
made Zack slightly uncomfortable.

"I wish he would stop talking about my body like that…"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Angel is right. You're right now in
possibly the worst place to be in existence. Not only that, but as a
human, you're gonna have a lot of people after you, just because of
the rarity of you being here. It's best if you just go home and try to
forget this even happened." Vaggie confirmed, as she placed a hand
on his shoulder.

Zack sighed, as he looked back at the counter, his eyes slowly

glancing at his mask, which sat right next to him. Maybe they were
right. Maybe it was best for him to go home. If he did, he would be
able to go back to the life he once had. Sure he'd have his eye being
all messed up and his body stuck in whatever state it was in, but at
least he would be able to live without a constant fear of getting killed,
or worse. Yet, something gnawed at the back of his heart. He of
course wanted to solve what was going on, but there was something
else, or rather, someone else. He shook his head.

"Maybe you're right… Maybe it'd be best if I just-" he stopped, as he

stared harder at the mask. A liquid was on it, most likely the leftover
booze that was in the bottle he broke, but that wasn't what struck
him as odd.

"Um, kid, what's up with you?"

He ignores Husker's question, as he slowly pulled the mask towards

him and looked closer at the droplets of booze. They were stuck in
the shape of something. It looked almost like a letter.

"That's weird. Something like that isn't just a coincidence. Is there an

indention somewhere? But if that's the case, then there has to be
some form of writing, yet I don't see anything… unless…"

Zack's eyes widened, as he whipped his head towards Charlie.

"Hey, do you have a black light, or something along those lines?" He

asked, to which Charlie nodded in confusion. She walked over to a
nearby cabinet and pulled out a small black light, handing it to him.
He turned it on and illuminated the mask, his heart racing with
excitement. A gasp left his lips; the mask held an inscription, one
that was written in invisible ink no doubt!

"I thought so! The indents were left by a pen of some sort!"

Everyone soon gathered around Zack, a look of intrigue, confusion,

and curiosity apparent on all their faces. With little hesitation, Zack
began to read it out loud.

"May the one who wears this mask fight for the cause. Demon shall
fall before you; Human shall worship you."
Everyone instantly raised an eyebrow. What did it mean? Some sort
of code, a pledge perhaps?

"That's most intriguing. Pray tell, what does this mean?" Alastor
asked, his smile still present on his face.

"It's an oath of some sort. Possibly from a gang, but I don't know
nothin' about a gang with this kinda oath." Angel replied.

Within seconds, Zack's mind went into his usual detective mode. He
closed his eyes and tuned out the other's voices, as he began to
think to himself.

"This mask… something about it is telling me that it could be

connected to Loona getting ambushed before. If I think about it
logically, there's not much to go on, but if I think about it in another
way…" He stood to his feet and began to pace around the lounge,
causing everyone to turn their heads to him, "Human shall bow to
you… why would a demon want that? From what Loona told me
earlier, most demons here are sinners who died and ended up her as
their punishment. If that's the case, why would they want to go back
home. I mean, there are no rules here, you could do whatever you
wanted. So, then that means that whoever this gang is has some
other motive. Maybe…" Zack's eyes widened, his heart stopping.
That, that was it. It had to have been.

"No, that couldn't be! But, it does hold up somewhat. If that's the
case though, I'm gonna have to hurry back!"

Zack quickly looked back at the group of demons, his face housing a
serious expression.

"I need to get back to Imp City!"

Zack sighed, as he leaned against the chair, after getting settled into
the last train back to Imp City. It took a slight bit of convincing, but he
was able to get Charlie to let him go, without telling anyone he was
there. After all, a human in hell isn't exactly the most legal of things.
He stared out of the window, as the train began to take off. He
couldn't help but smile, as the thought of making it back to Loona
made his heart grow warm. Sure, she wasn't especially nice or kind,
but she was the only real interaction with a person that he had in a
while, at least to this level.

"Hm, I wonder if Loona is worried about me…" He mumbled, as he

closed his eyes.

"Oh, is this Loona the one who brought you here?"

Zack's eyes shot open, as he jumped out of his seat. He knew that
radioman voice anywhere. He quickly looked around the area,
finding no one around him.

"Alastor!? Where are you?"

Suddenly, a finger tapped his shoulder, to which he quickly spun

towards the figure behind him. To his surprise, it was Alastor.

"Hello there, my friend! I'm glad I was able to catch you before you
went too far. So, who is this Loona you were mumbling about?"

"Th-Thats nothing you need to worry about! Anyway, what are you
doing here? Did you forget to tell me something?"

Alastor merely chuckled, as he walked around the car of the train,

his can grasped in his hand.

"You've committed a very terrible sin." He stated, causing Zack's

eyebrow to raise.

"Excuse me? What are you talking about?"

"I wouldn't expect you to know. I can already tell that you're not the
type to delve into the world of rituals and spells and demonic texts
and the like. However, that doesn't change that fact that you put
yourself in a very dangerous situation." he stared down at Zack, the
sound of static growing louder around him, "If I were you, I would
have taken Charlie's offer and went home, but it would seem that
you decided to go down a much harder path. And to that, I say
bravo!"

"I'm not following. What does that have anything to do with me? I
didn't do any ritual or anything like that, not to mention that I didn't
commit any sin that's that bad. Are you gonna explain or-"

"Oh, I would, but where would the fun in that be? Besides, someone
with a mind like yours can figure it out at some point. No, I came to
you for something else. I came, to make a deal with you."

Zack blinked in confusion. A deal, but what kind of deal?

"Okay, what sort of deal are we talking?" He asked, to which Alastor

answered.

"Oh, a very simple one. All you have to do is make sure you hold up
your end of the agreement. If you do, then I will assist you through
your little trial in hell."

"And if I don't?"

"In simple terms, you will die."

Zack gulped nervously. Hearing someone say that he would die isn't
something anyone would enjoy hearing. He cleared his throat, as he
crossed his arms.

"And what if I refuse?"

Alastor smirked, as a chuckle escaped past his lips.

"Well, do you really want to take that chance? After all, you know
how powerful I am, or shall I show you once more?"

He was right. Having someone like him help assist with this entire
ordeal may be beneficial, plus, now wasn't the time to be wussing
out on things. In hell, you gotta take this opportunities given, or else
you may lose your life.

"So, what do you say? Do we have a deal, Zack?" Alastor asked, as

he held his hand out towards him. Zack looked down at his hand,
slightly unsure. His hand however, slowly moved towards Alastor's,
grasping and shaking it gently. As he did, a warm, dark green flame
wrapped around the two's arms before disappearing in an amazing
fashion.

"Splendid! It would appear that you have a backbone after all!" He

exclaimed, making Zack roll his eyes.

"I'm SO happy I could make you SO proud. Anyway, what is it that I

have to do?"

Alastor merely smirked, as he stepped back into his shadow. His

body slowly disappeared, leaving Zack with a confused, yet fearful
expression.

"My dear boy, it'd be too easy if I told you. All I can say is, you'd
better not bore me."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving Zack in a state of pure
confusion.

"Did he… make me agree to do something… without telling me what

it was…?"

Zack went from feeling confused, to downright stupid. He new what

just happened; he got played.

"GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 9
Chapter 9: I.M.P's Newest Employee

It didn't take long for Zack's train to arrive back at Imp City, much to
Zack's relief. Even though it was apparent that Imp City wasn't
Zack's home, it was still almost like a breath of familiarity to him. Not
only was Loona there, but also I.M.P, a place he could at least feel
kind of safe at, as long as Blitzo and his other employees weren't
there. Regardless, he was at least relieved to be back. As he
stepped off the train, he took a deep breath and began his next
phase of attack, which was finding his way back to Loona's house.
He rubbed his chin, as he walked out of the station, his thoughts loud
and clear in his mind.

"Well, I'm here now. So, what's my move? I don't exactly have my
phone with me, and I don't know where to go off the top of my head.
Should I just ask for directions..?"

He huffed softly, as he scratched his head. In any normal situation,

he could just go to a random person or convenient store and ask for
directions. Here in hell, that would prove to either be impossible, or a
challenge. Though, if he didn't do that, he wouldn't get anywhere at
all. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a low groan of annoyance
escaping his lips.

"Ugh, fuck it. I survived against the radio demon… ! Well, his
shadow, anyway, and I don't exactly know how I could do that… But
even so, I'm not gonna get anywhere if I don't ask for directions. So,
I just gotta bite the bullet and start questioning demons!" He
exclaimed, as he walked down the streets, his chest puffed out in
confidence; or at least, fake confidence.

As he walked, his eyes looked throughout his surroundings, making

a mental map for himself. Even though he knew he was just
wandering around, he was at least understanding the area and it's
many streets and buildings. One in particular, a bar, caught his eye.
He could hear loud voices and hooting from behind the door, most
likely from the many demons that were drinking their problems away.
He raised an eyebrow, as he walked towards the door. Maybe he
could get some directions to I.M.P from someone there, possibly
from the bartender.

"Okay, just get in, ask for directions, and get out. Nothing too hard.
Hell, I bet I'll be able to-"

Before her could even grip the handle to the door, the sound of
crashing glass rung through his ears. His eyes widened and his body
went on high alert, as he jumped back, searching for the cause. The
bar window was completely destroyed, and on the ground before him
was a large, dark red demon. Now, usually in this situation, you
would ask them if they were okay, but since this was hell, doing that
would only get you a large death sentence. Soon, the door barged
open, and two large demons ran out. They're faces held a look of
distress.

"That bitch is crazy! Get Jimbo and let's get the fuck outta here!" One
of them said, as the third demon grabbed their down friend. Zack
merely watched, as the three barrelled down the street, screaming
like little grade school girls. He chuckled to himself. Looked to him as
if even demons could be little cowards as well.

"Hey, get the fuck back here!! You told me you saw a human before!
Tell me what you know!"

Zack's eyes widened and his heart stopped. He knew that voice
vividly.

"Loud, gruff yet feminine, and the sound of it shakes me to my very

core. That can only be…"

He turned around and looked behind him, the door completely ajar,
with a very familiar, feminine figure holding the door open.
"Loona?!" He exclaimed. She looked back at him, her red eyes wide
with shock. Her look of shock, soon morphed into a look of anger
and annoyance. Zack gulped nervously; this was not gonna be fun.
She stomped towards him and grabbed the collar to his shirt. He felt
the ground disappear from under him, as she lifted him into the air to
her eye level. Just the look in her eyes could make a normal human,
and even a demon, whimper in complete fear.

"H-Hey, Loona. Nice to see y-you. Um, did you do something to your
hair? It looks really nice-"

"Where the fuck have you been?! I've been looking every-goddamn-
where for you!!" She interrupted, her voice holding a low, evil-
sounding growl. Yup, she was definitely pissed, however, he knew
he couldn't stay silent for ever, lest he get castrated.

"U-Um, well, funny story about that.. um.. I was kinda in… well…
Pentagram City…" He mumbled, as he looked away from her, a very
nervous smile on his face. Loona's eyes widened and her fur stood
on end.

"THE FUCK?! YOU WENT TO PENTAGRAM CITY?! WHAT THE

GODDAMN SHIT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU COULD HAVE
DIED!!" she screamed, as she shook Zack violently. He blinked his
dizziness away, as he held up his hands in defense.

"C-Calm down, it wasn't on purpose. It's hard to explain but-"

"AND WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EYE?! DID SOMEONE

DAMAGE IT?! PUT A CURSE ON YOU?!"

"L-Loona, please clam down, and I'll explain-" he stopped, his eyes
staring straight into hers. It just dawned on him. "Wait, were you
worried about me?" She stopped her shouting with that little
question. Was she worried about him? After all, he was just a
human, and if he died, he'd just get reborn as a demon or an angel,
most likely the former from her experience. She blushed slightly, not
out of fluster, but out of complete embarrassment.
"Th-The hell?! No I was not worried about you!"

Zack didn't buy it.

"Then, why did you ask those guys where I was? I mean, there aren't
any other humans here, and I'm pretty sure you're the one that
knocked that demon through the window. Sooooo…" he grinned, his
eyebrows bobbing up and down in a joking manner. She growled, as
she dropped him back on his feet.

"Whatever, think whatever the fuck you want. Anyway, it doesn't

matter. Now that I've found you, I'm taking you home. So come on,
let's get to-"

"Wait, I can't go home!"

Loona's stopped in her tracks and looked down at Zack, her face
adorned with a look of complete confusion.

"Did he just say no…?"

She huffed and crossed her arms, "The hell do you mean you can't
go home? Need I remind you that you're in hell? It's not exactly a
resort you know."

"I'm well aware of that, but I can't go yet. There's something going on
and I need to figure it out! As a mystery writter, I have to solve this
mystery!" He exclaimed, as he beat his chest with his fist. Loona
merely scoffed, and with little to no warning, put him over her
shoulder.

"Yeah, no. You're going home. I don't have time to babysit a human."
She huffed, as she walked down the street with him in tow. He
groaned, as he began to slightly struggle. He couldn't go home now;
he knew something was happening, and not just with him and his
body, but with I.M.P as well. He just had to get her to see that. He
snapped his fingers, as he pulled out the mask he found before.
"Hold on, don't you wanna know why those guys were after you
when we met?! I may have a clue!" He shouted, to which she just
scoffed.

"Yeah, right, and I have a ten-inch dick. Just shut up before I make
you."

"Seriously, I have a clue! I think they're after something that you

have; do you have any enemies, maybe something valuable?"

"Tch, dumbass, this is hell. Everyone's your enemy."

"Okay, then, what about something valuable? I bet that book of yours
is valuable. You know, that grimoire?"

That made her stop in her tracks. She pulled him off her shoulder
and stared straight into his eyes, a low growl rumbling deep within
her throat.

"How the hell do you know about the book? That's a company
secret." He struck a nerve. He knew he had her, so now all he had to
do was talk it through.

"Stolas told me. He said that he and Blitzo made an agreement, and
through that, he's go to and from the living world. Something like that
must be pretty rare, right?"

She frowned, a slight twitch appearing in her left ear. She was in
thought, he could easily see that.

"Well, that is the only book of it's kind, I think…" She was getting
intrigued. It was working! Now he just had to net this fish!

"And I think I have a clue on who it might be…" He continued, as he

handed her the kitsune mask. She raised an eyebrow, as she stared
at it, her tail swaying behind her.

"A mask? What does this have to do with anything?"

"That, I don't know. It's a hunch, I guess. However, maybe you know
something. I think it belongs to some sort of gang. Do you know of
any that wears a mask like that?"

She scratched her furry chin in thought. Was there really any group
with that kind of mask? She couldn't think of any, at least any that
come to mind. She shook her head.

"None that I know of. Most gangs around her are pretty open. It's
kind of hard to explain, to be honest."

Zack nodded in understanding. If the gangs around the area were

open, then that means that everyone would know about them. If she
didn't know about the owners of this mask, then perhaps that means
this gang is in hiding. It was only a theory, but it was the only one he
had as of this point.

"Well, regardless, you should keep that book safe and stay alert.
Those guys don't seem like the gentle or asking type. Believe me, I
know." He said, as he brushed his side with his hand. The feeling of
tender skin was still there, a reminder of his first brush with death.
Loona stared at him. He obviously knew what he was talking about,
but was it at all smart to let him stay in hell? It'd be not only
dangerous, but a hassle to have to deal with him.

"Look, I appreciate your little bits of info, but you staying here is a
death sentence for you. Besides, you're gonna stay and what? Help
us find this gang and put an end to their entire scheme?"

"That's just about right," he responded with a nod, "not only that, but
I have some questions I need answered, all of them regarding this
eye of mine."

"Tch, and there's nothing I can do to make you wake the fuck up and
go home?"

"Nope."
Loona growled in annoyance, as she crossed her arms. Never in her
life did she meet a human who actually wanted to stay in hell. To her,
it was a foolish desire, but she knew that if she couldn't get him to go
home, Blitzo could.

"Fine, but if you want that to happen, you're gonna have to get Blitzo
to let you stay. After all, he's the boss, at least of you." She spat, as
she walked off back towards the building. Zack silently rubbed his
chin, his legs moving on their own to catch up with her.

"Hm… well, this may be fun… I think…"

The whole walk to I.M.P was nerve-wracking for Zack. With the
thought of having to explain everything to Blitzo, without getting
himself killed mind you, it only left him with a large hole of anxiety
within him. It got so bad, that when he and Loona got there, he had
to give himself a pep-talk, in order to calm himself down and psych
himself up. Loona, however, was very amused. Maybe this would be
the final push he needed to just say fuck it and go home. He was
now merely staring at the door to Blitzo's office, while Loona was
standing next to him, her arms folded I'm front of her.

"Well, go on then. Come on, don't tell me you're an even bigger

pussy than what you let on." She heckled, a snarky smirk on her
face. Zack huffed and raised an eyebrow, as he slowly opened the
door. The two stepped into the office, where Blitzo, Moxxie, and
Millie were conversing. The three stopped, their yellow, almost
glowing eyes slightly wide, as Zack waved to them.

"Huh, it's the human. Guess he's not actually dead yet. Oh well,
whatever. So, you gonna kill him Loonie, or will do you want me to
do it?" Blitzo asked, as he pulled a Beretta out of his coat. Zack
slightly jumped, his heart quickening the pace of it's beating. Loona,
who rolled her eyes, stepped in between Zack and his attack, her
hands on her hips.
"Hold on, you're probably gonna wanna hear him out first. Kid seems
to have some info on the whole situation that happened when we
tried to kill him."

Blitzo was, for lack of a better term, kurfuffled. Did she just defend
him, a human, again? He shrugged, as he got up from his chair and
stepped closer to Zack, who was on guard the entire time.

"That so, huh? Alright, then spill it. What's this info you got for us,
huh? And be sure not to skip any details, alriiiiiight?" He asked, as
he brandished his weapon. Zack smiled awkwardly, as he cleared
his throat. If he was gonna do anything, he might as well do it now.

"Ahem, alright, but first I have question for you. When Loona first
took me home, I remember you saying that you'd lie and tell the guy
that the job was done. Is that true?"

Moxxie grunted, as he crossed his arms in disapproval, as he

answered, "Well, we did tell them, but afterwards they just hung up
before we could set up a time for them to pay us. Though I said that
we should get half up front, that never happened. So, basically, we
almost did a free job."

Zack rubbed his chin, as he nodded. It made sense, judging from the
clues he had come across. A secret gang wouldn't out forth any
effort in paying or meeting them at all, especially when they want to
keep their identities a secret. With that bit of information, he started
to tell them everything he had learned and his hunches. Though he
knew it wasn't a lot, he knew that it was still going to interest them.
Within an hour of explaining and theorizing, they three imps were all
in a state of curiosity. Not just of their situation, but of Zack as well.
After a few seconds of silence, Blitzo was the first to speak up.

"Wait, so you figured this all out after one trip to Pentagram City?
First of all, it's a wonder you even survived, and second, that's not
exactly easy. What are you, some sort of junior detective?" He
asked, which only made Zack chuckle.
"Not exactly. I'm a mystery writer, so I know a bit about this sorta
thing. I also do research on all the stuff I put in my books just to get a
grasp on it all. I just put everything I researched into practice." Zack
explained, a smile on his face. Millie and Blitzo both had an
impressed expression, while Moxxie still looked a bit skeptical.

"Well, that's great and all, and we'll put your info to good use, but
unfortunately that doesn't mean that-"

"Hold on, I think I have an idea here," Blitzo interrupted, as he circled

around Zack, his eyes inspecting every inch of his person, "Yeah…
yeah… I think that'll be a good idea!"

Everyone stared at Blitzo in confusion, as he walked back behind his

desk and pulled out a stack of papers and a pen. He grinned, as he
tossed the pen to Zack, to which he caught with ease.

"Kid, I'll be frank with you, we probably wouldn't have come up with
something like that. To be honest, with this whole gang bullshit going
on, you're the only one that we can actually trust here. So, with that
being said, I have a proposition for you."

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he listened to him speak. He was

already gearing himself up to refuse the most likely stupid or
downright insulting idea that he was going to give.

"Zack, I'm hiring you as an employee of I.M.P!"

The whole room went silent; Moxxie, Millie, and Loona all had faces
of complete shock, and Zack's body froze in place. Did Blitzo
seriously give him a job at I.M.P?! Was he really that impressed with
Zack's findings?

"Wait, but Blitzo, what exactly would he even do?! I mean, Moxxie is
your assistant, and Loona is the receptionist! What would Zack be
here?!" Millie asked, her face already housing an expression of
excitement. Blitzo smirked, as I stood to his feet again and walked
beside Zack. He placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a thumbs
up.

"Zack here is gonna be I.M.P's first ever Investigator!"

"I.M.P's investigator… Like a detective?" Zack asked, his heartrate

quickening with shock and excitement. Blitzo smirked, as he nodded
his head and rested his feet on his desk.

"That's right. As a hitman company, we have to figure out exactly

who we gotta kill, where they live, and so on. We right now have a
target, or targets, who's hiding out somewhere. That's where you
come in! You find the target, we kill him. It's as plain and simple as
that." he explained, his tail swaying behind him. Zack was left with a
very difficult decision. If he were to find this guy, he would surely get
a bullet to the forehead, but if he refused, then Zack would get that
same bullet most likely. Wait, was this really a hard decision, like
legitimately?

Loona scoffed, as she heckled out, "Like he'll actually take the job.
He's too much of a little pussy to-"

"So I sign here, right?"

Loona's eyes widened, as he quick and snide remark was cut short.
Blitzo, on the other hand, looked very pleased, ecstatic even.

"Yup, sign here and here and here, initial here, here, here, aaaand
blood stamp here!" with the last remark stated, he quickly grabbed
Zack's hand and slit his thumb slightly, before placing it at the corner
of the last page. They always get ya on the last signature.

"Alright, you're all set! You start tomorrow morning! Now go now, get
some rest, you've got a big day!" he cheered out, as he slowly
shooed him away. Zack smiled awkwardly, as he walked out of his
office, followed by Loona, Moxxie, and Millie, who all had shocked
and confused faces. A human, working at I.M.P?! That was unheard
of, but it wasn't like they could say no to the boss. Millie quickly
shook off her stupor and grasped Zack's hands, a smile on her face.

"This is gonna be so fun! I never got to work with a human before! I

hope we get along well!"

Zack nodded, a slight bit nervous at how close she was to him.

"O-Of course, I do too…" before he could say more, Loona gripped

the back of his shirt and dragged him out of the building, leaving
Millie a slight bit worried. Moxxie, however, was still processing
everything.

"So um, where are we going? We going home?" Zack asked, as he

walked closely behind Loona. She had been significantly quiet the
entire walk down the streets. She looked back at him, her thumb
pointing to a nearby building.

"We're getting you a uniform. Gotta have one if you're gonna be

working with us." she muttered, her legs taking her to the clothes
shop. He was now completely confused. It seemed out of character
of her to do something like that, didn't it? He rubbed his chin, as he
and Loona entered the building. Could this be out of character, or
was her actually personality peeking through the cracks of her
persona?

Minutes passed, as they looked around the surprisingly calm store.

Zack originally thought it was going to be a much more chaotic
experience, but to his surprise, it was nothing like how he pictured it.
Probably was because he was in Imp City, rather than Pentagram
City.

"Okay, so you're probably gonna want something formal for this sort
of thing… Oh, here we go." she reached towards a hanger and
pulled the clothes off of it. It looked to be a black suit coat. She then
picked up a pair of black slacks, a white long-sleeved shirt, a red tie,
and black sneakers. Zack watched curiously, as she placed them in
a shopping basket, then moved to grab some more casual clothes,
most being boxers, T-shirts, and jeans. As the two walked through
the store, Zack studied her every move. She seemed to know what
she was doing, and was quick with grabbing every article of clothing,
matching them and creating full outfits. He smiled, he never thought
someone like Loona would be so efficient with this sorta thing.
Knowing this though, he felt as if he had to at least talk to her, lest he
make her think he didn't appreciate her help.

"So, um, you're pretty good at this sorta thing. Do you usually shop
for clothes?"

Loona glanced at him, "Sometimes. I'm not one to care if people like
my clothes or anything, but I still like to grab an outfit or two
whenever I can."

Zack nodded his head. That made sense, most people never say no
to a good outfit, unless they're children who only want the next big
game console or something along those lines.

"So, what about you? What do you usually wear?" she asked, as she
threw a pair of socks into the clothes basket.

"Oh, um, just jeans and t-shirts mostly. I'm not one to dress up… or
leave my house most of the time."

She raised an eyebrow and snickered, as she shook her head, "Heh,
spoken like a true virgin."

Zack's smile soon twisted into an awkward grin, as she moved to the
register. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a card.
Funny enough, it had Blitzo's name on it. She was about to speak to
the cashier, who was barely even paying attention, but was stopped
by Zack. He gripped her wrist, and pulled her back towards him,
causing Loona to raise an eyebrow.

"What? If you're worried about paying, don't worry. I've got it

covered."
"You're not gonna get anything for yourself?" he asked, as he tilted
his head. Loona stared at him, her tail swaying swiftly through the
air.

"Why would that matter? We're getting you clothes, that's all." she
answered. Zack frowned, a part of him didn't feel right if he was the
only one getting something new to wear, and it wasn't like the
clothes where expensive; after all, it's hell for fuck sake, not like
anyone would care if they stole it or something.

"I know, but you gotta get something for yourself too. It'd be kinda
lame if you didn't, right?"

She stared at him for a good minute, the air around her growing a bit
warmer. Was he about to make her go on a shopping spree? There
was no way that would happen, not this easily.

Ten bags of outfits later, including Zack's 5 bags, the two were
walking down the streets of the city, plotting course back to Loona's
house. As they walked, Loona was in a state of deep thought, her
thoughts tugging at her mind.

"Why did he ask that? Why should he care if I buy myself an outfit,
it's not like it matters to him. It shouldn't matter to him. He was
probably fucking with me or something, as most humans would."

As she thought to herself, Zack was all smiles. Contrary to Loona's

belief, this was the first time he'd gone shopping in a while, at least 5
years or so. He felt so relaxed, so gleeful at just a couple of bags of
clothing, most of them not even being for himself. It was all thanks to
her, the very hellhound that almost killed him when they first met. He
felt indebted to her, in a way, and because of that, e had to thank her
somehow. There was only one way to do it too.

"So Loona, I think when we get home, we should celebrate. How

about I cook us a super big dinner?" he asked, pulling Loona out of
her thoughts. She looked towards him, as he continued, "I was
thinking maybe spaghetti and meatballs, with a side of garlic bread,
and a fruit salad. I heard fruit salad is a pretty healthy dish, so I
learned how to prepare it. I like using apples when I-"

"Why would you do that?" she mutter, stopping Zack from his
rambling. He looked up at her, his eyes staring deep into hers. There
was something, strange in them, like a strange hint of curiosity. Zack
smiled, as he gave her a thumbs up.

"Simple, it's because you saved my life. Gotta show my appreciation

in some way. Besides, you look like you could use a good home-
cooked meal, Zack style."

Loona's eyes slightly widened, completely speechless. She didn't

actually think that he going to thank her for that. Truth be told, with
everything that had happened to him, she had figured that he had
forgotten. To see that he took that to heart, at least at little bit, it
made her feel… happy? She quickly looked away, as she slowly felt
her cheeks heating up. Was she blushing? No, not in front of him,
he'd never let her live it down.

"… Fine, but, I'm helping too…" she said, her voice just above a
whisper. Zack grinned, as he chuckled in joy.

"Great! I'll show you how to cook it then! You'll love it, I promise." he
exclaimed, as he slowly began to feel more and more excited. For
being in hell, he wasn't feeling so bad. Sure his body was doing
strange things, his eye was what could be described as a demon's
eye, and he was thrown into a life-or-death adventure, but even
through all that, he had to find moments that could keep him sane
and calm and hopeful; moments like this. Plus, he found it pretty cute
how Loona got so flustered all of a sudden.

"Heh… For a hellhound, she can be pretty cute…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 10
Chapter 10: What's Wrong With Me?!

"Hm, I wonder if I even put this on right…?" Zack muttered, as he

stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, adorn in his new uniform. It
consisted of a pair of black slacks, black sneakers, a white
undershirt, a black coat, and a blood-red tie. He hadn't worn a suit in
years, and the last time he did wasn't exactly his most beloved
memory. He shook his head, as he took a deep breath, calming
himself. His nervousness was slightly gnawing at his mind, what with
this being the first day at his new job. Zack sighed; who was he
kidding? He was more worried about what would become of him,
now that he was working there. After all, he was working at a hitman
company, that resided in hell, and was hired to find what could be
the leader of a gang! He had every right to be nervous, scared even.
Not only that, he was still unsure about his body and the changes he
was experiencing. His eye was a constant reminder that there could
be even bigger changes within him, maybe more that could be
physical, perhaps even mental. As if perfectly planned, the door to
the bathroom rung with a knock, pulling Zack from his anxiety filled
thoughts.

"Hey Zack, Blitzo is outside with the car! Probably wanna get a move
on, or are you actually gonna pussy out?!"

It was, of course, Loona shouting at him. He smiled awkwardly.

"Can she even use that word in that way?" Zack wondered, as he
stepped out of the bathroom in a rush. Loona stood outside her front
door, her phone in her hand. She looked up at the sound of his
footsteps and stepped out of the way, closing the front door behind
them.

"Bout time. Let's go, Blitzo is just down stairs." she mumbled, as she
went off towards the stairs. Zack nodded, as he followed behind her.
The two slowly made their way down the stairs and towards the
running car. Upon their arrival, Blitzo rolled down his window, a
toothy grin on his face.

"There you are! Get on in, we got work to do!" he cheered, as he

unlocked the door. Zack couldn't help but smile. He seemed so
pumped about going out to work, to do what had to be done. Though
he wished it wasn't something as horrendous as killing targets for
cash, he took we he could get. He soon stepped into the back seat
and squeezed next to Moxxie, while Loona sat in the front passenger
seat. As the car doors locked behind them, Blitzo looked behind him
and into the back seat.

"So, Zack, where are we off to first?" he asked, causing Zack to raise
an eyebrow in questioning.

"What do you mean? Aren't we going to the I.M.P building?"

He shook his head, "Nope, we're gonna find this bitch who's fuckin
with my business."

Zack's eyes widened. Did he just say he was going to investigate

with him? Millie smiled, as she looked at Zack.

"Blitzo thought it'd be a good idea to help you with investigating,

since you said it could be a gang. You'd get killed if you went alone."
she explained, her tail swaying slightly. He nodded his head; in a
way, they were his backup, while he did the mental work.

"So, we need a location on where we should start looking. Got

anything?" Moxxie inputted. Zack rubbed his chin in thought. If they
were gonna find this gang, they'd have to go to someone who knew
a lot, who maybe had some runnings with them. He slowly nodded
his head, as he snapped his fingers.

"I think we should take a quick trip to Mr. Stolas's place. He seems to
be pretty intelligent, albeit a bit eccentric. Maybe he could give us a
starting point."
They all nodded their heads in agreement, besides Blitzo, who was
groaning in annoyance. Zack chuckled, he forgot that he and Stolas
had a bit of a relationship, if you could call it that. Nevertheless, that
was their first stop. As Blitzo put the car in drive, Zack soon thought
of something a slight bit important.

"Um, I probably should have asked this earlier, but is Blitzo allowed
to drive?" he asked, which instantly made everyone turn their heads
to him. Blitzo flashed a toothy grin, as he put the car in drive.

"Don't worry kid, just relax and enjoy the ride."

"HOW CAN I ENJOY A RIDE LIKE THIS?!" Zack screamed, as the

car speed past a red light. The entire time, Blitzo had been driving
like a maniac, causing chaos everywhere. He should have known,
this was hell after all, this would have been expected. In fact, Loona,
Moxxie, and Millie weren't even fazed by this. A detail that he should
have picked up on.

Within a few moments, they were all pulling into Stolas's lavish
driveway. Blitzo was the first to step out, while Moxxie and Millie
followed suit. Loona, on the other hand, had to carry a gagging and
belching Zack, who was doing his best not to hurl on her back.

"Did you..h-have to drive like a crazy person…?" He mumbled, as

Loona dropped him on his feet. Blitzo merely shrugged, looking as if
he was confused. Zack shook his head, as he stepped towards the
front stoop, with the others close behind him. As usual, Stolas's
home was as big and extravagant as usual, at least to Zack's
knowledge. He couldn't help but feel slightly curious, though. It felt
as if there was something else that he didn't know, perhaps some
information about him that escaped Zack's sight. Whatever it was,
he'd figure it out soon enough. With a push of the doorbell, the
ringing rung throughout the house, echoing through the walls. In
mere seconds, the door was open by a small imp, adorned in a
butler's uniform. It didn't say a word, as it moved out of the way and
allowed the group to enter the luxurious mansion. He must have
already known of Blitzo and Stolas's relationship. Zack, once again,
scanned the area. Though he had been there before, he wasn't too
interested in studying the decor to an extent. Now things were
different, vastly different.

"So, anyone know where Stolas usually is in this place?" Zack

asked, as he looked back at his "backup".

"Probably in his study, that's my best bet. Come on, follow me."
Blitzo huffed, his legs propelling him up the stairs. The rest instantly
followed suit, as their eyes glazed over the many strange and,
admittedly well done paintings and potted plants. As strange as
Stolas was, he could definitely decorate his home, though it could
have just been his wife. Such an expensive-looking home, but why
him? What exactly did he do? He looked over at Loona, who had a
slight look of, nervousness?

"Her eyebrow is twitching and furrowed. Is she worried about

something…?" Zack thought, as he frowned in confusion. He cleared
his throat, bringing her out of whatever thoughts she was having.

"You okay? You seem to be distressed." He questioned. Loona

merely fixed her face and waved him off.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. I just never liked coming to this place. It's
always so uncomfortable…" she mumbled, her arms folded over her
chest. Zack couldn't exactly disagree with her. After all, a house this
beautiful and large, was technically housing a kind of excentric
demon.

"I gotcha… Speaking of which, I gotta ask, what exactly does Stolas
do? I mean, this place has gotta be expensive to rent, let alone buy.
Is he from an important family…?"

Loona scratched under her chin, her eyes glancing back into his, as
she answered, "You could say that. Stolas is basically a prince here.
Not only that, but he's a member of the Goetia family."
"Goetia family?" Zack questioned.

"The Goetia are basically a group of powerful demons. It's basically

a level in which demons have a higher power than even overlords
do."

Zack's eyebrows raised in curiosity. He had heard the phrase

overlord in passing, and now Goetia. Was it some sort of hierarchy?
Something else he would have to figure out.

"Let me ask this as well; you have overload, and now Goetia, which
exactly is stronger? And also, are there any demons stronger than
that?" He asked. Loona's ears perked a bit, as she pulled out her
phone and began to scroll through it. A few seconds later, she
handed it to him, showing a small food-pyramid-type graph. Zack
scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you seriously make a food pyramid? What are you, in grade
school?" Zack teased, a grin growing on his face. Loona rolled her
eyes and flicked his forehead.

"Oh shut up, it's the best way to explain it better. Anyway, you see, in
hell, there are specific levels of demons, all ranging up to a specific
level of power. At the top of the spectrum is Lucifer Magne, the ruler
of hell. Then you have Charlie Magne, his daughter. Next, are the
Seven Deadly Sins, then the Ars Goetia demons, then Overlords,
then Sinners, then Succubi and Incubi, and lastly, at the bottom of
the barrel, are Imps and Hellhounds." She explained, her face locked
in a serious glare. Zack rubbed his chin in thought. It was interesting,
to say the least, as well as useful. If he could find some sort of clues
or signs of what class the culprit could be in, then that would
definitely narrow it down a bit.

"Has there even been one of these classes that have lots of gangs?"
He asked. A simple shrug was all he got as a response.

"Dunno. I mean, I'm sure there has been a couple. Most gangs aren't
the type to hide though. It's hell after all, no one gives a fuck, ya
know?"

Zack rubbed his chin again. She was right, what with all of the crime
and such in hell, no one would really need to hide. Not unless they
had a reason to hide, one that may cause some issues. After a few
more seconds of walking throughout the mansion, they soon made
their way to a pair of double doors. The small imp butler pulled the
doors open, and allowed the group entry.

"Sir, Blitzo and his employees are here to see you." the small imp
spoke out, as he closed the doors behind them, and went off to do
more work. The room was dark, illuminated by only the star-like
lights that hung above them all. In the back of the room, sitting on
top of their chair, was the very first owl demon they wanted to see.
He smiled, an almost menacing look in his eyes, as he stared at his
pray, an imp named Blitzo. With a soft chuckle, he stood to his feet,
his tall stature towering over everyone.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my dear Blitzy and his group of employees.
Oh?" He glanced at Zack, a look of surprise on his face, "and look
who it is! It's the human, Zack Trevle. It appears you're not dead yet,
hmm?"

Zack merely smiled, though it was a rather uncomfortable one.

Stolas walked towards the group, his hands behind his back. His
eyes gazed upon the team, as his tail feathers bristled against the
breeze.

"So, tell me, to what do I owe the… pleasure~" he asked, his voice
lowering into a deep, almost sensual growl, his gaze meeting
Blitzo's. Zack cleared his throat, as he stepped towards Stolas and
looked up at him.

"Well, it's a long story, but I was wondering if I could ask you some
questions. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, though I am curious, why come to me? It's not like I know
about everything that goes on here." Stolas spoke, as he stepped
towards the nearby desk. Zack raised an eyebrow. It almost seemed
like he was prodding him, telling him to provide some sort of reason.

"Well, for starters, you are a prince of hell, if I'm not mistaken. Not
only that but you're a member of the Ars Goetia, a group of powerful
demons. Now, I may not be too knowledgeable on how things are in
hell, but I do know that someone with high status would know
something." Zack challenged, his eyes glancing around the room. He
spotted a telescope, multiple books on the stars, and even some
constellations scattered about.

"Perhaps, but why are you asking me questions? Judging by how

you're dressed, that tells me that you're working for my Blitzy,
correct? Finding this assaulter for them, I assume? You know, a
human helping a demon is unheard of. Mostly, because said humans
usually perish in mere moments." Stolas countered, as he grabbed a
small cup of tea from the desk, sipping from it. Zack knew what this
was, it was a test. He was toying with him, to see if he was fit for the
job. The only way to get him to answer his questions, was to get him
to see that he had more than just question, but a keen eye for
details, as well.

"I'm guessing that you're into astronomy, judging from the telescope
and the books. Interesting profession, I gotta say," he spoke, causing
Stolas to raise an eyebrow, "I can also tell that you have a daughter.
Octavia, I believe her name is," his eyes slightly widened; Zack was
getting closer, "You also have a wife too. The afair with Blitzo must
not exactly sit quite right with her," his eyebrow twitched, another
sign, "and judging by the situation, I can tell Octavia hasn't exactly
been too keen on the whole thing either. However, you mean well
and only desire to make sure she's happy and safe, like any father
would." He voiced, as he pointed to a photo nearby of a small owlet
girl; she was wearing a pink and white dress with stars on it, "That is
what I see and what I can tell of you. Now, please tell me all that you
can. It's important, for these guys sake, and for you and your
daughter as well."
Stolas stared into Zack's eyes, his red orbs glowing in the dim room.
It was almost as if he was trying to read him, to see if he was really
serious or not. With a soft smile and a shake of his head, he sat on
one of the nearby chairs and fixed his hat, before nodding his head.

"Very well. I can tell you're serious about this. Ask me anything and
I'll do my best to answer."

Zack smiled, while the others stood with opened jaws. Guess they
didn't think he could do it. Luckily for them, they were wrong. With a
clear of his throat, Zack began to ask his questions.

"Okay, do you know of any gangs that wear a mask like this?" He
questioned, his hand holding the masks towards Stolas. With a
gentle hand, he took the mask and inspected it, a soft him escaping
his beaked lips.

"Actually, I've never encountered a group with this type of mask. I've
seen masks like them in the living world, but not here in hell. And
you found this in hell?"

"Yeah, in a trashcan. Judging by the grime and knicks, I'd say it'd
been there for a while. Can a human take his worldly possessions
into hell?" Zack asked.

"No, that's impossible. After all, your body is still in the living world,
it's just your soul that's being moved to either heaven or hell."

Zack raised an eyebrow, his mind piecing together everything. If you

weren't able to take worldly possessions into hell, then it would have
had to been made in hell. Were there any other ways to get into the
world of the living? That was something he had to figure out.

"One more question, and this is kind of important, is it possible for a

human to gain powers? I mean, supernatural powers."

That brought a reaction. Stolas's eyes widened, all four of them,

before they narrowed, his gaze holding Zack's.
"… I would think not… I believe that's all I can tell you for now. I hate
to do this, but I have some work I need to take care of. Of you'd
please take your leave." He said, as he gestured to the door. He was
hiding something, and Zack knew it. He turned back towards the
others and nodded.

"We should get going. We have some information, so it should give

us some insight."

The four nodded their heads and headed towards the door, each one
holding questions in their minds. Before Zack could exit, a hand
gripped his shoulder, and pulled him back into the study, the door
closing once again.

"Just a moment, if you will." Stolas spoke, his voice just above a
whisper. He placed his hand on Zack's cheek and turned his head to
look up into his eyes, "May I… see something..?"

Zack's eyes widened and his body grew tense. What was he doing?
The way he was going about this, he almost seemed like he was
gonna kiss him! His eyes staring into his and his hand on his cheek,
it was too much like that was the road they were going down.
However, that was far from the truth. Stolas was keeping eye
contact, but for only one of Zack's eyes; his red eye.

"Why does this seem so-" before he could even finish his sentence,
his body tensed and his feathers went white with… fear? Was this
fear he was feeling? His body felt an almost deathly pressure, one
that could only be seen by… It was too much, way too much! He
pulled back quickly, his heart pounding against his ribcage, and his
breathing labored. That wasn't the eye of a human… so what was
it…?

"H-Hey, you okay?!" Zack asked, his face growing a worried

expression. Stolas slowly composed himself, a serious look
plastered on his face.
"I'm fine… But you should be very careful. You are right now in the
center of something very dangerous, something beyond your
understanding. Faltering in the slightest could mean your death. Do
not forget that, Zack."

Zack nodded, as he walked towards the door to leave. He was

definitely already feeling uncomfortable and a slight bit unhinged, so
leaving was the best option.

"Oh, and Zack…" he stopped, not even turning to look back at

Stolas, though he new he was staring daggers into the back of his
head, "I don't know what you are… but I can tell this… You are no
longer the human you believe you are."

Zack was beyond confused, he was completely scared. What did he

mean by that? Not the human he believed he was; that phrase was
eating at his mind. He touched his cheek, his fingers just shy of
brushing against his eye. Was that why he said that? Was his eye
the cause? He remembered seeing Stolas's face. He was frightened
by something, but what?

"What's wrong with me…?" He mumbled to himself.

"Wait, Zack?" A voice called out. He stopped in his tracks and turned
behind him, spotting a familiar female owl. She was clad in a black
beanie, a pair of black leggings and boots, as well as a pink, lobg-
sleeved shirt.

"Oh, Octavia. I forgot that you lived here, heh. What's up?" He
asked, doing his best to compose himself. She stepped closer to
him, a book held in his hands.

"Nothing much, I was just getting a book from the library here," she
tilted her head and stepped closer to him, "What happened to your
eye? It looks inhuman.
"Long story, tell ya later." He dismissed with a awkward smile, his
hand waving it off, "Anyways, may I ask you something?"

She nodded her head, as she backed up to her original standing

position.

"I'm looking for some information about this. Do you have any?" He
asked, as he held up the Kitsune mask. She inspected it for a short
moment, before shaking her head.

"Not exactly… Though I may have heard something. Hold on," she
pulled out her phone and scrolled through it, before showing it to
him. It was a photo of two demons posing. Must have been some
social media app.

"It's a nice picture but how does it… Wait…" He glanced closer at it.
For some reason, he eyes slowly gravitated to the very back of the
photo. It was someone there, in an alley. His body was shrouded in
shadow, but his face held-!

"That's a Kitsune mask! And it looks identical to the one I have.." he

rubbed his chin, "that proves it, someone had this while in hell.
Maybe if we can find the owner, then we can get some
information…"

"Oh, I have just the thing for that! Follow me!"

Octavia quickly gripped Zack's hand and pulled him towards the
library room. It was a standard library, with books, newspaper
clippings, and some magazines. She stepped towards a lone desk
and pulled open the drawer. In it was a wooden box. She pulled it out
and placed it on the table, before opening it up. Zack's eyes
widened, it was a magnifying glass.

"This will help you. If you're going to solve this mystery, you're going
to need this to help. It's very special too. Try looking through it." She
exclaimed softly, as she handed him the looking glass. Zack blinked,
as he looked through it.
"What the…"

Octavia was glowing! A pink color, was throughout her clothes! He

looked down at the mask, seeing a dark red mist surround it and
leading a trail out of the library and through the hall.

"That's a very special looking glass. It's made to track down the
owners of specific items. It can only be used on small ones and they
have to be owned by said person. I think that should help you solve
this mystery." She proudly spoke, as she smiled with confidence.
Zack smiled back, as he slipped it into his coat pocket.

"Thank you, but are you sure I can have this? I'm sure this belongs
to your dad."

Octavia rolled her eyes and scoffed, her hands on her hips, "It's fine,
he rarely ever uses it. He shouldn't notice," she chuckled softly, as
she fixed her beanie, "So, let me know if you need any more help. A
mystery like this is just like something I read in a book once, so I'd
be happy to help you."

He couldn't help be smile. She was like him at one point when he
was younger. If it were any normal girl, he'd have to decline.
However, she was not only a demon, but one with connects to a
member of the Ars Goetia. She could be useful in terms of getting
information.

"Actually, that would be great. If you could, try to find information on

the local gangs. Either through newspaper clippings or social media.
Lastly, find out about… well this…" he pointed to his right eye.
Octavia tilted her head and squinted her eyes in confusion.

"Your eye?"

"Anything at all would help. It's… changing me somehow, and I need

to know what's going on. It would be a great help of you could."
She nodded her head, a soft smile on her face, "Of course, leave it
to me. Here, let me give you my number… Um, do you have a
phone?" She asked. Zack slowly shook his head, a slight bit
embarrassed. She scoffed and wrote her number on a piece of
paper, before handing it to him.

"Call me if you need anything else, and get a cellphone, alright?"

After that small delay, Zack walked out of the building with his head
held high. Now that he had a lead, finding clues would come to be a
breeze. Blitzo tapped his finger on the car door, as he leaned against
it, most likely annoyed that he had to wait for so long.

"There you are. Come on kid, we gotta get moving already. Geez,
coming here was a waste…" he muttered, as he slipped into the car.
The others did the same, however, something was different. Loona
was sitting in the back this time, with Moxxie sitting in the front
passenger seat. Stepping into the car, he closed the door behind him
and glanced up at Loona. She had a slightly worried look in her
eyes, at least that was how it seemed to Zack. As they pulled out of
the driveway, she tapped against Zack's shoulder, bringing him out of
his thoughts.

"Hey, what was that about? Did Stolas say anything to you?" She
said in a hushed tone.

"Um… not really, no. Just some cryptic stuff. It's nothing-"

"What was it?" She interrupted, her hand gripping his wrist tightly.
Zack stared, shocked by her pushiness. It was highly unlike her, that
much he could tell. Was she hiding something?

"Uh, just that this situation was big and was more than a human
could handle. That's all…" He said, as I smiled awkwardly. She
narrowed her eyes with doubt, before letting his arm wrist.
"If something is going on, you tell me. Don't speak a word to anyone.
You understand?" She growled. Zack quickly nodded his head. She
was definitely not messing around. She huffed, before looking back
at her phone, her leg resting on her knee.

"Geez, you could have been a bit-"

"She's right, you know."

Zack's eyes widened, as he looked around the car.

"Um, you guys say something?" He asked. Blitzo raised an eyebrow,

as everyone looked back at him.

"Um, no, I don't think so." Millie said, as she tilted her head in
confusion.

"You're in much deeper than you think."

"Okay, seriously, who knows how to throw their voice? I'm hearing
someone-"

"Beeeeehiiiiiind yooooooouuuu~"

His eyes widened, the voice coming from the window to his right. He
slowly turned his head, his heartbeat quickening. His eyes widened,
as he stared at the reflection, but not his reflection. It was a creature,
one that was hooded, shrouded in shadow, one that was all too
familiar.

"YOU!" he moved forward and screamed out into Blitzo's ear, "STOP
THE CAR!"

Within seconds, Blitzo slammed his booted foot on the break and
stopped on a dime.

"The fuck is your prob-"

Before he could finish, Zack hopped out of the car.

"Alright you, who are-?!" He stopped, his eyes holding fear, anger,
and confusion. He was…

"He's… he's gone…?"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 11
Chapter 11: A Steak-Out With Steak Sandwiches

"What the fuck is going on?!" Zack screamed out, as he placed

around the car, his hands gripping at his head. Loona and the others
were merely watching from the sidewalk, each one holding a look of
confusion, "Is this some kind of joke?! Wait, did one of you pull off
that stunt?!" He shrilled, as he pointed at the four.

"Hold on, what are you talking about? None of us did anything,"
Moxxie looked towards everyone, scratching his head, "Um, we
didn't, right?"

The three nodded their heads. Zack stared at them all, doing his best
to see that they were lying. They had to be, it was the only option!
Yet, he couldn't find any sign of them being dishonest. He sighed, as
he rubbed his temple.

" You're just imagining things. You're just imagining things…" He

thought to himself.

"You're not imagining anything," Zack's eyes widened, as he froze in

place, his heart beat quickening to an alarming speed, "They can't
see or hear me. I'm speaking to you directly through your mind.
Relax, or they'll think you're unhinged. Go on, get back in the car."

He slowly took a deep breath and headed into the car, sitting back in
his seat. The Loona and the others merely scratched their heads and
shrugged, chalking it up as Zack just being on edge. As the car once
again sped off, Zack stared at the window, the creature once again
appearing to him.

" You can speak to me, you know. I can hear your thoughts, after all."

Zack glared at the mysterious creature, " Who are you, and what the
hell do you want?"
"My my, is that any way to greet the one who gave you your power?"

Zack gasped softly. His power? Does that mean he was the one who
has been changing him?

" So you're the one who's been changing my body?! How and why?!"

The creature merely shook his head, " Well, I merely unlocked your
power. I'm not the one who gave it to you. That was done by
someone else."

"You know who, I'm sure. So, tell me."

"Now why would I do that? You're I.M.P's Investigator, so you should

have no problems solving that." He said. Zack knew just by the
sound of his voice that he was smirking underneath his hood. He
rolled his eyes, as he huffed softly.

" Alright, then answer me this at least. Who are you? I don't even
know your name."

" Ah, yes, I should probably tell you that. You may call me, M. It's a
pleasure to meet you, Zack Trevle." He seethed, a low chuckle
rumbling within his throat. Zack glared daggers at him. He new he
wasn't someone trust worthy. He would definitely have to keep an
eye on him.

" Either way, I must be off. Though, before I go, a little advice," his
body slowly began to disappear, his eye slowly becoming more
visible from the shadows. It was a dark, black eye, with the only color
within it being a glowing, blood-red pupil, "Don't die, not even with
the thought of you being reborn as a demon. It won't go well for you."

With his last parting words, he was no longer there. Zack was once
again staring at his own reflection. He could see the cold sweat he
was getting. Whoever that guy was, he was way more
knowledgeable than what he was leading on. Zack sighed softly, he
knew he was gonna be seeing more of him, no doubt.
"Hell to Zack! Hey!" Zacks jolted in his chair and looked away from
the window, "You okay? That was kind of strange of you." Millie
asked, a look of worry in her eyes. Zack merely smiled in
embarrassment, as he waved his hand at her.

"It's fine, just thought I saw someone suspicious. E-Either way, we

should get moving. We have a new lead." He said, as he unbuckled
his seat belt, "Mind opening the sunroof up there, Blitzo?"

Blitzo nodded his head and pressed the button, opening the sunroof.
Zack leaned forward and stood up on his feet, his upper body now
outside of the car and through the sunroof. He reached into his
pocket and pulled out his magnifying glass. The red mist was leading
through the winding roads.

"Alright, Blitzo, follow my directions! We'll be there in no time!"

After multiple turns and broken traffic laws, at least in the living
world, the car screeched to a halt in front of a building. The group
stepped out of the car and walked closer to the gaudy building.

"Alright, is this where the trail ends?" Moxxie asked, his tail flicking
about slightly. Zack nodded and held up his magnifying glass. The
red mist was definitely going through the front door.

"Yup, this is the place. What is this place anyway?"

Loona pulled out her phone and flicked through it, before holding it
up for everyone to see.

"Looks like some sorta club. It's actually pretty popular in the area.
It's called The Devil's Saliva."

Zack smiled awkwardly, whereas the others just shrugged the name
off. With little to no hesitation, Blitzo pulled out his gun and aimed it
at the door, while his other hand went to pull open the door.
Unfortunately, it didn't open; must have been closed for the day.
"I think this is one of those clubs that are only open at night." Millie
interjected.

Zack raised an eyebrow, "You mean a Nightclub."

"Yeah, that!"

Blitzo growled, as he aimed his gun straight at the lock, "Alright,

that's it! We're bustin' in!"

"No, stop!"

The four looked back at Zack, as if they were all confused. He

sighed and shook his head, as he placed his hand on Blitzo's
shoulder.

"Look, I know you wanna bust right in and find out who's the guy
that's behind all of this, but shooting your way through an entire
nightclub is possibly the worst idea yet." Zack explained. He slowly
helped Blitzo lower his gun, much to Blitzo's dismay.

"What do you suggest we do? Because if you've got nothing, we're

gonna fuck up some shit." he mumbled, his hands rest on his hips.
This was a very delicate situation. If this was a gang they were
dealing with, one wrong step could wind up putting them into a heap
of trouble. However, this could be a good opportunity to see who
goes in and who to follow.

"Okay, hear me out. For now, we stake-out the place, watch it for
anyone who's going in and out. If we do, we can most likely find
more people who could have something to do with the shit that's
been going on." Zack explained, his hand rubbing his chin. Blitzo
huffed and crossed his arms, before slowly walking towards the car.

"Fine, fine, you're the investigator here. So, where do hide out?"

Zack glanced around the area. It had to be a place they could see
the whole area, whole also being well hidden. There was only one
place that could have both of those qualities…

"The roof across the street seems like a good idea…"

"Okay, I got one Chicken Sandwich for Millie, one Avocado Salad for
Moxxie, and a large Popcorn for me!" Blitzo listed out, as he handed
each person they're respected food item.

Moxxie raised an eyebrow and muttered under his breath, "I would
say thanks, sir, but then I remember that you used my credit card."

"Come on Moxxie, don't be a bitch, you gotta give some to get some.
It's common knowledge." Blitzo countered. Moxxie groaned, while
Millie gently pats his back and fed him his food. Zack, on the other
hand, watched from the other side of the room, sitting on the floor of
the roof. He couldn't help but smile at them, watching their antics.

"Hey, got your steak sandwich here." Loona muttered, as she sat
next to him and held out his sandwich. He grinned and took it, before
taking a big bite out of it.

"Mmn, thanks a lot Loona," he cleared his throat and wiped his
mouth, before continuing, "say, you were gone a while. What took ya
so long?"

She blinked, before reaching into a plastic bag. To Zack's surprise,

she pulled out a new cellphone, one that was brand new, in box,
"Um, I went to get you this. You couldn't get your own from your
place, so I, you know, got you a new one."

"Whoa, that's awesome of you! Thanks Loona!" he took the box from
her hands and opened it. It wasn't anything special, but it had a nice
shine to it. Zack raised an eyebrow, as he looked back at her. "You
didn't pay for this, did you?" He asked, smirking playfully.

She scoffed and shrugged her shoulders, "Meh, what can I say? It's
hell, after all." She bit into her steak sandwich, and leaned back in
the air conditioning unit. Zack smiled at her, as he looked back at
Blitzo, Millie, and Moxxie. Watching them, for some reason, tore him
up inside. Loona picked up on that real quick.

"Something wrong? You've been staring at them for a bit."

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. I just…" he sighed, his hands resting on his
lap, "I'm kinda jealous of them."

She raised an eyebrow at him. That wasn't exactly what she was
expecting to hear. Him, jealous? That had to be a mistake.

"You um, are jealous of them? That doesn't sound right. I mean, why
the hell would you be jealous of a bunch of demons?"

"I guess it's because of what they have. Blitzo may be a bit of, well
let's just say a handful, but he truly seems to care about them and
you. Like, it just seems, amazing."

"Pfft, what? You gonna tell me that you've never felt that, not even
from your own parents?" Loona taunted, a smirk growing on her
face. Zack merely glanced at her, then looked back at the ground,
his voicing dying down. Before long, he finally answered her
question.

"They're not around anymore…"

"Oh, they move, or something?"

"In a way. Let's just say, they were taken from the world way too
prematurely."

Loona's eyes widened, a look of shock plastered on her face. The

two sat in silence for a bit, before she once again broke the silence,
her voice holding an awkwardness to it.

"Um… What happened? They um, die of natural causes?"

Silence once again, before, "Murder… They were murdered."

She winced at his answer. His voice didn't hold his happygolucky
attitude. This time, he was almost monotoned. She scratched the
back of her head. Though she was a slight bit uncomfortable, she
still wanted to know what happened. Call it the curiosity of a
hellhound.

"… How did it happen…?"

Once again, a deathly silence. She glanced away; it was obvious he

wouldn't share that story…

"It… happened about 12 years ago…"

12 Years Ago…

(Zack's POV)

I was about 9 years old at the time. My childhood wasn't the

greatest, but it wasn't the worst. I never had many friends, so my
mother and father were the ones who I truly depended on more than
anything. We all did everything together, played at the park, watched
TV, played kickball, the usual. We all loved being together, as any
normal family did, however, we weren't exactly well-off.

We were actually pretty poor at the time. We at least had enough to

put food on the table, but lights and water was always a bit of a
hassle. My dad, who was always working, would constantly come
home later than usual, and sometimes, not even come home at all.
However, when he was home, things would turn… awful…

The man that was kind, caring, and helpful, was instead short-
tempered, dangerous, and emotionally abusive. My mom was
always the one who'd keep the peace as best as she could… But
one thing kept that from happening; Drugs. My dad had a bad
addiction, one that took over his very life. Heroin, Meth, hell even
Marijuana, it was all the same for him. He had to get them, no matter
what the cost. It was that desire, that drove him to make his last and
fatale mistake.
Now I wasn't there, at least at the beginning, but I knew exactly what
happened. I can remember it vividly, almost like the memory is a
movie on constant repeat.

It was June 13th, I had just gotten back to my house after my mom
told me to go play at the nearby park. I had the strangest feeling
about something, so I went back to check up on them. It was quiet,
all except for the sound of mumbling and heavy breathing. When I
entered… I saw it… I saw my father over my mother. A gun was on
the floor, just in front of the door, and my mother was… She wasn't
breathing. I can remember the way he was speaking to me when he
saw me…

"Son?! What are you doing here?! Look, son, it's not what it looks
like! You see, your mother was crazy! She was gonna hurt me,
and-!"

He kept shouting out excuses to me, trying to get me to see it his

way. I may have been 9, but I knew that everything he was saying
was a sack of fuckin dog shit. I remember just standing there,
listening to him speak. I don't even remember if I was truly listening,
but I knew what I was feeling. It was… hatred.

"… You think I'm stupid, don't you daddy…?" I muttered softly. I
picked up the gun slowly, and began to inspect it. "You're the only
one who used this, I can tell by how dirty the handle is. Nothing but
cheetos dust and oil… Not only that, but there's nothing broken or
pushed over… She would have had to have been shot without
knowing… by someone she trusted and loved…" I slowly looked up
at him, my face void of any emotion, "Someone… like you, daddy…"

His face, it went white as a sheet. He was shaken, afraid, terrified. I

was always a smart kid, but he never thought I was that smart. Boy,
we he so very wrong.

"Buddy, look, we can talk about this later. For now, we gotta do
something about your mommy, okay? If she's found like this, daddy
will be in big trouble, I'd go to jail and you'd never be able to see me
again. You don't want that, do you?"

Something about what he said, it irked me, angered me to my very

core. It was so much, so much hatred that I didn't even know how to
convey it or even show it. That's when it hit me, that little voice in my
head that whispered to me about what I should do.

"You don't wanna got to jail…? Okay, I know you wouldn't want to be
stuck there…" I slowly raised the gun and aimed it at him. I had seen
plenty of movies, I knew how to shoot one, what it could do to a
person. His eyes widened, his body began to tremble and shake.

"S-Son… please, put the gun down. You don't know what you're
about to do. I'm your daddy after all, if you do this, you and I can't
play at the park or eat ice cream. You'd be-"

"I don't want you to be my daddy anymore… You killed mommy… All
because you couldn't get that bad stuff I always hear you and mom
argue about. That makes you a bad guy…" I slowly brushed my
finger against the trigger, "and bad guys… always lose…"

I could feel his voice trembling. He knew I was too far gone to calm
down, yet he knew that the slightest move would make me end his
life in an instant. He still had the gaul, the fucking to try and explain
himself… To tell me those half-baked excuses… !

"Son, calm down, daddy will explain everything, just put the gun
down! We can get some ice cream, Cookie dough, your favorite
flavor! O-Or what about the game system you see on TV?! Or maybe
we can-"

I had enough his voice, of his constant begging and pleading. I was
done with him. My mother always told me to see the good in people,
to see them for who they can be and who they are on the inside…
And that's just what I was doing. He wasn't my father, he was a
monster… one that deserved the exact same treatment he gave my
mother.
"Goodbye daddy… Don't hurt mommy when you go to heaven… I
hope you go there with her at least…"

"Wait son, please, I-!"

BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG BANG BANG!!! BANG BANG BANG

BANG BANG BANG!!!

Present Day

(Third Person POV)

"After that, the police showed up not too long after. The detectives
were stupid, such morons. They ruled it as me doing my best to
protect myself, after my father went crazy and killed my mother.
During their funeral, I could remember just how distraught and empty
I felt, yet I didn't cry at all. I think I was just still in shock from what
happened, and from what I did." He sighed softly and stared at his
hands, his eyes growing lifeless and dull, "I turned into what I
killed… A monster and a killer… In a way, I'm no better than my
bastard father…"

Loona's eyes widened. She was distraught, lost for words even. For
someone that was always so happy and positive most of the time to
have delt with something like that. She was always calling him a
pussy, but for him to have done that when he was a child, she didn't
know what to make of him now. Zack shook his head, his hands
resting at his sides.

"I'm sorry, you probably didn't wanna hear all that. I mean, you're
probably used to that sorta thing, what with this being hell, after all."
He mumbled. That was when he felt something warm on his back. It
was firm, yet held a gentle touch to it. He looked back, seeing it was
Loona's hand, who was gently rubbing up and down his back.

"I… I'm sorry you had to deal with that… I don't even think I could get
used to that feeling, losing someone I care about…" she looked
forward at the three imps, each of them carrying on and munching
on their lunches, "I may not voice it much… but those guys are
literally the only family I have. I still don't understand it, why Blitzo is
so dead set on treating me like his daughter, and even though I may
say I hate it… I can't help but feel happy… And to think about
something happening to him… it just makes me feel kinda-"

"Shitty?" Zack interjected. Loona chuckled softly, nodding her head.

"Yeah… So, I know for a fact that you had a shit ton to deal with in
regards to that, and also, you're not like your dad. He was just a
bitch that basically let himself get roped into something he couldn't
get himself out of. I probably would have killed him too of I were
you."

Zack stared at the ground. A part of him wanted to believe her, but
another was unconvinced. What if he went down the same road as
him? If he did, would he recover? Loona, picking up on his conflicted
thoughts, slowly wrapped an arm around his side and pulled him
closer, his body leaning into her side. Zack gasped in surprise, his
cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.

"Just the fact that you're bitching about being like him shows you'll
always be better. Don't let that dick's actions shape who you are,
Zack, cause if you do, I'll have to kick your ass." She finished, a
small smile on her face. He smiled back, his heart slowly growing
more and more at ease. For someone who was always so hard and
so irritable, Zack found her to be sweet and caring as well. Perhaps
there was more to her than she let on.

"Thanks Loona…" He said, as he wrapped his arms around her in a

gentle hug. She, of course, returned the affection. In a way, you
could say that Zack's social link with Loona raised a level.

Hours had passed and the time had shifted to a late night. The club
was finally bustling with music and noises, a perfect indication of it
being opened. The group of demons, and human, were back at their
car, suiting up for whatever may arrive. Blitzo opened the trunk and
pulled out his trusty pistol, before moving out of the way for the rest
of them to pick out their choice of weaponry.

"Okay! Now we can bust in there and start asking questions! So, Mr.
Investigator, what do we do once we get in there?" He asked Zack,
who had picked up a combat knife and some throwing knives that
were held within a small belt. He slipped it around his waist and
slipped his coat over it. The perfect concealed weapon.

"Well, we need to split up into two groups. Loona and I will follow the
trail and see if we can find the owner of this mask. You, Moxxie, and
Millie look around the place and watch for anyone suspicious. Don't
start any fights, the last thing we need is a casualty on our hands."
Zack instructed, as the team walked towards the nightclub's front
door.

With a nod of their heads, they group stepped into the nightclub,
their weapons hidden from view. Inside, the music was bustling and
booming; demons were drinking, flirting, and even groping each
other, much to Zack's dismay. With a scratch of his head, he
mumbled, "Are demons just always so horny? It's like all their food is
spiked with viagra…"

Loona scoffed, while the imps merely shrugged. Zack cleared his
throat and gave her a thumbs up, a smile on his face.

"Alright guys, let's do this. Remember the plan, and stay discreet."

With a nod of there heads, they all went off to their groups, each of
them holding their missions in their heads. Zack pulled out his
magnifying glass and looked through it. As expected, it was slowly
going through the nightclub and down to the back of the building. He
looked over at Loona and gestured for her to follow, to which she
nodded in understanding. Following the mist, with Loona watching
his back, they slowly made their way through the sea of demons. It
didn't take long for them to find a roadblock; the mist was going
straight through a door. Loona shrugged and gripped the doorknob,
pulling it. Of course, it was locked.
"Fucking damn it, it's locked. Think someone has a key?" She asked.
Zack chuckled, as I pulled out a knife and slammed it into the lock
silently. Giving it a gentle twist, the lock disengaged. He gripped the
handle and pulled it open, a smug grin on his face.

"Saw it on a game called Splinter Cell. Pretty cool, right?"

Loona rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth, "Don't get a big head,
dweeb. Come on, let's go."

She pushed through the door and pulled Zack through it quickly,
before shutting the door behind them. With that roadblock out of the
way, the two continued to follow the red trail of mist. The hall was
dark and cool, the only sound in it being the faint voices and music
from the club. Zack huffed, it was the perfect place to find clues.

"Kinda dark in here, huh?" Zack mumbled.

Loona, who was holding on to his arm tightly, mumbled back, "Y-
Yeah, just a bit…"

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he chuckled softly. He could feel his arm

being squeezed rather tightly.

"What, afraid of the dark?" he taunted.

"Sh-Shut up, dick. Just keep walking already… And don't go too
fast!"

Within a matter of minutes, the mist stopped right in front of an

unmarked door. This had to be where their mystery suspect was
hiding.

"Why'd we stop? Is this it?" Loona asked, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, it is…" he looked down to the ground. His eyes widened

slightly, as he kneeled down in front of the door, causing Loona to
raise an eyebrow.
"What? Is something up?"

Zack pressed his index and middle fingers to the ground, before
sniffing the tips of them. Copper… Was it blood? Zack stood to his
feet and opened the door, only to be greeted by more darkness. The
two stepped into the room and closed the door behind them: the
smell of copper was much more potent.

"Loona, does your cell have a light…?" He asked, his voice barely
above a whisper. She pulled out her phone and turned the flashlight
on, illuminating the room. Their eyes widened by the very sight
before them; neither of them were expecting this, not at all. Before
them, was a body, a mangled one beyond recognition, sitting in the
middle of the room on a wooden chair. The walls of the room were
stained with what was supposedly his blood, the cause of the copper
smell no doubt. His eyes were wide open, as if he were in constant
agony, and his mouth was cover with tape. This wasn't just a murder,
this was a torture session. Zack couldn't help but gag, though he
made sure not to puke. Doing so would only disrupt the scene.

"So that's what happened to the mask's owner… He must have been
tortured, then killed… Pour guy.." he mumbled, as he kneeled in front
of the body. Loona didn't bat an eye. She was used to seeing dead
bodies, hell, even ones that were tortured.

"Yeah yeah, cry me a river. What I'm feeling right now is pissed! We
did all that searching and shit, and he ends up dead! Tch, bitch can't
even tell us anything!" She growled, as she kicked at the ground in
annoyance.

"Hold on now, he can't tell us anything, but his body can. Keep that
light on me, I'll start investigating…"

With that request, his eyes began to slowly look throughout the body,
searching for anything that seemed like a clue. His eyes stopped at
the victim's hands; his fingers were chopped off, all of them.
"Strange, his fingers were severed. They seem to have started with
the pinky on his right hand," he then looked up at the man's left
hand. It was still leaking blood on to the ground, "and he's still
bleeding from the left hand. It hasn't clotted yet, meaning that he
died not too long ago… I'd say, maybe an hour ago…"

Loona's eyes widened, her fur standing on end, "An hour ago?! So
that means we basically just missed him! Damn it…"

Zack smiled awkwardly, as he continued to search the body. He

looked up at the victim's neck; something was jumping at his line of
view. He pulled at the man's collar, exposing a mark on him. It
looked like branding mark of some sort.

"What do we have here…?"

"I'm sure you're gonna tell me." Loona huffed, as she leaned
forward, getting a closer look at what he was viewing.

"It's some sort of mark, a branding, if you will," his fingers grazed the
mark, "it's a kanji."

Loona raised an eyebrow, not exactly catching the word he used, "A
what-ji?"

"A kanji; it's a japanese symbol that's used in their alphabet. Usually,
a single symbol can mean multiple different things, but when put
together with other symbols, it can make an entire paragraph in
seconds," he explained, as he raised an eyebrow, "but I'm not sure
what this symbol means… We'll have to look into this…"

He pulled out his phone and took a few photos of the victim's fingers,
face, and neck. He slipped it back into his pocket, his thoughts
ringing through his mind.

" This doesn't make any sense. Why was he killed? There has to be
some reason. Maybe there's a clue here…" He thought, as he
looked throughout the victim's person. Nothing in his pockets, neither
his shirt or pants. Loona, who was tapping her foot on the ground,
merely huffed in annoyance.

"Come on, hurry up. Somebody's bound to come into here, and the
last thing I need is for some dick to start running his mouth off to us."
She warned. Zack's eyes widened in realization. There was one
more place he could check! With little to no hesitation, he tore off the
tape on the victim's lips and opened his mouth wide. Sticking his
index and middle finger into his mouth, he searched throughout it,
bringing a disgusted groan from Loona.

"Hold the phone, I got something! Let me just, fish it out…" and with
that, Zack pulled his fingers out. In between them was a foreign
object. "What's this? Loona, shine your light on this."

Loona nodded her head and moved her phone closer to his hand,
illuminating it. To their surprised, he was holding a USB dongle.

"The fuck… It's a USB stick. Was that in that guy's throat?"

"Yup, seems like it. Whatever he was trying to hide, it definitely was
important…" Zack slipped the USB dongle into his pocket and
looked back at Loona, nodding at her, "Let's get going, the others
have to be waiting on us."

Loona nodded back and headed towards the door. She opened it
slightly and looked between the cracks, before stepping, pulling Zack
along with her. The two quickly made their way back towards the
dancehall, staying as discreet as possible. After closing the door
back and walking back towards the dance floor, they both have each
other a smile.

"Nice work, now that we have some info, we should be able to-"

"You better take that back, you fuckin bitch!"

They both stopped in their tracks and stared at each other, before
heading towards the owner of the outburst. As they pushed past the
sea of bodies, they hoped that it wasn't what they were thinking it
was. Getting to the edge of the ring of people, they both groaned,
seeing their worst fears come to fruition.

"Like hell I will! Your dick couldn't even compare to my Moxxie's!"

Millie shouted, as she pointed to a suited demon. He was large,
muscular, and locked to be decked out in a blue suit coat and slacks,
as well as a leopard print neckerchief. To Zack and Loona, he looked
like a total bitch. Moxxie and Blitzo were both looking worried and a
slight bit annoyed, like this was something that they knew would
happen.

"Listen, doll, I don't take kindly to people who go around saying shit
about me or my drop-dead gorgeous body."

"Yeah, well, I don't take kindly to people who talk shit about my
husband's drop-dead, girlhood trembling body!"

Moxxie was at her side and was quick to try to pull her away from the
man.

"H-Hun, now's not the time for this. We should leave, now."

The demon merely scoffed, as he crossed his arms in front of his

chest, "Better listen to your high maintenance bitch, doll, before you
and him get hurt."

That was the last straw. Before he could even finish, all he could feel
was the moist sensation of liquor being splashed in his face by none
other than Millie. Zack, Loona, Blitzo, and Moxxie all had looks of
surprise on their faces, whole Millie had only deep rage. No one
messed with her man, no matter who they were or what they looked
like.

"Fuck you, biiiitch!" She shouted, as she narrowed her eyes and
gave him the ol' middle finger. The demon's eyes merely grew dark
with hatred and anger. To him, she was beneath him, and he was not
gonna take this sitting down.
"Alright then, doll, how's about I-"

"Excuse me sir?" he stopped, feeling a finger tap his shoulder, and

turned behind him to see who interrupted him. What he was met by,
was a metal tray straight to his nose, catching him off guard and
throwing him off balance. Before he could recover, a clawed hand
grabbed his face and slammed him down to the ground with a mighty
thud, stunning him. Moxxie and Millie both looked at their saviours
with relief.

"What took you two so long?" Millie asked, a smile on her face. Zack
and Loona raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever happened to staying discreet?" Zack asked. Blitzo

cleared his throat, as he walked towards them.

"This was bound to happen, especially with Millie and Moxxie being
so fuckin lovey dovey." He groaned, as he shrugged. Loona scoffed
and rolled her eyes, as Millie hugged her lovely husband tightly. Zack
couldn't help but smile at them. Even demons in hell could find love,
apparently.

"Well, no harm done in the end. We've got what we need, so let's get
the hell out of-"

"Hold on one second!" They all stopped in their tracks and looked
towards the owner of the voice. That demon was up once again,
holding his bleeding nose, and pointing a Glock at them. He
looked.like he was off his rocker, "You think you can get away with
doing that to me?! I'm fuckin Gustavo Grullin, owner of The Devil's
Saliva! You messed with the wrong mother fucker!"

The five only stared at each other, before they all drew their
weapons. Zack held his combat knife in his right hand and got into a
boxer's fighting stance. Loona's claws extended and she got low to
the ground, as if ready to pounce, he fangs barred in malice. Blitzo
drew his pistol and aimed if straight for the demon, Gustavo's, head.
Millie pulled out a small axe, holding it in her two hands, and Moxxie
held his Tommy Gun, aiming it at the demon as well.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm not gonna remember that name; it's fuckin stupid
anyway. Either way, you're out matched here, so unless you wanna
have more holes in your body, besides the ones you take dicks in,
then I suggest you fuck off and get lost!" Blitzo threatened, as he
cocked his trusty pistol.

"Oh? Outmatched? I don't think so, imp." Gustavo sneered, as he

snapped his fingers. As his snap echoed throughout the now silent
nightclub, the sound of footsteps rang all around them, followed by
the sound of cocked guns. Their eyes widened as they looked
around them all. They were surrounded by suited demons; there had
to have been about 30 of them, just enough to give them a very
touch ordeal. Their weapons had to have been AKs, maybe even
FAMAS's. The tables had turned in an instant, and now, they were all
in a matter of life and death. Zack groaned, as he looked at the four.

"Big guns… Must be overcompensating for something…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Nightclub Shoot-Out!

Things were looking grim, much more grim than even possible. Guns
were aimed straight at the I.M.P employees, ready to riddle them
with holes. None of them showed fear; now worry and a slight bit of
anxiety, yes, most definitely.

"So… Anybody have any ideas as to what we do…?" Blitzo asked,

as he looked around the room, counting the amount of guns. Loona
growled, her fangs barred and her claws extended.

"I'm open for suggestions… Zack?" Loona voiced, her eyes glancing
at Zack. The human investigator was intensively looking around the
room. They only needed a second to get them all to lose their focus,
just enough to catch them all off guard. Anything, anything at all, just
something! That's when it happened, he saw them again. Those
same guidelines that showed him just where to throw his knives.
This time, it was completely impossible! Could he actually throw his
knife at that speed…?

"Any last words, fleas?" Gustavo hissed out, as he cocked his own
gun. This wasn't a time for second guessing, it was a time for action!

"Just one…" Zack mumbled, as he pulled a knife from his pouch and
tossed it into the air. Before it got past his head, he quickly slammed
the back of his hand against the end of the hilt, launching it behind
him with excessive force and straight towards a wall. Gustavo merely
smirked, while his mean snickered.

"What? Is that it?"

He didn't even notice it. The blade didn't just hit the wall, it bounced
off of it and was heading straight towards the ceiling. It spun quickly,
as if it were a buzzsaw, and slammed against the cord that held up
the dangling light fixtures. It sliced straight through, and without any
of them notice, it slammed into the ground, falling on at least half of
them. They all looked back towards the fallen equipment; this was
their chance!

"Now, Blitzo!" Zack shouted, as he pulled out three more knives and
threw them forward, each one embedding themselves into the skulls
of the armed demon bouncers. Blitzo smirked devilishly and aimed
straight for the remaining light fixtures. He shot them down with
ease, causing more of them to fall on to the group of men. 20 down,
10 to go! Taking this opportunity, the I.M.P employees scattered,
each one taking out their own set of lackeys. Giovanni sneered and
leapt behind the bar, his gun quickly popping shot after shot towards
Zack. He rolled behind a table and pushed it to the ground, using it
as a makeshift shield. Hiding behind it, he held up a knife, readying it
for another throw.

"Okay, let's see if this works…" He huffed, as he launched the knife

over the table without looking. It shot forward, bounced off a potted
plant, and landed in the barrel of Giovanni's gun. His eyes widened,
as he looked at his weapon and threw it to the ground. Taking the
ceasefire as his sign, Zac jumped over the table and sprinted
towards the nightclub owner, holding his knife tightly and in slicing
position. Giovanni growled deeply, as he cocked his fist back and
three it forward, aiming for Zack's face. With little hesitation, he
gripped Giovanni's arm and pulled it slightly, before slamming his
knife deep into his forearm, the tip poking out the other side.
Giovanni shrieked in pure pain, before instantly feeling his body fling
through the air. Zack threw him over his shoulder and slammed him
on to the ground, before pulled his knife out of his arm and wiping
the blood off with his sleeve.

"Sorry, hope that didn't feel too bad for you." Zack taunted, before
quickly slamming his heel against Giovanni's face, knocking him out.

Meanwhile, Loona was easily making mincemeat out of 5 demons.

Her claws and fangs dripped with blood and entrails, and her fur was
caked with gunpowder and fluids. With each guard that showed their
ugly head, she would tear it off of their neck, and only went after their
bodies just to spite them.

"Fuckin pieces of shit, now I've got blood all over my clothes! You
fuckin dicks!" She screamed out, as she pounced on another poor
soul and slammed her clawed fingers into their chest. Her ear
twitched and looked behind her, meeting the eyes of another guard,
their gun pointed straight towards her head. Her eyes widened in
disbelief. In mere seconds, she would be offed in an instant. Before
she was killed, the sound of a pistol went off and the guard went
down, his gun fly out of his hand. She looked towards the cause of
the gunshot, seeing her dear old dad, who was helping her to her
feet.

"Come on, we're getting the fuck outta here!" He looked to Moxxie
and Millie, who were busy killing every single thing in sight… while
also kissing passionately. Blitzo and Loona groaned, as they ran out
towards them and pulled them towards the door. Before leaving,
Loona stopped and grabbed Zack, picking him up and holding him
under her arm. They barged through the door and sprinted across
the street. Once out of sight, they jumped into their car and with
Blitzo's stepping on the gas pedal, they rocketed away from the
nightclub, leaving the group of guards standing outside of the
building.

"Well, that was definitely interesting…" Blitzo mumbled, as he

dabbed water on his blood-stained coat, hopping to get the stains
out of it. It didn't take long for them to get back to the I.M.P building,
however it did seem long to them, thanks to the smell of gunpowder
and blood. Loona huffed, her legs kicked up on the receptionist desk.
Moxxie and Millie were sitting on the nearby couch, while Zack
paced around the room in thought. He'd been like that ever since
they had arrived. Moxxie raised an eyebrow, as he looked up from
Millie's lap.

"Um, is the human alright? He's been pacing around the room ever
since we stepped into the building." He asked, bringing nothing but
shrugs from Loona, Millie, and Blitzo.

"Hey, pussy, you good?! What's going on with you?" Loona bellowed,
her arms crossed over her chest. Zack didn't answer. He only had an
intense glare in his eyes, his hand rubbing his chins in nothing but
pure thought. He had stumbled upon a clue, one that could possibly
give him an idea as to who he was looking for. He pulled out a
notepad and a pen, and began to write in it.

"Let's see… Japanese kanji… Torture through the removing of

fingers, and starting off with the pinky… That could only mean…"
Zack snapped his fingers, his eyes lighting up, "That's it! I know
exactly what kind of group we're looking for!"

Leaping forward towards a nearby dry-erase board, he started to

scribble on it, his voice escaping from his lips from the mumbling he
was doing. The four demons watched in confusion, as Zack dirtied
the board with his neat handwriting. After a few seconds, he stepped
back and snapped a photo of the board with his phone, a grin on his
face.

"Guys, we have a description!" He turned to them, his finger pointing

to the board, "We'll looking for a yakuza group!"

The Imps and hellhound merely blinked, stunned by what they

heard. Clearing his throat, Blitzo was the first to speak up, "Um,
okay, I'm probably gonna sound like a dumbass, but what is a
yakuza?"

"THE yakuza is a japanese mafia that prides itself on tradition and

respect. For instance, the use of torture," Zack began to pace
around the room, twirling the marker in his hand, "Judging from the
body, his fingers were severed, and from how his pinkies were
leaking less blood than the rest of his fingers, they started from
there. That is a traditional form of punishment, when an individual
fails and brings dishonor to their family, as they call it."
He stopped and looked back at the board, before glancing back at
the ground in thought, "Now, what we also need to figure out is what
that symbol on his neck means. If we can figure that out, maybe it'll
be a clue…"

That's when Loona jumped up. She looked towards the board, and
snapped a photo of the symbol Zack drew. Within a few moments,
she nodded her head and glanced at Zack, "Alright, I think I have it
here."

Zack's eyes widened in shock, "Wait, you do? How?"

"Translator; I just took a photo of it and ran it through the translator,"

she looked back at her phone and began to scroll through it, "Alright,
so apparently, it's English translation is Akuma Ningen."

Zack rubbed his chin. Akuma usually meant demon in Japanese, but
Ningen was a word he never heard someone use. Grabbing his
phone, he searched the meaning of Ningen. It didn't take long for it
to appear with it's English meaning.

"Says that Ningen means human… Akuma means Demon in

Japanese. So, the mark stands for Demon-Human." He mumbled, as
he wrote the name on the dry-erase board.

"Okay, so we have a name now. That still doesn't tell us where they
are though." Moxxie voiced, his hands tapping on the table before
him. With a soft smile, Zack pulled out a USB dongle from his
pocket, placing it on the table. The Imps all stared at it in confuse, to
which Blitzo was the first to speak up.

"This supposed to mean something, or am I just not getting the joke

here?"

"That was found in the corpse's body. Dude must have hid it before
he died." Loona explained, as she quickly grabbed her laptop and
placed it on the desk. Millie raised an eyebrow, her eyes half-lidded
in a scandalous way.
"Was it up his ass?" She asked, a grin on her face. The four all
looked at her, each with varying levels or confusion on their faces.
Opting to just ignore the question, Zack slipped the USB dongle into
a port on the side of the PC and went to open it. If this guy was going
to hide it in such a way, then it had to be something important.
However, that also raised red flags. If he was a part of that group,
then why would he want to go against the hand that fed him? Was it
out of spite, or maybe it was for a bigger reason. Whatever the case,
this dongle would have whatever clues they'd need. Dragging the
mouse to the icon, Zack clicked it, ready to be showered in evidence
and info. Unfortunately, he was only met with a password window.

"Aaaaaand that figures…" Zack huffed, his eyebrows furrowed in

distress. Of course, it'd have a fuckin password. He looked back at
the demon misfits, frowning, "It's password-protected, anyone have
any ideas?"

They all silently dug into their minds in an attempt to figure out the
password. Blitzo snapped his fingers, as he stepped towards the
computer and tapped away at the keys. After a few seconds and a
click of the enter key, there was only silence.

"What did you just try?" Zack asked.

"I.M.P." he answered, to which Zack raised an eyebrow. He

shrugged, a smile on his face, "What? They may be fans?"

Zack shook his head and turned back to the PC. Without the right
password, it'd be futile to even try, lest they get locked out. With a
soft huff, he closed the laptop and pulled the dongle out of the slot.

"Okay, so we may have to hack this. Mind if I borrow your laptop, I

think I could figure something out, give or take a few days." He said,
as he closed the laptop and slipped the USB stick into his coat
pocket. Blitzo merely shrugged and stepped towards his office, his
hands behind his head.
"Yeah sure, go ahead. Maybe you'll have some luck with that thing.
Anyway, it's late, so everyone go on home. We get back to it
tomorrow." Blitzo called out, as he closed the door to his office,
leaving the four alone in the lobby. After a few moments of chatting,
the group soon found themselves heading out to their normal homes.
Well, as normal as it can get, that is…

Zack silently huffed, as he stared at the computer screen. Usually, he

was fairly good at guessing passwords by using evidence or clues,
but at that particular moment, there was barely anything to go on. He
already tried Akuma-Ningen, Yakuza, Kanji, Anbu, and much more,
but nothing seemed to crack open that USB stick! He new it had to
be important, lest it wouldn't be password protected. With an
exasperated sigh, he leaned back on the couch, his arms limp at his
sides in annoyance.

"Damn it…"

"No luck, huh?"

Zack's eyes quickly cut towards the voice of his hellhound

roommate. Her steps rung throughout the living room, her hands
holding a mug and a bottle filled with an alcoholic beverage.

"Yeah, unfortunately. I don't think I have much to go on, at least it

yet. Maybe there's something else I'm missing…" He mumbled, his
hand rubbing his chin in thought. Loona sat beside him, handing him
the mug filled with a warm, dark liquid.

"Well, no use killing yourself over it. Best to just call it a day. Here,
drink this. It probably tastes like shit, but it's my first time making it.
Enjoy, or whatever…" She mumbled, as she twirled some of her
silver hair around her finger. Zack raised an eyebrow, his nose
catching the wafting smell of… caramel? His eyes widened with
shock, his hand slowly bringing the mug to his lips. With a small sip,
his heart melted and his body quickly warmed over. Caramel coffee,
his favorite flavor; she remembered? He looked towards her in
shock, before he felt his lips turn into a soft smile. Looks like she was
paying attention.

"Heh, it's perfect. Thanks Loona…" He softly spoke. Loona smiled,

her cheeks growing a slight shade of red. Though Zack could have
teased her about it, he decided against it. Most likely due to the fact
that he was blushing too. However, this proved something to him. If
she was capable of remembering such a small fact from a few days
ago, then maybe this wasn't all on him. Maybe, he could confide in
them all. With a new outlook on things, he stared out of the window;
the entirety of Imp City was almost glowing from the lights of houses.
In a way, it almost seemed like Hells Kitchen in New York.

Bringing Zack out of his thoughts, Loona spoke suddenly, "So, what
are you thinking about this entire situation? What do you think we're
going up against?"

Zack looked back at her, "Well, if we're being completely honest, it's
just a theory, but I believe we're dealing with someone of Yakuza
background. Not many people would go through all the trouble of
following traditional practices of the Yakuza," he leaned forward, his
fingers tapping against his knee in thought, "Which only makes
things harder for us. They're a group that's been hidden for a while,
I'm guessing, and are swift and quick when it comes to killing other
people who know of their existence. So, it'd be a bit difficult to know
who's after you and the others…"

Loona nodded her head, her arms folded over her chest, "Fair point.
If only we knew someone who's had a run in with them. There has to
be some jackass who's talked to them at least once." She mumbled,
as her left leg bobbed up and down, resting on her knee. Zack
couldn't help but agree with her, but until they found whoever it was,
they were legitimately stuck. Well, there was no use thinking about it
now, best to just chalk it up as tomorrow Zack's problem. That's
when he remembered; now that he had a phone, he could check up
on Octavia. He pulled out the new cell and Octavia's number, dialing
it quickly.
"Who are ya calling?" Loona questioned, her eyebrow raised.

"Just Octavia. She gave me her number and told me to call her when
I got a new cell. She may be of some help to us." Within a few rings,
she picked up.

"Hello? This is Octavia."

"Hey, Octavia. It's me, Zack. Just letting you know that I have a new
cell. You probably wanna save my number just in case I call." He
explained. He was just about to say his goodbyes, until…

"Oh, Zack! This is perfect timing! I think I just found something that
could help you." She exclaimed. Zack's eyes widened; did she find a
clue? Loona was just as surprised, which was evident by the way her
ears perked.

"That so? What did you find?"

"A photo. It was something I saw on social media. Apparently,

someone got killed in a shadowy alley, and no one new about it until
recently!"

Zack's face grew a serious expression. Was this another killing by

this group? "I see. Can you send me a screenshot? It could prove
useful." He asked, as he grew more excited by the minute.

"Of course, it'd be my pleasure. Oh, by the way, I did a little bit of
research on what's going on with your body." That's brought Zack's
excitement up more than ever. He looked towards Loona, who was
just as invested in it as him.

"What did you find out?"

"Well, not much to be honest. Apparently, books about that sort of

thing have been completely discontinued and disposed of for
hundreds of years. However, there are some books that reference it.
Hold on, I have one here somewhere," the sound of rummaging filled
the speaker, before she continued explaining, "Ah here it is! It says
here that your abilities aren't something you're born with, it's
something given through some sort of ritual. The one thing I don't get
is that it says, one must merge the essence of life between the
demonic and the neutral. Like I said, it's very vague." She finished,
as she closed the book up. Zack was left with a few solved
questions, but even more new questions. If what she said was true,
then who gave him his power, and what did it mean by merging the
essence of life? Regardless, it was more than anything he knew
before.

"That's alright, you gave me much more info than I had before.
Thanks for the help Octavia, really."

"You're very welcome. I'll send you the photo as soon as possible.
Also, my father wishes to speak with you tomorrow. He says he has
a request."

That's made Zack's eyebrow raise. What did he want to see him for?
Perhaps he needed something moved or something?

"Not a problem, tell him I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning. You
have a goodnight, ya hear?" And with that, the two ended the call.
Looks like he had plans tomorrow, though he was a bit unsure about
what they were. Loona's ears folded against her head, as she
glanced at him. She seemed worried about something.

"You okay Loona?"

"Oh, yeah. What about you? You're not scared of what's going on
with your, well, body?" She asked, as she tilted her head in curiosity.
Zack shrugged, as he leaned back on the couch.

"I guess, but it's been more of a help than anything else. Sure there's
some, side-effects, but it's whatever." He explained. The moment he
said side-effects, Loona's fur slightly stood on end.
"What kinda side-effects?" She asked, as she slightly leaned
forward. Her nose was mere inches from his, he could feel her
breath hitting his face. His cheeks grew a dark shade of pink, as he
cleared his throat. Was it really a good idea to tell her about that
mysterious figure? If he did, would she believe him, or think he was
crazy? Or would she, believe him and try to help? Could he trust
her? The look in her eyes, it caused his heart to tighten. She had a
right to know, right?

"Well, for some reason, this guy keeps talking to me through my

mind. He even shows up in reflective surfaces, like the window. I'm
not sure what it is or why he's showing up, but he seems more like
an onlooker than a threat. That's basically all there is, at least I'm
terms of side-effects." He explained. Loona silently nodded, as she
leaned back in her seat. She seemed a bit more at ease. That's
when his phone vibrated. Probably due to the photo that Octavia
sent. He pulled it out and unlocked it, opening the photo. Just as
stated, it was definitely a murder scene. The poor demon victim was
left with a sliced neck. Seemed like the photo was taken a few weeks
ago, too.

"Hm, nothing unusual… What do you think Loona?" Zack asked, as

he handed the phone to her. She stared at the photo for a few
seconds, before quickly showing interest and shock.

"The hell, I know this guy!" She exclaimed. Zack was instantly taken
aback.

"Wait, you do?! Who is he?"

She quickly pulled out her phone and swiped through her social
media, before showing her the profile page of another demon. It was
a woman, from the looks of it.

"He's this chick's brother. Apparently, he went missing a few weeks

ago. Guess we know what happened to the dude." She explained.
This was just what they needed! Maybe this woman knew a bit about
what was going on!
"This is perfect, we have a new objective. So you know where she
works?"

"Well, on her page, she says she works at some sort of weird
photography fetish type shit place. It's over in the westside of Imp
City. Though it says she doesn't work tomorrow, we'll have to catch
her the day after." She relayed. Things just seemed to be getting
more and more exciting by the minute. Now that they had a new
heading, there was a chance that they could figure more things out.
He mad a mental note to thank Octavia tomorrow when he sees her.

With a soft sigh, Zack stood to his feet and stretched his body, a
silent popping ringing in his shoulders, "Well, I think I'm gonna get a
shower and head to bed. It's getting late after all." As he started to
walk to the bathroom, Loona's face slowly twisted into a smirk.

"Want me to join you~?"

Zack's body screeched to a halt, his eyes widening in shock. He had

to have heard her wrong, there was no way she actually said that,
right? He looked back towards her, finding her standing right behind
him. She stared down at him, a devilish smile plastered on her
muzzle. Was she serious?

"J-Join? Oh, ha ha, very funny. You're, a funny one. Um, I'm gonna
go now!" He sputtered, as he sped walked to the bathroom,
completely forgetting to grab his sleepwear and towel. As soon as
she was left in alone in the living room, her smile slowly dropped, her
worried expression back on her face.

"… Damn it…"

Author's Message

To all those who were waiting on this chapter, I'm truly sorry for
the wait. As they say, life has a way of making things a bit more
eventful. However, I also want to say thank you for all of the
kind words and the general excitement that everyone has for
the story. Believe me when I say that it's thanks to you all that I
have so much joy and excitement to post another chapter of
this amateur writer's story. New chapters will continue and the
story shall be finished, you all definitely don't need to worry
about that. Thank you all again, and remember that if anyone
has art or wants to make art of the moments or events of the
story, don't hesitate! Who knows, it may even appear in a
chapter! With that, I say again, thank you l so much for reading
and stay tuned, as the mystery unfolds!
Chapter 13
Chapter 13: A Mother's Words Can Be Traumatic

"Ugh, what time is it…?" Blitzo huffed, as he tapped his finger

against the steering wheel. Moxxie and Millie were both in the
backseat, waiting along with Blitzo. Moxxie glanced at his watch,
raising an eyebrow.

"It's about 10:38, sir. What is taking those two so long?" He

mumbled, as he stared up at the apartment complex. Millie shrugged
her shoulders, her tail swaying beside her.

"Maybe they're having a bit of early morning fun? Wouldn't that be so

much fun, Moxxie?" She asked, leaning closer to him. Moxxie
blushed slightly at the thought. There wasn't any way that was gonna
happen, though it definitely was a bit of a flustering thought. Blitzo
laughed loudly, his hand slamming against the steering wheel.

"Ha! Yeah, sure, Zack and Loonie, fuckin! That's definitely not gonna
happen. I know my Loonie Toony, and she's definitely not the type to
go for him," he looked out the window, groaning softly in annoyance,
"still, someone's gotta go up there and get them."

He looked back at the couple and pointed to Moxxie, grinning widely,

"Mox, get up there and knock on the door. Tell them to get their
asses down here so we can get to work." He commanded, pulling a
sigh from Moxxie. He silently, and reluctantly, stepped out of the
vehicle and walked towards the stairs, his arms crossed in front of
him.

"For once, Blitzo has to be right. Loona is more into the stereotypical
bad-boy type of people. Zack doesn't exactly fit that description," he
reached the top of the stairs and headed towards the door to
Loona's apartment, his hand raised to knock on the wooden door,
"Just Millie being Millie I suppose. Anyway, hey you two, we're
waiting for-"

"A-Ah~"

Moxxie's heart stopped, as he stared at the door, before looking

around the area. Did he hear that right? It sounded like a woman's
voice. Not just any woman's voice though, it sounded like Loona's.
He shrugged his shoulders, ignoring it, as he gently knocked on the
door. Silence was once again his response.

"Damn it, what are those two doing? They better not have oversle-"

"H-Haah, fuck~"

There was that voice again, this time it was slightly louder. There
was no denying that it sound like Loona, but was it really her? He
slowly pressed his ear to the door, silently listening in for anymore
noises.

"R-Right there baby, that's the spot~ A-Aah~" Loona mewled out in
between panting. Zack's heavy breathing could slightly be heard as
well.

"Y-Your, really tight, you know that?" Zack groaned, as her moans
grew louder and more labored. Moxxie's face slowly grew a dark
blush, as he backed up a bit.

"Wh-What the fuck?! Are they actually…?! Oh geez, oh crumbs… !"

He quickly paced around the walkway. He knew what this meant.
One, they somehow got into a situation where they got in the mood,
and two, they were mere moments away from witness Zack get
riddled with bullet holes!

"Okay, okay, don't panic, everything will be fine! I just gotta keep
Blitzo away from the door long enough for-"

"Long enough for what Moxxie?"

With a high-pitched squeal, he looked back into the eyes of his boss
and his wife, a cold sweat appearing on his forehead. He knew he
had to defuse the situation. If he didn't, then more shit would hit the
fan in an instant.

"Oh, n-nothing, sir! Um, Zack and Loona are preparing something for
you, and they said that you have to get into your car for them to-"

"Oh~! Harder baby, harder~!"

Silence filled the walkway, as the three imps' eyes widened in shock
and fluster. They all knew what was going on, what those sounds
and moans implicated, and Blitzo, for lack of a better term, was not
having this shit.

"Oh hell no they aren't… !" He gripped the doorknob and harshly
pulled it. Unfortunately, the door was locked. Without any warning,
he raised his left leg and kicked open the door, before barreling into
the building. Moxxie and Millie followed in pursuit.

"The fuck are you two doing in-?!"

Crack, pop; the room filled with the sounds of popping and stretching
bones, as the three imps watched Zack and Loona's choice of
activities. In actuality, Zack wasn't on top of her, he was over her, his
hands pressing and rubbing against her back, popping and
massaging her bones. He groaned softly, blushing a deep red from
her noises.

"Geez, I keep telling you to stop sleeping in awkward positions. It's

not good for your posture." He huffed, as he pressed against the
knot in her back, pulling out a moan from Loona's lips.

"Sh-Shut up, just keep going. O-Oh hell… ~"

Moxxie, Millie, and Blitzo all stared in disbelief and a slight bit of
stupidity, as they watched Zack massage her back. His eyes looked
up at the dumbfounded demons, giving them all a bright smile, "Hey,
morning guys! Hope you slept well. Give me a moment, I'll be done
in just one more…" Giving one more push, Loona moaned out loudly.
She panted softly in delight, as Zack helped her up right on the
couch.

"That should do it. Just remember to drink fluids, and I don't mean
alcohol. Try drinking some water or some seltzer water every once
and a while, that'll help with your body." He softly spoke, as he gently
pat Loona's back. She leaned back against the couch, catching her
breath, as the little bit of sweat on her forehead slowly began to dry.

"Y-Yeah, I hear ya. Fucking hell… how are you so good with your
hands…?" She heaved out, to which Zack merely shrugged. He
turned his head to the three imps and clasped his hands together, a
bright smile on his face.

"Okay, since everyone's here, how about I make breakfast for

everyone?"

Within a matter of 15 minutes, the rag-tag team of hitmen were all

enjoying a nice dinner of eggs, bacon, french toast fruit salad, and
chicken and waffles. They all marveled at how quick he was able to
whip up the filling breakfast, even squeezing fresh orange juice too.
Blitzo belched with satisfaction, as he stabbed into another piece of
his waffles.

"Damn, this is pretty good. Another reason not to kill you, huh?" He
exclaimed, a chuckle escaping his stuffed lips. Zack merely smiled
uncomfortably. He still definitely had to get used to that fact, but he
was getting there.

"So, what do y'all have planned today? I was gonna take Moxxie out
today, possibly go and grab a bite to eat." Millie listed, as she
wrapped her arms around her husband's arm. Moxxie merely
blushed in fluster and took smiled. Blitzo, who looked confused,
raised an eyebrow.
"Um, no, we've got work, you know. Just because we've got some
group after us doesn't mean that we can slack off."

Loona raised an eyebrow, nibbling on a piece of bacon, as she

spoke, "Dude, that's stupid as fuck. Go into the living world is way
too dangerous, especially with those guys after us. Plus, we haven't
had a client in days."

"Well, then we'll just go back to investigating! That way we can deal
with the fuckers who keep screwing shit up for us." He seethed,
furiously biting into a piece of chicken.

"Can't; Stolas asked me to head to his place today. Apparently, he

needs some help with something, and I can't just turn him down."
Zack explained, his body rising out of his chair and carrying his plate
to the sink. Blitzo huffed in annoyance.

"Well then what am I supposed to do?"

Zack pointed to Loona, "Well, you could always hang out with Loona.
Isn't she like your daughter?"

"By adoption! And who said I'd-" She shrieked, glaring up at Zack,
who was smiling awkwardly and mouthing please. She growled
slightly, before sighing, "I-I mean, yeah, fine, we can hang out, I
guess…"

Blitzo's eyes widened and sparkled, as he pulled out his phone and
flicked through it, "Oooh, that sounds great! Loonie and I haven't
done much together in a while! I have a bunch of stuff that we can
do, like going to a movie, or to Loo Loo Land, or even-"

As he kept listing everything, Zack slowly headed towards the door,

finding this to be the best opportunity to escape. Before he left, he
stopped next to Loona and gently pat her shoulder, "Thanks for this.
I'll make it up to you, I promise." He whispered to her. Loona raised
her eyebrow once again and smirked devilishly.
"Four bottles of bourbon and that spaghetti you're good at making,
then we're even." She whispered back. After agreeing to the deal
with a fist bump, Zack bolted out of the door and started towards
Stolas's home. She chuckled softly and continued eating.
Unbeknownst to her, Moxxie and Millie were watching attentively,
bother of them thinking the same things.

"When did they get so chummy?"

After a few wrong turns and a prostitute trying to tempt him, he finally
made his way to Stolas's front door. He huffed softly in relief and
knocked on the sturdy door. Almost instantly, the door opened to a
small, white-haired imp in a butler's suit. He silently let him in and
closed the door behind him.

"Mr. Stolas is in his garden. Please, follow me." He silently spoke, as

he lead Zack down the hall. As per usual, the very establishment
was beyond anything he ever stepped in, though it was eeriely quiet.
The only thing that was heard were the two's footsteps against the
rug over the tiled floor. Zack glanced at the imp butler and cleared
his throat, hoping to strike up a conversation.

"Um, I'm Zack, by the way. Nice to meet you."

The imp looked up at him, his eyes holding a bit of confusion. He

most likely wasn't used to talking to people.

"Um, nice to meet you too, sir. Um… what should I have you call me,
uh…" He mumbled, as he rubbed his chin in thought, holding a
nervousness in his voice.

"Um, how about I call you… Buddy? Does Buddy sound good?"
Zack asked, giving the little imp a grin. The imp, now known as
Buddy, smiled back, giving a soft chuckle.

"Y-Yeah, that would be great, Mr. Zack."

With a better mood and atmosphere between the two, they both
stepped out into what looked to be a greenhouse. Strange and
admittedly interesting plants riddled the many tables and spaces
around the area, providing an almost clean and outdoorsy type of
aroma.

"Mr. Stolas should be at the very back. Ring if you need anything
else." Buddy directed, his squeaky voice holding a glee to it. Zack
nodded in response and smiled, as he walked further into the
greenhouse, his hands in his pockets. His eyes scanned the
surroundings in a observant manner, as per usual.

"Seems like Stolas is into gardening. Perhaps it's a hobby of his.

Huh, who would have thought?" He thought, as he ventured further.
Soon, his eyes caught sight of the man, or rather owl, that he was
searching for. Stolas noticed him quite quickly and waved him over,
his face growing a smile.

"Oh-ho, there you are Zack! Come come, I'm so glad you came, and
quickly too," he dusts his clothes off and removed his gardening
gloves, "How's the investigating going? Getting closer to finding the
culprit?"

Zack nodded his head and let out a slightly embarrassed chuckle,
"Well, I'm getting a good idea on who to question and where to look,
so yeah, I think so."

"Wonderful! I'm sure Blitzy is ecstatic about that. Oh, what about
Loona? Is she doing alright as well?" He asked, his left eyebrow
bobbing up and down. Zack cleared his throat and nodded once
again.

"Ahem, yeah, she's fine. She and Blitzo are having a day out, so I
think she's alright." Something about the way he asked instantly
bothered Zack, as if there was something wrong with her that Stolas
was interested in. He quickly shook off the thought, perhaps it was
just him over thinking it. Stolas clasped his hands and giggled, the
thought obviously making him giddy.
"Very good to hear. Ahem, now, for why I called you here…" He
stood from his seat and walked closer to Zack, "You know my
daughter, Octavia, right? I need a favor in regards to her."

Zack's eyes slightly widened in curiosity, "A favor? Well, sure, what
do you have in mind?"

"I need you to get her out of the house for a while. There's going to
be a… visitor here, and I'd rather her be away from the house while
they're here." He explained, albeit rather vaguely. Zack instantly took
that as a sign of him hiding something, something that could very
well be problematic.

"Odd… His left eyebrow is twitching, as well as the corner of his

mouth… er, beak. Usually that indicates a person doing their best to
hold a smile. This seems a whole lot more uncomfortable for him
than it seems…"

Though he wanted to press him, he ultimately decided against it.

After all, it'd probably be best to watch and bide his time, then press
him on the matter later when the time is right.

"I gotcha. Shouldn't be too hard to do." Zack said, shrugging his
shoulders. Stolas huffed softly, a sign of relief.

"Thank you very much. Here, take this," he hands him a slip of
paper, a relieved smile adorning his face, "It's a list of the things she
likes to do. Don't hesitate to have fun, and if there's any payment,
just let them know that I sent you. They won't bother you, I'm sure."

Zack nodded his head and slipped the list into his coat pocket.

"You got it. I'm guessing that Octavia is up in her room, right?" He
asked, pointing up to the ceiling.

"Most likely, knowing her. Thank you again, Zack. You're being a big
help to me."
"Hey, no need to thank me. I'm just hanging out with her, it'll be
easy."

"This is gonna be a little tougher than I thought…" Zack huffed, as he

stood in front of her door. He had knocked a few times already, but
no answer. He could hear the sound of music coming from inside,
she probably wasn't able to hear him. To make matters worse, he
was afraid to even enter, especially after their first meeting. What if
she was in her underwear again, or worse, had nothing on at all?

"Okay, chill out Zack, this is easy. Just close your eyes and it should
be fine."

His fingers wrapped around the doorknob and twisted it open, his
eyes shut tightly. He pushed the door open and entered, clearing his
throat.

"Um, Octavia, are you here? Your dad said I could go right in." He
called. To his surprise, he got a response this time.

"Oh, good morning Zack. Um, you can open your eyes, I'm not
naked or anything."

Zack sighed in relief and opened his eyes, feeling more relaxed at
that revelation. As she said, she wasn't naked, instead adorning
black leggings and boots, a black shirt with a yellow collar, and a
pink hair tie, keeping her feather-like hair up in a high ponytail. She
smiled at him, finding his efforts to keep the same thing from
happening before amusing. Zack, however, was slightly
embarrassed, and his smile shower it.

"Oh, sorry. Just wanted to make sure. Um, anyway, whatcha up to?
Just hanging around?" He asked, his hands slipping back into his
pockets.

"Basically. Haven't had anything to do for a while, to be honest. It's

making me a little antsy." She mumbled, her shoulders bouncing in a
shrug. Luckily for Zack, this would instantly make it easier to get her
out of the house.

"Well, if that's the case, then how about we head out and hang
around town? Your dad said-" he stopped in his tracks. Would it be
rise to tell her why she was being removed from her home for the
time being? Would it cause waves? "Uh, said that he noticed you
getting antsy, so he asked me to take you out on the town for a bit."

She raised an eyebrow in question. She obviously had an idea what

was going on, you could tell just by her body language.
Nevertheless, she merely shrugged her shoulders and stood to her
feet, "I don't see why not. Who knows, it could be fun."

Zack breathed a sigh of relief, as the two walked out of the room and
down stairs to the main hall. Stolas, of course, was there to meet
them at the door, opening it for them.

"Have fun you two, and stay safe!" He called out, before closing the
door behind them.

Silence was definitely deafening for the two, as they walked down
the sidewalk, both a bit on edge. Friends weren't something that the
two were used to, so a one on one time was instantly a nerve-
wracking thought. Yet, here they were, both of them walking down
the sidewalk. Zack cleared his throat, he had to get rid of the silence
somehow.

"So, um, your dad gave me a list of things you like to do."

Octavia scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Oh joy, let me guess, LooLoo
Land and Frizzaroli's show?"

Zack remained silent, as he stared at the small note. As clear as day,

that was exactly what was written. He smiled awkwardly and slowly
crumbled up the note, "N-Noooo, that's not at all what he wrote.
Ahem, um, instead he said to just ask you what you wanted to do."
She nodded her head slowly, a look of doubt on her face, "Uh-huh.
Well, I did want to check out this nearby book store."

"Oh wow! They actually have the next installment!" She exclaimed,
grasping a large, hardcover book in her hands. Zack merely glanced
at it, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think I've ever seen this story before. Does hell have authors,
or some of these books brought here from the living world?"

Octavia held the book to her chest, "It's a mixture of both. This one is
called Tattoo Artist Detective: The Secret of The Viper's Poison." She
held up the book for him to see.

"Wait, what?!" He snatched the book from her and flipped to the
middle of the book, his eyes staring deep into the pages of the
hardcover novel, "What the! This is my book! I wrote this!" He
bellowed, as he flipped through more of the pages. Octavia merely
stared in disbelief, her hands covering her beak.

"Wait, you're Igneous Gray?! You wrote this series?!"

"Yeah, I do. This was the last book I wrote. It took a while for me to
get the right set-up and twists in it. I'm guessing someone decided to
sell the book here, and didn't pay for the plethora of copies." He
groaned, pointing to the large assortment of the novel. She merely
chuckled in slight awkwardness.

"Sorry… Maybe we can talk to the manager and get him to relieve
himself of your cut. I'm sure I can persuade him, as soon as he
knows who I am."

Zack shook his head, "No no, it's whatever. Not like I'm gonna be
using that cash for anything as of now. Here, let's go and pay for the
book."
He headed towards the cashier and paid for the novel, much to
Octavia's dismay, "You know you don't have to pay for it, right? I can
handle it."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. It's your day to relax and
unwind, so I can handle something like this."

He handed her the book in the brown bag, a soft smile adorning his
face. She smiled back and took the brown, holding it to her chest.

"Be sure to tell me if there's any events that could have been done
better, alright? Gotta keep my skills up." He said in between
chuckles, as the two walked towards the exit and back into the
streets. She nodded, her hand adjusting the hairband holding up her
ponytail.

As the day went by, Zack and Octavia slowly grew more and more
used to their company, even going so far as to talk about their many
memories and moments. It was as if a brother and sister were
making up for lost time, a feeling that Zack never thought he'd ever
experience. As the day drew to a close, Zack and Octavia were
finally on their way back to her home, though they both were carrying
a slew of bags and carry-ons.

"Talk about an eventful day. I hope you enjoyed yourself." Zack said,
his face hidden behind the bags and boxes he was carrying.

"Enjoyed myself? This was possibly the best day I've had in a while.
Just a day out on the two, doing things I enjoy! It was definitely
something I needed…" She looked towards Zack, a genuine smile
gracing her beak, "Thank you so much, Zack."

"Hehe, no problem sis-" he stopped mid-sentence, his face growing

a slight blush. Octavia's eyes widened slightly, just as shocked as
him.

"U-Um, did you call me, sis?" She asked, her voice barely audible.
Zack scratched the back of his head, clearing his throat, "Well, yeah,
I guess so. I mean, you kinda feel like a sister to me, if I had one. I'm
an only child, so I don't what it's like to have a sister, but if I did, I
think it'd feel like this."

The two merely looked at each other, first nervous, then

embarrassed, but lastly, accepting. She blushed slightly, a warm
feeling flowing through her body. She never thought of having a
brother, nor did she really want to before, but after today, she felt like
she truly wouldn't mind, perhaps even love it. She nods her head
and took his hand, smiling softly.

"Well, I've never had a brother. At least, I didn't before. So, let's do
this again some time, big bro."

Zack blushed a deep red, his eyes widening slightly. He smiled back;
perhaps having a sister wouldn't be terrible at all.

It didn't take long to get back to the large mansion housing the family
of owl demons, at least not to the two nearly self-proclaimed siblings.
After a long day of fun and relaxation, it was about time to call it a
day. The two walked up to front door.

"Thanks for this, Zack. It was actually a great time." She thanked
happily. Zack smiled at her, letting out a soft chuckle.

"It was my pleasure. Here, let me get this stuff inside," he opened
the door for her and walked in behind her, placing the bags down
next to the front door.

"There we go. Now, I wonder where you dad is. I would have thought
he'd have met us at the-" before he could finish, the sound of
crashing glass rung from down the hall. With shocked faces and
quickening heartbeats, they sped down the hall, the sound of loud
shouting filling the room. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen.
They poked their heads into the room; inside was Stolas, who was
talking to another owl, this one being a woman. She had white
feathers, a pink beak and wore a white dress, a golden crown
adorning her head. Her eyes were a dark pink, with white pupils, and
long eyelashes. Her eyes held anger and malice, all directed at
Stolas. Soon, it all started to make sense to Zack.

"And who's Ms. Banshee over there?" Zack whispered to Octavia.

She huffed, her eyes growing slightly dull.

"That would be my mother. Looks like they're fighting again…" She

mumbled, her spirits hitting an all-time low. Zack took notice
instantly. His attention was pulled back to the two fighting, as soon
as he heard someone screaming and flying towards the wall near
Zack and Octavia's vantage point. Before the imp could hit the wall,
Zack reached out and grabbed the back off his coat, pulling him to
safety. It was the small imp, Buddy. Dusting his clothes off, he held
him up to eye-level.

"Geez, looks like you being so light is a blessing and a curse. You
okay Buddy?" He asked, to which the imp nodded his head.

"Y-Yeah, I think so. Ms. Stella can be quite a bit of a… well a…"

"A piece of work?" Zack finished for him. Buddy nodded in response,
sighing softly. Zack placed him next to Octavia and pat his head,
before whispering into his ear, "Take Octavia upstairs, okay? Stay
clear, we don't want you getting thrown anywhere else."

The imp nodded once again and took Octavia's hand, leading her
down the hall. She looked back at Zack, worry invading her eyes.
Zack merely smiled at her, giving a slight bit of assurance to her. As
soon as they were out of sight, he looked into the room again, his
hands slipped into his pockets. This opportunity was perfect for him
to get a good idea on the situation.

"I can't believe this! You're still going around and fucking that imp?!
Do you know what you're doing?!" The female owl known as Stella
shrieked, as she chucked another vase at Stolas, who dodged it.
"N-Now now Stella, let's be calm here. It's not a good idea to go and
throw things." He calmly said. Seemed like he was trying to defuse
the situation, though unsuccessful. Zack took note of that.

"I'll throw whatever I want!! Honestly, you doing this is bring great
shame on the Goetia name! Don't you understand what people will
say, what they'll think?!" She growled deeply and angrily, her hands
balled into fists, "And our daughter; Don't get me started on her!"

Zack and Stolas's eyes widened; she wasn't going to go there, was
she? Zack new where this was going. In a lot of situations like this,
some people will bring their children into an argument, just to get the
other angry or saddened. In this case, it was anger, judging from the
scowl that Stolas was giving the loud woman.

"Octavia has nothing to do with this. You have no reason to bring her
into this conversation."

"Oh? I think I do! She many not see it, but she's slowly turning into
you, a selfish child who'll do whatever they want at the expense of
another! Honestly, we were just fine together until she was born! We
were respected, even worshipped, then you had to go a do
something stupid! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she was the
reason we-" she stopped at the sound of clapping, her eyes
widening with surprise. The looked towards the entrance way, to see
everybody's local I.M.P investigator.

"Hey guys, I'm back! How's it going?" He looked at the room, his
eyes raking over the many broken items riddling the floor, "You guys
get attacked by ninjas or something?" He asked jokingly, holding a
smile. Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Who the hell is this?! Is he another person you're fucking?!" He

bellowed, an outstretched finger pointing at him, just mere inches
from his nose. Stolas merely held a shocked look, his eyes
alternating between looking at Zack and Stella. Zack cleared his
throat and slowly moved her hand to the side.
"Yeeeaaaaah, I'm gonna need you to get your finger out of my face,
before I remove it from your person." Zack said, his face still holding
an admittedly nerve-wracking grin. She looked at him, her anger only
rising.

"Excuse me?! Do you know who I am?! I will not have some, some
failed-pullout talk to me that way! I have the power to-"

"Okay, okay, can we just calm down for a second?" He asked, his
smile growing, yet twitching.

"Do not tell me to-!!"

"Calm down," he stared straight into her eyes, his voice holding a
deep, dangerous malice. His right eye throbbed and glowed, the
dark redness of his eye growing a darker shade. Stella stopped in
her tracks, her eyes staring at Zack's demonic eye. His eye, it almost
looked like something was moving in it, as if a mist was swirling
around his iris. She felt, fear? Nervousness? It wasn't possible, how
could she feel this from a mere human?

"Y-You… You'd b-best… respect me…" She stuttered out, her legs
trembling. Zack's face grew a deep scowl, his right eyes feeling like it
could explode with blood. Was it due to stress, maybe anger?
Without thinking, he drew his dagger and trained the blade to her
neck, the tip barely gracing her neck. Her body completely froze,
while Stolas watched, just as frozen as she was.

"I don't give respect to scum like you. Let me explain something, and
I want you to listen. I don't give a rat's ass what Stolas did or who
he's fucking. Frankly, it's obviously a sign that what you're giving to
him, is bottom of the barrel status," he swiped the dagger down
slightly, tearing a hole in the shoulder of her dress. She gasped, her
trembling growing a slight bit violent, "That's besides the point
though. What I hate the most, is the fact that you had the audacity to
bring your own daughter into this. And, in the cruelest way possible,
you voice that you believe she's the problem for your marriage falling
apart. That shit, is what boils me to no end." His glare slowly grew
more and more menacing and his right eye grew darker. His voice
growled with each word he spoke, making her feel smaller, even with
her taller stature to him, "So, here's what I advise you do. Leave the
house, take some time to relax your crusty, sagging-tits, banshee
sounding self, then come back afterwards." He slowly stepped
closer, his voice now barely above a whisper, yet holding the same
evil and malicious intent, "And if I so much as hear that bullshit spew
out of that disgusting beak of yours, I won't hesitate to go so far as to
partake in some chicken gizzards, understand?"

He slowly back up, his eyes looking back at her horrified face. She
was trying so hard not to topple over in terror, her face quickly
looking over at Stolas.

"A-Are you seriously going to let him threaten me?!" She screamed,
almost begging him for help. He merely stared in disbelief, before
her quickly shook off his stupor and cleared his throat.

"Just… go, Stella, I'll take care of him." He spoke, not even looking
at her and instead staring at Zack. She huffed, her face holding a
look as if she had won. She turned and left the room, but not before
mumbling to him.

"Try all you want to be there for someone, you'll never be accepted,
you abomination."

Zack's eyebrow twitched at her comment, his hands lightly balling in

aggravation. He didn't know anything about him, how could she say
something like that. Seemed like it was another skill of her's, getting
into people's skin. Before her could even relax, Stolas silently began
to chuckle, before going into a full-blown laugh. Zack jumped in
shock, at a loss for words.

"O-Oh, hoo hoo, sorry sorry, that was just so amazing." He wiped a
year from his eye and smiled softly, "You can relax, I'm not gonna do
anything. It was the only way to keep you two from killing each
other." he chuckled. Zack couldn't help but agree, never in his life did
he ever get so close to murdering someone as much as he wanted
to at that moment. He looked up at him, then back at the mess that
was left.

"… Need some help cleaning up?" He asked. Stolas sighed, an

exhausted smile on his face.

"That would be a nice of you…"

With that, the two silently swept up the broken glass, dead flowers,
and scattered dirt that riddled the tiled floor. Afterwards, they both sat
at the nearby table, each holding a teacup filled with warm tea.

"I thank you, Zack. It would have been a hassle cleaning this by
myself…" He looked down at the table, his smile growing
melancholic, "And… thank you for stepping in. If you didn't, I don't
think I would've been able to calm myself."

Zack nodded, taking a sip of his tea, "… Why do you deal with her?
It doesn't take a genius to see you're not happy with her… so why?"
Stolas merely stayed silent, his eyes holding an unspoken sadness
in them. Zack silently nodded, voicing his hypothesis, "… You're
doing this for Octavia, aren't you?"

He looked back at Zack, his grip on his cup growing tighter. Zack
continued to speak, "You don't want to just leave her here, yet you
don't want her to be without her mother. I can tell you always have
Octavia's well-being on your mind… so you do this, in order to keep
her from being without you or her mother… even at your own
expense…"

Silence fell before them, as they stared at each other, both of them
reading their facial expressions and moods. Stolas sighed softly, his
body growing tensed.

"… I only want what's best for Octavia… she deserves the world and
more, and shouldn't be without her parents, but…" He rubbed his
shoulder, "I just, can't help what I feel… My wife, ever since Octavia
was born, she hasn't been the same. It's as if, she only ever wanted
to be with me for my status, for the Goetia name. I want, more than
that…" He huffed, his body giving a light tremble. Zack frowned, his
hand gently patting his back.

"… I can't judge you, nor can I agree or deny with your decisions…
But I can tell you're not a bad person. If you were, you'd say to hell
with this place and just leave. Yet, you stay here, take care of
Octavia, and deal with Ms. Ball and chain," Stolas chuckled at his
comment, bringing a smile to Zack's face, "So, don't give up just yet,
and don't falter. You've always got me to back you up." He gave him
a thumbs up, as he finished his tea and stood to his feet.

"… Thank you, Zack. I needed to hear that." He said, gratitude

present in his voice. Zack nodded, as he started off towards the front
door, his hands slipping into his pockets, "Oh, and Zack?" He
stopped, looking back at him, "Even if you're not accepted by
humans… You'll always be accepted here. You've proven that you
care, so we care about you, even Blitzo and the others. Blitzo,
already sees you as part of his family, even if he won't say it."

Zack didn't say anything. He merely nodded his head, completely at

a loss for words. To be a part of a family, after so long, it was scary
to him, terrifying even. He turned the doorknob and pulled open the
front door, mumbling softly, "… A family… sounds nice right about
now…"

He walked out of the door and closed it behind him, sighing softly.
His chest tightened, as he touched his right cheek underneath his
eye. Could he only be accepted because of his power? What about
his investigative skills? What if he didn't have any of those things?
Would he be accepted still, or would he be casted out and left alone
again? All of those fears tugged at his heart, those what-ifs and
what-abouts. He wasn't sure if he was meant to be in a family
anymore. His ears rung with silent music, rock music to be precise.
Had to have been Octavia. He followed the music to the side of the
large mansion, just under her window, which was open. He instantly
grew worried; did she hear what her mother said? Zack kicked off
the nearby tree and grabbed on to the windowsill, pulling himself into
the room. His eyes scanned the room, noticing her laying in her bed,
curled up and holding her knees. The sight hurt Zack to no end.

"… Hey, Octavia… You okay?" He asked, sitting at the edge of her
bed. She remained silent, her eyes staring off into nothing.

"… Did she mean all those things… About it being my fault…?"

Those words stabbed at Zack's heart. She was hurting, anyone

could see that, yet Stella went a spouted out that shit. He gently
place his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, "… I don't
think she did. People will say things that they don't mean when
they're angry; she just let her anger get the best of her."

She began to tremble and her breathing grew slightly laboured and
shallow. Her hands gripped at her shoulders, as if to try and still
herself.

"I… I just don't know what to do…" She said, her voice cracking and
trembling, "I-I try and stay out of the way and ignore it… But it just
doesn't work… Sooner or later, my dad's gonna get tired and leave
and my mom will… She'll hate me more… I just… I don't wanna be
alone… I don't want…" She couldn't even finish her sentence, her
sobs soon overtaking her. Zack chewed the inside of his mouth. He
knew it wasn't gonna go good, but he still wasn't prepared for this.
Then… he remembered Loona… When she saw he was down,
she… Without thinking, Zack stood to his feet and walked to her face
her, before laying down next to her and wrapping his arms around
her. She gasped softly, her body tensing.

"… I know it's hard… When my parents fought, I also felt scared…
more than you know… but even so, you never have to worry about
your father leaving you. He's always going to be here, I could tell just
by looking at him. Now your mom, I believe she does love you, but
she's just battling her own problems… I don't know if things will be
solved soon… but it'll get better, I promise…"
Soon, Octavia silently gripped on to Zack's person, hugging him
back. Her sobs soon slowly died down, now only letting out a few
sniffles.

"… Thank you… Big Bro…" She breathed out, her body growing
more relaxed against his. He smiled softly, feeling relieved. The
sound of footsteps grew closer, causing the two to look towards the
door. They knew who it was, "Quick, my dad is coming."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Even if we aren't doing anything, it'd be bad." He

chuckled softly, as he leaped towards the window and slipped out
quickly. She smiled softly, her hand gently touching her chest.
Perhaps having a brother wasn't such a bad thing. The door slowly
opened, Stolas peeking in slightly.

"Via…? Are you okay…? I know that things seemed bad but…" She
quickly opened the door and hugged her father tightly, her eyes
closed. Through his surprise, he openly welcomed her show of
affection, his arms wrapping around her person.

"It's okay Dad… I know…"

Zack silently walked down the streets of Imp City, his hands nestled
in his pockets. Needless to say, he was a bit exhausted, though he
felt like he learned something new. Though demons can be a bit
harsh and a slight bit, well demonic, they all experienced fear,
sadness, and love for one another. It was almost as of they were
humans themselves. It left Zack with a relieved feeling.

"You're getting too close to them, you know?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked to his side, seeing an all too
familiar shadowed figure in the glass window. He huffed in
annoyance.

"So what if I am? Last thing I need is for you to give me a lecture on
who I get close to."
"They're demons. They aren't your pals, nor will they accept you.
They'll throw you out the first chance they get."

"If that's the case, why should I trust you? You're a demon too, right?
So, there's no reason for me to trust you either."

The demon remained silent, though Zack knew he was glaring at

him.

"Here's an idea, stay out of my way. I don't know what you want, but
I won't give you the chance." And with that, Zack went back to
walking, leaving the figure alone in the reflective window. Behind the
shadowed hood, his eyes glee a dark red, a sneer slowly showing
itself.

"… You may have power, but you're still only human… And soon,
you'll see just what I have in store for you…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 14
Chapter 14: Burnout Comes Before A Breakthrough

The day finally arrived, another day of investigation, this one being
more of an interesting one than most, at least at first glance. The
investigator and his back-up in question, were all staking out a local
establishment in Imp City, with Blitzo being the man, or rather
demon, with the binoculars. Ever since they started driving to the
building, he had those binoculars hanging around his neck, ready to
use at a moments notice.

"This is the place, right?" He asked, looking over his shoulder and
into the back seat, where Loona, Zack, and Millie sat.

"Yeah, seems like it. From what her social media page says, she
should reside here." Loona answered, as she swiped at her phone
with a clawed finger. Zack raised an eyebrow, as he looked through
the window.

"One thing that confuses me is that if she knows anything, why

doesn't the yakuza go and kill her. She'd end up telling someone
about it, I'm sure." He said, as I tapped his chin in thought.

"Highly unlikely. Last I heard, she was working for ol' Valentino. If
that's true, then there's no way he's gonna let his property get offed.
After all, it's less money for him." Loona explained, as she searched
the woman up on her phone. Of course, she was correct on that.
Zack raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Valentino didn't ring any bells to
him, but as of right now, it didn't need to.

"Definitely doesn't seem to be super packed. I guess most demons

would rather feel up the ladies, rather than just take a few photos of
them…" He mumbled. Mentally, he had been preparing himself for
what was to come. No telling who might show up to screw with them
all. Moxxie shrugged his shoulders, as he looked back from the
passenger's seat.

"Who knows, maybe it's just a slow day for them. Anyway, does
anyone have a plan for what we're gonna do here?" He asked, his
tail swaying behind him. Millie, of course, was the first to respond.

"Oh, oh, oh! I got one. What if, one of us went in there and seduced
her? We'll wringing out any information that she has while we
torment her body in different types of sexy ways." She voiced, the
sensuality dripping from every word she said. Everyone present
merely stared at her, though Zack held an embarrassed look and
Moxxie a disgusted one.

"Um… Maybe not something like that. All we need is one person to
go in. If we had a whole group go in, it'd only raise eyebrows and
turn heads. Best to keep it discreet." Loona advised, as she placed
her phone in her lap.

Zack nodded in agreement, "Good idea. So, uh, who's going in

there?" Without a word, everyone in the car pointed at the only
human in the area, which, of course, was Zack. His eyes widened,
as he pointed to himself in disbelief, "H-Hold on, I can't go in there!"

"You have to. If we go in there, they'll instantly recognize us. No one

will recognize you, so you should be fine," Blitzo cleared his throat,
as he looked up in the rearview mirror, catching Zack's eyes,
"Provided that you don't get seduced and fucked by one of those
succubi that are in there."

"Succubi?! Why did you say succubi?!" Zack looked towards Loona,
his eyes showing what could only be the fear of a virgin, "Why is he
saying succubi, Loona?!"

She rolled her eyes and flicked his forehead, raising an eyebrow,
"Oh chill the fuck out Mr. Pre-Mature. Look, you'll be fine, and you're
the investigator here. You're the only one who can remember every
insignificant detail, not to mention connect it with every other clue,"
she placed her hand on his should, smiling softly, "You got this. Trust
me."

Zack's eyes slightly widened, as he stared up into her blood-red one.

The eyes he once looked into with fear, was now sending waves of
courage into his chest. He smiled back, giving her a nod, before
kicking open the back door with gusto. He puffed out his chest and
walked towards the building, his face holding a grin. Loona smirked,
as she crossed her arms over her chest with pride.

"Um… What was that?" Blitzo asked, a bit confused on what

transpired.

"A pep-talk, and a pretty damn good one too." She answered, as she
lounged back on the velvety cushion on her seat. Again, the only
thing in Blitzo's mind was…

"When did those two get so chummy?"

Whatever courage Zack had before, it legitimately went and said

"fuck you, you're a virgin, peace out", then left. His heart was
pounding and his palms were clammy, as he looked around the room
attentively. It reeked of bodily fluids and booze, most likely from the
"lucky" customers that got more than what they payed for. It slowly
made him grow more and more nervous, like a newly turned 18-
year-old that just went into an adult superstore for the first time. The
makings of a virgin, oh how ironic it is.

"Okay, okay, this'll be easy. Get in, get the info, get out. It'll be quick
and painless." He mumbled to himself, as he walked towards the
front desk. A man was sitting behind it, staring at his phone. His face
held a stupid-looking smirk, a clear sign he was watching
something… fairly intense, in a way. Zack cleared his throat, getting
his attention.

"Hm? Yeah, whatcha want pissant?" He growled out, as he tapped

his knee in annoyance.
"Even the guys working at the front desk are overly horny…"

He smiled awkwardly, as he scratched the back of his head and

answered, "Um, I'm looking to have a session. Is a Ms. Vermillion
available?"

The male demon's eyes widened, as he licked his lips, a smirk

growing on his face.

"Oooh, you've got taste, kid. That one's got a big ass, big titties, and
she's got that Russian accent that I love. She's a tough cookie
though, don't go and touch where she don't wanna be touched, got
it?"

Zack nodded his head quickly, as he felt his nervousness skyrocket.

A Russian, big-breasted, big-ass woman… Did she have large thighs
too?! His heart began to pound, as he grabbed a camera and walked
down the hall. The scent of bodily fluids grew more potent with each
step he took. Was this really just a place for photography?! He soon
stopped at a door; the very sight of it screamed high-dollar. He took
a deep breath, his eyes glancing down at the doorknob to the door of
a man's fantasies.

"Okay, you can do this… You're in charge, not her…"

He slowly reached for the doorknob and twisted it, the door soon
opening with a soft click. Pushing it open slightly, he peeked into the
room; it was quiet, besides the faint sound of jazz music playing in
the background, probably from a record players, if he had to guess.
He pushed it open more and stepped into the room, the camera
clutched tightly in his right hand.

"Ahem, u-um, hello? Anyone here by the name of Ms. Vermillion…?"

He stuttered, his eyes slowly scanning the room. Candles littered the
carpeted floor, all of them lit and burning with a flowery aroma, along
with the stereotypical rose petals. The room was dim, but the
candles added a slight bit of light. No answer was given, only a silent
air to the room.
"Maybe she's not here…" He mumbled, as he looked towards the
door, opting to come back another day.

"Where do you think you're going, handsome~?" Zack's body

stopped in mid-stride. His skin drained of color, his eyes widened in
a mixture of shock and fear. That voice was definitely holding a
Russian accent to it, one that held an almost dominant and hostile
undertone. That was his girl, one he was both hoping and hating to
meet. He slowly turned back towards the back of the room, where a
very gaudy looking bed sat, complete with a curtain for private
matters. His eyes widened at the sight before him. The woman in
question was fairly toned, muscular even. Nothing too serious, but
she could definitely hold her own in a fight. Her hair was long and
held in a low ponytail, her skin a dark red with blotches of white and
black, and her eyes a glowing yellow that you could instantly see in
the dark. Her clothes consisted of merely an beige, opened robe, a
black, tight-fitting thong, one that left little to the imagination, and
heart-shaped pasties that covered her nipples.

"Wh… Wh… Wh…" He couldn't even finish his sentence. His hands
had dropped the camera moments long before he even tried to
speak.

"What kind of a place is this?! I thought we were only doing a

photoshoot, she looks like she's ready to dom me!!" He internally
screamed, as he scrambled to pick up the camera.

"What's wrong, cat got your cute little tongue~? Aww, and here I was
hoping to use it~" she said, her voice dripping with sexual desire. It
sent shivers down Zack's spine, which was only going to get worse if
he stayed their any longer. He cleared his throat and held up the
camera, taking a picture of her.

"L-lets begin, shall we?" He silently spoke, his heart rate going
through the roof. She smirked, as she slowly adjusted herself, her
chest pressed against the mattress of the bed and her ass perked up
into the air.
"You seem so tense~ Is it someone's first time~?"

Zack gulped nervously, as he quickly shook his head, shaking off his
anxiety, "Y-You could say that. Um, next pose, please…"

She chuckled lowly and laid on her back, her legs spread out for him
to see I'm between her legs.

"Yay for me~ Merely means I get to be your first~ It makes me so

happy~" she giggled out, her fingers slowly slipping down to the
waistband of her thong. Zack's eyes widened further, his thoughts
shouting at him.

"What did she mean by first?!"

Whatever she meant, he didn't wanna find out. It was now or never!

"S-So, um, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can~ I'm an open book~"

Clearing his throat again, he lowered the camera, his eyes staring
into hers, "I'm looking for a group that I believe goes by the name
Akuma-Ningen. Do you know anything about that?"

Silence filled the room and her eyes were widened with shock, a
easy tell that she did indeed know something. Zack mentally
cheered; finally, a clue! Her face twisted into a serious look, her eyes
glancing up at the corner of the ceiling.

"Why do you want to know? You looking to join them, or something?"

She questioned, her seductive tone now a fleeting memory. Zack
shook his head in response.

"Quite the opposite, actually. I'm looking to take them down."

Her eyebrow raised, her eyes once again looking up at the corner of
the ceiling.
"Keep taking photos. There are cameras, so make it look good. Don't
worry though, they don't pick up sound." She warned, as she got into
another sensual pose. Zack nodded his head, as he took another
photo of her.

"So, what do you need to know?"

"Well, I was hoping you could tell me where they are. Though, if I'm
being honest, I'm fairly certain that you're not even certain of that,
right?" He questioned. She nodded.

"Unfortunately, they're fairly good at staying hidden. Even the way

they kill is silent and void of any trace. Usually, they'll kill someone in
a place that's hard to spot, then disappear without a trace." She
mumbled, sucking her teeth.

"Any leads as to where they could be?"

She huffed, her face holding a defeated look, "No, nothing I could
see… To be honest, I've been trying to find them myself. Have some
unfinished business with those sons of bitches…"

"I'm guessing it has something to do with your brother's death. They

killed him?" He questioned, bring a silent nod from her.

"My brother, as dear to me as he was, didn't know when to use his

head. He told me he was working for them, said it could get us some
cash, but…" She shook her head, her breath a slight bit shakey,
"working for them is risky business. If they so much as see or even
think that you're going to be a hindrance to them, they silence you.
They show no mercy, not even to their comrades…"

Zack gulped nervously. Was she serious? Even gangs in New York
had standards about their own. Then again, this was hell, after all.
Death and the like are a common place, maybe even worse. He
looked up at her, taking more photos, "Do you have any other
information? Anything at all can be a huge help."
"Just one…" With that, she grabbed a hold of his wrist and pulled
him on to the bed, before pinning him down to it. His eyes heart
stopped and his eyes widening. Was she planning to kiss him?!
Maybe something else?! She leaned forward, her lips barely
brushing against his ear, as she whispered into them, "Take these.
They're photos I took from the other murders. I haven't found
anything useful for them, but maybe you can."

She slipped 4 polaroid pictures into his coat pocket, her tail
obstructing the view of her hand from the camera. Zack sighed in
relief; at least that's all it was. She sat up and moved from on top of
him, allowing him to get to his feet once again.

"Time's almost up for you. You better get going, before anyone
comes to force you out."

Zack nodded, as he stepped towards the door and opened it. Before
leaving, he turned back to her, smiling softly, "Thank you, ma'am. I
promise, I'll be sure to give the guy responsible a good ass kicking
for you."

She smirked, her tail swaying behind her, "Please do. I'll be sure to
reward you when that happens~"

She blew him a kiss, drawing a blush from Zack. He quickly walked
out, his hands slipped into his pockets.

"Women are a fuckin' mystery…"

Zack's face scrunched up in thought, as he stared at the photos

given to him. His silent, intense stare only made the group of
demons slightly uncomfortable. As usual, he looked more menacing
when he was in his patented "Detective Mode".

Loona cleared her throat, trying to get his attention, "Um, you good,
Zack? What's up with those photos, anyway?"
Zack looked up at her, his face softening, "Oh, right. They're photos
that Ms. Vermillion gave me. Apparently, they're all of murders that
the Akuma-Ningen have done."

He gave the photos to her, allowing her to see exactly what he

meant. Each one held a different victim, all killed with what seemed
to be a knife wound to the chest or abdomen. She passed each of
the to the others, her phone held tightly in her other hand.

Blitzo raised an eyebrow, his eyes scanning the photo, "They're all
killed the same way? What kinda idiot kills the same way, it'll only be
seen as a calling card."

"Yeah, but if ya think about it, it's more effective to just stab someone
and leave than trying to make it more elaborate-like." Millie added,
her hand rubbing her chin in thought. Moxxie looked down at his
photo, his tail swaying behind him.

"Hold on, I've seen this place before. It's literally a few minutes away
from here." He mumbled, his eyes looking towards the window,
"There, turn there!"

Without a second word, Blitzo swerved to the right and stopped in

front of a dead-end alleyway. Zack opened the door and stepped out
of the vehicle, his hand grasping at his magnifying glass. The rest
followed in pursuit, each one holding a weapon, except for the
hellhound, whose claws were her weapon. Zack looked throughout
the area, his eyes looking in through the magnifying glass. Nothing in
sight, only a few trash cans, littered garbage, the dried blood on the
floor from the last victim, and a lone manhole cover. There wasn't
even a door they could get into. Nothing was showing up in the glass
either.

"Hm… Odd… How were they able to disappear out of thin air…?" He
knelt down, looking at the large dried blood puddle. It had to have
been left there for a few days. His fingers brushed against the dried
blood, his eyes catching something interesting. It seemed like a
piece of trash was trapped under the manhole cover.
"Huh? Hey, Moxxie, help me with this." he called out. Moxxie nodded
and quickly ran towards the manhole cover. With a quick huff, the
two pulled off the circular metal slab and tossed it to the side. They
all looked down into the dark hole, completely confused.

"Soooo, you think that there's something down there?" Loona asked,
her hands on her hips.

"Seems like it, but the sewers are vast. Searching the entire thing
would be an issue, I'm sure…" Moxxie voiced. Zack huffed softly, as
he looked down into the darkness. He was right, searching in there
would be frugal, at least in this case.

"Um, maybe we should get some rest? It's getting rather late." Millie
said, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, good idea. I think we can call it a day." Blitzo agreed. Zack's
eyes widened, a bit surprised. He didn't wanna just go home, at least
not now. However, as of right now, there was nothing he could do.
Without some more information, it'd be more of a waste of time than
if they knew what to look for. He huffed, feeling agitated with himself.
He knew there was something, but what?!

"Hey, Zack! Come on, let's go home!" shouted Loona from the car.
Zack growled at himself. There was something here, he knew it; all
he had to do was figure out what it was.

Zack silently sat on the couch, his head resting on his hands. His
eyes stared straight at the photos sitting on the table, each one
spread out for his viewing. He knew there had to have been
something with the photos, a tell that could help him figure out what's
going on. However, they just looked like normal murder scenes,
nothing big or extravagant.

"Damn it, there's something I'm missing… What is it though..?"

Without him even noticing, Loona sat next to him, her hands at her
sides. She raised an eyebrow, her eyes looking towards the photos,
"You've been staring at those things ever since we got back.
Something up with them?"

He nodded, not even taking his eyes from the polaroids, "I know
there's something here, something that can help. I just can't figure it
out…"

"Huh, I gotcha. Can't say I'm too well-versed in this sorta thing, but
maybe you should try, um, broadening your view? Like, try to look at
more of the photo?" She advised. He rubbed his chin; maybe she
wasn't off base.

"Broaden my view…" He mumbled, his eyes widening slightly.

She sniffed her clothes, growling in annoyance, "Damn it, shoulda

never opened that manhole cover. I smell like the fuckin' sewers…"

He froze, his body tensing and tingling all at once. Was it… Could it
be…? No, it'd be so simple, yet effective! He looked towards Loona,
his right eye glowing slightly.

"Wait, what did you say?" He asked. She raised an eyebrow, tugging
at her shirt.

"Um, I smell like the sewers?" With that said, he jumped off the
couch and leaned closer to the photos, mumbling softly to himself.

"Wait… There's one here… and here… and even fucking here!" He
grabbed his phone and flicked through the photos of the torture
victim in the nightclub. There was even one there too!

"That's it!! I was right all along!" He exclaimed, as he stood to his feet
and paced around the room.

"Wait, I'm not following. What are you right about?"

"The photos, all of them have something in common," he showed her
the photos, "Tell me what you see!"

She huffed softly, as she looked at the photos, her ears flicking
about.

"Um, I don't know, it has a guy dead. Um, he's stabbed and…" Her
eyes widened, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks, "They all
have manhole covers in the photos!"

"Exactly! That changes things. Before, it was merely a theory that

they used the sewers, but if every victim was killed near an
entranceway of the sewers, then it's fairly certain that they've used it
at some point!"

Loona nodded her head, her fur standing up from the excitement,
"Then do you think that they could have dropped something down
there?"

"Not just dropped, but I think that their hideout might be down there
too!" He shouted, his eyes holding accomplishment and excitement.
She smirked, as she stood to her feet and stared to the door.

"Then we better get going! Come on, lets get going!" She said, as
she went to grab the door. He quickly grabbed her hand, stopping
her.

"Hold on, I think there's one more thing we need to check…"

"Thanks for the help, Stolas." Zack said, as he and Loona stood in
Stolas's study. He smiled, as he pulled out a large map.

"It's not a problem, I'm happy to help."

Loona raised an eyebrow and watched him pull out a small looked
throughout the map, his fingers tracing down a line on it.
"Um, wanna tell me what this is?"

"It's a map of all the sewer-lines in Imp City. If my hunch is correct,

then those manhole covers will each lead to a sewer-line that all go
to the same spot…" He mumbled, as he continued to follow the red
line. His finger soon stopped, a content huff escaping his lips, "Just
as I thought. They all lead to this one spot."

He pointed to a lone spot, one that was underneath the center of Imp
City. Loona scoffed, her hands on her hips, "Then it looks like we
have our heading. Should we call the others?"

Zack shook his head, "No, I don't think that's necessary. We're just
going there to scope out the scene. Having a bunch of people
following us isn't the greatest of ideas."

Loona nodded in response. She had to admit, it was true, and she
and him could handle themselves without a problem.

"Alright, then let's get going! No telling what we'll find."

Zack and Loona stared down into the sewers, back at the alleyway
from before. It reeked of mold and sewage, a mere fraction of what
the dark and musty tunnel would hold.

"Um… so, ladies first." Zack muttered, an awkward smile on his face.
Loona growled in response and slipped down into the hole, a small
splash echoing out.

"Fucking damnit, I stepped in something!"

Zack snickered, following behind her. Fortunately for him, he was at

least wearing shoes, unlike his hellhound companion, "Yeah, it's
called a combination of shit and piss."

"Don't start with me, Mr. Pussy-Virgin-Investigator," she sighed,

doing her best to try and the muddy liquid engulfing her paws, "So,
we just gotta go down this tunnel, right?"

Zack nodded, as he pulled out his phone and turned the flashlight
on, before placing it in his coat pocket.

"Judging from where we are, I'd say about 15 minutes is how long it'll
take us."

She groaned at the sound of that, as she raised her left foot and
shook it off slightly, "I've been near shitty things, but this is literally
shit…"

Zack smiled awkwardly, as he watched her. Well, there was always

that option. Without saying anything, he walked in front of her and
bent his legs, lowering himself slightly. She blinked in confusion, her
left ear flicking.

"Um, what are you doing?"

Zack looked back at her, a smile on his face, "Piggyback; I can carry
you until we get out of the water."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks grew a light hue of pink. Not any
people gave her the option to ride them. Well, at least not in the way
Zack was giving her. She cleared her throat and climbed on to his
back, his hands gripping under her thighs. Now it was his turn to
grow flustered. They were soft, yet held a firmness to them, not to
mention that they were fairly warm from her fur.

"U-Um… You comfortable up there?"

"Y-Yeah, totally… Can we just get going now?!" She whined, giving
his head a light tap. He nodded and trudged through the crappy fluid,
following the dark path that lied ahead.

The two remained silent, the only sound being the slosh of liquid that
surrounded Zack's legs. Anxiety and nervousness gnawed at their
minds. Whatever was down the way had to be something big,
perhaps even dangerous. Zack could feel Loona getting on edge,
mostly from her clawed fingers digging into his shoulders. Her heart
was beating faster, though he couldn't say much, his heart rate was
even rising as well. That's when it happened. He began to whistle,
which startled her slightly. This was common for him. Whenever he
wanted to calm himself, he always hummer and whistled to himself,
no matter where he was. Loona's eyes widened, as she listened to
his voice.

"Wait a fuckin' minute… Are you whistling what I think you're

whistling?"

He looked back at her, his eyebrow raised in confusion, "Huh? What

do you mean?"

"Don't 'what do you mean' me! That's that one song! Vacay to
Bonetown!" she shrieked. Zack smiled awkwardly, giving out an
embarrassed chuckle.

"I-Is that what it's called? I just saw a video of some concert at a
beach. The song was kinda catchy." he explained.

Loona was floored. Did he actually not know what happened at that
very concert? The monster, the police, the SEX?!

"Dude, you're completely clueless…"

"What do you mean?"

She huffed, "The person that was singing is named Verosika

Mayday. She's a succubus; apparently, she needed to use our
building for some shit, even stole our parking spot… Our only
parking spot."

"Seems like she wasn't very nice. Wait… Wasn't there something on
the news about that? Something about a giant orgy or something?"
He asked, scratching at his cheek. She nodded, giving a roll of her
eyes.
"Yeeeeaaah, that was Blitzo's fault. He challenged her that we could
kill more people than they could fuck. Funny enough, we won, but
only because of some giant sea monster."

That stopped Zack in his tracks. He looked up at her again, his eyes
wide with shock, "Wait, so that did happen?!"

"Yeah, it did. They ended up getting busted by the cops. I don't know
if they were able to suck their way outta that one or not, but who
knows?" She pulled out her phone and held it up for him to see. On it
was a picture of a white-haired, pink-skinned woman. She wore a
tight, form-fitting dress, a white-furred coat, and a pair of gaudy
sunglasses. "That's her in her true form."

Zack silently stared, blinking in confusion, "She looks like she could
be the mascot for fuckin Pepto Bismol…"

Loona scoffed, the comment almost making her drop her phone,
"Yeah, I can see that. Still, in her human form, she's probably seen
as one of the sexiest chicks out there."

"So she can transform into a human, huh? Makes sense, I read that
succubi take on human forms to steal the life of men that sleep with
them," he looked up at her again, "though that does bring up the
question, can all demons turn into a human form?"

Loona shrugged, her clawed finger tapping against Zack's head,

"Dunno, but I know hellhounds can. Even me, see?"

With that said, the room filled with a cobalt blue light, one that almost
blinded him. He felt a warm feeling on his back, and the weight on
him lessened. His hands, once sinking into fur, was now gripping on
to soft, smooth skin.

"Guh… Loona, what was that…?" He asked, his voice barely above
a whisper. He slowly turned his head to look at her, his heart
stopping at the sight before him. Her muzzled face was replace with
a normal woman's, her large body now at around the same size at
him, yet still holding an inch more in height. Her lips now adorned a
dark black lipstick, and her paws, or used to be paws, held normal
grey sneakers with black knee-high socks.

"Ta-da. Whatcha think? Bet it gets your heart rate going, huh?" She
teased, a smirk on her face. Zack stared in silence, his eyes widened
and his cheeks growing warmer. She was… she was…

"I dunno, it's pretty and all, but it kinda seems the same to me."

Silence filled the tunnel, as she stared at him, her face twisting into a
look of utter confusion. Either he was a furry, of something much
worse!

"Wait, what? Why's that? Don't tell me, you're one of those weird
freaks that are into animals, right?"

Zack smiled awkwardly, clearing his throat, as he continued to walk

along the path, "Not at all, actually," his face softened and grew a
genuine smile, "I just like your true form. A person can change their
looks, but no matter what, you're still you. So, whether you're human
or demon, I still think you're beautiful either way."

Loona's face grew a dark red, her transformation soon reverting her
back to her hellhound form. Something about what he said stumped
her. He didn't use sexy, or banging, or dick-raisingly sexy, but instead
he used something normal. Most would just call her those things,
hoping to get a piece of her, but rarely was she ever called
something just because they wanted to say it. Sure, Blitzo would call
her cute or "his favorite", but she wasn't ever called that for no
reason; Or rather, the reason being was just to be nice. It made her
heart tighten, her grip on his shoulders growing stronger, as if she
didn't want to let go, something that she rarely ever felt.

It didn't take long for them to finally make it to their destination. At

the end of the tunnel was a large circular room, one that held many
other entrances to other sewer-lines.
"Just as I thought. The other entrances must all lead to the other
murder scenes. Which means there has to be something here…"

He walked forward and stepped on to a nearby ledge, getting out of

the sewage infested water. He shook off his foot and cleared his
throat, looking up at Loona.

"You uh, you can get down now."

She silently nodded and stepped on to the ground, her hand quickly
covering her face. Zack raised an eyebrow in question. Was she
blushing? He looked down at her tail, noticing the excessive wagging
it was doing. He chuckled and looked around the room.

"So, what do you think? This is the place, so what are we looking
for?" She asked, wandering around the area. Zack shrugged and
leaned against the nearby wall, his hand stroking his chin.

"Not a clue. Whatever it is, it's gotta be around here. Maybe there's
something they dropped…"

He looked around the wall, his hand brushing against the moldy
bricks. They all were a dark shade of green and brown, a testament
to just how long they had been placed there. All except for one. He
gently pressed against the lone, clean-looking brick. It seemed loose
for some reason.

"Hey, Loona, take a look at this." He called out. She quickly walked
towards him, a look of confusion on her face.

"What's up? Find something?"

"Mhm, I think so," he looked towards the loose brick, "it feels like I
can push this. You think it could be a switch or button of some sort?"

She shrugged, "Maybe. Press it and let's find out already."

He nodded and slowly pushed against the loose brick until it

stopped. They stood for a few seconds, as the brick slid back to its
original position. Nothing but silence and a slight bit of annoyance
filled the air.

"Well, that's a bust. Maybe there's another switch?" Zack voiced, his
hands slipping into his pockets. She leaned forward and sniffed at
the loose brick, before sniffing the air. After a few seconds of walking
and sniffing, she made her way to the left of Zack, spotting another
clean-looking brick.

"Yo, I found another one! Maybe it's one of those double push
switches."

Zack rubbed his chin again, raising an eyebrow, "It's quite possible.
Okay, on my three, we'll press the button."

They slowly touched their respective bricks, both of them ready for
anything.

"Okay, ready," he took a deep breath, "One," Loona readied herself,

"Two," then Zack, "Three!" And with that, they pushed against their
bricks, both of them giving their own respected clicks. Silence, once
again, enveloped the room. Loona huffed glancing at Zack, as she
crossed her arms.

"Got any other ideas, Mr. Investi-" before she could even finish, the
ground shook and the wall rumbled, making the two take a quick
step back. The bricks shifted and rotated, exposing a staircase
leading down a deep, dark tunnel. Zack and Loona stared down the
entrance, their eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"I got a idea. How about we go down the staircase?" he said, giving
her a cocky smirk. Rolling her eyes, she gripped his coat and
dragged him down the staircase, bringing a yelp from him. The
dripping echoes die down with each step they took, silence
surrounding their bodies. Within seconds, Zack would feel the tight
grip of Loona's hand on his shoulder. He could even feel her
quickening heartbeat. It must have been due to the darkness. He
instantly felt bad for her; he knew what it felt like to be afraid, to be
worried of your surroundings at every turn. After all, he barely ever
left his home, especially after that unhappy day.

"Hey, Loona…?"

She winced in shock, her ears folded against her head, "Guh, yeah,
what? I'm not scared, you're scared. Fuckin dick, pussy, virg-"

Before she could even finish, her hand grew warmer. She looked
down, seeing a smaller, human hand holding hers. She looked at
Zack, who was keeping his eyes forward.

"… You'll be okay, I promise…" he mumbled, his heart pounding

against his chest. He was going crazy inside, crazier than anything
he was feeling before, though he wasn't sure why. Was he sick?
Afraid? Nervous? Maybe all three?! Loona was more confused than
anything. She felt warm and safe, something that a demon usually
doesn't feel in hell. Though, what she also felt was an unwavering
feeling of guilt. After all, she was technically the one who pulled into
this situation, not to mention she…

"Hey… Zack, I gotta tell y-"

"Shh, you hear that?" Zack asked, stopping in his tracks. The two
looked further down the path, a small ray of light feeding through a
lone entrance. They slowly walked towards the light, both of their
guards raised and readied. As the two stepped towards the blinding
light, hands raised to shield their adjusting eyes, they peeked into
the room. Imagine their shock and amazement, as their vision
adjusted to see a bustling, near-crowded plaza. Small buildings lined
the sides of a small bridge that stood over a flowing stream. Demons
conversed and and congregated around the multitude of stalls, all
manned by different sellers and employees. The two could only stare
in awe, their jaws hanging open.

"Holy effing shit-biscuits…" he muttered, as he pulled out his phone

and began to take photos. Loona snickered, a hand resting on her
hip.
"Effing? What are you, 15?" she taunted. Zack rolled his eyes,
before slipping his phone back into his pocket. That's when his eyes
laid on another building, one that stood at the farthest reaches of the
plaza-like area. He rubbed his chin in thought.

"Something tells me that's where we need to head."

Loona nodded her head, her mind now stuck on their new objective,
"We should be discreet here. No telling who's working for the bigshot
here."

Keeping their heads low, they started down the path, while slipping
past the sea of demons that crowded the buildings and booths. Zack
took every bit of information that he could from just seeing, as more
questions filled his head.

"Seems like this place is like some sort of hub. Though, its existence
doesn't make any sense. Why would the big boss need to keep this
place hidden from people?"

Loona shrugged, her finger scratching at her furred chin, "Well, if it

were me, I guess it'd be to keep the competition off my ass. I mean,
you see all the bitches and drug dealers here, and we all know that
very specific dudes have an iron grip on those industries. Maybe
they're keeping it down here to protect themselves and their cash."

Zack couldn't help but admit it, but that was a good theory.
Something like that is plausible, especially with how dangerous
demons could be. The question was, who owned the place? A
question he hoped to solve soon. A few minutes and yards later, they
made it to the large, gaudy building. The entirety of it was made to
resemble a palace, complete with golden statues of dragons, large
steps that led to the large front doors, and an entire garden that
surround the palace-like establishment. The two both whistled in a
combination of shock and amazement.

"Well, we at least know that the head honcho isn't strapped for
cash…" he mumbled, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. She
nodded in response, her arms folded in front of her chest.

"We should go around back and see if there's a way inside. Better
than just going through the front door, right?" she advised, to which
Zack had to agree. The backdoor would be the more ideal place to
sneak in. Without a second thought, the tag-team duo sneakily
walked around the various plants and shrubbery, doing their best not
to get their clothes stuck or ripped. As they made their way around to
the back, their eyes soon landed on just what they wanted. A
backdoor, looking out of place with its shabby and rusted demeanor.
Unfortunately, it not only seemed to require a keycard to enter, but
guarding it was a large, burly demon male in a suit and tie. Zack
groaned, scratching his head.

"Well damnit. Taking him head-on would cause too much noise, and
killing him would only leave some evidence of us being here. We just
gotta lure him away somehow. Got any ideas Loo-" he stopped,
noticing that she was already gone. His eyes widened, as she slowly
stuck her leg out of the bush, allowing him to see it. For added
measure, she let out a soft whistle to get his attention.

"Hm? Whose there?" he questioned, as the burly guard's left

eyebrow raised, obviously intrigued at what he was witnessing.
Loona smirked and slowly slipped her body out of the shrubs, her
finger curling, beckoning him to come closer. He licked his lips, his
eyes holding a sexual hunger. Judging from his attitude, he definitely
was feeling a slight abstinence of the flesh.

"Ooh, I gotcha~ Hmm, guess a bit of fun wouldn't hurt~" he chuckled,

his low voice rumbling throughout his throat, as he walked towards
Loona. Zack gulped down a nervous lump. If he got to close, he
would be spotted as well. With her concealed hand, she held up
three fingers, then two. That's when Zack understood what her plan
was.

"So, we doing this here, or maybe at your-"

As soon as she held her last finger up, Zack leapt out of the
shrubbery and slammed his fist into the demon's temple, knocking
him out cold. She rolled her eyes, brushing off any leaves that stuck
in her fur.

"That took all of my patience to even attempt that. I already did this
once during spring break. Last thing I wanna do is do it again."

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he slipped his hand into the guards coat
and fished the keycard out of it, "You did it before? Huh, no wonder it
was a cakewalk for you."

The two stepped towards the door, before Zack swiped the keycard
down the reader. The door unlocked with a click and a small green
light, indicating that the lock was disengaged. With a nervous and
anxious grab of the doorknob, he slowly and silently pushed the door
open, as he peeked through the crack he made. Luckily, the coast
was clear for their intruding.

"Follow me ad stay close. No telling who may be on guard duty." he

said with a hushed voice, as he slowly pushed the door fully open
and stepped in, while Loona followed close by. Shutting the door
behind them, they both took in the lavish inside. The floor was of a
jade marble, giving off a light sparkle and shine, while the walls were
an almost hardened oak wood. The ceiling held the hanging lights.
The lights themselves may have been dim, but the sheen of the
golden light fixtures more than made up for that. Zack quickly shook
his head; this wasn't the time to be getting impressed by their interior
decorator, they were literally in the belly of the beast! The belly of the
dragon, so to speak! He looked towards Loona, his thumb pointing
down the hall.

"Let's see if there's some sort of computer room. If there is, then we
can figure out everything in one full swoop." he whispered. Loona
nodded in surprise, before the two began to speedily, but hushly,
walked throughout the halls. The deeper they went, the more
intimidated they felt. It was as if they walked right into the Queen of
England's home. Hell, it could even be bigger that that! With any
luck, they'd be able to find their destination without a hitch. With
every turn they made and every guard they slipped past, they felt an
inch crawl down their spines, almost as if they were being directed to
their objective. Soon, they made it to a larger hallway, one that lead
to a large set of dark green double doors. They slowly looked up at
the entranceway, their jaws dropping.

"Um… large door, huh?" Loona mumbled.

"Big boy door is what I'd call it."

Giving them both a nod, they stepped towards the doors and pushed
at them, the large, wooden doors giving out a soft, barely-there
squeak. Once inside, they both looked around, their bodies frozen in
place. It was exactly what they were looking for, though they didn't
think it'd be at this large of a scale. The room was filled to the brim
with computers and monitors, all of them mounted on various places
on the walls of the large room. At the center of it was a fancy-looking
desk, a computer sitting on it.

"Holy shit, this is just crazy…" he muttered, as he stepped further

into the room. Loona huffed softly in surprise, her ears flicking
slightly.

"Why the fuck would this guy need so many computer screens?"

He raised an eyebrow, as he stared at one of the screens. It was

showing a large group of demons, all of them just doing their own
thing, as if things were normal. All of the other screens showed them
too.

"He seems like a fucking perv. I mean, look at all of this. Did he
record it?" she asked, her eyes glazing over the many monitors.
Zack rubbed his chin, the gears in his mind slowly turning. The
images were awfully strange to them. That's when he noticed it; at
the corner of one of the screens, it had a date and time on it. 5:49
PM, December 17th.That was today! His eyes widened and his fists
clenched. Those weren't recordings, they were cameras, all of them
spying on the inhabitants of Imp City!

"He's been watching us this entire time…" He growled out, as he

stepped towards the computer and sat down at the desk. Loona's
eyes widened, as she followed after him.

"Wait, so they aren't just old recordings? You mean he's got cameras
all around Imp City?"

"And probably around The Pentagram too. He's been watching

everyone and everything, possibly for a while. Maybe he's even an
info-broker, who knows?" He said, as he tapped away at the
computer and moved the cursor to the files app. Loona silently
watched, as she tapped her foot against the ground, her eyes
looking around the room and at the monitors. Zack silently spoke to
himself, as he opened up file after file.

"Huh… This guy has definitely been busy. These files date back a
good 15 years…" He thought, as he clicked a recent file, "This ones
has a shit ton of records. All of them are from lesser known dudes.
No overlords, at least I don't think."

He opened another file, this one opening a list of people and

establishments. His eyes widened. Valentino, Vox, Velvet, Alastor,
even Lucifer was on the list. Yet, the one thing that confused him
was the fact that they all said to either avoid or ignore. This stumped
him. Was he trying to stay hidden in the shadows just out of
protection and fear? Or maybe, he was biding his time for
something. His eyes continued down the list, until he noticed Blitzo's
face. On it, it had a note saying "See file 201".

"File 201? I think I just saw that…"

He closed the file he was looking at and searched for 201, soon
finding it in a matter of seconds. He clicked on it, opening it for his
viewing. It was a normal text document, though it was written as an
email.
"This is a very important announcement and command. To the team
we're sending out, your assignment is to send a message to I.M.P.
They have been causing us trouble; we can't afford to waste
anymore time on this matter. Your mission is to send find the book. If
you're unable to obtain it, be sure to leave a message, one that will
shake them up. Failure is not an option. The job starts at 5:30 PM,
December 17th." He read aloud.

He raised an eyebrow, his fingers typing away in the file all's search
engine. There had to be something that saved the footage from the
cameras. After a few moments, he not only found the footage, but
also the time frame as well. He gulped, as he looked through the file,
finding the video labeled "I.M.P".

"Okay, what do we have…?" He mumbled. He clicked the video and

started it, showing a view that was probably taken from a street light.
As the video player, his eyes slowly widened, his skin draining of any
color. If what he was seeing was true, then that would mean… ! He
looked towards Loona and stood to his feet, startling her.

"Quick, where's Blitzo and the other?!"

She stared in surprise, before composing herself, "Guh, Blitzo texted

me a few minutes ago. He said he was gonna be at I.M.P with
Moxxie and Millie for about an hour."

Zack cursed himself, as he quickly shut the computer down and

grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the computer room. She yelped
in shock, being practically dragged back to the backdoor.

"Hey, what's going on?! Why are you spazzing out like this?!"

Zack looked back at her, his face holding fear and anxiety within it,
"Blitzo, Millie, and Moxxie are in danger! We need to get back to
warn them!"

"Warn them? About what?!"

"I.M.P! Those yakuza guys, they rigged the place to explode!!"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 15
Chapter 15: An Explosion, Both Inside And Out

Deep within a dark, mysterious, and unknown building, a lone man

sat behind his desk, the room shrouded in darkness. His eyes stayed
glowed, one with a dark, blackened hue, a singular red shine
appearing in his left eye, acting as a pupil. On his desk, a few sheets
of paper, folders, and a singular photo. He glared daggers at the
photo, one of an all too familiar investigator and his hellhound
companion. He growled softly, his clawed finger tapping at the face
of the photo.

"This kid… He's getting a bit too close. He even had the audacity to
trespass in my base…" he dragged his claw against the photo,
tearing it down the middle, his face holding a smirk, "Perhaps you'll
be a nice challenge for me, hmm Investigator?"

There was no time to lose! If what Zack saw was true, then Blitzo
and the others were in more danger than they could ever think. With
his hand gripping Loona's, they sprinted back into the sewers, his
face holding a serious scowl.

"Hold on, wait, slow down! You're actually serious, right?! It's gonna
explode?!" Loona shrieked, her voice echoing down the tunneling
sewers.

"They've been watching us the entire time! If what I read is true, then
that bomb is gonna go any moment now! There's no telling if they set
the bomb to go off on a timer, or if they have the remote!"

They stopped and climbed the rusty ladder back up to the surface,
their pants covered in sewage and dust. This, however, was the least
of their problems. They stepped back to the streets, both of them
panting slightly.
"How fast can we get there?!"

Loona looked out towards the street, growling deeply, "It doesn't
matter! We'll never make it in time going on foot! Fucking damnit!
Now what do we do?!"

Zack huffed, his eyes scanning the area. Soon, without warning,
Zack ran towards a nearby motorcycle and jumped on to it. He pulled
a throwing knife out and jammed it into the keyhole, twisting it with a
heavy force. By some miracle, the duel-wheeled bike turned on with
a sputter, shocking Loona.

"Come on, we'll use this!" he called out to her, waving her over. She
nodded and sprinted towards him, before sitting behind him. He
twisted the handle bars, revving the motorcycle up loudly.

"W-wait, you do know how to drive this thing, right?" Loona asked,
her arms wrapping around his waist on impulse.

"Nope, but I played Final Fantasy VII Remake, so I've got this."

"Final what-" before she could even finish her rebuttal, Zack
accelerated with incredible speed, his hands tightening around the
handlebars.Loona's hair flipped and flew through the wind, as she
tightened her hold on his waist. Zack's heart was pounding against
his chest, his thoughts racing and piecing together the clues. He
couldn't believe that the entire time they were being watched. It didn't
make any sense to him; after all, why watch someone and do
nothing to stop their advances? Was it because they were toying
with them, thinking that they were all that and letting their cockiness
get the better of them? Whatever the reason, there would be time to
think on that later. Right now, he had to get to I.M.P, before someone
got blown, and not in the good way.

"Hey, how much farther do we have?!" Zack called, as he took a

sharp, right-hand turn.
"Too long, we'll never make it in time at this rate! You know how
stupid Blitzo can be when he's driving!"

Zack growled in a mix of annoyance and worry. He looked to his

right, his eyes widening. Just bellow him was the very building he
was looking for just below the bridge they were driving over.
However, their worst fears were easily visible from their vantage
point. The very I.M.P van they were racing was merely a mile away,
and it was speeding fast.

"Damn it, we're not gonna make it! Fucking shit, now what?!"

Zack gulped down a lump of fear. There was only one way they were
gonna get there quickly, one very very VERY dangerous way.

"Hang on!" he shouted, revving the motorcycle again. He around the

road, the tires screeching and scuffing the bridge. With a shift of the
gear, he sped forward, heading straight for the edge of the bridge.

"Wait, Zack, what are you-?!" It was too late. Before she could even
stop him, he had launched off of the bridge's side. Her eyes widened
and her body froze, as the cut through the air, their bodies diving fast
towards the earth below, "You idioooooooot!!"

"Just hold on tight!"

Using his weight and his strength, he turned the motorized bike to
the left, until he could feel the tires brush up against the side of the
skyscraper. He huffed, hoping that this would work. Using the breaks
and his feet, he pushed against the building, in hopes it could
decrease the speed of the fall. His right eye glowed and his teeth
gritted, as he put all of his strength and willpower into his legs.

"Dumbass, this isn't a movie!! Think of something-!" Without a

second thought, she could feel her body soar once again. This time,
the motorcycle was once again in the air, this time heading for a
nearby building's window. She held her face against his back,
bracing for the inevitable impact. With a loud, deafening crash, the
two collided with the glass window. Shards flew everywhere, but it
didn't stop him. Using the momentum, he continued forward, forcing
anyone in the way to move, lest they get splattered against the
barrelling vehicle.

"Excuse me! Pardon me! Sorry! We're in a bit of a hurry!" Zack

shouted out, as he dodged and weaved past the unsuspecting
demons. Once again, he collided with the window across from them,
their destination just below them. From their view, they could see
Blitzo, Moxxie, and Millie just outside of the door.

"Make way!!" He called out, getting the trio's attention. With wide
eyes, they dived away from the door just as Zack and Loona hit the
ground, the tires screeching and screaming as they ground against
the pavement. With the brakes clutched and his foot acting as extra
insurance, the bike slowly came to a halt, the rubber smoking from
the abuse that they took. He panted heavily from the events, wincing
slightly. Looking down, he could see Loona's claws digging into his
chest, as she held on to him tightly, her face holding a look of fear
and anxiety.

"Um, Loona, you can let go now. It's over." He said behind an
awkward smile. Her sharp nails slowly slid against his chest, as her
hands pulled away from him hesitantly, her lips letting out an
exhausted huff.

"Don't. Ever. Fucking do that. Again." She said in between pants. He

nodded slowly, as he quickly got off of the motorcycle and helped her
off as well. Blitzo only raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed in front of
him.

"Well that was an entrance. You wanna tell me what you two were
doing?"

Zack's eyes widened, his mind once again getting back on task,
"Blitzo, we need to get out of here, now! This whole place, it's going
to-"
His left ear perked up, as he looked back at the door to the
establishment. Time seemed to have slowed for him, his ears picked
up the sound of beeping. The counter, something told him that was
what he was hearing, even though it was so far away. If his intuition
was right, then they had only 10 seconds to get out of there! He
looked towards Loona, her face holding a look just as shocked as he
was. She definitely could hear it too. Without even finishing his
sentence, he leaped forward and grabbed Moxxie and Millie, holding
them under his arms. Loona, who grabbed Blitzo, sprinted towards
the company van along with Zack, hiding them behind it.

"Cover your ears and get down!"

As if like clockwork, the only sound that could be heard were the
sounds of explosions. Crashes, booms, blams, ka-booms, you name
it! Nothing but large lights, flying pieces of glass and drywall and
metal, all of it came crashing down with each explosion that came
through. After all was said and done, the smell of gunpowder and fire
filled their noses, while their ears rung from the excruciating sounds.
They all slowly looked back at the damage, thinking that maybe
things weren't as bad as they thought it could be. Unfortunately, it
was much worse. There was nothing left, merely ruins of what
remained, and even those were burning quickly. Their faces all held
a look of shock and despair. Blitzo's eyes widened, as he stood to
his feet and bolted closer, his hands balled into tight fists.

"What the fuck just happened!? And I thought I had an issue with
people fucking up my walls! Now, there literally aren't any fucking
walls left!" he looked back towards the group, all of them now
standing behind him, "Who did this?! I bet it was fuckin' Moxxie!"

"Me?! Sir, I did absolutely nothing wrong here! I'm sure there's a
logical explanation for this!"

"Yeah, there is…" Zack interjected, causing everyone to look towards

him. His eyes quickly cut through the air, before he clutched a
throwing knife and chucked it towards a nearby streetlight,
destroying the glass and hitting a hidden camera within it, "They've
been watching us this entire time. They meant for this to be used as
a means to scare us, make us feel anxious, get in our heads," he
rubbed his chin in thought, "though I'm still confused. If they could
watch us, why didn't they just attack all together? They knew where
we were, so why not form a plan and come after us when we least
expect it? Maybe there's-"

Blitzo growled deeply, his body trembling with anger, "MAYBE you
should stop thinking about why and how, and just focus on the who!!"
He stopped closer to Zack, his eyes seething and glowing with
malicious intent, "I don't give a fuck why and how and when and all
that shit! I hired you to find and kill this bitch, yet you're here playing
detective! Do you see my problem here?!"

Zack merely stared in shock, as did the others. He never saw Blitzo
mad before, but when he was, he was a bit terrifying. With a clear of
his throat, he answered him once, a slight tremble to his voice, "L-
Look, I'm sorry. If I would have known sooner, I would have stopped
this from happening. Seriously, I'm trying my best here. In order to
find the culprit, you gotta find all the clues and put them all together
to make the full picture. You can't just skip to the who without-" he
was instantly cut off at the sight of the wrong end of a pistol. His
body froze and his hands rose up in defense. Blitzo wasn't just livid,
he was murderous.

"I don't give a shit about your goddamn excuses. Simply put, you're
nothing more than a human I let live to solve a problem! If you can't
do that, then why shouldn't I just put a bullet through your head!?"

Millie covered her mouth in shock, while Moxxie and Loona grew
more on-edge at the sight of his trusty pistol aimed at the
investigator's head.

"Sir, calm down! You don't really wanna-!"

Blitzo's head jerked towards him him, "Shut up Moxxie, stay out of
my shit!"
Zack remained silent. A part of him was shocked from his words,
especially after seeing him be so cheerful and friendly to him. Now,
he was ruthless and uncaring. It hurt him, made him feel like he was
nothing to him now. Maybe, he was nothing to him at all. Maybe he
was just seen as a pawn to him. After all, Blitzo was, in a way, using
Stolas as a means to keep his business alive, so what was different
about him? Was everyone just a pawn to him? Those questions and
more flowed through his head, and every time he heard them, it only
made one emotion grow strong within him; anger. His right eye grew
brighter, as it throbbed and pulsed harshly, so much so that it felt as
if blood was going to spill from it. His fists balled and his eyes stared
straight into Blitzo's. Zack held a neutral look, but Blitzo could almost
feel it. His seething anger, his growing intent to kill. Before he could
say anything however, Loona's hand grabbed Blitzo's wrists, pulling
it above his head.

"Hey, how about chilling the fuck out?! Your bitching and moaning
about your precious walls isn't gonna help anybody! How about you
just shut up and calm down!" She screamed, her nose mere inches
from his face. Zack was, for lack of a better term, completely mind-
fucked. She was helping him again? However, this time, she was
being so blatant about it. It was like the other times were she would
be slick or sly and help him under the table. This time, she was being
straight with everyone. Silence filled the area, the only sound being
the crackling flames behind them. Millie cleared her throat, as she
walked in network the two, a forced smile present on her face.

"W-Well, what do we do now? I mean, we probably shouldn't stay

here, right? It'd be too dangerous, as of now."

Moxxie nodded his head quickly, "I agree! I mean, um, shouldn't we
find another place to stay for a bit?"

With those words spoken, Zack slowly reeled back from his stupor,
letting out an exasperated sigh, " Y-Yeah, good idea. We should get
someplace safe. Though, there's only one place I can think of…"
"Oh, Blitzy! I'm so glad you're alright!" Stolas exclaimed, as he
picked the smaller imp up and brushed his clothes of any dirt and
debris, "I just heard about an explosion near I.M.P, and I was worried
something may have happened to you!"

Blitzo groaned with discomfort, his eyes rolling, "Yeah, well, I'm fine,
but my fucking building isn't…" He growled out. Stolas continued to
hold and search him for knicks and injuries, while the others spoke
with Octavia.

"You sure it's not gonna be a problem with us staying here for a bit? I
mean, it was on short notice…" Moxxie asked, to which Octavia
shook her head.

"Knowing how my dad is, he'd be absolutely enthralled with having

him so close. Besides, I heard about what happened. I should be the
one asking if you all are okay." She said, a look of worry on her face.
Millie smiled at her, giving a wave of her hand.

"Oh, we're fine, it'll take more than that to do us in. Plus, Zack and
Loona were able to save us, so the most we got from that was a bit
of ringin' in our ears."

Octavia smiled back at her, though it slowly dropped when she

glanced at Zack, who hadn't said a think since he got there. He was
only staring out the window, more than likely in his thoughts. His
eyes were full and almost lifeless, as if he just witnessed something
that just broke him. She frowned and looked towards Loona, who
hadn't taken her eyes off him since their meeting.

"Is um, he alright? He looks awful…"

Loona shook her head, sighing softly, "Blitzo said some shit to him
and he's taking it hard. I think he's blaming himself for what
happened… Hold on just a second…" She stepped closer to him, a
small smile on her face, "Hey, Zack, fun day today, right? I mean,
pretty cool how you used that motorcycle. I didn't know you could
ride one. You're probably someone who pisses loud as fuck, I think
that's pretty cool." She said, mentally kicking herself for that last part.
Zack looked up towards her, a small smile on his face. He nodded,
his hands slipping into his pockets.

"Heh, yeah… Um, mind telling Stolas the rundown on things? I've
gotta get going…" He mumbled, as he walked towards the hall.

"Where are you going?"

He stopped and looked back towards her, "To Stolas's study. I'm
hoping that I can figure something out with his books and such. After
all, I've still got a job to do."

With that, he walked down the hallway, his footsteps ringing down
the halls. He sighed softly, his hand rubbing against his face. After
such a long day, he was exhausted, though even so, he couldn't give
up. The mystery had to be solved, and there were too many people
in danger. Too many that he cared for.

"Damn it, what am I doing…?"

"Seems to me like you're wasting your time."

He stopped in his tracks, his face holding a look of annoyance. The

very sound that grated on his ears, that being the voice of a specific
hooded demon. He slowly looked towards him, glaring daggers at
him.

"As if I didn't have enough shit to deal with. Here comes the one that
literally says nothing but bullshit."

He smirked behind the shadowed hood, his arms crossed in front of

he chest, "Oh come now, you know that I'm right. You heard what
that demon said, he doesn't see you as a friend or family. You're
merely a tool to him, one that he'll get rid of when the time is right."

"And yet you're so trustworthy? Yeah, right, like I can go along with
what a figment of my imagination says."
"You'll see. One day, one of them is going to hurt you. In fact, they
may already have. Perhaps you just don't see it yet."

Zack growled deeply. He did not need this today, or for the next
week, more like."

"Just shut up and get lost. I have work I need to do."

And with that, Zack walked into the study and slammed the door
shut, leaving the disembodied figure alone in the mirror. He chuckled
lowly, his eyes glowing dark red, malice flowing from them.

Hours had passed, yet the tension just wouldn't vacate, even as the
group all gathered for their evening meal. With all that had
happened, it was no wonder that everyone was on edge. Their place
of business had been destroyed with little issue and the realization
that they were constantly being watched only added to their anxiety.
Stolas sensed this, so he decided upon himself to lighten the mood.
As they all sat around the table in the kitchen, the small imp butler
began to place their plates filled with food on the table in front of
them. A bit of substances in their bellies was just what they needed
to relax.

"Ahem, I hope there is enough food for you all. If not, I can make
some more." He said, an awkward smile on his face.

"Well, I don't think we'll have to worry about there not being
enough…" Octavia replied, her eyes glancing at the empty chair
before them. She frowned, knowing exactly who that seat was for.

Stolas raised an eyebrow, her hands resting on his hips in confusion,

"Yes, quite. Where is that human mystery-solver? I haven't seen him
since you all walked in through the door."

Millie nodded her head, a look of worry plastered on her face, "He
said he was going to work in your study. I'm a bit worried about him,
though. After what happened before-"
"Ah, I'm sure he's fine. No point in worrying about him." Blitzo
interjected, as he took a sip of his drink, "If anything, he should be
happy he isn't dead yet. I mean, honestly, kids got a death wish with
how he's been doing things. Still, with any luck, he'll figure this out
without anymore-"

Before he could finish, the table shook from the sound of a hand
slamming against the surface of it. Their eyes looked up from their
plates, coming in contact with the anger-filled ones of their resident
hellhound.

"Watch it, Blitzo. You don't want me to kick your ass, dad." she
mumbled through gritted teeth. Blitzo's eyes widened, but quickly
glared back at her in a scolding-look.

"No, you watch it, Loonie. Remember who you're talking to."

"First off, you're only my dad on paper. Secondly, I'm not gonna have
you badmouth Zack, especially after everything he's done for you,
me, and everyone else!"

Blitzo growled in anger, as he stood up from his chair, "He's just one
human! And besides, it's not like he's anything special! Guys like him
are a dime-a-dozen! This is hell, and people aren't exactly nice
around here!"

"Just because we're demons doesn't mean we have to treat every

human like a potential hit, and Zack is not just some human! Would a
normal human put himself in danger for us, the very same people
who tried to kill him before?! Would he still be working to solve our
problem, even after you threatened to kill him?!" Loona roared, her
fur standing on end. Blitzo only glared at her, his clawed finger
tapping the table.

"Look, obviously you're all in your mood or whatever. It won't matter

anyway, because when this is all over, he's either going back to the
living world, or he's gonna die. He can take his pick."
Loona's claws slowly extended, her angered face turning into a look
of pure malice and hatred. He couldn't have been serious. The Blitzo
that she knew wouldn't act like such a dick, such a monster. Though,
in a way, they were all monsters, murderous beings who killed for
money. This time, however, she wasn't going to just stoop to his level
and just let it happen. She was going out swinging.

"I won't let you."

This time, it was Blitzo's turn to be shocked. Was she threatening

him, or was this some kind of strange and unusual joke? He quickly
shook it off, his face holding an awkward grin, "Very funny Loonie
Toony. You're probably just a little overwhelmed with what's
happening. Once you've got something in your belly, you'll be good
as-"

"Does it look like I'm fucking joking?!" She interrupted, her aura and
presence sending shivers down everyone's spines, even Stolas's.
Blitzo immediately clammed up, his body freezing in shock.

"Zack isn't just some human! He's someone that's near and dear to
me! Even when we first met, he still saved me, regardless if the fact
that I was trying to kill him! That's why, I'm going to do the same for
him! And if you do much as touch a single hair on his head, I will
make sure you're never able to dick down Mr. Bird Ass over there
again!"

And with that said, she stood to her feet, grabbing a plate and some
utensils. She flung some of the prepared meal on to it and stormed
out of the kitchen, her heavy footsteps echoing throughout the halls.
The group of demons were all left stunned, awestruck, even. Stolas
cleared his throat, as he clasped his hands together.

"Would you all mind giving me and Blitzy some privacy, everyone? I
need to have a word with him."

Without a single word of objection, the group all stood to their feet
and exited the kitchen swiftly, leaving the owl and the imp alone. He
sat across from him, his hands clasped and resting on the table,

"Let's talk…"

Zack sighed softly, as he sat at the lone desk in the study. His hair
was a mess, his clothes were wrinkled, and his eyes were drooping
in exhaustion. He knew investigating wasn't an easy task, but this
was almost impossible. Investigating, more like playing detective to
him. He didn't even know if he was cut out for this. After all that had
happened, was he actually getting closer, or was he just being
allowed to get closer, just to toy with him.

"Damn it… What a fantastic situation…" He huffed, his hands

rubbing at his face to combat the exhaustion he felt. Suddenly, a
knock sounded at the door, pulling him from his thoughts. He
quicklime fixed his hair and adjusted his clothes, clearing his throat.

"It's open! You can come in."

The door slowly swung open, his eyes graved with the sight of his
friendly hellhound. In her hand was a prepared plate of food, along
with some utensils. She looked just as exhausted as he did.

"Um, heya. I thought I'd get you something. You weren't at dinner, so
I got a little worried." She said gently, as she placed the plate on the
messy desk. Zack smiled softly, nodding his head.

"Thanks… Sorry, I was just working a bit. Things aren't gonna figure
themselves out, right?"

She only stared at the room's situation. Papers, books, documents,

and pencils littered the ground, making it almost impossible to
navigate through the room. She frowned, her eyes scanning his
person.

"You look like shit…"

That brought a chuckle from Zack, though it was a forced one, "I feel
like shit, too. I'll be okay though, nothing I can't handle."

Silence filled the room, as Zack started to eat, while Loona watched
him. She felt awful; he had been through a lot for a human, yet he
was still doing whatever he could to keep them safe. It made her feel
like he was using him, like he was just a pawn. She didn't want that,
she wanted… more.

"Hey…" Zack looked up from his food, "Don't take what Blitzo said to
heart. He's just pissy because his walls got blown…"

"That can be taken out of context…" Zack mumbled, a small smile

on his face. Loona only chuckled, her hands resting on her hips.

"Fair enough, but seriously, I'm sure that he was just stressed. He
can be like that sometimes. I know that he sees just how much
you're doing for us… and I can't thank you enough."

Zack looked back down at his food, as he shook his head and
sighed. Even with those words being said, he sure as hell didn't feel
like he was.

"I don't know… what if what he said was true… I mean, with how
long I've been here, you would have thought I'd figure out
something…" Loona remained silent, her eyes locked on his person,
"Heh, investigator… I'm just a writer, I can't do that kinda work…
Hell, I had never even seen a dead body before I got here…"

"That's not true…" She thought, her body slowly trembling.

"With how things are… I feel like it'd just be better if I left, kept myself
from making things worse for you guys… But even if I did, it's not like
I could go back to being normal. I mean, look at me… A human with
demon powers… I'd basically be an outcast…"

"Stop…"
"I dunno… Maybe it just would have been better if you let me bleed
out back there… Besides, it wouldn't have been that big of a deal.
It's not like anyone would mourn me or any-"

Zack stopped, as he felt the tight grip of Loona's hand couch his
shirt. She pulled him out of the chair and pinned him against there
wall, her hands holding his collar tightly. His eyes held a shocked
look, as he stared at her. She was trembling, and her breaths were
labored.

"Don't… you ever say that again…" She muttered, her voice shaking.
Zack didn't respond, for he was way too awestruck to say anything,
"I won't just sit here and let you talk about yourself like that. You're
way too important to me for that… I don't give a fuck who said what
or how you feel! Just… please…"

Her voice trailer off, her head slowly rising to look up at him. To his
surprise, they were watering, as if she could cry at any second. He
had never seen her like this before, so emotional and fragile. His
hands slowly touched her cheeks, caressing them at a gentle pace.

"… I promise… I'll make sure not to… And, you're important to me
too…" He said, his voice barely above a whisper. Her cheeks grew a
slight hue of pink, as their eyes locked with one another. Time
seemed to have slowed, the world around them becoming almost
non-existent. There hearts, though beating quickly, were in perfect
sync. They both knew what they wanted; no, what they needed.
Their breathing grew heavier, their holds tightening on them, as they
leaned closer and closer, until they finally felt their lips collide. Their
eyes closed, as Zack snaked his arms around her waist, her arms
wrapping around his neck. Even with their height difference, Zack
still felt as if they were the same size. It didn't matter to them; they
only wanted to focus on the soft and sweet taste of their lips. After a
few seconds, their lips pulled away from each other, allowing them
both to breath. With a pant, Loona bit her lips, my clawed fingers
lightly digging into his back.
"… M..More…" She muttered, her heart feeling as of it were on cloud
nine. Zack, nodding his head, happily obliged, kissing her deeply and
passionately. Their hands slowly rubbed and explored their bodies,
as they both stepped towards the desk. Loona pushed the random
objects to the ground, as they both used the desk as a makeshift
bed. Her toes curled from the intense kiss, her body screaming with
desire. This wasn't just a random, one-time-only desire, this was
something more than that. She wanted him, and vice versa. The two
slowly pulled their lips away from each other, a small string of saliva
connecting their tongues. This time, it was Zack's turn to speak.

"Are… a-are we really gonna…?"

She nodded her head, her left leg hooking around his hip, "Only if y-
you want to…"

His mind felt as if it was about to explode. He never thought he'd be

in a situation like this, ever! Yet here he was, mere moments away
from taking part in every man's dream. With a small gulp, he slowly
raised his hand, aiming straight for her left breast. Seconds seemed
to feel like minutes for the two, as they grew closer and closer. His
fingers brushed against her chest, almost there!

"Hey guys! You guys were gone for a while, so me and Moxxie
thought we'd just check up on-" everyone stopped. Zack and Loona
slowly looked towards the imp couple, as they looked back at them.
Their eyes widened and their bodies frozen, each one wondering
what they should do or say now. Millie, who had her arm around
Moxxie's, slowly grew a smug smile.

"Oooh, sorry. Y'all look like you're busy. We'll just tell Blitzo that you
two are, ahem, hard at work." She said with a giggle, as she went to
leave.

"Wait, no stop!"

"Get back here you two!!"

After a long explanation of what happened, and a few white lies, the
four of them were now talking normally, though Zack and Loona
were still a bit worried.

"Ooooh, I seeee. So, nothing was gonna happen, huuuh?" Millie

teased, as she smirked playfully.

"Nope, nothing at all." Loona replied.

"Hmm, I'd believe that, if you didn't have Zack in your lap."

She pointed at the two, as he smiled awkwardly. His hands rested in

his lap, as he felt more and more embarrassed.

"Yeeeaaaaah, that does seem like a bit of a double-standard, huh?"

Moxxie only nodded, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "You two do

realize that this is a dangerous situation, right? I mean, Blitzo can be
a bit protective, and you know how he gets about Loona."

"Like I give a fuck! If I wanna fuck Zack, I'm gonna fuck Zack!" She
exclaimed, to which Zack nodded in agreement.

"Yeah!" His eyes widened, as he looked back at her, "Wait, what?"

"You heard me." She said, smirking devilishly. Zack gulped

nervously, as he looked back down at his knees, a stupid smile on
his face. Moxxie cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head.

"In any case, we'll do what we can to keep this hidden. Just, try to be
a bit subtle about it, alright?" He said, as Millie nodded her head in
agreement.

"You got it. We'll be so subtle that you won't even notice! Um…
Loona, your hands getting a little low there."

Her face grew a deep red, as she pulled her hand away, clearing her
throat. The two imps merely smiled awkwardly, before heading
towards the door, hand in hand. Now left to their own devices, Zack
looked up at Loona, smiling softly.

"So, um, wanna go out tomorrow?" He asked, his hands tapping his
lap. She nodded her head, chuckling softly.

"Sure, why not? Seems like fun. Hope you don't mind if I dress up for
the occasion."

He grinned, his heart feeling as if he was soaring, "Great! Um, your

hands getting low again."

To Be Continued…
Chapter 16
Chapter 16: A Date Episode?! Sure, Why Not?

The next day soon came, bringing forth a new wave of relaxation.
The thought of them living another day, being in a place that is safe,
for the most part, put the all at ease. Well, for most of them, anyway.
We join our investigator hero, who was completely worried and
anxiety-filled. For today, was the day he went on his first date.

"I don't know about this… What if I mess up? Do you think I should
cancel? I should cancel." He sputtered out, as he began to head
towards the door.

"Hold it, Mr. Investigator. It's way too late to cancel when you're only
mere moments from the promised time," Stolas said, his hands
holding a few articles of clothing, "Oooh this is so exciting! I never
thought I'd get to see Loona so happy and love stricken. And now,
here I am, dressing her lover." He cooed, his fits of laughter holding
the sound of his owl-lile hooting. Zack smiled awkwardly, his finger
rubbing under his nose. He had to admit, it was a pretty cool feeling.
He had never been on a date before, what with the issues that
occured back in the day. It made him chuckle in irony. He had no
parents, but here was Stolas, filling in the gaps as a kind of
makeshift Dad/Mom combo. A bittersweet feeling filled his heart.

"Ah! Here we are, this should do the trick!"

He quickly moved towards him, holding up a leather jacket, black

slacks, and a light blue undershirt.

"This should do the trick! You'll absolutely perfect wearing this." He

said, matter-of-factly. Zack tilted his head in curiosity, staring at his
reflection.
"You don't think it's a little too much? I mean, I was just thinking of
wearing a polo and some khakis…"

Stolas only chuckled, handing the clothes to him, "Oh, trust me, it'll
be perfect. Anyway, go and get dressed! It'll be time for you to go
soon." He quickly nudged him towards the closet to change, though
Zack still felt that maybe he could try something different. He
shrugged it off. If Stolas thought it was a good idea, who was he to
disagree? Not like he had any experience in these things.

We now moved to the girls, Loona and Octavia. Funnily enough, our
resident hellhound was just as nervous, even though she had easily
landed the date with him.

"I dunno about this… you think he's really okay with it? I mean, I was
kinda being emotional and shit…"

Octavia rolled her eyes and snickered, her fingers going through the
hellhound's silver hair, "You have nothing to worry about on that
front. Zack isn't one to just kiss a girl out of nowhere. He's a bit of a
nervous one, trust me. Besides, he's the one that asked you, right?"

She blushed deeply, her mind slowly recalling what had happened.
Her lips tingled, as if they were reimagining the sensation she felt. It
sent shivers down her spine down to the furthest reaches of her tail.
She cleared her throat, as she nodded her head and answered, "Y-
Yeah, yeah, that's right. It was after we kissed and Moxxie and Millie
caught us… on the desk…"

Octavia stopped, her eyes widening and her cheeks growing a dark
blush, "Wait, you two didn't…"

"No no no, not at all! Well, we might have, but after they barged in,
we both kinda got embarrassed and such, ya know?" She said, her
clawed fingers scratching the back of her neck. Octavia huffed in
relief, as she composed herself.
"Well, in any case, you shouldn't worry about it too much. You and
Zack are a much better pair than what you think, trust me. With how
much he's been around you, and you him, it was a matter of time till
you both grew attached." Octavia giggled, as she helped fix her hair
into a loose, low-hanging ponytail.

"Yeah… I just can't help but feel guilty… I mean, I'm the one who
brought him here, almost killed him. You sure he doesn't hold any of
that shit against me? Like, does he have a grudge or some of that
bullshit?"

Octavia frowned. Though she wanted to say that he didn't, she

couldn't tell her what she didn't know. Deep down, maybe he did, but
even with the possibility, she knew still knew how Zack was. After
that night with her mother, she knew he wasn't the type to hurt others
in that way. Not all humans were like that, and Zack was one of the
few who were actually genuine.

"If I know my big bro, he's the one who's nervous right now. You
need to be confident and, for lack of a better term, a bad bitch with a
cool attitude. After all, you're the one with more experience, so
you're gonna have to be there to relax him today," she gently pats
her shoulder, smiling softly, "And in regards to what you're feeling,
that only proves you've grown attached to him and actually care
about him. Zack isn't stupid, I'm sure he knows how you feel. I think
that's why he trusts you so much, too."

Loona smiled softly, a wave of relief enveloping her body.

Sometimes, it was better to be told that than just thinking that over
and over. With a nod, she brushed herself off and ditched her
clothes, heading for the closet.

"Alrighty, help me pick out an outfit! Something so sexy that he won't

ever be able to look away!"

Time passed, as Zack stood in the main hall, just below the
staircase. Adorning his picked out clothes, he held a small bouquet
of black roses, thanks to Stolas's garden. He silently waited, while
the large owl and the imp couple watched from a nearby
entranceway. He glanced at them, worry present on his face. The
three demons gave him an encouraging thumbs up and smiled.

"Geez… What am I doing? I'm getting nervous for no reason. You'll

do fine Zack, you'll be fine…" He mumbled, as he fixed his leather
jacket. If she said yes, then there was no need to worry about what
came after. She obviously wanted to hang out with him, so what was
the point in getting all worried? There was nothing to be worried
about, nothing at all.

"Hey, waited long?"

Zack jolted, the sound of the familiar female voice pulling him from
his anxiety-filled thoughts. His eyes slowly looked up towards the top
of the stairs. It was then that he remembered why he was so
nervous. There she was, standing at the top of the staircase,
adorning a black and blood-red dress, the length stopping just below
her thigh. The dress was form-fitting, with a window at the center of
her chest. The sides of it had equally long slits, exposing more of her
soft furry thighs, while her neck hand her normal choker on. Her
black gloves adorned her hands, her black socks adding the finishing
touch to her outfit.

Zack could only stare in disbelief, his body freezing yet warming up
at the same time. She stepped down the stairs, her hips swaying
with every step she took, "Someone's looking pretty sexy, huh?
Didn't think you had it in you~" she cooed, her left hand on her hip.
He didn't answer, his mind was constantly repeating the same thing
over and over again.

"Wolf girl, wolf girl, wolf girl, step on me…"

She snapped her fingers in his face, raising an eyebrow in curiosity,

"Hey, hell to Zack."
He shook his head, the stupor he felt slowly leaving him. Luckily, he
was able to keep himself calm, for the most part.

"S-Sorry! Um, I just uh, kinda got lost there, heh…"

She smirked, her body leaning down, as her finger gently poked his
nose, "What? Got lost in my sexy good looks, huh?"

"… You're beautiful…" He mumbled, his eyes staring into hers. That
instantly made her heart swoon. Once again, he used a word that
was much more intimate, than just saying something like sexy or
banging. It made her feel actually loved. She cleared her throat and
grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the door with a dark blush on
her face.

"Th-Thanks… Now, come on, Casanova. We're burning daylight…"

She muttered, growing more embarrassed. As the two exited the
mansion, the Octavia, Moxxie, Millie, and Stolas smiled, all of them
feeling happy from the adorable display. Little did they know,
someone else was watching from the top of the staircase. The last
imp, Blitzo, who had just left his room, was silently watching them,
his face holding a bittersweet smile. He didn't know what to think at
that moment. On one hand, he was happy that his daughter was
finally happy with someone, but on the other hand, it was with Zack.
He knew, at some point, she'd get hurt, especially with what he
knew.

"I'm impressed. I would have thought that you'd try to stop them."
Stolas said, as he walked up the stairs and stood beside him. Blitzo
sighed, his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, well, I already made her pissed. Last thing I want is to make
her angry," he leaned against the railing, his eyes looking down
towards the ground below, "Geez, made her threaten me and angry
at me, all in the same day. Ain't that a kick in the dick…"

Stolas frowned. He knew first-hand what that was like. It was only
recently that he and Octavia started to truly bond. Funny enough, all
it took was Loo Loo Land burning down and the slight possibility of
getting murdered by a psychopathic animatronic clown. He shook his
head, his hand gently resting on Blitzo's shoulder.

"Come now, I'm sure she was just a little bit on edge after what
happened. She'll be okay; I'm more worried about Zack right now…"

Blitzo closed his eyes, huffing softly in worry, "… I know… About
Zack, I mean…"

Stolas glanced at him, his eyebrow raised in wonder, "So, you did
know. I figured as much, which just begs the question; why were you
so harsh to him? He did nothing wrong, yet you said all those cruel
things."

Blitzo bit his lip, his mind doing his best to find the answers. A part of
him didn't really know, or rather, he wanted to find a better excuse.
Unfortunately for him, he couldn't figure out anything, except for the
truth. He turned himself around and leaned against the railing, his
facing holding a look of hurt and worry.

"… I guess I don't wanna get attached to him…" he rubbed the back
of his head, as he continued, "I've seen and have ran into a shit ton
of humans, mostly when dealing with my clients. Humans ain't
exactly the greatest of folks. If what I'm thinking right now is
happening… then I know that Loona is only gonna get hurt…"

"I see… Though I believe that's only half of the problem." Blitzo's
eyes widened, as he stared at him, "You're worried about Loona, but
you're also worried about yourself as well… You've already accepted
him as family, haven't you?"

The silence filled the room, both of them staring deep within their
eyes. It was odd, they never had a heart to heart talk like this before,
and it only made it stranger when Stolas was actually right. He did
already see him as a part of the I.M.P family, which was something
that not many people got the chance to be a part of.
Without even getting a response, Stolas continued, "You're worried
that when he finds out, he may go against not only Loona, but you,
Moxxie, and Millie as well. You don't want to experience the loss of
someone you deem as family, thus you treat him like this. The
building was only the tip of the iceberg, I'm guessing."

Silence filled the room once again, another sign that he was right.
With a sigh of defeat, he nodded his head and closed his eyes, "… I
just don't know what's gonna happen. If things go bad, then.."

"Now now, we both need to remember that Zack isn't like every
human. If anything, I don't believe Zack belongs here, and if he
could, he'd be in a much better place right now," Stolas gently
touched Blitzo's cheek, giving it a gentle squeeze, "So, trust in Zack.
He's not your everyday human. He is his own person, a unique
specimen; he's our Zack. Let's be there for him in his time of need,
just as Loona has been since their meeting."

He smiled, a wave of relief washing over Blitzo's body. Even if there

was a chance that things could be bad, he still had to believe in him.
After all, that's what family does.

"Yeah… I guess we do, huh? I guess I can trust him, if only a little
bit, but if he fucks my daughter, he's losing an eye and possibly one
of his balls." he said with a huff. Stolas chuckled awkwardly, making
a mental note not to say anything about their close to sexual
escapade in his study. With a clasp of his hands, he smiled softly
and headed towards the stairs.

"Well then, shall we get some breakfast? You must be hungry, aren't
you, little imp?" he cooed. Blitzo rolled his eyes and chuckled, as he
walked down the stairs with him.

"Yeah, sure, why not? All that gut spilling has got me fuckin starving."

He pushed open the door, winking playfully, "Maybe after breakfast,

you and I can-" he stopped, his eyes widening with shock. The entire
kitchen was left in a state of disarray; glass was all over the ground,
the table was flipped over, and multiple pieces of food and was
scattered about the floor. The two froze in fear, completely confused
and worried at the stte of the kitchen.

"What?! What is the meaning of this?! Who did this?! Wait, where's-"
he winced, his neck searing with a sharp pain. He touched it, his
body growing weak and numb in and instance. He fell to the floor, his
eyes closed, leaving Blitzo to catch him.

"Hey, this ain't the time for a nap! Where the fuck is Mox-?!" before
he could finish, he felt the same exact pain, the numbness attacking
at his limbs. His eyes drooped and his body tumbled, leaving both of
them to silently go unconscious.

As the two walked down the sidewalk, they both slowly felt
themselves grow nervous. For Zack, it was because this was the first
time he'd been on a date, but in Loona's case, this was the first time
she'd been on a date with someone she genuinely liked. For both of
them, it was a first experience, one that they didn't want to screw up.

"Um, so, how's you day been? Relaxing at all?" He asked, his face
holding a flustered smile. Loona nodded, her clawed fingers fumbling
with her dress.

"Y-Yeah, I guess. How about you? I mean, you were pretty fucked up
the other day, so…"

He nodded his head, scratching the back of his head, "Mhm, thanks
to you… Guh, not that I mean that I was waiting for you to kiss me,
but I, you know, was just happy you did."

Her face grew a deeper shade of red, as she looked back at him,
"Hold on! You kissed me, not the other way around!" She exclaimed,
pointing a clawed finger at him.

"H-Huh?! No I didn't, you made the first move!"

"I'm pretty sure you did! Wait… did you, or did I?"

Zack blinked, rubbing his chin, "I don't know… Wanna just say it was
a combined effort?"

"Yeah, sure. Fuck it." She chuckled out, shrugging her arms. Zack
smiled, chuckling with her. He slowly took her hand, holding it gently
and lovingly. To his surprise, she also held his. It was strange; the
both of them met in such a strange way, and to make it stranger,
they weren't even the same species. One of them was a human, and
the other was a demon hellhound, yet they both were attached to
each other. It made them both a bit weirded out, but it was a good
weird in their opinion. They soon slowly stepped into a nearby park,
their steps ringing down the trail.

"Do you think Blitzo saw us leave?" Zack asked, as he looked up at

her.

"Maybe, but I'm not worried. He can say and think whatever he
wants. Dumbass, saying all of that shit…" She growled out, her ears
pressing against her head. He frowned. As much as Blitzo hurt him
emotionally, he still didn't want her to think of him like that. He was,
after all, still her father, one that truly cared for her.

"I wouldn't take what he said to heart… He was just angry, is all."

Her head whipped towards him, her face holding an awe-filled

expression, "What are you, a doormat?! I mean, didn't you feel
anything there? He was just grilling you and spouting out all that shit.
How can you just write it off as him being angry…?"

Zack looked back up at her, frowning slightly. In a way, he was angry

at him, but he didn't want to just go and feel hatred for him. If he
were to lose something he built from the ground up, he would feel
the same. In a way, he did feel something pretty similar.

"I think the walls were just the tip of the iceberg. Let me put it like
this; if they were able to easily destroy their building… then there are
other things that they could do too…"

"Pfft, yeah? Like what?" She said with a scoff. He sighed softly, his
grip on her hand tightening.

"… They could hurt you too…" He muttered. Silence filled the area,
the realization hitting her like a truck. She couldn't help but agree
with her. If they were to do something stupid, then death would
instantly be around the corner. She wanted to say something back,
but she couldn't. What could you really say after that?

"He's afraid that you'll be hurt at some point. That's why he got
angry, I'm sure. That's why I'm not gonna hold it against him… But
he doesn't have to worry. I'm gonna do whatever I can to protect you
and everyone else!" He exclaimed, grinning up at her happily.
Instead of smiling and nodding, she reacted by giving him a flick to
his forehead, stunning him.

"That's sweet and all, but I don't feel like being a damsel in distress.
If you're protecting me, then I'm gonna protect you too. We're in this
together, and we'll get out of this together. Got it?"

Zack's eyes widened, a slight bit surprised at that statement. He was

expecting for her to say that he was out of his league or that she
didn't need his help. Instead, she wanted to not only be protected,
but to protect him as well. It made him feel… hot. Very, very hot.

"I'm gonna kiss you again…" He mumbled, his face still holding the
awe-filled expression. She smirked, pulling him closer by the collar of
his shirt.

"About time you grew some balls~" She said her throat slowly
rumbling with a deep, sensual growl, one that sent waves of
electricity down Zack's spine. Her lips grew closer, mere inches away
from brushing against his, "Kiss me then, you pussy~"

That was all he needed to here. His lips crashed and collider with
hers, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She huffed against
his lips in delight, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him
against her body. The two slowly tumbled to the grassy ground, their
kiss growing deeper and more passionate. Her legs wrapped around
his waist and their tongues danced with each other. The on-lookers
watched, while a few snapped some photos. They'd probably end up
online, but they didn't care. The only thing they wanted was their
attention. The two slowly pulled away, before Loona gently lapped
and kissed his neck, her fingers slowly combing through his hair.

"Nngh, L-Loona, careful…" Zack muttered, his hands gripping at her

back gently. She chuckled lowly, her eyes flashing a devilish gleem.

"Ooh~? What, here~?" He cooed in his ear, as her tongue slowly

licked up his neck, kissing it once again. He gasped softly, his body
trembling and tingling with excitement. He knew what this was, yet
he still couldn't believe it, and if it was what it seemed, then that
raised some an even bigger question. Was she planning on doing
this, in public?!

"W-Wait, Loona, aren't we kinda in-" before he could finish, she

pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him. Her crimson eyes
stared deep into his own, as she licked her lips with a growing
hunger, one that would only grow as the seconds went by.

"Not like anyone's gonna stop us~ Besides, I can tell you're not
against it~" she whispered, her warm breath heating up his ear. She
pointed down at his waist teasingly, bringing a dark blush to his
cheeks.

"Th-Thats… A reflex… I mean, wh-what guy wouldn't be excited

from this…?" He mumbled, his eyes looking away in a mix of shame
and embarrassment. She could only chuckle at him and his flustered
nature. It only went to show that, in this situation, she was in charge.
That fact was what drove her over the edge of rational thinking.

"I'm guessing a guy that isn't a furry~ Buuut, fuck it, maybe I can
have a bit of fun with one, if he's you~ Now, just relax, while I-" her
voice cut off instantly, her hand gripping at the side of her neck. Zack
looked back at her, a bit confused on what was going on with her.
That look soon turned into one of worry, as she slumped to the
ground, laying on top of him.

"Wh-What the… Loona, what's wrong?!" He shouted, shaking her

shoulders slightly. He winced, a sharp pain appearing on the left side
of his neck. He reached for it and pulled at the sharp objects sticking
out of his skin and looked at it. It was a small bullet, but it had a
sharp needle-like point at the end, the other side having a strange
feather type look to it.

"Wait… this is…" His eyes began to drop and his body became
numb. The world was slowly swirling around him, morphing and
conjoining to a strange mess of colors and shapes. He couldn't keep
himself awake, nor could he get off of the ground. Someone was
watching and waiting for them, and at this moment, they were finally
about to strike.

"Damn it… Tranquilizer… Shit-biscuits…" He mumbled, his body

slowly slumping on to the ground, and his consciousness fading.

Darkness surrounded Zack's body, as his eyes slowly opened,

allowing him to view the shadowy, misty area he found himself. With
a groan, he sat up, his hand gently rubbing at his neck.

"Where am I…? Wait, is this my mind again…?" He muttered, as he

stood to his feet and brushed his slacks, "Last I was here was when I
first ran into M… So why am I-"

"Ah, it appears we meet once again."

His eyes widened, as looked behind him, following the sound of the
demon's voice. This time, his boney hands were fully developed with
skin and muscle, and his body was a much fuller and muscular build
than what it was before. Zack slowly took in every bit and piece of
his body. Was he growing? Was he developing in some way? If so,
how?
"The hell do you want? If you hadn't noticed, I don't have the time to
listen to your bullshit." Zack groaned, his shocked face now adorning
a look of annoyance. M only smirked, which Zack could instantly tell,
even with his hooded face.

"Oh, just thought I'd come and chat you up. Why else would I have
you here?"

Zack rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Oh
cut the bullshit, alright? There's something else, I'm sure. So, tell me
what it is."

M chuckled, his shoulders shrugging in defeat. If there was one thing

Zack didn't need, nor want right now, it was someone beating around
the bush. He stepped closer to him, chuckling lowly.

"Oh, nothing really. I just need a favor. Just something small and
insignificant, I'm sure."

Zack raised an eyebrow. Whatever this was, it was definitely not

gonna be good, "And that would be?"

"Well, you see, I haven't exactly been honest with you. The truth is, I
have been using your body for a little something, nothing terrible, I
assure you, but it's beginning to get to the final stages. Now, in order
for my final stages to be complete, I'll need something of yours," he
slowly leaned forward, his face mere inches for Zack's, "Your body,
Zack. I need your body."

He blinked in confusion, the sentence not exactly hitting him.

"My body? The hell is that supposed to mean? What, like you want
to take my body on a joyride?" He questioned. M only snickered.
Suddenly, his hand reached forward and wrapped around his neck,
his eyes glowing past the shadow that casted over his face.

"You think you're so funny, don't you? Thin you're so tough, just
because you have some powers and a few people that you've killed.
Well, let me assure you, you're nothing compared to me," he
slammed him down to the ground, a smirk growing on the attacking
demon's face, "Now get this through your skull, human. Your body is
mine, all mine. Do you know how many demons would kill to have
your body, to posses it, to live in it? You just have no idea the jackpot
I've found in you."

Zack growled, his hands gripping at M's wrist, "Sorry, my adoring

audience usually likes it when I give a few quips. Besides, I don't
know what the hell you're talking about. I don't even know how I'm
doing this, or what's so special about me."

"That's the problem, you don't know. You don't know just how lucky
you are. Well, how's about I give you a hint?" He leaned forward
more until he was right up in his ear, before whispering into it "You
are what every sinner is, yet are what they yearn to be. Your very
existence is a sin, one that breaks the laws of the living and the
dead. Though many have tried to become what you are, only you
have ever been the peak example of this little, experiment," he
growled deeply, his fingers digging further into Zack's poor skin, "And
I'm going to enjoy taking this body from you, hopefully by force~"

Before Zack could attest to his final statement, the last thing he saw
was a close-up of the demon's fist.

Zack's eyes shot open, as he launched himself off of the ground and
on to his feet, his hand pulling out his dagger.

"Alright asshole, you wanna fight?!" He shouted. No answer, nothing

but silence. He slowly looked around his surroundings. Gone were
the mist and darkness, now being replaced with a trashed and dirtied
room. The widows were barred and bolted shut, while the floors were
littered with trash and broken wood. It made him thank his lucky
stars that he was wearing shoes.

"Okay… Was that just a dream then…?" He questioned, his hand

reaching up to his nose. It stung, and strangely, blood was leaking
from his nostrils. It was as if he was physically hurt, but how? He
wasn't actually there, just his mind. Was it a coincidence? He shook
his head at the thought. At this point and moment, there were no
such thing as coincidences, and the threat that was given to him
wasn't to be taken lightly.

"Whatever he's got planned, I need to be careful… Anyway, where

am I? Some sort of old room?"

He stepped towards the the only way out, where a door was barely
hanging on it's hinges. Judging from the state of things, the building
had to have been abandoned for a while, longer than what it
seemed.

"Wherever I am, it's definitely quiet… I better find Loona and get the
hell out of here, and fast." He mumbled, as he stepped out of the
room. It was just a straight shot, so it wouldn't be too difficult to feel
his way around the dark hallways. Before he could take one step, the
sound of a loaded gun rung through his ears. He could feel the
presence of someone behind him, someone who was definitely taller.

"Don't move. Make one wrong step, and I'll-" without a second of
hesitation, Zack tilted his head and lunged backwards, his back
pressing against the assailant's chest. He quickly grabbed his wrist
and swing him towards the wall, his other hand pulling out his dagger
and aiming it towards the attacker's neck.

"What you'll do is tell me where I'm-" he stopped, his eyes widening

and staring deep into the eyes of a familiar face, "Hold on, Angel
Dust?!"

The spider's eyes grew in shock, "Hey, I know you, you're that
human! What was your name? Um, Zack! That was it!" he said,
snapping his fingers. He quickly released him and sheathed his
dagger, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry about that. I guess I was a little too on guard there."

Angel waved him off, a grin on his face, "Eh, don't worry about it. If
we were in some other situation, I'd probably tell you to choke me
harder, hehe."

Zack rolled his eyes, letting out an awkward chuckle. He slipped his
hands into his pockets, his mind deep in thought once again. Why
was he here? Were the others captured too?

"How did you end up here? Don't tell me you just wondered into this
place." Zack asked, tilting his head in thought.

"That's the thing. One minute I'm 'bout to give some guy a bj, then
the next thing I know, I'm knocked out and end up waken up in some
room. I must have heard you shouting, because I went and followed
your voice, only to get pinned against the wall," he smirked, booping
Zack's nose, "Which I gotta admit was pretty sexy."

Zack rubbed his nose, deciding just to ignore the spider demon's
advances, "I see… Did you feel a sharp pain anywhere?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah. It was somewhere in my chest fluff
here." he said, pushing up his fluff from under his sweater. Without a
chance to stop him, Zack reached his hand into his fluffy chest,
digging into his sweater.

"What the?! Hey, what gives?! You gotta pay if you wanna cop a
feel!"

Zack's eyes lit up, as he felt his hand hold a small, foreign object. He
pulled the out the small object and brought it close to his face. Just
as he thought, it was a small dart-like bullet, with a red feather at the
bottom. It looked just like the one that shot him. A carbon copy, if you
will.

"It looks just like the one that shot me… This is bad…" he muttered,
rubbing his chin. Angel raised an eyebrow, wondering just what he
was thinking about.
"You good kid?" he asked, his hands on his hips. Zack nodded,
sighing softly.

"Yeah, I'm alright… I'm just a bit worried about someone… She was
with me when we both got jumped…" he answered, his left foot
tapping on the ground.

"Well, if you're worried, lets just go and keep following the path.
Pretty sure we'll get to the end in no time."

He nodded in response, as they started to head down the hallway.

Throughout the entirety of the walk, the only sound that filled the
dark and dreary hallway, was the sound of their clicking heels
against the tiled floor. Angel slowly began to observe him, noticing
his change of clothes and his assortment of throwing knives and his
dagger.

"So, what happened to you? You're all decked out and lookin'
serious and shit."

Zack blinked in confusion, as he looked down at his clothes and

weapons, before shrugging his shoulders, "Long story, but basically,
I ended up getting hired as an investigator to solve a specific case.
Got this uniform, these weapons, and a place to stay for free, too."

Angel nodded his head, his gloves hand brushing his hair back out of
his face. Even if he was expecting something strange, he wasn't
expecting something that strange. He didn't press the matter,
though. It merely gnawed at the back of his mind, curiosity at it's
finest. After a few more minutes, the soon came up to a large set of
double doors, ones that looked like they were just refurbished.

"Hm, odd… They look brand new. Definitely doesn't look like they
belong here…" He thought, as he readied his dagger and pressed
his hand against the door gently, "Be on guard, we don't know what's
gonna come up here."
The spider demon nodded his head, pulling out a pair of twin
tommyguns, "Don't worry, I'll be well prepared to penetrate them with
a few well placed shots."

Ignoring the sexual innuendo, he took a deep breath and pushed the
door open. The light blinded the two, an easy showing of how bright
the room was in comparison to the hallway they traversed. As their
eyes adjusted, they could make out a large group in front of them.

"Who's there?" Zack called out, blinking rapidly.

"Wait, Zack?!" The sound of a familiar female voice rang through his
ear, before he was tackled to the ground and embraced tightly,
"Fucking shit, I was so worried about you! After I got knocked out, I
woke up in some room and I went to look for you, but-"

Zack smiled flusteredly. He was relieved that it was just Loona who
tackle-hugged him.

"It's alright, no need to worry. I'm just happy you're safe. Um, can you
get off of me please? You're kinda sitting on something important."

Loona blushed a deep red, as she quickly got to her feet and
brushed her dress off, before helping the human investigator to his
feet. Looking behind her, he could see not only Blitzo, Moxxie, Millie,
Stolas, and Octavia, but Charlie and her friends too! He raised an
eyebrow in question, as he waved to them all.

"Um, heya guys. Let me guess, you all got knocked out and brought
here to this building." He questioned, to which they all nodded and
voiced their agreement. Husker rubbed his eye, letting out a half-
drunken growl.

"Somebody gonna tell us where we are? I mean, this ain't exactly the
first time I've woken up in some strange place, but this is fuckin'
ridiculous." The winged cat demon huffed. Alastor merely shrugged,
his grin still present, even with the turn of events.
"If I knew, I'm certain I would have said it before. However, I'm not
even quite sure where this is." The radio demon said behind his
radio-styled, static-y voice filter.

Blitzo raised an eyebrow in confusion, "I think the better question is,
who the fuck are these guys?"

"Sir, I think that guy is Alastor, The Radio Demon. And that woman
there, that's Charlie Magne, the Princess of Hell." Moxxie explained,
whispering into his ear. Charlie smiled awkwardly, waving at Blitzo
and his group.

"Hello there… Um, nice to meet you," she looked over at Zack, her
smile growing more relaxed, "I'm glad to see you're okay. After you
left, you went quiet. Um, what's with the new outfit?"

Zack chuckled, clearing his throat, "Oh, well you see-" before he
could explain, th sound of static filled them room. The group all
looked towards the ceiling, noticing a few monitors that hung from
the walls. On the screen was nothing but a shadowy figure, one that
was shrouded by the static and snow that filled the screen.
Suddenly, a voice found it's way out through the speakers, startling
everyone.

"Pupupupu, rise and shine, Ursine!"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Ultimate Despair

"What the hell…" Zack mumbled, as he stared up at the screen

above. The fuzz slowly began to disappear, showing exactly who
was their mystery assailant. It seemed to be a man, one that almost
looked as if it were made of two halves of two different people
stitched together. One side was white, his clothes dapper and well-
kept, while the other was a dark black, with clothes that were worn
out and blood-soaked. His skin was a hellish purple, his eyes pure
black, along with his long, flowing hair, as if he were a soulless doll.
Needless to say, he looked absolutely ridiculous.

Glaring at the tv, he stepped closer, slipping his hands into his
pockets, "Something tells me you're the one who brought us here.
Who are you?"

"Oh, my apologies, it is about time I introduce myself. My name is

Monokrona. It's nice to finally meet you all." The mystery man, now
known as Monokrona, greeted. He bowed his head, as of showing
respect, before looking back up, "Now then, I believe you're all
wondering why I've gathered you here, riiiight?"

Husker growled, his clawed finger tapping his crossed arm, "I don't
give a shit why we're here! I want out of here, now!"

"Hold your horses, Putty Tat, don't you wanna know why you all are
here?" Monokrona teased, wagging a stitched finger.

"No, no we don't! Let us out you Jigsaw reject!" Loona screamed, her
claws extending. Before she could say anymore, Zack held her
shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. She glanced at him, noticing the
serious look in his eyes. It instantly made her back down, though
with an exasperated huff. He stepped forward, his hands in his
pockets. The situation was dire, and shouting at the man wasn't at all
a good idea. As much as he hated it, the only thing they could do
was wait, listen, and obey.

"Your name is Monokrona, right? Well, let me return the greeting. My

name is-"

"Zack Trevle." the assailant interrupted. Zack's eyes widened,

shocked that he was able to know exactly who he was. Monokrona
slowly smirked, his eyes holding a look of malice and challenge. "Oh,
I know all about you. Zack Trevle, I.M.P investigator, the human that
was separated from his home, by the very people he works for.
Hehehe, isn't it ironic?"

Zack glared at him, his mind grabbing all the pieces and placing
them together, "He's good, already has dirt on me. That could only
mean one thing; he has to be a part of the Akuma-Ningen."

He chuckled, holding a poker face, "So you heard of me. Good, then
what do you want from us?"

Monokrona leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped together. His
face held a look of authority, the look you'd give when you know you
have a winning hand. It irked him to his core, but at this point, he had
to stay calm.

"Oh, I don't need these vacuous-headed cretins,"

"Hey, I may not know what one of those words means, but back at
ya, jackass!" Blitzo blurted out, giving him the finger. Zack rolled his
eyes, before continuing his questioning.

"Then explain it to me. Who do you need?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want you, my rival." the mastermind growled, his

legs kicked up on his desk. Zack was stunned. His rival? What did
he mean by rival?
"What? Are you also trying to be a detective? Because, if you are,
you're doing a shit job." he jabbed, raising his eyebrow.

Monokroma smirked, his right eye glowing a dark red, "You know
Sherlock Holmes, right? Oh, Sherlock Holmes, what a wonderful
rival to Professor Moriarty, had a mental prowess that pushed
Holmes's mind past his limits, ending with the two's death from a
drop down Reichenbach Falls," he leaned closer to the screen,
staring deep into Zack's eyes, "That's what I want. You're getting
close to my employer, closer than you've ever gotten in all of his
afterlife. Strangely enough, he's rather excited. Says he's never
gotten a rush like this at all since being in hell. However, he still has
a job to do, and when you're on the job, you have to make sure
nothing gets in your way. Thus, I'm here, to challenge you and your
mind."

Zack frowned, while the demons in the room all looked towards
them, their faces holding a mix of intrigue, worry, and shock. He
huffed; this wasn't something he could say no to, but he could maybe
get some information out of this despair junky. Shrugging his
shoulders, he looked up at the screen.

"Alright, fine. Challenge me all you want, but leave me friends out of
this. They have nothing to do with this at all."

Monokrona merely chuckled, shaking his head, "Oh no no no no,

they do, in fact, have something to do with this," he rubbed his chin,
his fangs exposing through his lips, "here is why. Just ahead of you
all, you will see a pair of double doors. Past those doors, is a crime
scene. All you have to do is solve the murder within 1 hour. Merely
who and how, no need for a why. After all, it's hell, people die
constantly. Afterward, if you're correct, you'll all go free, and the
culprit will die. However, pick the wrong person, and I will kill
everyone here. Plain and simple, no strings attached."

Zack merely stared at him. Something didn't smell right, like it

seemed too easy. No, there had to be something that was gonna
make this difficult.
"It would appear that you underestimate him. Zack is much smarter
than you think. He's solved and found out much in his time here. You
won't win," Alastor said, his radio-like filter altering his voice. That
made everyone, including Zack, surprised by what he stated. Was he
also watching him? Zack huffed, feeling slightly annoyed.

"I should charge people to watch me. Stupid…"

"Oh, this will be much, much harder than you think." the
monochrome-dressed demon snickered, "You see, there's one little
hint that I must give you, in order to keep you on the right path."

"A hint, and what would that be, puta?" Vaggie questioned, her arms
crossed in front of her chest. The room went silent for a bit, as if to
hold the suspense. With a glare, he flashed them a sinister grin,
before answering, "The killer, is one of you in this room."

Silence filled the room, their eyes widened and their hearts fell down
to their stomachs. This was nonsense, an outrage. There was no
way, he had to be lying.

"Okay, just a moment! You're wrong, you have to be! How could any
of us have done this, it's completely impossible! Incoriggable even!"
Octavia blurted, her hands clenched in anger. Monokroma merely
shrugged.

"As I've already said, it's hell. Any little thing can set off a demon.
After all, our dear investigator here was almost killed by his very own
employers, all for money," he chuckled, shaking his head, "and here
he is, protecting them. Foolish, foolish, foolish."

Zack only stayed silent. There was nothing that he could do, and
what he said was technically true. After all, demons are very violent
creatures. Hell, he knew first hand. He had almost been killed
multiple times, even by the same people he called his friends. He
shook his head; this was no time to be getting in his feelings. He had
to figure out what was going on, and if playing this killing game was
the only way to do it, then that's what he'd do.
"I don't need your opinion on what I do. If you want me to figure this
out, then I'll do it."

The group all looked towards him, eyes widened. Was he actually
implying that he was going to find the killer, even with the culprit very
well being one of them?

"Z-Zack, you can't be serious! You're basically saying you're gonna-"

"I'm going to do my job. I'm the investigator here, and I'm not gonna
let this jackass get away with anything," he looked up towards the
screen, growling in anger, "now open the doors, Monokroma."

The mastermind chuckled lowly, before snapping his fingers. The

doors unlocked, a clicking sound making that easily apparent.

"Now, I trust the rest of you will stay a good distance from the crime
scene. Wouldn't want any of you to tamper with it. Good luck, Zack
Trevle. May you finally show your true mental prowess."

And with that last tidbit, the screen shut off, leaving the group of
demons to their own thoughts. The situation was dire, and the
atmosphere was heavy. If what he said was true, then one of them
was going to die, without question. It instantly sent shivers down
their spines, well except for Alastor, who didn't seem too bothered by
this. If anything, he seemed a bit into the whole situation. Zack
ignored it, as he stepped towards the door.

"Wait, you're not actually gonna go in there, right?" Charlie asked,

her face holding a worried grin. He didn't even look back. He couldn't
look any of them in the eye, at least not now. He couldn't show him
just how afraid he was, how completely anxious he felt. In a way, he
would be the one to kill one of his own friends, a loved one. It was
something that he didn't want to feel again.

"… I want every one of you close behind me. Don't touch anything,
don't say anything unless asked, and when I ask you a question, I
expect a straight answer. Is that clear?"
"But, Big bro-"

He looked back at all of them, his right eye strained and redder. His
face held such anger and malice, almost as if he had nothing but
hatred from all of them. That instantly kept them quiet. They knew
that, in a way, he had the power to kill either one of them, or all of
them. The last thing they wanted was to set him off.

"You will all do what I say. Now is not the time for jokes, puns, or
snarky comments. Last but not least, stay out of my way."

He looked back towards the door, taking a deep breath. Whatever

was there, he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good. Crime
scenes were never good, but it was like the dial was going to be
brought up to eleven. With a gentle hand, he slowly pulled open the
doors, allowing the light to feed into the room. Inside, was possibly
one of the worst things that they could ever see. There was indeed a
murder alright, a gruesome one at that. In the middle of the room, a
large pool of blood laid under the body of what looked to be a young
girl. Her skin was pale and her hair was a pinkish-red, her single-
eyed face holding a look of agony and pain. She wore a red and
white poodle skirt, a black neckerchief scarf adorning her neck. In
her chest was a large knife, possibly the cause of death. Zack
grimaced, feeling as if he was the one who got stabbed. It must have
been a horrible way to die, agonizing even.

He huffed, "Okay, first order of business is to-"

"Oh no! OH NO!!" Charlie screamed, her hands covering her mouth
in terror. Zack looked back at her quickly.

"What's wrong?!"

She didn't answer; all she could do was sob into her hands, whilst
the rest of her companions merely stared, eyes widened and mouths
hung open. Even Alastor, who wasn't fazed by anything, looked to be
completely stunned.
"Is anyone gonna say anything?! If somebody knows something,
then hurry up and-"

"We know her…" Vaggie mumbled, her face twisting into a look filled
with pain. Zack only stared, his expression softening.

"You know her? Wait, is she…?"

Angel rubbed the back of his neck, as he looked down at the ground,
"That girl there… Her name is Niffty… She's a friend of ours…"

Zack couldn't say anything. He was just in complete disbelief,

astonished that it came to this. Was this all a coincidence? He
wanted to believe that, but he knew for a fact that it wasn't. This was
premeditated murder; one that he was gonna solve at all cost. He
looked towards Loona, who could only watch, and waved her over to
him. She stepped towards him, a serious look adorning her.

"Tell Millie and Octavia to help comfort Charlie. She definitely taking
this one hard." he mumbled to her, to which she nodded in response.

"Alright, just be careful. We don't know what this guy has in store…"
She looked at him, her face falling to a look of worried, "You okay,
though? You're tenser than you usually are…"

Zack glanced up at her, his serious eyes softening to a look of need.

This was his element; a crime scene was almost like his playground,
but this was way worse. This was a matter of life and death, and to
make matters worse, it could be that his own friends were the
murder. It still didn't make sense to him. Why would any of them kill
someone who was their friend? Even Blitzo and his crew don't kill
unless provoked or paid to. Too many pieces didn't seem to fit. He
shook his head; there were a lot of things to consider, all of them
important to this case.

"… If anything, I'm just scared… If I mess up, we're all gonna die
here… and to make matters worse, even if I'm right, someone here
may die…"
Loona, who was feeling just as worried as he was, gently placed her
hand on his shoulder, a soft and assuring smile on her face, "Hey,
you're not gonna mess up. You're a badass motherfucker who's
gonna solve this case, beat the shit outta Mr. Salt and Pepper, then
kick the ass of the mastermind behind all of this. You're a part of
I.M.P, we're your friends. So, trust in us; we can help you if you want
us to."

He stayed silent for a moment, contemplating on his next move. In a

way, he knew that she was right. If he didn't trust in his own friends,
then who could he trust? Was it really a good idea for him to just kick
them all to the curb and do things all on his own. Even if he was the
Investigator, he still had help from Loona, Moxxie, Millie, Blitzo, and
even Stolas and Octavia. They were all helping him in some way,
and for him to just turn his back on them when things seemed this
dire, and to lose faith in all of them, it'd be a slap in the face. With a
sigh, he nodded his head, his smile reappearing on his face.

"Yeah… you're right, Loona. Thanks a bunch…" he looked back

towards the body, his face twisting into a sorrowful and remorseful
look, "I just wish that she didn't have… to…"

Loona glanced at him, her left eyebrow raised in question, "Yeah?

Wish she didn't have to what, die?"

"The color of the blood is funky…" he mumbled, as he crouched

down next to the young woman's dead body. He dipped his middle
and index fingers into the pool of blood and brought it closer to his
face, "It's a light magenta. That's not normal, even demons bleed
red, doesn't matter what kind they are."

Wiping the blood off on his slacks, her stared at the knife wound, as
he gently touched the knife. It was cold as if it hadn't been used. The
knife had the same magenta blood on it as well. He looked towards
the dead body's face, scanning over any detail that he could find.
Her hair had light orange spots on it; perhaps it was dandruff? No, it
was embedded into the strands of hair, meaning it had to be hair
dye. He thought for a second, before looking up at Loona.
"Hey, I'm gonna need Alastor to come in here. Mind grabbing him
for-"

"You called for me?"

Zack jumped in his spot, his head whipping to see the very demon
he was speaking of. He huffed, before looking back at Loona and
giving her a nod. She nodded back and headed towards the group,
who was still standing outside of the room.

Looking back at Alastor, he asked, "You know Niffty fairly well, right?
If so, do you think you could answer a few questions?"

Alastor, with his usual grin, nodded his head, "Of course I do, and of
course I will! Now then, what seems to be on your mind?"

"Something about this body seems off to me, mostly her hair and the
blood on the ground. Do all demons bleed the same color?"

"But of course! We're not aliens, we're demons, creatures that take
on human traits. We all bleed red, the same color humans do."

Zack nodded, before asking his next question, "Okay, and lastly, did
she ever use hair dye? She seems to have an orange patch where
her bangs hang. Is that natural?"

Alastor slowly leaned closer to the body, his eyes staring at the
orange patch on her hair. He seemed to really be in thought.

"How peculiar. Niffty is not one to use hair dye. In fact, this entire
body is all wrong," he raised his cane and tapped the end of it
against the bottom of the victim's shirt, "This outfit is filthy. It wasn't
like this today when we last saw her. You see, Niffty is most likely the
most diligent person I've ever met when it comes to cleaning. She
would rather walk about naked than go around wearing this…"

Zack's eyes squinted in thought, as he pulled his knife from his

sheath. If his hunch was correct, then this may have been much
more than they thought it was. He pressed the tip against the collar
of her dress and slit it down the middle, tearing it.

"Now now, isn't it the wrong time and place to go doing something
like that?" Alastor asked, the sound of static appearing around him.
Zack didn't answer. Without looking towards the corpse's chest, he
pulled the sleeve of the dress down slightly, his eyes catching
something fairly interesting. The more he saw, the more it became
clear, as if a cloud of fog had just been lifted. He smirked; he had to
hand it to Monokroma, he was a crafty one.

"Looks like the fog is clear…" he mumbled, causing Alastor to tilt his
head in curiosity. Zack looked up towards him, as he stood to his
feet, "Alastor, gather everyone in here! We don't have much time, so
we need to get to work, all of us!"

Within a few seconds, everyone had been gathered into the room, a
look of worry and anxiety present on their faces, except for Alastor,
who still had a grin on his face. Zack, who was standing beside the
body, merely looked throughout all of them, his face holding a look of
authority and intelligence.

"Alrighty, I think it's about time we put an end to this farce. For
starters, you all have nothing to worry about. None of you, are the
culprit to the case, though I'm sure you all already knew that."

"Of course we weren't, why would we kill our own friend?!" Charlie
screamed, her eyes puffy from her sobbing. Zack merely chuckled,
as he crouched next to the body.

"This isn't your friend. In fact, this isn't even Niffty!" he exclaimed, as
he pulled the dress down slightly to expose her shoulders and upper
chest. The room was silent and shock filled their hearts, as they
stared at the sight before them. Her body wasn't even her body. It
was completely stitched together with multiple other pieces of demon
corpses. Even with them only being able to see a fragment of her
person, they knew that there were more pieces and stitches thrown
together to create the gruesome art piece of a body.

"Hold on, why is she all stitched up?! She didn't have those before,
so why now?" Husker growled out.

"Elementary, my dear Husker! Take a look at the blood on the floor, if

you will, or should I say, the fake blood!?"

He pointed towards the floor at the pool of magenta liquid, directing

everyone's attention to it. Confusion was all present on their faces.

"The blood is… a bit lighter than I thought. Why?" Octavia asked.
Zack stood up and walked closer to the group.

"Because it's fake. The blood, the body, this entire challenge, it's all a
rouse! In fact, we're not solving a murder, we have to solve a
kidnapping!"

Millie gasped, her tail swaying quickly in intrigue, "So you mean that
she-"

Zack nodded, "That's right, she's still alive," he pointed towards the
exit back to the main hall, "and if my hunch is correct, she's
somewhere in this building!"

They all looked out into the main hall, a wave of relief and newfound
determination washing throughout all of their bodies. If they were
gonna find her, then they needed to act fast and efficiently. If there
was one thing Zack wasn't gonna let happen, it was to let despair
win. Hope was gonna overcome despair, he'd make sure of that!

To Be Continued…
Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Where There Is Hope, There Is Despair

Time was of the essence, everyone was pumped, and the mission
was given. The clock above held only 30 more minutes to find Niffty
as quickly as possible, but for this rag-tag team of demons, it would
pose little challenge. Zack adjusted his jacket and stepped
throughout the room, his arms crossed in thought.

"Alright, we don't have much time, so let's get to work! Everyone,

break into teams of two and search this building for anything out of
the ordinary! Maybe you guys can find Niffty on the way. Moxxie,
Millie, you two stay with me and help search this room. We might be
able to find some clues to where she could be hiding."

With a nod, they all went out to do their jobs, all except Moxxie,
Millie, and Zack, who stayed in the room to search for info. With any
luck, they could find something that would help narrow their search.
Taking this opportunity, Zack began to scan the room. Upon closer
inspection, it seemed to be a study of some sort, though it was much
smaller than Stolas's. A book shelf leaned against the left wall, filled
to the brim with novels, dictionaries, and informative reading
material, while a small corkboard hung to the right wall. It was filled
with multiple pages and papers, each pinned by a thumbtack. At the
center of the room, behind the fake body, was am oakwood desk, the
surface of it coated with books, papers, and writing equipment. Zack
could only scoff; it reminded him of his small little writing room back
in the living world.

With a clasp of his hands, he looked towards the imp couple and
began to divvy out assignments, "Alright, Millie, take a look at those
papers on the cork board. Moxxie, look over at that bookshelf and
see if there's anything of note. I'll handle the desk."

Millie saluted with a grin, "You got it investigator! Let's go Mox~!"

The two split into their respective spots and got to work, while Zack
began to work at the papers littering the desk. Most of them were
just old newspaper clipping, each one holding an even from years
ago. His fingers flipped through them, as he frowned in questioning.
He held the clippings in his hands, as he stared at them in thought.

"Hm… they all seem to have something to do with some sorta virus.
The Omega Virus…? It was being developed by some sorta
government group. Never got released, due to it being way too risky
and dangerous to use." He mentally read, his mind setting that to
memory. He would soon notice something else. There was another
newspaper, but it was one that was too memorable to him. He
brushed his fingers against the monochrome page, reading it
mentally, "Boy shoots father for protection. On December 27th, a
deranged father took the life of his wife. The cause of death points to
the use of a berretta, however, he would soon get his just desserts.
A boy, who is presumed to be the son of the dysfunctional couple,
was found at the scene. The police state that the evidence points to
him protecting himself in a time of stress and fear. We can only hope
that he will recover from the events that had transpired…"

He couldn't read anymore, lest he get emotional. The very sight of

the article sent a wave of memories to crash into his psyché. Why
would something like this be here? Was it just there to throw him off,
or was it some sort of clue? He shook his head; this wasn't the time
to get sensitive about a measly clipping. There was work to be done,
and it had to be done fast.

"Zack! Could ya come over here?! I can't make heads or tails of this
writin'!" Millie called out, her foot tapping against the floor in
confusion. Dropping what he was doing, he quickly bolted towards
her, along with Moxxie, who was holding a book in his hand.

"What's wrong? Find anything odd?" the demon husband asked, his
tail flicking about slowly. She smiled awkwardly, as she held up a
newspaper clipping.
"It's more like I found this here newspaper clipin'. It seemed like
something important, so I called you guys over. Um, is that bad?"

Zack remained silent, his eyes scanning the clipped newspaper

article quickly. With widened eyes and a huff of intrigue, he nodded
his head, before taking the newspaper article into his hands, "Huh,
the Alpha Antidote. Says it was used to combat the Omega Virus,
and it actually worked. Not exactly sure what this has to do with
anything, but it could prove yourself."

His eyes looked towards the other scraps of newspaper on the

board, his finger tapping at his left temple, "The rest of these
clippings don't seem to have any correlation with each other. Maybe
the main resident of this place enjoyed collecting articles that
interested them?"

Moxxie only shrugged, before looking back towards the body. It still
was hard for him to even believe someone would go to the trouble of
putting together an entirely new body just to fool everyone. He had to
admit, however, it was a fairly unique plan. As his eyes wandered
about the carcass, something caught his eye. Underneath the desk,
hidden just beneath the victim's hand, was a folded piece of paper.
Without even thinking, the male imp slowly reached forward and
clutched it into his hand, before opening it with a slow and gentle
touch.

"Hey, Zack, take a look at this." He said, handing him the now
unfolded sheet of printer paper. Zack raised an eyebrow, as his eyes
scanned the contents on the page's surface. Seemed like it was a
note of some kind.

"Hm… The path is set for those who live. One may move forward,
but going backwards may benefit one as well." He read aloud.

"Is that supposed ta be a poem of some kind? Ain't poems supposed

to rhyme?" Millie muttered, a look of disappointment on her face.
Moxxie only smiled awkwardly, though Zack couldn't help but
chuckle at her visible disappointment.
"Millie, I don't think that's the point here. Still, this could mean
something…"

"Well, if it's saying that going backwards may be beneficial to

someone, then maybe we should do the same? Wasn't there a
whole bunch of rooms that we all had to pass when we woke up?
Maybe she's in there." Moxxie interjected, his thumb pointed towards
the exit. Zack, nodding his head, slipped the clippings and folded
page into his pocket.

"Good idea, you two. The others are searching the other halls that
they all passed, so let's head down the hallway that we traversed to
get here, and if I'm understanding this right, we may need to go even
further back."

"Niffty!! Hey, if you can hear me, say something!" Loona called out,
as she stepped down the dark hallway. After the plan was given out,
everyone had left to go and search the area, in hopes that they could
find the real Niffty. A part of her, though worried about the situation in
a way, was also relieved. After Zack had a handle on the situation
and took charge, he seemed so confident, dare she say, even
badass. It made her slightly blush just remembering it.

"Thinking about your friend, my hellish hellhound harlot?"

She looked towards the voice, seeing just who she had reluctantly
paired up with. Out of everyone there, she had to pair up with the
radio demon himself; the very same person who fought Zack when
he got stuck in Pentagram City. She huffed and glared at him, not
even bothering to give him a response. He, of course, took this as a
sign of affirmation.

"You and him seem to be quite chummy. Very peculiar, what with the
two of you being so different," he stepped closer to her, his cane
twirling in his dominant hand, "However, it's also interesting. A
demon dog and a human detective; not exactly the most likely
pairing, but I digress."
Loona only growled, as she peeked into a nearby room, "Yeah, well,
I didn't ask for your fucking opinion, strawberry ass. Shouldn't you be
searching?"

Alastor shrugged, letting out a confident chuckle. He didn't even look

worried, even with the possibility that his friend could be killed
already. Was he even thinking about anyone here, or was he just
that cocky? She rolled her eyes, merely deciding to enjoy the
silence. It wouldn't last long, however…

"You're the one to blame for his plight, aren't you?" She froze in
place, her eyes widening slightly in shock, "I could tell from the
moment I saw you that you had something to do with it. Hmhm, I
wonder if he knows already-"

She moved do fast that she almost looked like a blur to him, as her
clawed hand wrapped around his thin neck, pinning him against the
wall. Her eyes held such malice, distrust, and anger, as a low growl
rumbled deep in her throat.

"I don't wanna hear shit from you, Mr. Cannibal. You don't know jack
shit, so don't even think about lecturing me."

Alastor's grin grew darker, as he chuckled once again, "My my, I hit a
nerve. I'm merely making small talk, my dear. No need to get so
defensive. Besides, it's not like I'm angry at you, far from it. Your little
action actually makes this entire situation so much more interesting!
A story like this deserves some stakes, wouldn't you agree?"

Her grip tightened and her eyes growing a dark shade of red. She
couldn't believe that he was fucking with her. What did he know
about their situation? He didn't have any right to say anything about
it, what with the many things that he did to other demons.

"He's not some television show, dumbass. Keep your goddamn nose
out of our lives, and you won't have to worry about me ripping out
your throat."
"Oh, but my dear, that's the thing. Zack is, to be frank, a very
important individual. The last thing I need is for him to be hurt, or
worse, you see," static sounded in her ears, as his head tilted to the
side. The very air around her grew tense and heavy, the very sight of
him sending shivers down her spine, "So, listen to me well; Whatever
happens to him is on your hands. Do NOT let him die, or there will
be hell to pay, for everyone."

She could only stay silent. Was he serious? He was actually telling
her to protect him. Wasn't exactly something that The Radio Demon
was known for. There had to have been a reason, and it definitely
wasn't just because he wanted to see Zack live. She shook off her
fear and pulled her hand from his neck.

"That was the plan. I don't need you telling me what to do. Zack is
always gonna stay a living, breathing human." she growled out, as
she turned to walk away. Alastor, who went back to his teasing
nature, merely smirked.

"Well, you're only half-right there," Loona stopped once again, her
eyes closed tightly in hopes to keep calm, "Though, I'm sure you
know all about that, Ms. Murderer."

"This seems to be the spot…" Zack mumbled, as he glanced into the

room he first awoke in. Moxxie and Millie were both right behind him,
their eyes scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary.

"Do you think that note was sayin' that we need to go further back
down the hallway? It did say that going backwards is beneficial."
Millie questioned, her finger tapping at her chin in thought. It seemed
like that was the case, but there was a bit of an air to this whole
situation. Why even go to the trouble of leaving a clue like that,
especially when the monochrome mastermind was tasked with killing
them. It seemed off to him. Zack merely shook his head; there would
be time to worry about that later, but for now, they only had 25
minutes to figure this out and find Niffty.
"Yeah, good idea. There's nothing in this room, but maybe there's
something further back…"

With that, the trio quickly continued their journey down the dimly lit
hallway, all of them staying on guard. It was quiet, really quiet. The
only sound filling the hallway was the breathing that they were all
letting out with their speedy movements.As they had thought, there
was indeed more space further back down the hall, both walls
holding more doors, too many to search all of them thoroughly. Millie
groaned, her arms drooping at her sides in worry.

"There's too many rooms! We'll never find her in time at this rate!"
she exclaimed. Zack's ear perked in curiosity.

"Maybe we don't have to…"

There was a sound, a foreign one. It almost reminded him of a

machine's revving and whirling. Definitely not something you'd hear
in an abandoned building. He slowly followed the sound, with Moxxie
and Millie watching his back. The sound slowly grew louder to him,
as he stepped closer to the back wall of the hallway.

"Is this it? It's just a dead end…" Moxxie asked, his hands gripping
his book and readying to smack anyone dumb enough to jump them.

"I think so. You two stay on guard…" Zack answered, as he touched
the wall gently. He felt around slowly and thoroughly, before his hand
brushed against something strange. It felt as if it was a makeshift
handle, one that could easily be pulled. If this was what he thought it
was, then he just found his ticket in. With a soft huff and a bit of a
mental pep-talk, he slowly pulled the wall open slightly by the handle,
anxiety and nervousness eating at the back of his mind, "Hello?
Anyone in here?"

That's when he heard it. The sound of a muffled voice. Could it be

the one they were searching for? Zack quickly opened the secret
door all the way and bolted into the room.
"Niffty?!"

The trio stared in shock. Niffty was alive, though not safe. Her body
was strapped to a table tightly, a machine sitting at her left side. Not
only that, but a PICC line was connecting the machine to her arm, as
if she was in a hospital room. This didn't look good, it was a trap!
Millie quickly began to move towards her, bit Zack gripped her wrist,
stopping her advancement.

"Don't touch her!"

Millie looked back at him, "But we gotta get her outta there! We only
have 10 minutes left!"

"I know that, but we need to keep calm. This thing is obviously some
sorta trap, one that may result in her death. Just leave this one to
me, I've got this."

Millie's face grew a worried expression. If things were this bad, then
there was a chance that he would get hurt, or worse! She looked
towards Niffty, her mouth gagged and her eyes blindfolded.

"A-Are you sure you can handle this…?"

"Positive. Don't worry, Niffty is in good hands," he looked towards

Moxxie, his face holding a serious expression, "Mox, take Millie and
round up the others. I'll join you all back at the main hall."

With a nod of his head, Moxxie gripped Millie's hand and lead her
out of the room. He mentally wished Zack luck, as the two sped back
down the hallway to complete their task. With a sigh, he quickly
stepped closer to the bounded woman, his hands moving to remove
the gag and blindfold off of her. To his surprise, she did, in fact, only
have one large eye.

"You're Niffty, right?"

She silently nodded, her body completely tense. Zack smiled softly,
hoping that it would at least calm her down.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm a friend of Charlie's, so don't
worry. I'm gonna get you outta here." He said, giving her a thumbs
up and a toothy grin. She nodded her head once again, giving him a
smile back. Taking a deep breath, he stared at the machine, his eyes
scanning and surveying the situation. A timer was set to it, and he
could hear the faint sound of beeping coming from it. Most likely a
bomb of some sort. Gulping a lump of nervousness, he continued his
observing. At the top of the machine were two canisters, each filled
with a blue or red liquid. He tilted his head; he almost felt like he saw
them before. That's when he noticed it. At the base of the canisters
were pieces of paper that were taped to the side of it; the red
canister had an omega symbol, and the blue canister had an alpha
symbol.

"Millie, you single-handedly just saved our asses…" he mumbled, as

he looked towards the controls. The only things that were on the face
of the death machine were three dials, a red button, and tubes that
led to the PICC in Niffty's arm, and one that led to a bucket. Zack
nodded his head, understanding exactly what was the goal.

"I get it. I need to get the antidote into her body while simultaneously
diverting the virus into the bucket. Damn it, this is some Saw level
shit here…"

His eyes glanced at the clock. 30 seconds in counting; there was no

time to waste! He groaned, as he quickly touched the dials and
began to turn them at a quick pace. 25 seconds left; wrong
combination! 15 seconds; wrong again! 10 seconds; wrong a third
time! This wasn't good! Time was running out, and if he didn't figure
this out, Niffty would not only be infected with a deadly virus, but also
charred to a crisp from the bomb lurking in the machine. There had
to be some sort of clue, anything that could give him a clear sign as
to what to do! That's when it hit him. There was only one clue, but
how would that correlate to this? There were no numbers to the
dials, except for arrows that pointed clockwise for the first and third
dials, and counter-clockwise for the second dial. Using that
knowledge, there could only be one way to do this. He quickly set
the dials to their default positions and took a deep breath, his hands
moving on their own.

"Clockwise 12 degrees for the first dial," 8 seconds, "counter-

clockwise 27 degrees for the second dial," 6 seconds, "and… 9
degrees clockwise for the third…"

With only 4 seconds to spare, he slammed his hand against the red
button, a clicking sound invading his ears. 2 seconds left; the blue
liquid and the red liquid flushed out of the canisters and into their
respective pipes at an alarming speed. 1 second left; this was it! Was
he able to make it?! Zack glared at the timer, bracing himself for the
explosion to occur. A second past, then another, then another.
Everything was completely silent, even their breathing was being
held, in fear that a single sound would jinx their chances and end
both their lives. After a few more seconds, they slowly began to
relax.

"H-Hoo boy…" Zack's legs slightly wobbled and buckled under his
weight, causing him to fall back on his rear, "that… was way too
fuckin close for comfort…"

After calming himself and getting the feeling back in his legs, he
found himself untying the mono-eyed demoness, a smile on his face.
With the immediate threat gone, he could at least let himself relax for
a second.

"You alright, kiddo? No wounds or injuries?" he asked, his eyes

glancing at her body, in search for any gashes. She shook her head
quickly, her face holding a large grin.

"Nope, not at all! I'm right as blood rain, but I'm more worried about
the dust and dirt around the place! It's all filthy!" she quickly said, her
eye darting to every direction. He could swear her pupil was
shrinking. With a slow nod, he smiled awkwardly.
"Something tells me that she's a bit of a germaphobe."

He brushed his thumb against his nose, as he took a deep breath to

still his nerves. She was a slight bit strange, to say the least, but she
didn't seem all that bad. In fact, she seemed fairly adorable, like a
grade-school girl, or something.

"Well, luckily you won't have to worry about that for much longer.
Charlie and the others are just down the hall. Can you stand, kiddo?"
he asked, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"Of course! Um, but the ground is kinda dirty…" she mumbled, her
eye staring down at the ground. He should have guessed that this
would happen. After all, someone who hates germs would be a bit
out of her element here. With a soft huff, he gripped her hips and
placed her on his left shoulder.

"There we go, that should help. Don't worry, the main hall is much
cleaner. Hold on tight, okay?"

She nodded her head, never losing the child-like smile on her face.
With that said, Zack stepped out of the room, with Niffty in tow. Even
with the hall being so dark and grimy, it felt more comfortable, most
likely due to the crisis being averted. However, something still didn't
sit quite right with him. Why make this game fair? The clues were
literally placed for him to find, and with the others there, it made
them so easy to find. What was the point in even doing that?
Needless to say, it ate at his mind, and his face made it very
apparent.

"Hey, you okay Mr. Zack?" Niffty asked, pulling him out of his
thoughts. Zack glanced up at her, smiling softly at her.

"Yeah, just thinking about things; Mostly about why we're here.
Which, speaking of that, how'd you get here? Did you get knocked
out too?"
"Yeah, that's right! Mr. Alastor asked me to go and get some
groceries for the hotel, but then someone came about and asked me
for direction. Usually, when someone comes around, they're the type
who are into kids, even though I'm 22! You know, pedo-bears and
such. So, after I killed him, I felt a stinging sensation on my back and
I got all sleepy. Next thing you know, I'm awake in that dirty room."

Zack nodded his head, his eyes wide with shock at the revelation.
He was astounded by the info, but the one thing that truly shocked
him was…

"She's 22…?"

He quickly shook off his stupor and looked forward, making sure not
to stare at her in complete intrigue. Guess being a demon had its
upside. Within a few minutes, the entrance came into view, allowing
them to finally be enveloped by the light that they were searching. As
they entered the main room, the two would soon develop smiles,
their eyes landing on the very people that they considered friends.
The moment that they stepped in, they were both crowded by the
group of demons, to which Niffty waved at everyone.

"Hey guys! How's it going?" she asked, her smile growing. Charlie
was the first to scoop her up, pulling her into a tight, warm hug.

"Niffty!! Thank Satan you're alright! After we saw that body, we

thought that'd you-"

"Body? What body? Is there a dead body here?" Gasped, her eye
lighting up with intrigue, "Oooooh, can I see it!"

As Charlie and her group continued to talk and converse with each
other, Zack silently watched, her hands slipping into his pockets.
Seeing them all so relieved and happy instantly made him gleeful.
One moment, it all seemed so hopeless and awful, but now,
everyone was happy. That's when it hit him; demons were so similar
to him, to all humans. They laughed, they cried, they cared, they
hated; it was like they were all just humans in a demon's form. In a
way, it brought a new wave of courage and self-respect into him.
Even if he wasn't seen as family by Blitzo, he still had his friends,
and Loona would always be right there beside him. There wasn't
anything better than this. He turned to look towards his co-workers,
his friends, a smile present on his face. One thing that this whole
event reminded him of, is that they were all important to him, in one
way or another.

That's when the sound of clapping pulled him from his thoughts,
along with the sound of footsteps from behind them, "Very nice, very
nice. I'm so very impressed by you, my rival."

The demon group turned to look towards the evil-sounding voice,

their guards all on high alert. Just as they thought, the very
mastermind that started all this decided to show his face. This time,
however, they were much calmer. Well, calm may not be the best
word, since they all still were holding some sort of anger. Zack
frowned, as he stepped closer to the monochrome-dressed demon.

"Yeah, well, I aim to please. Happy to see you've come to greet us."
he greeted back, as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"More like made it easier for us to tear you apart!" Husker shouted,
his brows furrowed. He stepped closer to the mastermind, but to his
surprise, he was stopped. His face morphed into a look of shock, as
he looked back at the roadblock to his revenge. Alastor merely
grinned, his cane blocking his way.

"Now now, let's not be too hasty here. After all, I'm fairly certain our
dear investigator here has other plans."

Husker quickly stared at Zack, along with the rest of them. He was
indeed right; after all, this entire thing was completely fishy.

"Yeah, he's right. I don't think we have to worry too much about this
guy. In fact, I think he's not even our enemy, more or less." he
explained, his eyes trained on the monokrome individual. The demon
posse only responded with a collective "huh". Well, all except Stolas
and Alastor, who merely watched him. Zack gave them a reassuring
grin, before stepping closer to Monokrona.

"Think about it; this entire time, one thing has been apparent about
this game of his. Clues had been laid out to find, the body was
displayed in a way that left me suspicious, and the trap he set for
Niffty wasn't even tampered with. It's almost as if you wanted me to
solve this puzzle. After all, if you really wanted to kill us, why put us
through this game at all? You could have just removed us when you
knocked us out. So, what's your game?"

Monokrona merely smiled, as he slipped his hands behind his back.

His eyes stared deep into Zack's, as he chuckled softly, "Brilliant
deduction, and a great question. Why indeed, hmhmh," his face
grew more serious, "I wanted to test you. To see if you were actually
capable of taking down the man you seek."

Zack's face lit up in intrigue, his line of sight never breaking away
from his proclaimed adversary. Why would he want to test him? The
only reason he'd want to test him is if he wanted him to take down
his employer, but why? A question he would ask next.

"Seems to me that answers something for me. For starters, that tells
me that you want me to kill your employer, but what I wanna know is
why that is."

Monokrona scoffed, "Simple; I want that man dead. He's a

manipulative, boorish, and ungentlemanly individual, who has
destroyed countless plans and many opportunities for me. And
above all else, he thinks that he can kill my one and only rival?
Simply put, he's a thorn in my side. The last thing I want is for him to
stay alive. I desire him, and his empire to be destroyed permanently."

Zack could only listen in silence, his mind quickly memorizing his
reasoning and words. The monochrome-dressed demon wasn't
lying, that much he could tell, but could he really take his words to
heart? If what he was saying was true, then it was very apparent that
he and his friends had just found their meal ticket. Someone on the
inside was yearning for the demise of their boss, and luckily for him,
he was going to get his wish. Zack nodded his head in
understanding, deciding to change the subject.

"If that's the case, then please, tell me anything you know about him.
If we can find this guy, we can easily nail his ass, however, we can
only do that if you're willing to cooperate."

Monokroma stared at him silently, before stepping closer to him, "As

much as I would love to see you solve this all by yourself, I will give
you a bit of a break. After all, you have been at your wit's end, and
this technically is your first big case that you need to solve. You must
promise, however, that you will see to it that he has lost his life. If
you can promise that, then I will divulge my findings."

With a nod of his head, Zack held his hand out for him to shake it,
"You've got yourself a deal, Monokrona."

Though a bit hesitant, the demon rival took his hand and shook it
gently. After their agreement was set in stone, the two backed up
slightly, before Monokrona began to speak again.

"What I know is not much, but what I do know is that you, my rival,
are indeed on the right track. You see, the place you and your
hellhound beloved found in the sewers is not his hideout, but it is a
hub for his information. I believe you saw the computer room, along
with the monitors that have been watching the many places all over
Imp City and The Pentagram?" Zack nodded, allowing him to
continue his explaining, "Well, that place is where he meets with
anyone who wants to work for him, or anyone who he requests to
meet or hire. Perhaps request isn't the right word; more like,
commands."

Zack furrowed his brows, "And I'm guessing that he commanded you
to work for him?"

"That's correct. After all, if someone as dangerous as him requested

your appearance, wouldn't you do as he said?" He sighed, before
continuing, "His name, is Nagasaki; Kokichi Nagasaki. Not much is
known about him, except for one thing." He pointed towards Zack,
an intense look I'm his eyes, "He has power that is identical to your
own. He's a man with the powers of a demon. A demon-human; an
Akuma-Ningen."

To say that Zack and the other's weren't flabbergasted was an

understatement. If he was exactly like him, then that meant that their
target was someone who was a human at one point! This changed
everything. Now that they knew, then that meant that all they needed
was to broaden their search to the living world! Maybe they didn't
have to leave, but a few documents and news paper articles could
help. Not only that, but what with him being japanese yakuza, it only
pinpointed where to look! Still, that raised some questions too.

"Wait, but that's what I still don't get. How did he and I gain these
powers?! Last I heard, these powers are given to you, and how to do
that is apparently, you have to mix the essence of the demonic and
the neutral," he looked towards Octavia, "That's what it said, right?"

She nodded her head in response, "Exactly. Besides, it'd be

impossible for him to do that! I mean, the books that detailed rituals
like that were destroyed and discontinued, so how would he be able
to do such a thing?"

Monokrona shook his head, before gesturing to Moxxie with his left
hand.

"Not all of the books were destroyed. I believe that the imp here has
something that can prove otherwise."

The demons turned their heads to Moxxie, who still had the
hardcover book in his hands. Octavia quickly grabbed it and pulled it
towards her, her eyes scanning the title it. Within seconds, her eyes
lit up with disbelief, utterly awestruck by the revelation before her.

"There's no way… This is the book! Rituals Of The Damned and

Neutral! This is exactly what we need, the holder to all our
questions!"

Zack quickly stepped towards her and grabbed the book, his eyes
staring at the very clue they needed. Perhaps the owner of this place
had an interest with these kind of things. He slowly looked up at
Monokrona, frowning.

"And you're certain that this will answer the question of what's up
with me?"

"My dear rival, this will solve much more than that. Go on, read it.
Page 162 is what you're looking for." He answered, waiting for him to
flip through the pages.

Zack's heart started to pound uncontrollably. Though he knew he

wasn't in any danger, he still felt nothing but anxiety. The very
answer to his biggest question was within that book. Without even
consulting any of his friends, he slipped his fingers into the book and
flipped it open, before slowly finding his way to the desired page.
The book smelled musty, dust littering every corner of the pages. It
only showed just how old it really was, a testament to the many
years it had seen and been a part of. Soon, he found his desired
page and began to read it aloud.

"Demon Blood Ritual; for thee who desire the power of the damned.
One must first get in contact with the damned soul, one that is
completely compatible with one's own psyché. If the damned sees
you fit, request… the…" His voice trailed off, as his eyes widened.
This couldn't be what had happened, but it was there as clear as
day. He quickly began to pick up where he left off, "… The blood of
the damned. If given, inject the blood into thyself at a slow pace. If
done correctly, they body will slowly obtain the power of the damned.
Strength shall be yours, your mind will become more sharper, and
your person will become untouchable…" His eyes soon fell upon
three words that he hoped would not be present, "but be warned… If
they body rejects the demon essence, your life will become forfeit
and your soul will be shattered. If done correctly, you must face a
trial of the soul. Once the time is right, face the damned within
thyself, and reject thy humanity. If done… then…"

His eyes widened and his body trembled, his face showing just what
he was thinking. It put everyone on edge, especially his co-workers.
He just couldn't voice it; if he did, he would surely go insane. In fact,
he already felt like he was going completely bonkers, that he had to
have been reading this wrong. It had to be fake, it had to be!

"What? What is it? Finish reading it, Zack." Monokrona voiced,

pulling Zack back to reality. Zack closed his eyes and took a shakey
breath, as he continued to read it, his voice barely above a whisper.

"If done… then thy soul will consume the damned's essence. The
greatest sin will be made, and in turn, thy will be rejected by the
anointed and the neutral. Thy will… lose the ability of choice…
forever branded as demon… Forever trapped in hell… And thy soul
will… Shatter through death…"

The entire room went silent, everyone merely staring in disbelief.

They knew exactly what that meant, what that spelled out for him.
The very man they knew was a lie… He wasn't a human anymore,
merely a demon in a human's skin.

Angel was the first to speak up, "Wait… You're trying to tell me that,
Zack is actually…"

"That's right! A human who is forced to live as a demon!" Everyone

looked toward Alastor, who answered the pornstar's question, "Not
only that, if he were to die now, he would have no way to be reborn
as either a real demon or an angel! No, he'd simply be erased, just
like any other demon who'd meet their end."

Zack looked towards Alastor, his right eye flickering slightly, "You…
you knew…?"

"But of course! I knew the very moment I saw you! Though, to be

sure, I had to test your prowess, which is why I started our little bout
that we had. It was the only way to tell, you see. Once I did, I knew it
would be very interesting to see what you would do when you found
out, thus I let you live," he chuckled, before letting out a hardy laugh,
"and let me say, your reaction is just what I was hoping for! It will
make it even better, once you figure out who did this to you!"

Zack's eyes widened. Why would that be important? Why would he

care if he found out who was at fault? Unless, it was… He looked
towards his co-workers slowly, his body trembling more. They all had
a look of remorse, perhaps even, guilt.

"You all knew… You all knew, and you didn't tell me…"

Millie, who was fidgeting, looked up at him, "Y-Yeah, we did… It's not
that we… You know, didn't wanna tell you. It's just that, some things
happened and when we saw you getting along with-" she quickly
covered her mouth, looking as if she was about to spill out a secret.
The group all had pained expression, but Zack, his face held a look
of realization. It all was finally starting to make sense. The only one
who could have done this, was the only one who had the opportunity
to do so. That, however, only made him feel worse. His eyes slowly
looked up towards the culprit… the one who, in a way, killed him.

"… It's your blood that's in me… isn't it… Loona…"

The many heads whipped towards her direction. Her back was
turned to them, as she remained quiet throughout this entire
situation. Zack, however, needed to know the truth. If he didn't, then
he wouldn't be able to understand. He wouldn't be able to know why
she would do this. Her body language and the constant times that
she asked him what was going on and how she would always be
watching him all made sense now, but what he wanted to know is
why she even did this. He stepped closer to her, his heart pounding
even harder and faster.

"Loona… Why did you do this…?"

No answer, only silence. He had to get something out of her. She
was the only witness, the only source of information that he could
talk to. However, that's what made it all the more harder for him;
knowing that he had to press her, of all people, for information only
left a hole in his heart.

"Loona, please. You have to tell me! Tell me why you did this…"

Once again, nothing. He stepped closer to her, everyone tense that

he was going to do something he'd regret. They had nothing to worry
about, he cared about her too much to harm her. He'd never hurt her,
but right now, he had to get her to talk, and of she wasn't going to
say anything, then he had his own hypothesis.

"… If you won't tell me why, then at least tell me if my theory is

correct…" He sighed, before speaking once again, "The day that you
and I met, back in the living world at my place, I got shot in the side
by a sniper, remember? I was losing a lot of blood, and was close to
dying from blood, which is why I was knocked out, if I'm not
mistaken."

She was still quiet, but he noticed something. As he spoke, she

began to tremble more and more, and her ears were pressed against
her head. An evident sign of sadness. He still kept going, however.

"I believe, you gave me your blood in order to save me from dying.
It'd explain why Blitzo and the others were shocked from me being
there, whereas you already knew where to change my bandages. It'd
also explain why you were alright with me staying at your place, so
you could keep an eye on me… Am I wrong…?"

Silence engulfed the room, but this time, after a few seconds, she
began to speak. Her voice, however, was silent and shaking, "… I
didn't know what else to do… There was no time to figure out your
blood type and find someplace that had it…"

She admitted it. It was all true, all of it was true. Zack slowly looked
towards the ground. He didn't know what to feel. On one hand, he
was grateful to her, but on the other, he felt as if something tore a
hole in his chest. It was just as Stolas said way back when. He was
no longer the human he thought he was. In the end, Loona actually
did settle the score, finish the job, made the hit, and any other way
you wanted to say it. In a way…

Loona killed Zack…

To Be Continued…
Chapter 19
Chapter 19: Fuckin' Hate Me Already!!

If there was a day for it to rain, it would definitely be this one. With
the events that had transpired not even a few days ago, everyone
was feeling nothing but confusion and anxiety.With not only I.M.P.
being destroyed, but also Stolas's house being attacked and broken
into, the sensation of hopelessness was evident. It was as if there
was nowhere to hide and nowhere to run. Luckily, however, after
everything had happened, Charlie was kind enough to let them all
stay at her hotel. Maybe they could get some time to relax and
recover a bit of their stamina. After all, with the many things that had
happened at a non-stop speed, some breathing room was exactly
what they needed. The day had just hit noon, and everyone was off
doing their own thing, whether it was having a few drinks, provided
by Husker, or simply talking things over with Charlie and the her
cohorts.

"I see… So that's the whole story, huh? And you're saying that this
group, the Akuma-Ningen, is who's causing the mess?" Charlie
asked Blitzo, who were both sitting in the lounge, along with Moxxie,
Millie, Stolas, and Vaggie, who was on the couch beside her
significant other. Blitzo nodded, his face holding a thoughtfulness to
it.

"Yeah, that's right. Bastards have been doing everything in there

power to fuck with me and my business. Apparently, they want a
specific book that we use to get to the living world, and they haven't
been to nice about their methods of persuasion."

Vaggie tilted her head, the corner of her lips curling into a frown, "Uh-
huh. I'm not even gonna ask how you got something like that, but if
what you're saying is true, then these guys have eyes everywhere,
right? If that's the case, why haven't they just taken the book and be
done with it?"
"My guess is that they're toying with them. If it where any other
individual, they would have struck by now, but the only thing that I
can come up with is that they mean to break their spirits, before
inevitably making the final blow…" Stolas answered, his eyes looking
down towards the ground. When it all came down to it, that would be
the only reason. Why else would they be letting them get so much
closer with each encounter that they had? It wouldn't make sense
otherwise.

"And what about Zack? Why is he even here, anyway?"

The room went silent for a second, as if the hitmen employees were
contemplating on whether or not they should answer. Moxxie, would
be the first to answer, "Well, you see, Zack was someone that we
were hired to kill before, presumably from the guy who's behind all of
this. He, however, was instead saved by Loona, the hellhound. After
some events and such, Blitzo hired him to find out who was the
mastermind. Now, with Zack's powers and such… you already know
the rest on that…"

Once again, the room went silent, as they recollected what was said
a four days prior. Even though they knew what he was and what he
would have to go through, the memory of his face was enough to
make them all worried. There was nothing but fear and an
uncertainty in his eyes. To make matters worse, the moment that he
and the others arrived at the hotel, he completely distanced himself
from everyone. For the past four days, he didn't leave the his room,
instead choosing to lock himself in. Presumably, he was still working
on finding out what was going on with the individual now known as
Kokichi Nagasaki. If that was the case, that threw everyone for a
loop. Any normal human would have ran off and said "fuck you" to
the ones that harmed them. Yet, here he was, doing everything that
he could to find the scumbag who was after them. Still, there were
still problems with him. Not only did he not leave his room, but he
didn't let anyone else in, not even when room service was there to
deliver food for him. He had even shunned himself from his friends,
even Loona. It irked Blitzo to no end. He was supposed to be
someone who cared about her adoptive daughter, but here he was,
completely shunning himself from everyone. Though he wanted to
just shoot the lock off and give him a piece of his mind, he also knew
that he needed some space. Truth be told, he cared about him like
family, though he wouldn't admit it. He hoped that he would find his
way back to him, back to his friends, back to Loona.

With a shake of his head, Stolas looked towards the staircase up to

the many rooms, his thoughts flooded with the worry of Zack's well-
being, "He still hasn't left his room, has he? Poor boy, he must be so
confused right now…"

"He's not the only one who's down…" Millie interjected, her eyes
looking towards the bar in the back. Just as she said, another poor
soul was drowning in sorrow. Loona had been sitting there ever
since they had arrived, her hand always holding some sort of
alcoholic beverage. It was almost like she was just drowning and
wallowing in guilt, so much so that she wouldn't even throw an insult
at whatever unsuspecting soul that went to poke fun at her. She
looked completely broken, hating even meeting the one that she
cared for immensely. It was painful to watch, for everyone. Charlie,
did everything she could to console her, but it proved frugal. In fact,
everyone did their best to, at least those who thought they could, but
nothing seemed to work. Hopelessness; the one feeling that just
wouldn't go away.

Stolas sighed, fixing his hat slightly, "Yes, it would seem so. This is
possibly the worst thing to have happened… If we would have told
him sooner, perhaps things could have been different. Now I'm not
sure if any of them will be able to recover…"

Blitzo merely stared, his heart going out to the one he cared for as
her father. Everything he tried proved to be useless. There was only
one person that he could get to help her out of her stupor, and that
person was stuck and held up in his room. He huffed, standing to his
feet and heading towards the stairs, bringing everyone from their
thoughts.
"And you're going where?" Vaggie asked, her hand resting on her
hip. Without even looking at her, he continued up the stairs,
answering her.

"To have a talk with my investigator."

With that being said, he began to continue his way into the halls, his
hands slipped into his coat pockets. With how things were right now,
there'd be no way for them to make any progress. Not to mention,
that two of his employees would basically be out of commision. The
moment that he stepped towards the oak door that blocked Zack
from the outside world, he instantly began to feel the sting of
nervousness. What would he even say? Could he even say anything
at all? Needless to say, he was feeling helpless. With a soft sigh, he
brought his hand up to the door and gently knock his knuckle against
it. Whatever he was going tosay, he had to make sure that it was
what he needed to hear and not what he wanted to hear.

"Hey, kid, you in there? It's me, Blitzo."

No answer, not even the sound of breathing. He knew he could hear

him, however, so instead of giving up, he began to speak in the
calmest voice that he could, "So uh, we noticed that you haven't
come out in a while. You sure you don't wanna eat or something?"
once again, nothing at all, "Look, I know you're feeling a bit, under
the weather and such but… I need you right now, alright…?"

He sighed softly, his hand gently pressing against the door, "Could
you like… please show me if you're listening, kid? I gotta know that
things aren't too fucked…"

That's when he heard it. From the other side of the door, the sound
of a hand pressing against the wooden oak was heard. In a way, it
was Zack's way of telling him that he was listening; that he didn't
give up on them, not yet. He sighed softly in relief, as he continued
to speak, "… Truth is, we're worried about you. I'm worried about
you… About you and Loona… She hasn't been the same since we
came back. Not only that, but… I think she's scared that you hate
her…"

He could hear the sound of breathing, it slightly hitching, as if he was

surprised by his words.

"So… please, you gotta set her straight… take all the time you need
to get your head and feelings in order… but you gotta help her. You
just… gotta…"

His head hung low, as his eyes closed. That was all he had, all he
could say, and all he wanted of him. Whether or not he'd do it; he
wasn't sure. That's when he heard something. The soft click of the
lock disengaging. His eyes caught the sight of the door cracking,
exposing the eye of their resident investigator. The dullness in them
before seemed to slowly fade, a sign that maybe he would be able to
get through all of this.

"… I'm sorry for worrying you… I just… I really needed some time to
think…" he said, his voice a slight bit hoarse, most likely from the
lack of water, food, and sleep. It was easily apparent that he was in
bad shape, even by just seeing a mere fraction of his person. He
sighed, "I don't hate Loona… I understand she was under a lot of
pressure, and there weren't many options. I don't blame her for
that… I'm just scared…" he slightly trembled, as he forced himself to
speak once again, "I mean, what if I can't stop whatever this thing is
in my head? And if I do, what then? What'll happen to me…? It said
that I'd reject my humanity… so does that mean that I'd end up
losing my very self…? Will I turn against you guys, lose my sense of
self…? I just can't fathom what would happen… "

Blitzo could only stare at him. He was, or course, relieved that he

wasn't feeling any contempt towards him or anyone else, but at the
same time, he still felt bad for him. His life was ultimately changed,
all because he got a hit on him, and to make things worse, he still
was doing what he could to protect them. It was just like Stolas said;
he wasn't a normal human. He was their friend, and to him, he was
family.
"Zack, you have nothing to worry about here. Whatever happens
won't change anything. You can take this ass who's intruding in your
body out easily, and just because it may seem like things are bad,
doesn't mean that it's all hopeless. You can do this, I know you can…
After all, you're a part of our family, Zack. Ever since you signed the
dotted line on that contract."

He slowly slipped his hand through the small opening of the door
and gently place his hand on Zack's shoulder, giving it a gentle
squeeze. Zack instantly felt more at ease, though still a bit unsure.
He would need some time to relax, to get his mind back in order, but
when he did, he'd be back at one hundred percent.

"… Thanks Blitzo… truly…"

Loona sighed softly, taking a sip from her booze-filled bottle. Her
body felt so heavy; not just because of the drink and the alcoholic
beverages, but also from the very feeling of loneliness and guilt. All
she was trying to do was help him, to save him from dying, but here
he was, feeling the very pain and suffering of a man waking up in his
afterlife. She hated herself, hated everyone, hated the very people
who caused this. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. It was
hopeless. He was probably hating her. All she wanted was for him to
be safe and happy, and right now, him being with her wasn't making
him happy. All it was doing was attacking his very soul and mind.
She wished she never met him, wished he didn't have to deal with
her, and above all else, she wished she had never even went out on
that hit job.

"Fucking damn it… Of course this shit had to happen, right when
things seemed to be going well…" she slurred, as she dropped the
bottle on the ground. It didn't break, but it did let out a loud clang
from the contact. Husker, who was the one providing her drinks,
merely shook his head, a frown on his face.

"You know… maybe you should just go talk to him. I mean, instead
of you just wallowing in your own filth and shit."
Loona merely answered with her actions, her hand reaching over the
bar to grab another unmarked bottle of booze. She silently gulped
the contents all down, tossing it behind her shoulder. Husker only
blinked and slowly went back to reading his newspaper, finding it
fruitless to even continue to speak to her. He huffed; things couldn't
get any worse.

"Hello my friends!"

Of course, Alastor just had to show up. His never-ending grin was
still present on his face, a constant reminder of his one character
trait. He sat on one of the bar stools next to Loona, his eyes glancing
over at Husker, "If you'd please, I'd like the usual! However, this time,
just a small amount."

With a growl, he turned his back and began to prepare the radio
demon's drink. Just what he needed, some alone time with the
grieving. His eyes glanced towards her, his finger tapping at the
counter.

"So here you are, hm? Feeling a bit under the weather, are we?"

She didn't reply. She only stared at the counter, her eyes closed
tightly in hopes it would keep herself calm. Alastor, not taking the
hint, continued his heckling.

"You know, this wouldn't have happened if you would have told him
sooner, or rather, it wouldn't have happened if you didn't try to kill
him the day you two met," Husk looked over his shoulder, listening to
him, "It's a real shame, in my opinion. The very person he cared for
the most is the same person who ruined his life. I would say it's such
a terrible thing, but in my opinion, I think it's amazing! So interesting
and full of twists and turns! I just love a story where the villian is the
hero's closest friend."

Husker placed the filled glass on the counter in front of strawberry-

colored demon, his eyes glaring daggers at him, "I think that's
enough, Al. She's already beating herself up enough as it is without
you making it worse."

"Oh? Making it worse? No no no no, I'mmerely stating the facts here.

She knows just as much as I do that she is the one responsible. She
brought him to a world that he didn't belong in, and he's suffering for
it. Though… you can make it right, you know?"

Her eyes widened slightly, the first sign of emotion that she made at
all this entire time. Was there really a way to fix this? To give him
back his life? Alastor, catching her attention, continued to feed ideas
deep into her physché.

"All you have to do is take him back home. You have the means, so
go and send him back. Maybe then, he can actually live a good life."

Husker slammed his hands against the counter, seething with pure
anger, "Shut up Al! What the fuck do you think you're-" before he
could finish, Alastor snapped his fingers, causing a shadow tendril to
wrap around his mouth, silencing the poor winged feline. His grin
grew into a dark, menacing smile, as he leaned closer to the
trembling, inebriated hellhound.

"You know he hates you. He hates all of you; despises you. The only
reason why he's here and is still trying to help you is merely to spite
you. Why not tell him that he has no reason to stay? Get him to
leave. It's the only way."

Husker screamed and shouted out, though it was muffled. He could

see just how torn Loona was. Within seconds, her face grew a dark,
dangerous-looking expression, her eyes slowly growing duller and
duller. Was it true? Did he hate her? Was that why he was holding
himself up in his room? Well, no more. If he was suffering that much,
then she was going to alleviate that, permanently.She slowly raised
out of her chair and on to her feet, before stepping away from the
bar, leaving a confused Husker and a snarky Alastor. He snapped
his fingers, pulling the shadowy tendril away from the feline's mouth,
pulling a gasp from him.
"What the fuck are you doing?! She's drunk, you don't know what
she's capable of!"

Alastor merely smirked, his eyes imbuing the demonic evil that
flower within them, "Oh, I know exactly what she's capable of, my
friend. However, I as things were now, things were starting to get a
little boring for me. This show is far from over, and it's too soon for
anyone to be calling it wrap."

Husker growled angrily. This wasn't good, the way she was looking,
her overall aura, it was that of a monster. Not only that, but thanks to
her being drunk beyond her mind, she would definitely be more
prone to causing some damage. After all, he knew just as much as
the next guy how much a demon could lose their cool when they're
wasted like that, and all he knew was that, as things were, Zack was
fucked beyond relief! Without a moment to lose, he vaulted over the
counter and sprinted towards the lounge in search for the hellhound.
He could hear her heavy footsteps echoing throughout the room, a
clear indication of here location. From the looks of it, she was
already heading up the stairs, her clawed fingers slowly dragging
against the wall, leaving a trail of marks down her path.

"Shit, this isn't good…"

"What's not good? Oh, Loona left the bar! That's… good, right?"
Octavia asked, as she walked next to Husker, her eyes holding a
look of confusion.

"Kid, get Charlie and the others, quick! Your friend is gonna do
something stupid if we don't stop her!"

Octavia could only stare, her mind processing what was told to her,
"What do you mean? What happened?!"

"I'll explain later, just go!!"

Though hesitant, she quickly went off to gather the rest of her
companions, a hectic look on her face. If Husker of all people was
reacting like this, then that meant things were nowhere near good.
Husker quickly ran up the stairs, in hopes of stopping her before
things got too far. He just hoped that things wouldn't get too bad
when he finally caught up.

With each and every step that she took, the more she became
consumed in her despair. The very thought of what she was about to
do only destroyed her heart, shattering it to millions of pieces. The
words Alastor spoke rang and echoed in their ears.

"It's all your fault. He doesn't belong here. You can fix this. Get him
to leave."

She was so in here own thoughts, she didn't even notice Blitzo, who
was walking down the hall from Zack's room. He grinned, feeling
better than ever, after talking with the investigator. However, he could
still tell that she wasn't all there. He shrugged, chalking it up to her
just still being down. He wasn't worried though; after telling her the
good news, she'd be back to normal instantly.

"Heya Loonie! Good news, I just talked to Zack, and he said that he-"
he couldn't even finish. With a quick swipe of her left hand, she
knocked him off of his feet and into the wall with a loud thud, dazing
him. She wasn't in the mood for talking, thanks to the guilt and the
booze that invaded her sense of thinking. He groaned, his hand
rubbing at the bruise she left on his face. She hadn't hit him before,
not even when she was angry or upset. This wasn't a good sign to
him.

"Blitzo! What happened?!"

Out of nowhere, Husker was running towards him, panting slightly,

before quickly pulling him up to his feet.

"I… I'm not sure. Loona just came down here and just bitch slapped
me outta nowhere."
"Damn it! Follow me, we're gonna need you to talk her down!"

Zack silently sat on his bed, his eyes looking down at the ground.
Ever since Blitzo had talked to him, he'd been thinking about
everything that had happened to him. From the day that he was first
being hunted, to the moment he understood what his powers were
and they're downsides, it all just played in his mind. He just couldn't
believe that this was all happening to him. He was in such destress,
such mental strain that it felt too much. Above all else, he didn't even
know what he was anymore. Was he human? Demon? Something in
between? Nothing made sense anymore… except…

"… Loona…"

He slowly looked up towards the ceiling, his mind shifting to the

moments he spent with his friends, the places he had seen, and the
accomplishments that he made thanks to the bonds he forged.
Thinking about it more, was this situation really all that bad? Even
though he lost his human side, it didn't make him any different than
what he was now. Not only that, but it was thanks to his powers that
he could protect everyone. Sure, it was true that he was no longer a
true human, but even so, he'd gladly give that up, as long as they
were all safe.

"Heh… what am I doing? I shouldn't be feeling sorry for myself… I'd

should be taking out demon assholes and solving mysteries. That's
what I was hired to do, and right now, I've just used up my vacation
days… But… Loona-"

Suddenly, a crash sounded at the door, jolting Zack out of his

thoughts. He looked towards the shaking slab of wood, before it
finally was kicked off it's hinges and flung towards the far corner of
the room, leaving a large dent in the drywall. With widened eyes, he
slowly turned his head towards the doorway. To his surprise, it was
the one who he was just thinking about; Loona.
"L-Loona! It you…" His eyes looked over her body. She looked awful,
with split ends in her hair and bags under her dull eyes. It instantly
made him feel bad for her, "You… look awful… Geez, you must have
been-"

"Why are you still here?"

That took him for a loop. Why was she asking something like that?

"Why? What are you talking about? Its because-"

With little warning and hesitation, she reached forward and gripped
his shirt, pulling him off of the bed and to his feet. She raised him up
to her eye-level, his feet barely touching the ground. With every word
she spoke, a low and dangerous growl leaked from her sneering lips.

"You… You need to leave. Now."

He stared at her, completely in awe of what she said. If he didn't

know better, he thought he heard her tell him to leave, but why would
she even say that? Why now? Whatever the reason, he wasn't going
to go along with it.

"Loona, you know I can't do that."

"Bullshit! The fuck you mean you can't?!" She bellowed, her nose a
mere inch from his own. He could smell the booze in her breath. Was
she drunk? It would explain her outbursts and the slurring in her
voice. He took a deep breath; he needed to defuse the situation
quickly.

"Look, Loona, you're drunk. Let's just calm down here, okay? I'm not
gonna go anywhere, I swear-"

"Why not?! You hate me, don't you?! It's my fault you're like this,
after all! Why don't you just leave?!"

This wasn't good. She was spiralling out of control, her eyes growing
more feral than ever before. An angry drunk demon hellhound wasn't
at all a good combination. However, he couldn't help but feel
responsible for this. If he would have just talked to her instead of
disappearing and hiding in his room, maybe things would be better.
Yet, even so, there wasn't any time for him to be feeling regrets.
Right now, he had to talk her down, before things got out of hand.

"Loona… I don't hate you… And I'm not going to leave. There's
nothing that will make that happen."

Silence filled the room, her head slowly lowering, as if she was
contemplating her next move. Was she finally going to relax, to listen
to reason? He only watched her, staying silent, in hopes that would
help her calm down. That's when, she said those words; words that
he didn't think he'd hear.

"… If you won't hate me… Then I'll make you hate me."

With the ultimatum given, the next action was set. The ground that
he could barely feel was now completely gone from his lower body.
His body whizzed through the air, before inevitably crashing into the
vanity. Glass covered his person, a few of the shards scratching at
his skin. His eyes grew blurred, the world around him spinning
slightly. Whether it was from the lack off food and water, or the
impact of the crash was beyond him.

"Think you can keep that tough guy shit?! Huh?!"

Before he could even compose himself, she grabbed a hold of his

collar once again and pulled him to his feet, before slamming his fist
into his nose, knocking him back down to the ground. She heaved
and panted, as if she were a wild animal. There wasn't any stopping
her; thanks to her anger, drunkenness, and sorrow, she was beyond
reasoning with. Zack stumbled to his feet, his hand holding his
bleeding nose.

"Damn it Loona… What are you doing..?"

"I told you, didn't I?"

Zack growled, his head filled by the newly labeled Demon Essence.

"Shut up, I need to think here."

"I told you that she isn't your friend. None of them are your friends.
And now here you are, getting you ass kicked by the one you're
closest too. It doesn't matter, though. All you have to do is kill her."

Zack's eyes widened. Did he seriously just tell him to kill her? Zack
wasn't having it. It was easily obvious that there was something
wrong with her. She was drunk and not in her right mind. Plus, the
last thing he was gonna do is listen to the bitch in his head. He
glared, gripping his hands tightly.

"Leave me alone! I don't need any of your shit advice!"

While he was busy mentally shouting to the voice in his head, he

quickly felt the sharp sting of a fist to the gut, leaving him winded. He
gripped his stomach, keeling over in pain. Every fiber of his body
was screaming at him to just pin her down, to keep her from hitting
him again, but he couldn't do it. He just couldn't will himself to put his
hands on her, especially with her being drunk. The only thing he
could do is power through this, to show her that he wasn't going
anywhere, no matter what was thrown at him!

As she went down to pick him up again, Blitzo and Husker were
soon at the scene, their eyes wide with shock.

"Shit, this ain't good! We're too late!" Husker huffed, as he and Blitzo
started into the room. Before they could enter, a net of shadow
tendrils blocked their path, keeping them from entering the room.
Blitzo gripped at the newly created barrier, shaking and pulling at it
hectically.

"The fuck is this shit?! Loonie, stop! You don't know what you're
doing!"

"Your words won't reach her. She's too far gone."

The two demons heads whipped to the familiar voice, glaring angrily
at the radio demon. He merely smirked, as he stepped closer to the
show before him.

"Let us in you fucker! Before I fill you full of goddamn holes!!" Blitzo
shouted, as he pulled out his trusty pistol and pointed towards him.
Alastor smirked, not even looking away from the massacre before
him.

"Come now, don't you want to watch the show? After all, this is the
only way for those two to get back to normal. A little bout should fix
everything."

Husker gripped the demon's jacket, pulling him closer to his person,
"A little bout?! That chicks gonna fuckin' kill him! You know what a
drunk demon can do! What if she-"

"If she does, then that's the end. However, I have a good feeling as
to what shall happen. Just watch, and let them fight this out." He
interrupted, his head turning back to the scene before them. Husker
and Blitzo frowned in worry, as they looked back towards the scene.
It was fruitless to even try to stop them, what with him having such a
wide range of power. They were both at the mercy of him, forced to
watch the torture session before them. They could hear blow after
blow, punch after punch, the tearing and bruising of his skin. It only
got worse with every second. Soon, she stopped, panting heavily
from the constant strikes she gave to him. Zack, however, was in
even worse shape. His legs were wobbling and his entire person
was covers and whelps and scratches, his body forcing himself to
stand. She glared daggers at him, her anger only rising.

"You still not gonna give up yet?" She seethed, her fur standing on
end. Zack couldn't take much more of this. Thanks to him being
without food for a few days, he was already weak, but this was just
adding fuel to the fire. His body ached and his heart pounded, as he
leaned against the wall, keeping himself upright. He had to think of
something, anything to calm her down.
"What are you doing?!"

His eyes widened and his face twisted into a look of anguish and
anger, as the same voice he dreaded filled his head. His eyes looked
down to one of the glass shards on the ground, spotting the
reflection of the hooded demon.

"This bitch is way too far gone! If you don't do something now, you
will die!"

"Damn it, not the time, M!"

"Don't fuck with me! I will not have you die when I'm this close to
achieving my goal! Kill her now! You know that she deserves it, for
the shit that she and her cohorts put you through! Let her know just
how much you hate her!"

Zack gripped his head, doing his best to shut out the invader's voice,
"Shut up! It's not true!"

"To hell it isn't! She's just some bitch that has done nothing but screw
with your life! Murder her, kill her! One little death won't change you,
it's just one!"

"SHUT UP!! GET LOST!! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD!! THIS
IS MY BODY, AND I'M GONNA DO WHATEVER THE FUCK I
WANT!!!"

He had enough. His voice, her attacks, everything! Nothing was

going right for him, and it was all because he was being weak. He
wasn't putting himself out there, not letting himself be confident.
Constantly, he was being thrown into situations, forced to play
another person's game. Not anymore; he was choosing for himself,
and right now, he was choosing her. With a soft growl, he pushed off
of the wall, his legs holding himself up the best he could.

"No way… I'm not gonna give up… on you…"

Her eyes widened. She had just gotten done beating him to a pulp,
rendering him to a mess of bruises, yet he still wasn't going to give
up. Her eyes softened for a split second, but soon returned to her
origin glare. Her claws slowly extended, as she trudged closer to
him. Closer and closer, she grew more bloodthirsty, her ears
pressing against her head. She didn't want to do this, but to her, she
had to.

As the situation escalated, the sounds of quick footsteps rang down

the hall, as the rest of the demonic crew found their way to the
hellish scene. Charlie looked into the room, the little bit of color in her
face draining.

"What's happening?! What's going on with those two?!"

Husker pointed a thumb towards Alastor, who didn't once look away
from the events transpiring, "Al thought it'd be a good idea to start
spewing out shit to the hellhound! Now, he's going fuckin' ballistic
and he won't let us through to stop her!"

Stolas stepped forward, his eyes glaring daggers at the instigating

radio demon. His hand gripped Alastor's shoulder and squeezing it
tightly.

"I don't know what your plan is, but I would advise you this. Let. Us.
Through." He commanded, his voice dripping with a venomous
anger. Alastor merely glanced at him, the sound of static filling the
entire hallway.

"Just watch. You'll see just what's going to happen. Trust me, this will
be exactly what the both of them need."

Stolas huffed. Was it really a good idea to trust this man? After all, if
things went too far, then there was definitely going to be a chance
that Zack would get hurt even further, or worse, killed. With a sigh,
he looked into the room, staring at the murderous hellhound, who
was slowly stepping towards the battered investor.
With a quick overhead swipe downward, Loona's claws tore into
Zack's forehead, just above his right eye. Blood poured down his
wound, blinding his eye and dripping down his cheek. He didn't
falter, not for a second. He continued to stare at her, a look of
determination peeking through his exhaustion. For her, it threw her
for a complete loop.

"… Why…?" She bit her lip, as she swiped down at him, this time
tearing threw his undershirt and piercing his chest, forcing blood to
spill out, "Why…?!" Another swipe, this one hitting the side of his
neck, "WHY?!"

She reeled her hand back, her claws dripping with the investigator's
blood. The world around them slowed, as she lunged her deadly
weapon toward his eyes. If this didn't get him, nothing would. Closer
and closer her hand gotten; she wasn't meaning to maim or injury,
she was meaning to destroy, to erase, to kill.

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST HATE ME?!"

"Loona, stop!!" Millie bellowed.

Her hand slammed against the wall, her nails piercing the drywall
before her. Her hand, mere inches away from hitting her target,
instead grazed his cheek, giving it a deep enough gash for blood to
leak. Zack's eyes wouldn't stop staring, as if he were telling her
everything he wanted, just from a stare. Her eyes softened once
again, her resolve slowly leaving her. Nothing she did was working.
He just wouldn't back down. He wouldn't even fight back. Just that
alone was tearing her up inside. Hurting him was killing her inside
enough, but this… this was just too much.

"… Please… just go…" She forced out, her head hanging low in
defeat. She leaned against him, her forehead pressing against the
wall, just above Zack. He could tell she was broken, hurting from the
events and from him shunning her for so long, "I don't… Want you
here anymore… I don't want you in hell, I don't want you near me!
Just go already, please..!"
It all started to make sense. She wasn't saying this because she
wanted to, that much he could tell. Her eyes were the clue he
needed. So there was only one reason why she'd go this far.

"Loona…" He started, startling her slightly. Before she could move

away, he wrapped his arms around her person, hugging her gently
and pressing his forehead against her chest. She was completely
shocked, awestruck even. She didn't know whether she wanted to
hug him or to slug him again. She never met anyone who'd do this,
embracing her after getting their ass beat by her. Hell, she was
confused as to why he didn't fight back. That's the only question she
had; why?

"… Why? Why… won't you hate me…? I hurt you, I took away your
chance at living a normal life. Hell, I fucking killed you! So why aren't
you angry at me?! Why are you still here?! Why won't you fight
back?!"

Silence filled the room, her screams filling the room and echoing
down the halls. That's when he spoke, letting her know his reason,
"… Why would I do any of that… to someone I love…?"

Her eyes widened and her body stiffened. Did he just say love? As
in, he loved her as a woman? That couldn't be right! Why would he
love her?! That had to be a lie! No man would love a woman who
just got done beating the shit out of them, especially after they ruined
their life! She wanted to believe it, but she just couldn't.

"That's… That's a fuckin' lie… I know that for a fact… Why would
you love me? I… I hurt you…" Her eyes went half-lidded, tears
welling in her dull eyes. She had never cried before, or at least not
for years, but right now, she couldn't help it. She was feeling nothing
but sadness and… hope? Was she actually hoping that this was the
truth? Just the thought, the very image made her swoon, but as the
situation stood, it seemed almost impossible.

"It's not. I'm being one hundred percent truthful with you. The last
thing that I want is to leave you; I never want to leave you. I… care
about you too much for that…"

Her hands trembled, her body screaming and begging for her to
embrace him. She couldn't though, she had to get him to leave, lest
he get hurt more.

"But if you stay here, there's no telling what other shit will happen to
you. What if I hurt you again…?"

He slowly placed a hand on her cheek, only answering with the best
line he could muster, "Loona, all of this, it wasn't your fault. You were
just trying to help me… And the last thing that I want, is for you to
feel guilty for something you didn't do."

Before she could make a rebuttal, her lips were graced by Zack's in
a deep and hungry kiss. Her eyes widened further, her body tensing
more. She couldn't believe this, couldn't believe what she was
hearing, what she was doing! She was acting so stupid, so
pathetic… yet she didn't have an issue with that. She truly wanted
him, just as much as he wanted her. That's when she couldn't hold in
anymore. For the first time in a long time, she started to cry. She
sobbed against his lips, as she held him close, her legs buckling
from underneath her. Zack, noticing this, let her fall to her knees,
following her as well. He rested his forehead against hers, as he
stroked her hair, comforting her.

"I-Im sorry… I'm sorry… Fucking shit, I'm sorry…" She huffed out in
between sobs. Zack, smiled softly, as he continued to hold her.

"It's okay. It's all okay… We're in this together, remember? You and I
are always gonna have one another, even when times are tough."

His words only made her cry harder, as she gripped on to his body,
holding him as close as she could. Even if her claws dug into his
skin, he didn't care. He was right where he wanted to be.

Throughout the events, they didn't even notice the audience that
they had. The group all heaved a sigh of relief, even more so when
the shadowy net dispersed. Without a second thought, Blitzo, Millie,
Moxxie, Octavia and Stolas ran into the room, all of them crouching
down to help the two. They grimaced from the sight of Zack's injured
body, a direct representation of what he went through. In a way,
however, they were grateful to him, especially Blitzo. Any other
normal human or demon would just beat the shit out of someone
who was attacking them at that level, but here he was, taking every
single blow and still keeping himself standing, all for her. It was a
harsh thing to overcome, but it was like Stolas said. Zack wasn't just
any human, he was their friend; their Zack.

"Ow, goddamn that hurts…" Zack gritted out, as Stolas, Blitzo, and
Niffty helped him with his wounds in the bathroom.

"I can see why. She really did a number on you, though knowing my
Loonie, she was doing her best to hold back." Blitzo said through a
grin. Zack, with a raised eyebrow, could not believe that. It seemed
as if she was going full throttle on him, as if she were fighting
another hellhound. Still, he had to understand that she was under
the influence, both from the booze and the shit Alastor said. With a
groan, he looked towards a nearby mirror, the reflection showing just
how badly he was ripped into.

"Geez, I look like shit… Hope this doesn't mess with my movements
and such."

Stolas giggled, as he finished applying ointment to the wound on his

cheek and bandaged it, "You'll be okay. It's just a flesh wound,
nothing serious. I must say though, you did fairly well back there. I
was starting to think that you would have fought back."

"For a second, I think I was going too, especially with… you know…"

Blitzo frowned, as he placed a bandage on Zack's shoulder, "Let me

guess, that pussy in your head, right? The demon essence?"
Zack merely nodded his head, as he closed his eyes, letting himself
relax and calm down. It was still a whole lot to swallow, but as of
now, he knew what he had to do. If that thing was able to roam free
in his head, it'd only cause him and his friends trouble. This wasn't a
moment to fail nor hesitate. The first chance he got, he was going to
take him out. Niffty, who was dabbing his knee with a alcohol soaked
cotton ball, smiled up at him.

"It's okay, Mr. Zack! I know that it'll be easy for you to beat that weird
guy in your head. That way, we don't have to worry about you
making an even bigger mess in the hotel."

Zack smiled awkwardly, "Oooh, right, sorry about that…"

The four shared a chuckle, as they finished up their patch job. Even
with Zack looking like he just got done get beat in a fight, which he
did, he was still looking much better than before. After getting all of
that off his chest with Blitzo, and handling things with Loona, it made
him feel like he was in control of his own life. Nothing could keep him
down, and nothing could make him feel better than ever. Well,
except for a warm bath…

"Ah… fuck…" Zack huffed, as he leaned back in the filled bathtub.

His arms hung off the side of it, as he closed his eyes and let his
body relax as best as possible. As he relaxed, his mind slowly
started to replay the moments that had just happened. Never in his
life did he think that he would just let himself get hurt, let alone by
someone who he proclaimed his love too. His cheeks turned a deep
shade of red. That's right, he had proclaimed his love, and in front of
everyone. Not only that, but she didn't say that she loved him back.
That's when he started to grow nervous. Did she actually like he that
way? Was she just saying that before because she had guilt about
what she did? He shook his head of those thoughts. Even if that was
the case, nothing would change. All he wanted was to see her smile,
after all. That's when he heard it; the sound of a knock to the
bathroom door pulled him from his thoughts. He blinked and
shrugged it off. It must have been Moxxie or Blitzo wanting to check
on him.

"Yeah, it open. Come on in." He called out, as he leaned back and

closed his eyes once again. The sound of the door opening invaded
his hearing, as well as the sound of footsteps. Silence filled the
bathroom, before the door closed. He huffed, before he began to
whistle to himself. It, of course, was Verosika Mayday's "Vacay To
Bonetown".

"Still got that song stuck in your head, huh?"

His eyes shot open, his body frozen in place. That voice, it was sent
electric waves down his spine and made his body feel hot. There
was only one person that could make him feel this way. His head
slowly turned to one of the most alluring, addictive, beautiful sights
that he could ever see. It was Loona, her body completely bare, with
only a towel hiding the most private spots of her body. His was left in
awe, completely speechless by the woman before him.

"L-Loona… G-Guh…" he quickly composed himself, his body sitting

back up quickly. He could instantly tell what was going on just from
her appearance. Now, the Zack before would go completely flustered
and start screaming in surprise, but this time, the Zack here and
now, wasn't going to do that, "… Y-You… wanna get it…?"

She looked surprise for a quick second, but would soon have a soft
smile on her face. She nodded her head and slipped into the tub, a
small amount of the water spilling over the edge. She sat on the
other side of the tub, her arms resting on the tub's edge. To say that
Zack was a complete jumble of nervousness and fluster would be an
understatement. The two remained silent for a bit, as they relaxed in
the warm water, before suddenly, Loona had something to say.

"… I'm sorry…" His brows raised in surprise, as he listened to her,

"For messing with you, for kicking your ass for no reason at all… and
for the blood ritual thing… I just, I truly wanted to save you after you
saved me, and… I guess I wasn't thinking… So for that, I'm sorry…"
Zack couldn't believe what he was hearing. She actually apologized,
even though a lot of what she listed she wasn't at fault for. Even so,
it made him feel as if the two were much closer than what they were
in the pass. Before, Loona wouldn't even want to hold a conversation
with him, let alone open up to him, but now, here she was, sitting in
the bath with him. If this was a Social Link level, he'd be way past
level 10. More like level 100! With a nod of his head, he smiled softly
and happily.

"It's alright, Loona. I'm not mad at you, nor was I before. I just
needed some time to myself for a bit; just to get my thoughts in
order. It doesn't change the way I feel about you, believe me."

She blushed a deep red, as she slowly looked up at him. With a soft
huff, she raised herself into her knees and leaned closer to him. Her
body glistened from the soapy water, her silver and white fur shining.
His eyes widened, as she sat herself on his lap, facing him. Her
hands rested on his shoulders, her lips now mere inches from his
ear. As of things couldn't get more intimate, her sweet, somber voice
graced his hearing, as she whispered softly.

"And by the way… I love you too…"

Before he could say anything, her lips came crashing down against
his, her tongue invading his mouth. With widened eyes, he gripped
at her waist, as her grip on his shoulders tightened. Without a single
bit of hesitation, he welcomed her kiss, her tongue instantly
dominating his own. This would only be the beginning of a long night
for the two. A long night of passion, love, and a whole lot of messes.

To Be Continued…
Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Trust yourself

The morning came with little issue, though as per usual, hell wouldn't
even feel the shining of the sun, instead being graced with the
reddish tint of light from the sky that seemingly came from nowhere.
A calmness, at first nowhere in sight, was finally present at the
happy hotel, one that everyone basked in with little hesitation. After
the events of the night before, a little reassurance was just what they
needed; reassurance that everything would be okay. As the early
morning crept up to the people of hell, Charlie was doing her usual
routine of waking everyone to take on the day. Dressed in her usual
pink and black suit, her footsteps filled the silent halls, as she
opened each and every door to give everyone their wake-up calls.
She was so ecstatic. After so long of just having the same people in
her hotel, she finally had a new group of guests in her establishment.
Of course, she did wish it was because of better circumstances, but
nonetheless, she was definitely gleeful about it. She couldn't help but
smile, as she stepped towards Loona's room, ready to help her wake
up.

With a knock on the door, she slowly reached for the doorknob and
gently opened the door, "Rise and shine Loona. Blitzo asked me to
make sure that everyone was up and ready for-"

She stopped, noticing that she wasn't even in her bed. In fact, the
room didn't even look lived in. The bed was still made and
everything. It was a strange occurrence to her, one that was very
worrying. What if she left the hotel after what happened last night?! If
that was the case, she would be in mortal danger, what with her and
the others being hunted down! She quickly closed the door and sped
down the hall. She had to tell Zack; if anyone could find a missing
person, the young investigator could! She screeched to a halt in front
of the door to his new room and quickly opened it, a slight pant to
her voice.
"Z-Zack, we have trouble! Loona is-" she stopped, her eyes widening
at the sight before her. The room was a mess, a complete mess!
Clothes were scattered about, claw marks were all over the walls,
and bedsheets littering the ground. That, however, wasn't what
shocked her. With her hands covering her mouth to keep her
silenced, she backed up slowly, her heart rate quickening and her
pale cheeks glowing a deep pink.

"O-Oooh, gosh."

Out of nowhere, Stolas came close behind her, a look of confusion

on his face, "What's wrong, Ms. Charlie? Is something the mat-"
Within seconds, he saw what was so shocking. His eyes widened,
but his beak grew a small smile, "Oh my, hoo hoo, what do we have
here?"

They only stared at the sight before them, that being the bed. In it,
not only was Zack, but Loona as well, both of them embracing each
other. Her head was laying against his chest, her arms wrapped
around his waist, whilst Zack's hands rested on her back. That,
however, wasn't the shocking part. What was shocking, was the fact
that they were both completely naked, a blanket being the only thing
covering their shame. Their soft snores filled the room; it seemed as
if they weren't awoken. They both let out a sigh of relief, before
exchanging a smile.

"That at least answers my question. Don't they look so cute?" Charlie

whispered, as they continued to watch the adorable scene.

Stolas nodded, "Of course. I was wondering when this would

happen. However, I didn't think they'd be, um, this rough with each
other."

They both nodded, noticing the many scratches on Zack's person, a

gift from the hellhound.

"Hey, what's everyone doing here? Ain't this Zack's new room?"
Angel Dust asked, as he stepped towards the pair. His eyes glanced
into the room, his lips soon curling into a snarky smirk, "Fuck yeah,
Vaggie owes me 10 bucks."

"10 bucks for what?"

The three jolted in their place, their heads whipping to the owner of
that voice. It, of course, had to Blitzo himself.

"O-Oh, Blitzy! It's nice to see you this morning. We were merely just
talking about-"

"The fact that I won 10 bucks because Zack and Loona finally
fucked." Angel dust interrupted. Blitzo merely stared, while Stolas
and Charlie face-palmed. The imp quickly peeked into the room, his
eyes widened and his hand gripping at the doorframe. The very sight
made him feel all sorts of things; things that any father would have
when it came to this. However, he still at least felt happy for the two,
seeing them both so happy and calm. A mere showing of how love
goes beyond most things. He slowly closed the door and sighed
softly, before looking towards the three onlookers.

"Alright you three, get movin'. Nothing to see here, let's let 'em sleep
for a bit."

Out of nowhere, an outburst sounding like Vaggie's voice rang from

down the hall, "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE
BATHROOM?!"

As the door silently closed, Zack and Loona's eyes opened. They
both grinned and began to laugh, their holds on each other
tightening more.

"Hehehe, now that was funny! Did Angel and Vaggie really bet on us
fucking?! That's hilarious!" Loona bellowed in between laughs. Zack
chuckled along with her, a slight blush to his cheeks.
"Yeah, and then when Blitzo came in outta nowhere and such! I
thought he was gonna go ballistic!"

As the two slowly reeled back from their laughter, they would find
themselves staring eye to eye with each other. It made them so
amazing and relaxing having each other so close. Not only that, but
the sex was really good. Talk about a rough first night.

Zack, remembering their night of passion, smiled flusteredly, "U-Um,

so, does this make us a… um… Ya know, a thing?"

Loona nodded her head, before gently pecking his lips and pinning
his wrists above his head. His eyes widened and his heartbeat
quickened, her muzzle slowly growing a menacing, hungry smirk.

"Zack, I wouldn't have said what I did if that wasn't the case~
Besides, I've always wanted someone to dominate~" she slowly
flicked her tongue against his ear, whispering into it, "But actions
speak louder than words, right~? Let me show you~"

After the long, rough, and admittedly sexy activity that the two had
partaken in, Zack finally found himself in the kitchen, preparing
breakfast for the inhabitants of the hotel. His face was a deep red
and his back and chest had fresh scratches and cuts. It was as if he
had a soft glow around his person; a little thing that most call the
after-sex glow. It was easily apparent to everyone, especially when
they all saw Zack's goofy smile and his blushing face. As he fixed up
his 30th pancake and placed it on one of the filled plates, Octavia
stepped towards him, a bit confused and worried.

"H-Hey, Big Bro? You okay? You don't seem like you're in your right
mind."

"I'm not in anyone!" Zack exclaimed, as he tensed up slightly. The

owl girl merely blinked, her hands pressed against each other and
held up to her lips.
She inhaled deeply, before answering, "What now?"

Zack quickly composed himself, as he pulled out the multiple pans of

bacon put of the oven. He placed them on the stove and divvied
them out to each plate.

"Ahem, y-yeah, I'm fine, Sis. Just in my head is all. You don't have to
worry about me, hehe."

She, along with everyone else, all stared in confusion, as he went

back to fixing everyone's breakfast. Alastor, who was watching from
his chair, merely took a sip of his tea.

"Seems to me like he has someone on his mind. Perhaps it's the

hellhound, hm?" He said, making Zack tense. He chuckled
awkwardly, his forehead growing a slight sheen of sweat.

"Th-Thats, not exactly it. I mean, yeah, kinda, but um, well… You see
it's-"

"Hey, morning fuckers."

As if like clockwork, the resident hellhound had found her way out
into the kitchen, a soft yawn leaking from her lips. She was dressed
in what could only be Zack's boxers and a tight t-shirt, one that easily
exposed her naval. As everyone expressed their greetings, the
investigator merely blushed and waved at her. Loona smirked. The
mere sight of her was enough to make his legs jelly, especially after
what had been done to him this morning. With a sway of her hips,
she walked towards the flustered male, her tongue slowly licking her
lips.

"Hey there~ Got some breakfast for me~?" She asked, her voice
dripping with sensuality. With so many people here, a little bit of
teasing was just what she wanted. To see her human squirm slightly.
He cleared his throat and nodded his head, as he handed her a filled
plate.
"Y-Yeah, I do. It's uh, eggs, toast, pancakes, and bacon. Thought I'd
make a large one, today?"

"That so~? Hmmm, mind if I make a request for something~?"

She held the plate and slowly placed a finger under his chin, pushing
her head up to stare into his eyes. He gulped nervously, a nervous
smile on his face, "G-Guh, um, sure. What're you hungry for?"

She licked her lips, growling deeply and hungrily at him. Her finger
slowly dragged down to his torso.

"One. Big. Meaty. Sausage~" she whispered, making sure to linger

on each and every word. Zack's face grew warm and his heart
swooned, as he quickly looked away in embarrassment.

"L-Loona, come on, not in front of e-everyone…"

"Aw, pity~ Maybe next time then, hm~?"

She snickered, as she walked past him, but not before giving his
rump a playful slap, pulling a soft help from him. He smiled
awkwardly, letting out a stupid-sounding smile.

"Ooooooh!"

His eyes widened, as he looked towards the onlookers, all of them

having a smug look. Zack's face grew a deep red. This was her plan
all along! She teased him in front of everyone, just so he could be
embarrassed! Clever girl.

Zack closed his eyes tightly, as he screamed out at them, "H-Hey,

don't watch, that's rude!"

"Oh come on, kid! We're just proud that you lost your virginity to the
hellhound. Nothing wrong with that." Husker teased, bringing a bottle
to his lips.
"What was sex with her like, Zack? Were you the dom or was she?"
Millie asked.

"Was it super passionate and romantic?" Charlie interjected.

"Is that why you have those fresh claw marks on you?" Vaggie
questioned.

"How long did you last?" Niffty wondered.

"How big is ya dick?" Angel Dust grilled.

"Did you use a condom?" Blitzo interrogated.

As he listened to everyone's constant and non-stop questioning,

Zack's left eyebrow began to twitch, as he kept his eyes closed, too
embarrassed to look at anyone. With red cheeks and a flustered
growl, he huffed and clasped his hands together.

"All I.M.P. employees! Meeting, now!!"

After a few more jokes, heckling, and more, the I.M.P. had found
themselves out on the front stoop of the hotel, all dressed and fed to
take on the day. Even though things were calm for the most part,
they were still in danger, and it wasn't going to end without some
hard work.

"Alright, let's address the elephant in the room," Zack slipped into his
coat and pulled out a phew pages of printer paper, all of them
holding a large amount of information, "This Kokichi Nagasaki guy; I
did some research on him during those four days I was out of it, and
I found some interesting info."

Blitzo, with a raised eyebrow, interjected, "Wait, so you were actually

doing some legwork? That's kinda hard to believe with how out of it
you were."
Zack shrugged, as he continued to read, "Kokichi Nagasaki, age 36,
male. Back in Japan in the Tokyo area, he was known for being the
leader of the Tsumugi Family. They apparently were a very
prominent group that obtained money through multiple underhanded
ways. Extortion, blackmail, murder, theft, it was all easy game for
him and his gang. However, something terrible happened to his
gang."

"What happened to them?" Millie asked, her excitement showing

through just the look in her eyes.

"Well, not much information is recorded, but a few years ago, the
entire Tsumugi family was murdered. They were all torn apart,
literally. He, however, was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he just
disappeared out of thin air," he looked up from his notes, glancing
over at Stolas, "Any idea on how that could've happened?"

Stolas sat in silence, as he tapped his knee in thought, "Hm…

Perhaps there's one thing… And it may also explain the reason why
those other people were found dead."

That instantly got his attention. Two clues at once was a rare feat at
times.

"Well, don't leave me hanging. What do you think?"

"Well, if he has the same power ad you, then that means that he has
to have demon blood within him. Taking that into consideration, this
Kokichi individual may be someone who has absorb the demon
essence within them." He looked up from the ground, a serious look
in his eyes, "When a human is in the process of battling the demon
essence within, their bodies go into a complete frenzy. Think of it as
a possession. They lose their ability to control their bodies and lash
out at everything. More times than not, it leads to a few injuries, if not
deaths."

Zack, along with the others, swallowed hard. If that was the case,
then Zack would have to do whatever he could to keep himself from
doing anything stupid whilst he dealt with his little problem. Taking a
deep breath, he began to write a note of that on the pages he held.

"Alright, but how does that explain how he got into hell? I mean, he's
basically human, so why would he be here, and how?"

Stolas closed his eyes, huffing softly, "It's another one of the
downsides of taking part of the Blood Ritual. If you're someone who
has the ability and power to absorb the demon essence… you will be
pulled into the world of hell, regardless if you're alive or not."

Zack silently nodded his head. It did make sense from what he was
saying. However, there was one thing he needed to figure out. What
about the man who was tortured? Was there a reason? After all, why
kill someone like that if there wasn't a liable reason? Could it have
been just for kicks? Or maybe because he was a traitor. That's when
he remembered; the USB dongle! There had to have been
something on there, but he still couldn't figure out the password…
Unless…

He snapped his fingers and stood to his feet, a smirk on his face,
"Guys, we gotta get to Loona's place! That USB stick should give us
all the information we need, and I think I just figured out the
password!"

The demons all stared in awe. They must have completely forgotten
about that, what with all that had happened before.

"Do you actually think that could be of any assistance?" Octavia

asked, her eyes wide with intrigue. He nodded, as he stood to his
feet and stepped down the stoop.

"Yup! I've got to get that dongle, before Kokichi's cronies burst
through that door," he pointed to Moxxie, a smirk on his face, "Mox,
you're with me! The rest of you stay here and see if you can find any
more information on the Tsumugi family. Stolas, you, along with
Alastor, need to get everything prepared for when I get back."
As he and Moxxie went to leave, Stolas stood to his feet, "Prepared
for what?"

"For when I beat the shit out of the fucker who's in my head."

After obtaining a few disguises for the two, courtesy of Husker and
Angel Dust, Zack and Moxxie were finally on the train to Imp City, in
order to obtain the quest item that they needed. Decked out in a pair
of sunglasses, a trenchcoat, and a pair of black slacks, Zack sat next
to Moxxie, who was wearing a grey hoodie and a pair of grey
sweatpants. Luckily, the train didn't take long to start on its journey to
its destination, something they were both thankful for.

"Glad we made it at a good time. I'm fairly certain that there aren't
any cameras on the train, so I'd say we should be okay to relax."
Zack said, as he removed his sunglass and slipped them into his
coats. Moxxie nodded, as he slipped off his hood.

"That's good. The whole crap about dealing with those stupid
cameras always makes me feel nervous."

Zack scoffed, "Nervous is an understatement. It won't be long till we

nail this guy's ass though. We're close, I can feel it."

"I wouldn't say that near Blitzo. He'd make that into a sexual joke."
Moxxie warned jokingly, his face holding an awkward smile. Zack
couldn't help but laugh at his joke, even though it was technically
true. That, however, did bring a question to mind, something he had
been wondering about.

"Hey, I've got a question. You seem to take a lot of shit from Blitzo.
Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Moxxie shrug, a soft sigh escaping his lips, "Sometimes… but it's not
all bad, thanks to Millie. She's usually the one who calms me down
and such. Honestly, I owe a lot to her."
"You really love her, don't you?" Zack said, a soft smile on his face.
Moxxie smiled back, his tail swaying from the thought of her beloved.

"Of course I do! I wouldn't have married her if I didn't. I don't think I'd
ever be happy without her. So beautiful, so amazing, so sexy when
she wants to be. She's the perfect package."

Zack couldn't help but feel happy along with him. The way he talked
highly of made his happiness contagious. Not only that, but he also
had a very similar type of love. This one, however, was with a certain
hellhound. He then tapped his chin, asking another question.

"Hey, be honest with me, she pegs you, right?"

Moxxie almost fell out of his seat, as he whipped his head back to
look at him, his face a deep red, "No! Um… Well… maybe once."

"Hehe, called it." Zack said, nodded his head with a smug look on his
face. He figured as much, judging from the two's dynamic. However,
that made him wonder if Loona was also into that. It brought a deep
blush to his face. If she was, he'd be in for a wild ride.

As soon as the train had made it to its destination, the two quickly
made their way to Loona's house, keeping themselves discreet and
unnoticeable. Imp City was still its normal self, as if nothing was
wrong. If only they knew about what was built down below the
ground. Within a few minutes, they made their way to Loona's
apartment and headed up the stairs. The state of the door was a
direct representation of what had went down here.

"Looks like they were here at some point. I just hope they weren't
able to find it." Zack mumbled, as the two stepped over the broken
door. The inside was just as bad as the door. The couch was turned
over, a whole bunch of plates and glasses were shattered and
littering the ground, and the tv was pushed off the entertainment
system. Moxxie grimaced at the sight.
"Oh crumbs… And I thought she was unclean before. This is just
awful."

With a shrug, Zack stepped over the trash and towards the couch.
With a knife clutched in his hand, he pushed it into the bottom of it
and tore off the material. To his luck, it was still there, sewed tightly
to the material of the underside of the couch.

"Got it. Looks like they weren't as smart as they thought." clutching
the USB stick in his hand, he stood to his feet, grinning happily, "Now
then, last but not least, let's look around the place. Maybe we could
find some clues that they left behind."

With a confident nod, Moxxie quickly got to work and started to

search the small kitchen. Zack, noticing an open door stepped
towards it, his hands slipping into his pockets. As he stepped into the
room, his eyes began to locate and observe everything into it. There
was a small queen-sized bed, a dresser, closet, full-sized mirror, and
a small trash bin. It must have been Loona's room. He felt off looking
into her most private of places that she could have, but it was for the
investigation, after all. It seemed to have also been turned over, but
not too much. He looked towards the closet, a small bag poking out
of it. With a raised eyebrow, he walked towards it and picked it up
quizzically. It looked to be a blood transfusion blood pack, and it
looked to be opened and reclosed at one point. His eyes softened,
as he slowly understood what this was. It was the tool she used to
save him from death.

"That must be why she said not to enter her room…" he mumbled
silently, his eyes catching the glimpse of a few used bandages, most
likely used to stop the bleeding in her arm and his side. Zack
touched his healed bullet wound, the very thing that he took for his
newly acquired lover. It brought a melancholic smile to his face, but
merely to hide his anxiety of what was to come. If he was going to
take out this demon essence within him, he'd be putting the others in
danger, if what Stolas said was true. Not only that, but he still didn't
know what would happen to him and his mind if he did absorb the
demon's essence. What if he lost his mind? What if someone got
hurt? What if he wasn't himself anymore? It only made Zack more
worried, bringing back memories from his past. He worried if he
would be the reason why his new family would die, leaving him alone
again. He'd kill himself before he'd feel that for a second time.

"You alright?"

Zack jumped slightly in surprise, before looking towards the door,

spotting Moxxie, "O-Oh, Mox, hey. Um, yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit
nervous."

"Is about the demon in your head?" he asked, as he walked closer to

him. Zack, choosing to be truthful, nodded his head.

"… I'm just worried that I may hurt you guys… Like, what's gonna
happen if I do win and absorb the demon? Will I be the same, or will
I go murderous? It's just a worry I have, that's all."

Silently, Moxxie placed his hand on Zack's shoulder, a smile on his

face. It was strange, but Zack almost grateful to him. He was being
as kind and as helpful as possible, even though he's usually the butt
of the joke a lot of the time. He was almost the straight man in the
group, but not as annoying or unwanted. He was important, more
than anyone knew.

"Zack, we trust that you'll make a good decision, even when things
go bad, but it won't matter if you don't trust yourself. In a way, you're
someone who really brings back my original way of thinking," he
smiled, as he grinned chuckled softly, "Being selective on who we
should kill. After all, you're not someone who deserves something
like that to happen. Though if I'm being honest, I'm kinda glad it did.
We wouldn't have had met otherwise."

Zack smiled at him, his heart swelling with pride and gratitude. He
felt so close to his co-workers, his family, that it made him feel more
and more at ease. However, it did make him think. He didn't want to
reject his humanity, nor did he want to die to the dick that was trying
to take over his body. Maybe there was another way, one that
wouldn't hurt him or anybody else. With a nod of his head, he grew a
determined smile. If he couldn't absorb it, nor submit to it, then there
was only one thing to do. He had to completely destroy it.

"Are you sure this will hold?" Zack asked, as he fidgetted on the bed
under him, his body completely wrapped by chains, ropes, and even
a few extension cords. Alastor grinned, his hand patting the top of
Zack's head.

"Of course it will, and don't worry! If anything seems to be going

astray, I'll merely weigh you down with my powers. You have nothing
to fear, my fine factful fellow!" he assured, as he stepped back,
letting Stolas step to Zack's bedside.

"All you have to do is close your eyes and visualize the demon within
you. As soon as you do, your self-conscious will be locked within
your mind. Remember, you have to defeat this demon within you. If
not, your soul will be consumed, and you will cease to exist."

Zack nodded his head, his face holding a look of determination and
courage, "I know. Don't worry, I know what to do."

Stolas smiled at him, before Loona walked into the room behind him.
With a worried smile, she gently placed her hand on his cheek,
caressing it. She felt such concern for the young male. With him
doing this, there was a chance that he would either die or have his
mind and heart rewritten. She didn't want a different Zack, nor did
she want him to die. She was happy with her investigator, and she'd
be damned if she lost him. Zack nodded at her in assurance, as he
leaned his head against her soft hand.

"Wish me luck Loona. I'll be back, the same as always."

She nodded her head, before gently pecking his lips, "I know you
will. Just, make sure you come back alive, alright? I don't wanna be
fucking so dumbass, pussy demon."
He chuckled softly, as she stepped back, giving him some space.
With a deep, shaky breath, he closed his eyes and did his best to
relax, his mind visualizing the creature within his body. It was quiet
around the room, as everyone watched him attentively. Within
seconds, Zack's body began to glow a dark red. It was now only a
matter of time, and whether or not Zack was going to survive this. Of
course, everyone was hoping he would.

Zack's eyes fluttered open, his sight graced with the view of the
pitch-black, fog-filled area he'd grown accustomed to. He huffed, as
he looked around for his target, his hands slipped into his pocket.

"So here we are again. With any luck, this will be the last time," with
an inhale, he bellowed out loudly, "Hello?! M, asshole! You gonna
come out?! If you're jerking it, nows the time to put it away!"

"It would seem you've returned again."

Zack glared, as he turned to look behind him. There he was, sitting

on the ground, his back turned to him.

"Of course I have. Ain't I supposed to kick your ass and absorb your
essence, lest you take over my body?"

Silence filled the room, as the hooded man stood to his feet. The air
around them only grew tenser and tenser. Zack knew him saying that
was just challenging the strange creature, but maybe that was what
he wanted.

"I see. So you mean to stop me, is that it? I guess I should have
figured that you would figure it all out, especially with how intelligent
you are. However, it won't save you."

He slowly pulled the hood off of his head, his body turning to face the
investigator. Imagine his surprise and confusion, when he was
graced with the sight of not an evil-looking, demonic creature, but the
face of Loona! The only difference was her eyes. They were pitch-
black, with a blood red pupil in the center of them. Zack gasped, his
body on complete guard. To say he was awestruck wouldn't even
scratch the surface.

"Well, that's your face, huh? I should be surprised, but it kinda

makes sense, what with Loona's blood being the one that's in me."

M silently smirked, as he pulled off his cloak off of his person,

exposing his undeveloped body. His chest was open, exposing the
slowly growing organs within them, and his furred body had multiple
holes in his legs and arms, exposing bits of his bones and muscle. It
was as if he was slowly growing his body from the inside out.

"Hmhmhm, you know, a few more days, and I believe I would have
been able to completely take over you with little effort, but you just
had to listen to those friends of yours. You had to grow a fuckin'
spine and become more confident in your own choices. Honestly, it
makes me so goddamn pissed. You chose to listen to the very same
people who tried to kill you, falling for their bullshit," he chuckled
lowly, his face twisting to an angry snarly, "And here you are,
challenging me to a fight, all for them. Don't you see how stupid that
is?"

Zack merely stared, as he raised an eyebrow. He could feel the

stupidity in his words. If he was actually someone who could
understand demons, maybe he would be seeing otherwise, but that
was just it. He was a demon himself, and most demons only saw
others as enemies. Not many had friends or family, and M was a
prime example of that.

"If me fighting for my family is something that only a fool will do, then
I'll be the biggest fool in hell. Not just for my friends, but just to spite
you as well."

"Hehe, so you wanna be like that, huh? I'm. so. FLATTERED !" M
screamed, his face turning more demonic, his mouth opening wide to
the point of his muscle ripping and tearing apart. His smile grew
menacing and his presence became heavy, forcing Zack to brace
himself from the wind-like force he felt, " You think you're so damn
cool, but it's all bullshit!! Get real, you little shit! Your 'family' is
so fuckin' stupid, thinking that you can do anything! Can't you
see they're using you!? There's no one you can turn to in hell,
not even in the living world! Especially for a dick like you!! Your
own father betrayed your trust, you were left alone for years,
treated like shit for years, and now here you are, risking your
life for the one who fucked your life over! You are nothing! Your
life means nothing! Let me use your body, bring you to the
fucking top of the game! It's the only way you'll- "

Zack groaned loudly, his face holding an annoyed and unamused

look, "Yaaawwwwwnnnn! Stop monologuing! This isn't some
Kingdom Hearts boss battle, as cool as that would be. Just get it
through your thick skull," kicking off the ground, Zack suddenly
launched himself towards the Loona lookalike, his fist slamming
against its temple and launching him forward, "I'm not gonna
abandon any of them! So shut the fuck up and get ready to die!"

"Damn it, keep him steady!!" Blitzo shouted, as he did his best to
keep Zack held down. The moment that he made the first punch, the
human investigator instantly began to spaz out, his eyes turning an
obsidian black. He was almost like a feral creature, snarling and
drooling all over the place, as he strained his bounds harshly.
Alastor, who was doing his best to keep him still with his telekinesis,
was even having a hard time as well.

"Nngh, this is rather intriguing! Who knew that he could be this much
of a problem?!"

The ropes slowly began to sever and tear, as the two did everything
they could to keep him still and calm. Of course, nothing worked. He
was way too far gone, too deep in the battle that his mind was in a
complete frenzy. The only thing they could do was hope that he
would go back to normal soon.
"Who knew this would be this much of a problem?!" Zack mentally
shouted, as he dodged and blocked the M's attacks as best as he
could. His blows felt as if a grenade was going off at point-blank
range, sending waves upon waves off throbbing pain throughout his
arms and hands. It was definitely a sure testament to how different
the two were, but that couldn't stop him. He had to keep fighting, no
matter what pain he was feeling. With heavy force and quick speed,
M swung his clawed fist towards Zack, but with quick thinking and
reflexes, he dodge rolled towards his right, before giving M a quick
sweep to his legs, forcing him to the ground. Taking this opportunity,
he leaped on top of him and swung at his face rapidly. Blood
splattered on to the ground, a combination of M's from his face, but
Zack's as well, from the cuts he received from slamming his knuckles
against his jaw and temple. Over and over again, the sounds echoed
throughout the barren battle ground, before suddenly he stopped.

"What the hell…"

M's body was slowly beginning to morph and change, his skin
bubbling like a pot of water over a stove. A hellish laugh echoed
throughout the battlefield, sending shivers down Zack's spine. He
quickly jumped off of the downed demon's person and readied
himself for what was to come, though he knew it wouldn't be
anything good.

" So, you're actually not kidding around, are you? Well, then
how's about I show you what I can really do? " M growled out, his
body turning a deep black. He slowly rose off of the ground and into
the air, as a dark black mist circled around his person. With a smirk,
the ebony mist cocooned around him, leaving Zack in a state of
shock and confusion.

"Well… that doesn't look too good…" he mumbled, his eyes locking
on to the abnormal organism before him. That's when, suddenly, the
dark black orb began to crack and shatter, as if it were an egg being
broken out of. The investigator quickly backed up, his eyes widening
with intrigue and a slight hint of anxiety. Whatever this was, it was
big. Within a matter of seconds, the top of the black orb shattered
into pieces, exposing the creature before him. It was a large, pitch
black snake, it's eyes a dark crimson. It hissed out loudly and bit into
the left side of the cocoon, tearing off another piece. It continued
over and over and over, shattering it like a bird trying to tear open it's
eggshell prison, before finally, it completely shattered. Bits and
pieces of the ebony colored shell scattered across the ground, as
Zack stared at his opponent. He couldn't believe what he was
seeing. Before him, was an enormous demon dog, it's tail being the
ebony snake. On it's back we're a pair of giant, blood-red wings, it's
fur a mixture of white, grey, and black.

Zack's body froze in place, as he stared up at the monstrous demon

before him, it's voice bellowing throughout the misty battleground, "
Allow me to formally introduce myself!! I am Marchosias!! This
body, your soul, is mine!! "

Flames spewed and spilled from demon, now known as Marchosias,

as he spoke out with a higher-than-thou tone. Zack merely stood
with determination and courage. If he was showing his true form,
then that meant it was definitely afraid. After all, why go this far if you
are so strong that you can take any old human down? If anything,
this was just a sign that he was on the final phase of this boss battle.

"No, you've just been renting out this body, pal, and as it stands,
you've been a shit tenant! It's about time you get fuckin' evicted!"

With a mighty roar, Marchosias raised it's paw into the air, ready to
slam it harshly down against Zack's body. Luckily, with quick
movements and reflexes, he jumped out of the way of the strike,
rolling to his feet. Just by looking at him, he knew that fighting him
head-on would be a death sentence; he'd have to fight on the run.
He began to quickly sprint around the large creature, his eyes
quickly scanning his target.

" Pretty big guy, I'd say. Better not get hit head on. If I keep moving, I
should be able to find an opening, but how do I fight him without a
weapon?!"
Just as he was mentally thinking to himself, he could feel the
sensation of a growing heat at his back. Without even turning to look
back, he quickly dodge rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a
gigantic orb of fire. It crashed to the ground, leaving crackling flames
on the ground, leaving Zack speechless.

"Well damn, okay then!" Zack shouted, as he sprung backwards off

the ground, avoiding another attack from the demon's snake tail.
This wasn't going to be the only attack it would partake in. With
every step backwards Zack took, the snake would lash out at him to
sink it's deadly fangs into him. With how things were going, he
wouldn't be able to dodge much longer. He needed some way to
defend himself; going about it with only his bare hands wouldn't get
him nowhere fast. He just needed anything, something that he could
use to bite him back! Hold on, bite him back? Zack's eyes widened,
his mind instantly gaining a lightbulb moment. If it worked, then he
would solve his weapon problem, though it would sting quite a bit.

" Okay, this should work. I mean, if it did for ol' Potter, than it will for
me too!"

As the black snack opened it's giant jaws and lunged towards him,
Zack held his ground and took half a step backwards, just enough for
it's upped jaw to graze him. With an outstretched arm, he slammed it
up into the serpent's mouth, his other arm holding it's mouth open,
while his right foot stepped on it's lower jaw. He winced and gritted
his teeth. He could feel the sharp and deadly fangs of the demon
snake pierce and tear into his flesh, but this was just what he
needed. His plan was taken into full effect! With a loud growl, he
pulled his arm back as far as he could. The sound of tearing flesh
and gums filled his ears, as he felt the fangs come loose with each
pull he made. Within seconds, one of the fangs were yanked out
entirely; just what he needed. Using his left hand, he reached
forward and grabbed the dislodged fang. It was the perfect size, as if
it were a short sword, and thin enough to have the same weight of a
dagger.

"Perfect, this should deal with you!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Zack slammed the fang into the
serpent's upper mouth, the tip of it piercing and exiting out of it's
head. Blood sprayed about, coating the investigator and the monster
in its own fluids. With a loud hiss and cry, it feel to the ground,
completely limp and void of any life. Zack smirked, as he pulled the
other fang out with ease and removed it from his arm. A slight injury,
but nothing too serious. He looked towards Marchosias, who was
reeling back in pain. It seemed like it did some damage to him as
well. Zack wiped the serpent's blood off of his cheek, as he held his
weapons in his hands. Now that he had evened the playing field,
things wouldn't be too difficult. From here, it was all a matter of who
made the final strike.

Back at the hotel, things were getting worse than ever before. The
multitude of chains, ropes, and cords had all been completely
obliterated, the only thing keeping the bloodthirsty investigator down
being Alastor and his telekinesis. He, however, wouldn't last much
longer. Not only that, but he even needed the I.M.P. employees to
help hold him down. It was hectic, disorderly!

"Damn it, how long is he gonna take?!" Octavia shouted, as she kept
a tight hold on Zack's left leg. Stolas, who was keeping a hold of his
left arm, answered her.

"If he's this far gone into a frenzy, it means he's close to the end! We
just have to hold on a little bit longer!"

Blitzo growled, as he kept Zack's left arm down to the bed, "I.M.P.,
keep him down! We're making sure Zack's coming back to all of us,
got it?!"

Moxxie and Millie, who was gripping Zacks right leg, nodded their
heads and exclaimed, "Yes sir!"

Loona was doing her best as well, her hands pressing against his
shoulders to keep his back down to against the bed. Her face held a
look worry and anxiety. She could only watch at the sight before her;
at the man who she cared for most in pure pain and agony. She bit
her lip, doing her best to keep herself as calm as possible. She had
to believe in him, just like he believed in her.

"Come on Zack. You can do this."

Zack panted heavily, as he picked himself off of the ground. His body
was battered and bleeding, but his courage and determination was
unwavering. Marchosias, however, was also struggling to stand.
Though he was larger, he was much slower, allowing for Zack to get
some good counter attacks in. His wings were completely severed
and laying on the ground, a courtesy of the fangs and Zack's
immense strength. With a smirk, Zack brushed the blood off of his
right cheek, as he held his only fang tightly in his hand. This was it;
the final round! It was time to see who was really the strongest!

"Let's go, Marchosi-ass! Let's end this!"

" You will regret interfering with me! I am the true self of your
power! You will see just how useless you really are!! "

With one final lunge forward, he began to sprint towards the battered
creature. Marchosias, taking this opportunity, charged towards him
as well, his footsteps shaking the very ground they stepped on.
Closer and closer, the two got, ready to throw out their final blow.
Suddenly, the demon dog's mouth glowed a deep red, until a large
ball of flam and ember shot from out of his maw. It was a hotter than
anything Zack had felt before, but to him, it wouldn't be a problem.
Clutching the makeshift short sword in his hand, he kicked off the
ground and with all of his might, brought his weapon down on to the
orb of ember. In a shocking turn of events, it split into two with little
effort, however, Zack had got himself into a tricky spot. With him in
this position, it'd take too long for him to get his footing and continue
his pursuit of the enormous demon. Marchosias only saw this as a
sign of sheer victory.
" Not bad, human, but it's still only spelled your demise! Enjoy
your final moments while I- "

Zack growled in annoyance, as he released his weapon and flicked

upwards, catching it in his mouth. Before he could hit the ground, he
caught himself on his hands and sprung himself upwards, narrowly
dodging the dog's jaws. Now it was him who was caught in a trap.

"What the hell did I tell you about monologuing!? Just shut the fuck
up already!"

Before Marchosias could recompose himself, Zack gripped the fang

tightly, with a quick spin to build momentum, he launched the fang
into the demon's eye. It pierced him with a bullseye shot, causing
blood to spray from it's damaged eyeball. It screamed out in sheer
agony, but that wouldn't be the end of it. Using what little momentum
he had left, Zack flipped within the air, before delivering a harsh and
bone crushing axe-kick to his head. He slammed down to the
ground, the ground trembling from the impact. Zack landed on the
creatures snout, an angry and almost demonic glare in his eyes.

"Let me show you just how strong I really am!"

With gritted teeth and a demonic gleam in his eyes, he reeled his fist
back and slammed it against the demon's forehead. He could feel
the cracking in his skull, but he didn't stop there. He pulled back his
other hand for another power attack, slamming it against the same
spot. Again and again, he threw his fists into Marchosias's forehead,
the feeling of his already crushed skull turning into nothing but a
mush. He wouldn't stop though, not until he was dead, eviscerated
even. His hands soon began to pierce it's head and enter his
crushed skull, blood spraying everywhere and covering every inch of
his body. That's when he felt it. The brain matter within the
massacred demon squished, tore, and crushed from his blows, a
clear sign of its defeat. Zack panted heavily, as he pulled his blood
soaked hands from out of skull of his foe, as he stepped off of it's
carcass.
"I think this is where I'm supposed to say, Fatality." He mumbled, as
he wiped the blood from his face as best as he could, taking the time
to catch his breath. It was insane, almost unreal to him. He had
actually won. He beat whatever was inside of him, but it also raised
some questions. What made him choose the name Marchosias?
Was that his real name from the beginning, or perhaps a name he
came up with. Zack shrugged; it was a useless question to think
about, in the end. He was dead now, and that's all that mattered.
Now all that was left was to find whatever the demon essence was.

"Okay, what now? Do I just sit here?"

As if like clockwork, the carcass of his foe soon started to turn to a

glowing dust, before it began to collide into a small object. Zack's
eyes widened, as he watched the particles compact into a small,
shimmering orb with a strange tail on the top of it. At first glance, it
looked like an upsidedown ghost. It slowly floated to him, to which
Zack instinctively held his hand up for it to land on it.

"This has to be it. The demon essence."

He stared at it for what seemed to be hours. This was the moment

he had to make a decision. Would he consume it? If he did, what
would happen? He knew he'd gain more power, but would it be worth
putting his friends in danger for? He quickly shook his head. There
was no point in even contemplating it. Thanks to Moxxie, he felt
more courageous than ever before. It was time for him to finally put
his money where his mouth was.

"As much as I'd love to have a snack right now, I don't think it's worth
hurting my friends over. Plus, I've been able to survive with the
power I have now, thanks to them. I don't need power, when I've got
them," he slowly wrapped his fingers around glowing orb, his fingers
digging into it, "So long, demon essence. It was fun."

With a final squeeze, his fingers pushed into the glass-like orb,
shattering it to pieces in his grasp. He could feel the pieces turn to
dust in his palm, but that wouldn't be all it would do. Without any
warning, the shards in his closed fist began to glow a harsh, blinding
light, catching him off guard. He merely stared, as he closed his
eyes. Whatever was going to happen, he would embrace it with open
arms. After all, this was his decision, and he was going to take
responsibility for it.

Zack's eyes quickly shot open, as he gasped out for air. He could
feel his arms, legs, and upper body were being held and weighted
down harshly, which instantly put him into a state of shock.

"Wait, hold on, Alastor! Cut the teleka-whatever shit!"

Zack instantly started to calm down, his ears catching the sound of
Blitzo's voice. A bit of the weight on his body dispersed, allowing him
to sit up on the bed he was first on. With his right hand, he rubbed
his face, hoping that would help his eyes adjust to the light around
him.

His ears would soon be graced by Loona's voice, "Zack, are you
okay? Are you still you?"

His eyes began to lose their blurriness, allowing him to see the room
he was in. It surprised him that he saw the many bounds on the floor,
in pieces mind you, but it was soon washed over with a calm
thankfulness, as he soon started to see his friends gathered around
him, each holding ba worried look on their faces.

With he deep breath and a smile, he answered, "I'd say I am. Never
felt better, to be honest."

They all smiled, before Blitzo wrapped him and the rest of his
employees in a tight hug. This time, however, everyone would join in
on it, holding on to their investigator. Zack huffed softly in relief, as
he held them all as close as possible, before feeling the added
embraces of Octavia and Stolas. Seemed to be that he was right
where he wanted to be. He won, all thanks to them.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Moxxie asked, as he helped the
fire in the fireplace burn hotter and heavier. Zack nodded, as he
stepped closer to it, his hand gently patting Moxxie's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Right now, this is to make sure nothing like this
happens again."

With the Blood Ritual book in hand, he stared at the cover intensely.
This was the cause of so many people's pain, deaths, and suffering.
As it stood, there was no good reason to keep it, nor let it fall into the
wrong hands. This was the only way that he could protect not only
his family, but everyone else in hell and in the living world.

"So long book. You helped me a bunch, but you're too dangerous to
keep around."

And with that, he tossed it into the flames, watching as the hot
embers tore and burned the book at a slow, but constant pace. As he
watched, he couldn't help but find it funny. A book that had so much
potential and so much power in it just had to be used for the wrong
reasons. It was as if no matter what reason a person could use it for,
it would always have some sort of down-side. Whether it be for them,
or their families and friends, it would always tear something apart in
it's wake. This time, however, it wouldn't take any victims, not a one.
He was lucky and grateful for that, but right now, there was still one
more person the book had messed with; Kokichi Nagasaki. Zack
slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the USB stick. This
would answer their questions, he could feel it. Then, he could end all
of this. The endgame was drawing closer, and there was no way he
was gonna lose.

To Be Continued…
Chapter 21
Chapter 21: What We Call A Trap-Fecta!

Another problem was finally checked off the list. With Zack's body
completely his own, and the demon essence now ceasing to exist,
he could finally rest a little bit easy. There was now nothing that
could stop him from completing his mission, and it was all thanks to
the multitude of people that had helped him get this far. Now all that
was left was to find Kokichi and take him down, once and for all. As
Zack and his companions sat in the lounge area, the investigator
was tapping away at the newly acquired laptop, courtesy of the
hotel's own Charlie Magne. She, of course, didn't mind lending them
her equipment, but did make sure to remind them not to search up
any porn. Perhaps Angel had pulled a prank on her at one point with
the punchline being something along those lines. Of course, Zack
didn't exactly have to worry about that, considering that he only had
one thing on his mind; the USB stick. It was the one thing that would
constantly gnaw at his mind, which he would try to ignore until he
had the right clue. Now, however, he was well endowed with
knowledge and info that he would have no problem cracking the
password into pieces.

With a soft sigh and a stretch of his limbs, he slipped the USB stick
into the port on the side of the PC and clicked on the icon. As
expected, the password pop-up window appeared.

"So here we are again. Looks like we weren't lucky enough for the
whole password shit to be a fluke, huh?" Loona mumbled, as she
took a seat next to him. Zack chuckled, as he began to type into the
text box.

"So it seems, but this time, we don't need luck."

As soon as he finished typing in the potential password, he clicked

the enter button with confidence. The I.M.P. employees all held their
breath in anticipation, each of them hoping that whatever he typed
would allow them entry. A second passed, then another, before
finally, the window closed, before being replaced with the file app.
Zack smirked, while the others merely stared in awe.

"It worked! Finally, we're getting somewhere!" Blitzo cheered, as he

threw his fist in the air with gusto.

With a raised eyebrow, Moxxie looked towards the computer screen

in intrigue, "So, what was the password, anyway?"

"The one thing that yakuza also hold dear is their family. Thus, the
best password he could possibly choose is the very family he was
with at the beginning. That being, Tsumugi." Zack answered, as he
began to look throughout the USB stick's internal files, his eyes
glancing and reading each and every file name within seconds. Each
one was interesting in their own right, though not what he was
looking for. Most of them were merely more emails sent to specific
people, most likely backers on his behalf. It wasn't until he got to the
last file that his curiosity was piqued. It was a normal file link, one
that had the name "Meeting Dates" on it.

"Hm? What do we have here? This could be useful." he mumbled, as

he double-clicked on the link. In an instant, the internet browser app
was engaged and opened the file for the group's viewing pleasure. It
was organized rather well, making it easy to understand. In the file
was a normal table, one with two columns, that stretched down a few
pages. In the right column were dates and times, whilst the left
column had names, each one different from the last. Seemed to be
meeting times; go figure, for a file literally named "Meeting Dates".
Zack rubbed his chin in thought. Why have all of your dates and
times when you'll be out in the open laid out for anyone to catch a
hold of? Not only that, but that raised another question. The man that
was tortured had the very same USB stick they now possessed. With
that in mind, why would he go to the trouble of hiding it in such a
discreet way.? Was it really worth dying over, just to make money? It
didn't make any sense, unless… Zack's eyes lit up, the realization
hitting him like a ton of bricks. It was so simple, yet it made so much
sense at the same time!

"That guy was working for someone else…" he mumbled, catching

everyone off guard.

Octavia, reeling back from the confusion, was the first to press him
for elaboration, "Um, I'm not following. Who was working for
someone else?"

"The guy who was tortured! It makes sense! He was going to get the
USB dongle to the one he was working for! Now who that person
could be, I'm not sure yet. For now, one thing at a time, though. Let's
see if we can get a good idea of when this Kokichi guy will be out in
the streets again."

Zack's finger slowly dragged down the mousepad, allowing him to

scroll down the multitude of pages. Soon, he would make it to the
very end of the document, and to his surprise, it would show the one
date he didn't expect to see.

"December 22nd, at 8:35 PM. Destination: The Pentagram,

Cathedral of Satan…" Moxxie read aloud. As clear as day, that was
what was written. That soon would shock everyone. Not only was
that today, but they were also only 5 hours from the meeting time. If
they were gonna catch him, this would be the chance to do it. With a
cocky smirk, Blitzo sprung off of the couch and punched his fist with
gusto. Just by looking at him, you could see just how pumped he
was.

"Hell fuckin' yeah! Now we've actually got an idea of where he is and
when we're gonna run into him! This should make this easy for us!"

Millie nodded her head, her hands clenched with excitement, "Finally
this adventure will be over! It was fun, of course, but I think we've
had enough events and such to fill up a whole season's worth of a
show."
The group all nodded their heads in agreement. It had been a wild
ride, one that had pushed their limits and their mental prowess, but
soon, it would all be coming to an end. All that was needed was for
Blitzo to finally put a bullet in the head of the head huncho that
started this whole fiasco. Afterwords, it'd be back to taking clients
and making cash. With a turn on his heel, he looked towards his
employees, his face showing just how ecstatic he was about this.

"Alright everyone, let's get to work! First, we come up with a plan,

and then we get shooting! First, I say we-"

"Hold on for a sec!" The demon's heads whipped to the human

investigator, who had just looked away from the computer screen, a
smile adorning his face. "Why don't we make a plan over at Imp
City? I saw this cool cafe when Moxxie and I were heading to
Loona's place. A change of scenery may do us some good."

Blitzo stared for a good moment, his mind processing and thinking
about the idea. It seemed like an alright thing to do, plus, in a way, it
would be a celebration of this entire song and dance being done and
over with. With a grin and a shrug, he nodded his head and adjusted
his coat.

"Yeah, why not? It seems like it'd be pretty fun. Come on guys, to the
cafe!" and with that, the crew stood to their feet and headed off
towards the door, each of them holding a relieved and gleeful
expression. If no one knew better, they would just assume that today
was an average day, one that would make anyone smile.
Unfortunately, it wasn't. Things weren't all smiles and rainbows, at
least not yet.

The loud sound of slurping could be heard, as Blitzo chugged down

an iced coffee, whilst everyone slightly cringed from the obnoxious
equivalent of nails to a chalkboard. Well, except for Stolas, who was
daydreaming that something else was being slurped up. All of them
were chatting and relaxing in their seats, even Octavia, who was a
bit closed-off from people, was exchanging conversation topics and
conversing with Loona, who was drinking her usual choice of cold
Bubble Tea. Zack, on the other hand, was silent and in his thoughts.
Something was off about the whole situation, something he knew for
a fact.

"That document; something isn't right. Why was it created in the first
place? Not only that, but the last date, being today, was so far apart
from the rest. The other dates were all around 1 to 5 days apart from
each other, but the one that's for today is a whole 2 weeks apart.
And the fact that it was on a document-sharing site still bothers me.
Usually, when someone is creating a document on something like
that, it's to allow them to be able to access said document from any
computer or device capable of connecting to the internet," he silent
took a sip of his coffee, as he continued to think, "which only makes
things weirder. Why put yourself in a position where you'll be hacked
or found out so easily? It doesn't make a lick of sense. The only
other reason I can think of him being this reckless is…"

Slowly, but surely, the pieces were all starting to fall into place. The
man he was going after was clever, very clever, but the fact that he
was underestimating him and his friends was just a mistake; one that
would instantly bite him in the ass. Still, from the looks of it, no one
else had noticed anything. They were still so drunk with relief and the
thoughts of future success that they weren't even thinking about the
possibility of this being a scam. Zack huffed softly. He really did care
about them, but at times, they could be slightly clueless. Still,
however, maybe this could be used to his advantage. He placed his
coffee cup down on to the table, before clearing his throat, getting
everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone, I think we should think about our plan of attack.

Blitzo, Stolas, I'm sure you two are more versed in this line of work,
so what's your take on this?"

Silence filled the table, before Stolas spoke, "Well, if I'm thing clearly,
you said that the meeting place was at the Cathedral of Satan, right?
If so, then we have a very easy spot for us to set up a trap," he
would then pull out a sheet of paper and a pen, before drawing a
simple image of the cathedral in question, along with a nearby
building, "The cathedral is a fair distance away from an office
building across the way. Perhaps one of you can watch over the area
with a sniper rifle? That way, we can have a leg-up on their arrival."

Blitzo nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, definitely! But we're

gonna need someone on the inside to keep him talking. If we do that,
we should be able to surround him before any shit hits the fan. I say
we have Mox-"

"I'll do it." Zack interjected, causing everyone to look towards him

once more, "And I want Loona there with me."

"Excuse me?" Loona sputtered, her face holding the same amount of
shock as everyone else. He had to be joking. If what he was saying
was true, then he'd be not only putting himself in danger, but Loona
as well. Zack only stared at them, his hands clasped together and
resting on the table.

"Think about it; Blitzo, Moxxie, and Millie are more well-versed in
firearms than she and I. It'd make more sense for you guys to take
them out, whilst we act as bait. If things get too dicey, we'll be able to
handle our own for the amount of time it takes you guys to make
your move."

The group could only listen in silence. They could tell he was serious
about this just from the look in his eyes. They held a serious and
determined undertone, one that almost commanded them to listen
and obey. Moxxie, who was now reeling back from his awestricken
stupor, silently pressed him on the matter.

"You sure that's a good idea? It'll just be you two against that guy."

Zack nodded, "I promise, everything will be okay. I've got her back,
and she has mine. No harm will come to her."

No one knew what to say. Sure, it did make sense, but at the same
time, it would be two slightly inexperienced people in what was
literally a battlefield in progress. Could they really just let this
happen, or would it be better to just try something else? No matter
what, however, it all came down to the boss and his decision.

"Um, so Blitzo, what do you say about this?" Millie asked, her head
tilted in curiosity. Blitzo remained silent for a bit, his head putting all
of what was said to the test. He did once use Loona to bait a bunch
of Spring Breakers to their death, but could that really compare to
this?

With a silent sigh, he finally said, "Alright, sounds like a plan. Loonie,
any objections?"

She shook her head, "None at all. I'm just ready for this bullshit to
end, so I'll do anything."

As soon as she made that known, he clasped hands together and

stood to his feet, his usual grin returning to his face. The plan was
made and set in motion. Now all that was left was to get to work and
set up before the given time.

"Alright then, everyone! Let's suit up and start making our biggest hit
yet!"

With a hardy cheer, the demon gang all stood to their feet and began
to head to the door, all but Zack and Loona, who were silently staring
at each other. The moment that they left, leaving the two by
themselves, they could feel the air around them grow tense. Before
Loona could even speak, her phone began to vibrate, most likely due
to her getting a message. She reached for her phone and stared at
the screen. It was from Zack, the very man sitting across from her.
With a raised brow, showing her suspicion, she read it silently in her
head.

Zack: Don't speak out loud. There's a camera that's watching us

from the table lamp beside us. Don't look at it and act natural.
Her eyes slightly widened. If what he was saying was true, then that
would mean that their whole plan was heard by them! She silently
cursed herself. She had a feeling come out in the open was a bad
idea. She huffed and began to text him back.

Loona: Well that's just gr8! We gotta tell Blitz before sumthin bad
happens!

Zack: No, that won't be necessary. This whole situation was a trap in
the first place. I just wish I could have found that out sooner.

Loona: It's a trap? U sure that's the case?

Zack: Positive. This whole thing seemed shifty from the start.

Loona: So then wut do we do? We seriously gonna leave Blitz in the

dark?

Zack: We have to, at least for now. I have a plan.

Loona: U have a plan? Well, spill it. Wut do u have n mind?

Zack: Alright, here's what we do…

The silence was deafening to the investigator and the alluring

hellhound, as they sat on one of the many pews in the chapel. The
very decore of it was almost like a satanist's favorite place to be,
though it did make sense. It was called The Chapel Of Satan for a
reason, not just because it sounded cool and edgy. Zack sighed
softly, as he leaned back against the pew. Worry silently attacked his
mind and nerves, as his eyes glanced at every doorway and
entrance, ready for anyone who may enter or exit. Luckily, it was
only the two that were present, but it was that very fact that made
them both feel on edge.

"How are you holding up over there, Loona?" he asked, as he looked

towards her. She slightly jumped, before smiling at him, her left
eyebrow twitching slightly.

"Of course I am. This shit is so fuckin' easy I could do it in my sleep!"

Zack raised a knowing brow, as he continued to stare at her. That

stare was the only thing that was needed for her to know that he
knew she was saying nothing but bullshit. She sighed in defeat, her
hand waving him off slightly.

"Okay, so maybe I'm a bit worried and shit. I just don't want you or
anyone else getting hurt. This whole situation is just way bigger than
anything else in that I've done, ya know?"

Zack nodded his head, a soft smile on his face. He understood why
she was a bit worried; hell, he was just as worried as she was. One
wrong step would be his undoing, along with his friends, and the
realization of that was growing more and more apparent than it ever
was. This would be their first encounter, and with that in mind, they
had to be on guard. With a gentle hand, he placed it on her thigh,
giving it a gentle, comforting squeeze.

"Hey, it's okay. Remember what you said before? I've got your back
and you've got mine. No matter what happens, we'll all get outta this
alive. I promise."

Her heart swooned. She never was one to show weakness nor fear
around people, but here she was, confiding in a human. It was
almost unheard of, impossible even, but she was happy she could
partake in this feeling; to just trust someone and to just feel safe. Her
hand rested on top of his, her fingers interlocking with his own.

"Thanks, Zack. We've got this, I know we do."

The two would soon sit and wait. Seconds became minutes and
soon, minutes became hours. It was a bit worrisome. When was he
going to show up? It was already past 8:40, 5 past 8:35. It wasn't
exactly a good sign for a super evil crime lord to be late to his own
meeting.
"It's past the meeting time. Something doesn't smell right. You feel it
too, right?" Zack asked silently, to which she agreed.

"Thought that was obvious. We should stay on guard here…"

Suddenly, Zack's phone began to vibrate, startling the two. He

quickly pulled it out and looked at the scene, his eyes viewing
Blitzo's name. He answered it and place it to his ear.

"Hello, Blitzo? What's going-"

"Zack, we've got trouble!" Blitzo's voice echoed through the speaker,
barely even audible compared to the deafening sound of gunfire.
Zack and Loona both looked towards each other in shock, before he
answered him.

"Is that gunfire?! What's going on?! Are you okay?!"

"We're fine, but there's a shit ton of armed assholes coming after us!
You guys need to get outta there, now!"

"You got it! Me and Loona will be out as soon as-"

They froze, the sound of the gun loading filling the silent chapel.
Zack slowly hung up and slipped his phone into his coat pocket,
before the two held their hands up in defense.

"Well, well, well. It seems we finally meet, Mr. Investigator."

"Shit, this isn't good! Hey, where's Stolas?! He'd be able to deal with
all of these guys now problem!" Moxxie shouted, as he quickly
ducked behind a desk and fired a few shots at the doorway leading
outside. Blitzo, who was keeping Octavia down and save, shot at the
many intruders with his trusty pistol, before growling out his answer.

"He's up on the roof with your wife! Knowing them, he should be

down soon!"
More and more men came flooding into the office building, only
bringing more gunfire into the small room. Octavia, who was
clutching and covering her ears, only watched silently in worry. If
things got even the slightest bit worse, they wouldn't be going
anywhere anytime soon.

"Can't you two deal with them quicker?! You're used to this, aren't
you?!"

"It ain't that easy, princess, and it ain't any easier having to babysit
beak-face's kid!"

Octavia gasped, her face holding an appalled look. There were in the
middle of getting shocked at, and he had the audacity to make a
quick jab at her?! How rude!

"Don't blame anything on me! Maybe if you gave me a gun, I could

actually do something!"

Blitzo groaned, before tossing her a beretta, which she caught.

"Fine, then do something then! Just stay outta my way!"

She blinked in complete shock. Did she even know how to use that
thing, now that she thought about it. She had never used a weapon
before in her life, so for him to just throw a weapon at her and say
have at it was a slight bit worrying. She peeked from behind the
couch she was hiding behind with Blitzo, before aiming at an
unsuspecting enemy. She took a deep breath and steadied herself,
before pulling the trigger. The sheer force of the kickback made her
jolt backward, as the bullet whizzed to its target. The bullet, however,
would not only pierce the demon's chest but also hit a grenade that
was strapped to his vest. On contact, the explosive would go off,
blowing up a good chunk of the intruders and flinging them back onto
the ground. Blitzo stared in shock, before he looked towards Octavia
with a smirk.

"Did you actually aim for that?"

"You know, actually I did!" she exclaimed, her eyes holding wonder
and amazement at her achievement. That proud moment would be
short-lived, as the sound of guns grew louder, bullets whizzing left
and right, piercing everything in their wake. They were pinned, with
no way to counterattack. Blitzo quickly pulled Octavia closer and
used his body as extra protection for her, just in case a stray bullet
hit her. It seemed useless, the enemies were all growing closer, as
they continued their non-stop bullet spray towards the three. Closer
and closer they got, the smell of gunpowder growing stronger with
each step. It was over, there was nothing to do! Octavia gripped onto
Blitzo, her face buried in his chest. Any moment now…

"Honestly, what did they think they could do?"

In an instant, the gunfire ceased, the only thing that filled their ears
being the ringing from the constant explosions. They looked out to
the battlefield. They once firing and shouting enemies were now
nothing but stone statues, each of them housing a look of shock and
fear. There was only one person who could do that and to so many
of them. The three looked back towards the stairs, catching the sight
of their own, resident owl prince.

"Took you long enough! We almost got killed, you know!" Blitzo
shouted, though he still had a smirk on his face. Stolas grinned,
giving them a single finger gun, his other hand resting on his hip.
Octavia only scoffed, finding her father's antics to be so childish, yet
she liked that about him. Besides, he did come in to help out when it
mattered, like he always did.

"W-Wait, hold on! I'm h-here!" Millie gasped, as she soon made it
down the stairs. It was a rather tall building and the elevators just
had to be out of order, so running all the way down would be
tiresome.

Moxxie quickly got to his feet and dusted himself off, "Come on, we
gotta get to Zack and Loona! Those two could be in trouble!"
"So the head honcho shows his face; Kokichi Nagasaki." Zack said,
as he and Loona slowly turned to face their opponent. From looking
at him, you could definitely tell that he was someone who could rise
to the top of his field. He was big and bulky, with dark tan skin and
short, wild jet black hair, his height having to be around 7 and a half
feet. His body was toned and chiseled, adorned in an expensive-
looking suit and a silver tie. A gold watch wrapped around his wrist,
and his left hip was strapped with a holster. His eyes were sharp, the
right one being a dark brown, while the left eye being a pitch black
with the only color being the glowing red pupil in the middle of it. He
smirked, his very aura imbueing a dominant and powerful
atmosphere. Just by looking at him, you could tell he was
dangerous.

"So, you know my name. Impressive, not many have been able to
find all of that out." he said, his voice rumbling deep within his throat.
Zack glared at him. He had that same overly confident attitude that
he hated so much. The kind that makes you think you're above
everyone and everything.

"That's not all that I know about you." he took a deep breath,
"Kokichi Nagasaki, age 36, male. In the living world, you were the
leader of a yakuza family known as the Tsumugi Family. You were
known for many underhanded dealings, ranging from extortion to
even murder. It was no surprise that you'd be one of the richest
crime bosses to date in the Japanese region. However, disaster
would strike when you found a little way to gain more power. By
some means, you obtained the Blood Ritual book, and in doing so,
you gained demon blood and injected it into your body. The moment
that you had to defeat your demon essence, your body and went out
of control and, in turn, you destroyed your own family, killing every
single person that was a part of it. As if things couldn't get any
worse, you were dragged into hell, due to your soul being branded
as a demon. Thus started your life here, where you worked from the
ground up to rebuild your empire, bringing us to where we are today.
Now, the reason why you're after the book. The one reason that I
can think of is greed. You always seem to be wanting more and more
cash, and you're taking it by any means necessary. My guess is that
you want that book in order to go back to the living world, so you can
rebuild the Tsumugi family there. Perhaps even have demons pay to
leave hell and live in the human world to cause havoc. Anything for
money, that's your game."

Silence filled the space around them, their eyes staring at each other
in a menacing, almost challenging way. After what felt like minutes, a
grin started to grow on Kokichi's face, before he started to chuckle.

"Amazing, absolutely amazing. You actually found out about my

past. Not only that, but you easily were able to see just what kinda
guy I am. I'm quite astonished. I knew you were going to push my
limits, make me go far beyond what I've ever done before." he
stepped closer, his grin growing more menacing, "I've never had to
deal with a problem directly, ya know? My boys were always able to
handle any situation, but not you. When I saw you survived and that
the bitch over there slipped her blood into your body, I just had to
see if you could get to me. Of course, I had to give a few roadblocks
to make things more interesting to watch, but the more I saw you get
closer and closer to me, I felt such a rush. Never in my life have I
found such an intellectual, such as yourself. I must congratulate you,
Zack Trevle."

Loona growled, her fangs barring at the asshole that just not only
patronized Zack, but insulted her. If she wasn't held at gunpoint right
now, she would instantly shred into his body and tear him apart.
Zack, noticing her anger, quickly glanced at her.

"Down girl, easy."

Kokichi's eyes slowly raked over her body, his tongue licking at his
lips in a slow, sensual manner, "My my, I must say, your bitch here is
definitely a looker. I have a good slew of women, but her? Hmhm, I
love a woman with fire. Makes it more fun to break her."

"Fuck off, dipshit, or else I'll break you." she seethed, her claws
slowly extending. Kokichi merely whistled in a catcalling manner. He
slowly cocked the gun and pointed it at Zack's head.

"Now then, back to business. Where's the book?"

"Dunno. I've never even seen it."

Kokichi growled, his smirk growing larger, "Come on now, it's not a
good idea to lie to me right now. Tell me where the book is."

"Believe me or don't, but I've never seen it. I mean, why would I need
to see it if it doesn't concern me?"

The suited man only stared at him in complete silence, before

shrugging his shoulder, "Fair enough. You may not have seen it,"
suddenly, he moved his aim to Loona's forehead, "But I know you,
I.M.P.'s secretary, has seen it. So then, you tell me, where is the
book?"

Loona glared daggers at him, "I don't mess with that shit, so I don't
know. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell a limp-dick motherfucker like you."

"Oh my, please be rude to me more. It really turns me on~"

Loona grimaced, while Zack rolled his eyes. He saw lots of guys like
this in New York, but this was just bullshit. If his ass attempts at
being sexual and alluring didn't kill him, then his stupid-looking smirk
would. Kokichi would soon step back slightly, before pointing his gun
back at his head.

"Well, if that's the case, then there isn't really any point to you living,
now is there? Sorry to cut your adventure short, buuuuut-"

"Wait, stop!" Loona shouted, before he could pull the trigger, "Why
don't you just take me as a hostage?"

Zack's eyes widened, as he looked towards Loona in worry, "Loona,

what are you doing?"
"Just listen. You can take me as a hostage, then have Zack be the
messenger. He can tell them that they need to exchange me for the
book and that you'll give them a time and a place. It's a win-win."

Kokichi stared, his hand brushing his chin in thought. Perhaps she
had something there; plus, he could have a little bit of fun with her
while they're getting their shit together. With an evil grin, he slowly
waved her over.

"That's not a bad idea. You're quite a smart little lady, aren't you?
Well then, come here. Oh, and no funny business, or I will drop you."

Loona nodded her head, before glancing over at Zack. His eyes held
a deep worry for her, worried that she would end up getting hurt, or
worse. She smiled in assurance to him, before slowly stepping
towards the armed man. Her footsteps rung through the chapel,
before she stopped in front of him. He gripped at her tail tightly,
keeping his aim trained on the human investigator.

"Perfect, what an amazing idea. I'm glad you gave it to me, my dear,"
he slowly looked towards Zack, his smiling dropping, "Unfortunately,
not all of it was perfect. You're too much of a liability, so this game is
over."

Before Zack could move, Kokichi's finger quickly pulled the trigger.
The bullet instantly cut through the air, and with mighty force, hit him
square in the chest. His face twisted into a look of shock and pain,
as his body pushed back and fell to the ground with a loud thud. His
eyes were closed and his body was limp, not a sign of life anywhere.

"Zack! Oh shit, Zack!" she lunged towards him, but Kokichi wrapped
his thick arm around her upper body, keeping her arms pinned down,
"Let go of me you little shit! I'm gonna rip your dick off and make you
eat it, cock sucker!"

"Oh, calm down. You have no reason to worry about him anymore.
You have me, and I'll be sure to give you everything you deserve~"
With one final glance toward the downed investigator, he began to
laugh loudly, before practically dragging her out of the back of the
chapel. She kicked and growled out, trying her best to get free and to
get to him. It was all for naught, however. He was too strong, too
resilient to overpower. Now, she was being taken, and Zack was
shot, left to die.

"Guys, quick! I think the gunshot was in here!" Blitzo shouted, as he

kicked open the doors to the chapel. He, along with the others,
instantly bolted into the dreary establishment, a weapon of some sort
in their hands. There was no one there, to their surprise. No one, but
the body of the investigator they had come to respect and bond with.
Octavia gasped in worry, as she sprinted towards him and crouched
at his side, her hands gently shaking his person.

"Big bro! Big bro, are you okay?! Zack!"

The demon group all gathered around his person, as they all loved
for any sign of life. Each of them all felt the sting of worry and lost, as
they stared at the human's body.

"Is he really…?" Millie asked, unable to finish her sentence. That's

when it happened. As soon as she went to touch him, he began to
stir! With haste, the demon gang quickly backed up slightly from the
investigator, as he sat up on the ground, panting slightly. Blitzo's
eyes widened in disbelief, his voice echoing throughout the chapel.

"Kid, you're alright! But, how…?"

Instead of answering, Zack slowly unbuttoned his coat and

undershirt. To their surprise, underneath it all, was a bulletproof vest!
He gripped at it and tore it off his person, exposing his toned,
protected chest.

"Bulletproof Vest. I thought I may need it, just in case."

Blitzo and the others all sighed in relief, seeing that he was alright
and living. They had other problems though. Loona was nowhere to
be seen!

"Zack, where's Loonie?! Where did she go?!" Blitzo bellowed, as

Zack stood to his feet. He brushed his pants legs, as he took a deep
breath and stretched his limbs. He huffed. He knew that this wouldn't
be easy for him to hear, but lying about it wasn't gonna work nor was
it right.

"Kokichi took her. Said he would give you a destination and a time,
and then you and him would trade-off. My guess is that he may not
even honor that agreement."

Blitzo's breathing grew deeper and labored, as he angrily kicked at

the nearby pew, making everyone jump in place. He was livid, seeing
nothing but pure blood-red.

"Fucking shit! This stupid plan was a trap all along! They knew about
our trap and sprung their own trap on us! What the fucking shit! No
we've got no choice but to-"

"I don't think you need to worry," the group of demons all looked
towards the investigator, as he fished into his pocket, "Asshole let
himself get too cocky. Thus, we did a little something I like to call, a
Trap-fecta."

He pulled out his phone and held it up for them to see. On it was a
map, with a little moving blip on it. It was moving fast, and it was
heading to Imp City. Their eyes widened in shock, as they stared at
Zack, then at the phone, then at Zack again. This was their plan all
along!

"You planned this?! How did you know it was a trap?!" Millie asked,
her southern accent more apparent than ever before. Zack grinned,
as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
"That document was made in a web app that allows people to edit
files from any device that can connect to the internet, thanks to it
being saved on to the cloud. Not only that, but I noticed that it was
edited the same time we were reading it. They kept themselves
hidden, but the logs proved to be otherwise fatal to them. With that
knowledge, I had us all go to the cafe to discuss our plan; a cafe that
I knew had a camera in it. Lastly, Loona and I made a plan to take
him by surprise and to find his base of operation. Thus, we linked our
phones so that we could find each other's locations. Check and
mate."

They all looked in awe, completely taken aback by his craftiness and
cunning. Not many would have caught that, especially when it came
to such small details. Blitzo, however, was still not too happy about
this. After all, his daughter just got taken by a psychopath, how could
he be happy about this?

"Yeah, well, Loonie is still in that dick's hands. What exactly are we
gonna do about that?"

Zack slipped his phone back into his pocket and started towards the
chapel door, his face morphing into a determined glare, "We follow
them, and scope out the scene. Afterwards, we forge a plan, and
then, we kill Kokichi Nagasaki."

It didn't take long for them to follow the trail left by Loona's signal,
since they were able to drive in an unmarked vehicle. It was the best
course of action, due to the possibility of them being watched by
someone. As they drove down the road, they all could feel the
anxiety eating away their minds. Wherever they were going was
definitely going to be a place that could very much be filled to the
brim with guards, a little issue that may cause them more problems
than anything. Still, they had to keep trucking for Loona's sake and
safety. After a few minutes of driving, they would stop at their
destination. It was a gaudy-looking building, one that was stabbing
high into the sky. Neon lights flashed and blinked, whilst multiple
demons of all shapes and sizes congregated around the front of it.
"What is this place?" Octavia asked while looking out of the window.

"Seems to me that it's a casino. Fitting, for someone who apparently

loves money so much." Stolas answered, as he raised an eyebrow.
Zack merely stared. It was rather clever hiding in plain sight like this.
No one would think anything different to search in one of the many
casinos in hell. His eyes quickly scanned the surrounding, his mind
taking mental notes on what the best course of actions were. If they
were gonna stop this guy, they had to draw his attention elsewhere.
Maybe with some sort of distraction, one that's possibly explosive.
Zack smirked devilishly, his mind developing a diabolic plan.

"Guys, I have a plan."

Hours had passed; hours of planning, work, and a whole lot of work,
but now was the time to strike. Adorned with a trench coat,
sunglasses, and a hat, Blitzo slowly walked into the casino, his
hands slipped into his pockets. His eyes looked back and forth,
surveying the area quietly and smartly. The entire area was bustling
with demons, each one sitting at either the blackjack table or the
many slot machines. It was absolutely perfect for their plan. He
pulled out his phone and punched in a number.

"Hey, it's me. It's perfect; go for it, Mox."

"Yes sir, we're on the move," Moxxie said, as he hung up and slipped
his phone into his pocket. He looked towards Millie, who was busy
cutting the throat of a poor, unsuspecting guard. She smirked, as she
kicked him down to the ground and pulled out a long string of
explosives. The imp couple quickly ran into the computer room and
strapped the explosives to the desk, as well as a few of the monitors.
With a pair of devilish smirks, they pulled out a remote detonator and
ran back out of the computer room, heading straight for the exit.

"This is gonna be explosive! Are you ready?" Moxxie asked, as he

held the detonator in his hand. Millie slowly licked her lips, before
pecking his own in a hungry kiss.

"Blow that load, Moxxie~"

"Hmhm, I see. So, we've earned 150% more profit in the last hour.
Not bad at all, if I do say so myself." Kokichi muttered, as he took a
sip from his cup of warm tea. Things were just coming up Nagasaki
for him. There were only good things happening. Zack was dead,
he'd have the book in a matter of hours, and he had just obtained a
fun little addition to his assortment of sluts. He felt like he was on top
of the world; as if nothing could stop him. His mind began to replay
the events of today. Just how easy it was to end that investigator's
life, how easy it was to take his prized woman. Now, he would take
his friends' only way to make money. It was nothing personal though,
it was just business. Still, there was something bothering him. For
some reason, Zack wasn't scared. He was determined and
courageous all the way through. Not only that, but he was so similar
to him. Not just because he had the same power as them, but
because he reminded him of himself when he had his family. He did
whatever it took to protect his family, even the most dastardly of
things. Even his desire for power was all for his family. At least, he
wanted to believe that. At this point, he didn't even know.

With a sigh, he stood to his feet and walked towards the small shrine
to the back of the room. It consisted of a small picture frame with the
symbol of his family, along with a few bowls of fruits and foods, all of
them fresh. A few vases with fresh flowers stood on the small table,
ones that he watered and changed each and every time. He closed
his eyes and pressed his hands together, before getting to his knees
on a small pillow. He stayed silent for a second, until he finally
spoke.

"Forgive me, my men. Forgive my stupidity and my foolishness. I

have trained and thought long and hard about my path, and now, I'll
be able to make this right. I will take everything that we lost from my
transgressions, and rebuild our clan. It will all be done in due time, I
promise."
He stayed silent for a while longer, giving his fallen comrades his
respect. He hated how he took the lives of his family, the very people
that made the Tsumugi family so strong. Now, he had no family, all
because of his stupidity. The only thing he had now was his money.
Sure, he had women, lackeys, and the like, but that was all he had.
He didn't consider any of it his family, just something for him to play
around with for a while. Until he made it to the human world, he was
going to keep going, to keep taking what he wanted, all for the sake
of honoring his fallen family.

Before he could even get up, the doors would suddenly open, two
suited guards, one with a face mask and sunglasses and one in only
sunglasses, barged in quickly.

"Sir, there's trouble at the control plaza!" shouted the sunglasses

sporting guard.

Kokichi didn't even look up. You could feel the anger and annoyance
oozing from his very person, his voice rumbling with a deep,
menacing undertone.

"I have said time and time again not to disrupt me at this time. This
better be good."

"Sorry, sir, but we've just got word that something caused an
explosion in the computer room! All the cameras have gone offline!"

That instantly made him jump to his feet. His eyes widened in shock,
as he glared daggers at the two, "What?! How the hell is that
possible!?" before the guard could explain, he held up his hand to
stop them, "You know what, I don't care! Just get down there and
figure out what the fuck is going on!"

With a nod of their heads, they bolted out of the room, closing the
door behind them. Kokichi growled, his hand scratching the back of
his head in irritation.
"Damn them. Was this their doing? Well, fine, then I won't be held
responsible for what happens next."

As the two guards walked down the hall, they silently mumbled to
each other, their nervousness skyrocketing to the roof.

"Can't believe this is happening. I mean, I never knew that anyone

could actually destroy the computer room!" exclaimed the
sunglasses-wearing guard.

Facemask nodded his head, "Yeah, I agree. It's a mystery how

anyone could do that. Not only that, but did you see how the boss
looked? He was about ready to kill us."

"Yeah, I just hope that hellhound chick is able to do something about

that." sunglasses said, which made facemask raise an eyebrow.

"What? Is he some new mistress?"

"You didn't hear? Boss took that I.M.P. guy's daughter. Bitch is held
up down the hall in room 509. I was tasked with making sure she
didn't fuck with anything. Pretty sure the ol' boss is gonna relieve
some stress with her, if you know what I mean."

"… Oh? That's good to know," with a swift kick to the back of the
knee, sunglasses fell on to his knees, giving facemask a quick and
easy opportunity to slam his dagger into his throat, killing him
silently. He slowly pulled off his facemask and the sunglass,
exposing the mastermind of this plan, "Thanks for the information.
By the way, don't ever call her bitch, Mr. Carcass."

He quickly began to sprint towards the direction of room 509, where

Loona was being withheld. Things were doing well for him and the
others, and not only that, Stolas and Octavia were keeping the main
entrance guarded, while Blitzo was dealing with any guards that
were trying to get upstairs. It seemed foolproof, but he knew it
wouldn't last long. He had to get to Loona, and fast. He slipped past
guards, dodged the sight of the cameras, and navigated the maze-
like halls, before he finally made it to his desired room. He smiled
happily panting softly, before heading towards the door and knocking
on it. Before he could even say anything, Loona's voice shot from
inside the room.

"Fuck off already!! I said I'm not fucking you!"

ZAck blinked, before smirking playfully, "Well, that's odd, coming

from someone who's asked for my big meaty sausage."

"Z-Zack, is that you?! Oh shit, I'm glad you're okay. I was worried the
bullet didn't hit the vest." she said in relief, as she placed her hand
on the door. Zack did the same.

"Don't worry, it all went off without a hitch. Blitzo, Octavia, and Stolas
are downstairs and Moxxie and Millie are on the way here. I'm gonna
get you outta here, and then we're gonna take that dick down."

Loona huffed, "That's great and all, but the door is locked. You're
gonna need to get the key from Kokichi!"

Zack, who had an annoyed look on his face, shook his head. This
wasn't some RPG, it was a real heist! They had to get out fast, and if
breaking down a door was what he had to do, then that's what he
was going to do.

"We don't have time for that! Back up from the door, I'm coming in!"

"W-Wait, hold on, you don't wanna-!"

Ignoring her advice, Zack raised his foot and kicked the door down,
making sure to mimic Blitzo's usual technique. The door flew open
without a hitch, allowing Zack to lunge into the room.

"Come on Loona, let's get-"

Zack froze in place, as he stared at Loona in awe. She wasn't hurt,

nor bound in any way. Instead, she was standing in the middle of the
room, wearing a very short and revealing, black long-sleeved
kimono. It had a very intricate design, with lotus flowers and
dragons, the sides of it having high slits, exposing the string of her
red thong. Her hair was tied in a bun, held up with expensive-looking
chopsticks. She merely stood in embarrassment, as her cheeks
turned a deep shade of pink. Zack's face, however, would turn a
complete red.

"… Holy fuck, thank you Japan…" Zack mumbled. His pants seemed
to grow tighter the more he stared. The reason for that was very
apparent, especially to Loona. She huffed, as she crossed her arms
and looked away, her ears pressing against her head.

"D-Don't get used to this! That stupid bitch made me wear this. Said,
he wanted me to look good for when he fucked me sideways.
Luckily, you came before he had the time to."

Zack sighed in relief, "That's good. Ahem, now come on, we gotta
get outta here. Um, and, can we keep the outfit?"

"Huh? Why? Are kimonos your thing?" she asked, her head tilted
and her eyebrow raised. Zack smiled awkwardly, his heart pounding
against his chest.

"W-Well, I mean, it's always been a fantasy of mine to, um, tear off a
woman's kimono while… h-having sex…"

Lonna silently blinked, a bit taken aback by his confession. She had
no idea that he had kinks or even things that he wanted to do. In a
way, it made her feel, really hot. She smirked, as she stepped closer
to him and took his hand, helping him out of the room and into the
hallway.

"Aww, how cute. You get us outta here and I'll do more than that."
she said with a snarky smirk and a wink. Zack blushed a deeper
shade of pink, before quickly saluting to her.
"Y-Yes ma'am! Come on, we've gotta get to the roof! That's where
our means of getting away is!"

With a nod of her head, the two began to sprint down the hall and to
the stairs, as Zack pulled his phone out and called Stolas, "Stolas,
the human has received the hellhound! Let her rip whenever you're
ready!"

"Ten-four Zack! Stay clear of the first and 5th floor." Stolas said, as
he and Octavia waited for Blitzo to leave the building. In a matter of
seconds, Blitzo was seen sprinting out of the casino, giving them a
thumbs up. Stolas smirked, as he handed the detonator to Octavia,
who had a shocked look on his face.

"Would you like to do the honors, Via?"

They shared a look for a second, before Octavia gave him a

confident grin, "I'd love to."

They both shared a giggle, before her thumb slammed against the
button, setting off all of the explosives.

The building shook and the fire alarm sounded, as the human and
hellhound sprinted up the stairs. Things were going well, if not
perfectly. Now all they needed was to get out of that building. Even
with their speedy movements and fast pace, they didn't let go of
each other's hands. They never wanted to let go, not after that scary
event. Not only that, but this was making him feel like he was a
complete mastermind, like the leader of a heist gang that was trying
to steal a diamond or rescue a friend. It was such a rush, such a
fantastic moment that, in a way, was making him feel even more
courageous, and it was all because of her. He had to make sure to
thank her properly in any way she wanted.

Within seconds, they finally made it to the roof and barged through
the metal door. As they did, their ears were graced by the sound of
the whirling blades of a helicopter, shocking the two in place. Loona
looked towards him, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Is that our escape?!" she shouted, hoping her voice got through the
deafening sound of the helicopter. Zack shook his head, as he
looked up towards the Helipad. He glared and huffed in annoyance,
before looking back at her.

"Get to the side of the building! There's a zipline that'll take you to
the building across from here! Octavia and Stolas are waiting for you
there on the roof!"

"And what about you?!"

Zack smirked, as he pointed up to the helipad, "I'm going after our

friend up there!"

Before he could even run after him, Loona gripped on to his hand,
stopping him. He looked back towards her in curiosity, his eyes
staring into her own.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Oh Loona, aren't I always?"

And with that, he pecked her lips lovingly and began to sprint up the
stairs to the helipad. His eyes held a malicious look, his only mission
being to stop Kokichi before he got away. If he did, it'd be hell trying
to search for him again. He wasn't having that; he was gonna stop
and end this here and now! With his dagger clutched in his hand, he
made his way to the top of the helipad, just in time to see his target
step into his getaway plane. He looked back towards the
investigator, a smirk growing on his face.

"You did well, kid! Who knew you'd be this smart? Unfortunately, I'll
have to bid you adieu!"
The helicopter soon began to rise off the ground, ready to take off to
wherever their destination was. This wasn't good! If he was able to
get away, there'd be no telling what damage he could do! It was time
to make some risky plays! With little hesitation, Zack lunged towards
the plane and sprinted as fast as he could, before, with all of his
power, he jumped up towards the helicopter, his hands reaching out
to grab anything that he could. He could feel the ground below him
disappear, as he launched towards the moving aircraft. With luck, he
gripped onto the landing gear, his arms holding tightly to it, as he
clenched his teeth.

"Ngh, fucking shit, oh damn it!" he gritted out, as he felt the air
whizzed through his hair. Things were getting intense! If he let go,
the only thing that would happen to him is the quick and agonizing
pain of a harsh drop and slam against the ground. Kokichi looked
from out of the plane, sneering evilly at the sight of him. He looked
towards the pilot and screamed at him, his anger boiling over.

"Shake that pissant off the plane, now! I don't want him alive the next
time I see him!"

"Y-Yes sir!" the pilot answered loudly, as he turned the wheel every
which way. The helicopter began to turn and weave through the air,
causing Zack's body to shake about like a ragdoll. Every second, it
proved more and more difficult to keep himself steady, his grip slowly
losing. If he didn't do something, It'd only prove to be frugal and
deadly. He took a deep breath. There had to be something that he
could do about that pilot. He slowly pulled out a throwing knife and
looked towards it. He still had his power, right? Could make the
shot?

"Come on demon side of me, don't fucking fail me now!"

With all his power and might, he threw the knife up and forward
towards the spinning blades. As if like magic, the tip of the blade hit it
dead-center and, with the added speed and velocity of the bankshot,
it pierced the windshield of the helicopter, hitting the pilot square in
his neck and hitting his Adams apple! The moment it made contact,
the helicopter soon began to lose control and began to dive
downwards at breakneck speeds.

"Oh fuck, maybe that was a bad plan!" Zack screamed, as he

tightened his hold on the landing gear. Faster and faster, further and
further it got to the ground, with the only thing standing in the way of
the helicopter and the cold hard ground, being an abandoned fucking
building! Zack's eyes widened, before he groaned loudly in irritation.

"Son of a bit-!"

The helicopter, with an earth-shattering crash, slammed against the

side of the building, leaving a large stack of smoke, before it let out a
large, glowing explosion, a sea of flames coating the destroyed
metal and the building's side.

Loona's eyes stared in worry and disbelief, as she witnessed the

plane slam and crash against the abandoned building not too far
from her, as she rode down the zipline onto the roof across from the
casino. She couldn't believe it. Was Zack on the helicopter when it
crashed?! If he was, did he make it out alive?! Was he hurt in any
way?! She had to figure it out, she had to!

"No… No… NO!!"

As soon as her feet hit the roof's surface, she removed the harness
to the zipline and threw it off, passing by Octavia and Stolas. They
followed close behind her, knowing exactly what was going on. They
were both just as worried as Loona, and right now, they needed to
get to that crash site, and fast! Zack's life could be on the line!

Zack's ears filled with ringing, as he pulled himself off of the ground
and pushed the rubble off of his body. To his surprise, he wasn't
dead nor terribly hurt. He groaned loudly, as he went to stand up but
was stopped by a searing pain in his left side. He looked down and
was completely off guard by the sight before him. Lodged in his left
side was a rebar rod, one that pierced him deeply. He could almost
feel the foreign object exiting out of his back, though it didn't feel like
it hit any vital organs.

"Nngh, damn it, not exactly into having rods in my body." Zack
grunted, as he gripped the end of the metal bar. He took a deep
breath; he had to remove it, or else it could get in the way, or get
deeper into him. He inhaled sharply, before pulling it out with a quick
and swift motion. He screamed out loudly, as he keeled over in pure
agony, his hand dropping the bar to the ground. Blood leaked from
his open wound, a sign that he was indeed injured a significant
amount. With any luck, however, he could get down the already
burning building and get some first aid. He panted heavily, as he
forced himself to his feet, his eyes glancing over at the crash. There
the helicopter lay, coated in the flames the explosion started. He
sighed softly; there was no way that guy could be alive after that.

"And thus, the case comes to a close. Now, I just gotta get moving
before-"

Suddenly, a loud bang could be heard, coming from the burning

hovercraft. Zack's eyes slowly grew wide, as he caught the glimpse
of a moving object within the metal prison. There couldn't be, there
was just no way! Was he actually…?!

"You've got to be shitting me…"

The door flung open and a body tumbled out of it. Of course, it just
had to be fucking Kokichi Nagasaki! His body was battered, his suit
was torn, and blood was coating his upper torso and eye. He must
have had an injury there. He panted heavily and stood to his feet, his
evil smirk still present, even with the situation before them seemingly
being grimmer than anything they had ever witnessed before! This
guy; he was a monster, or rather, a demon!

"Where do you think you're going, investigator? This battle has only
begun!"
To Be Continued…
Chapter 22
Chapter 22: The Demon Dragon VS The Human Investigator!

Things couldn't get any worse than what they were now. Zack was
wounded, Kokichi was still kicking and ready to fight, and to make
matters worse, the abandoned building they crashed in was going up
in flames, all thanks to the explosion that the helicopter left.
Needless to say, the entire situation was getting out of hand real
quick. However, it seemed as though Kokichi was just as injured as
he was, so it was probably safe to assume that he wouldn't last
much longer either. Zack growled in annoyance. He did not need this
shit today.

"Geez, what are you, fuckin' Jason Voorhees? I find it hard to believe
that you could survive that crash."

Kokichi merely smirked, his hand brushing the blood from over his
left eye, "I think you know why we both survived. It's merely the
demon blood that defiles our human bodies. Hehe, isn't it helpful?"

"Now that, we can agree on."

Kokichi chuckled lowly, as he gripped his coat and undershirt tightly,

before ripping it off of his person. On his back was the tattoo of an
evil-looking dragon, one that covered his entire back. A bit of the
tattoo spilled to his shoulders, allowing for Zack to get a good idea of
how much large it was. His body was coated in brushes, gashes,
and knicks, one of which being deep enough for blood to leak down
his chest and towards his lower torso.

"You've been a worthy adversary, one that I could possibly call my

rival. I'm happy to have been able to meet you."

Zack raised an eyebrow, his left hand holding his wound gently. He
didn't understand it. Was money even the clear motive? It was just
such a basic reason, one that a Saturday morning villain in some
show would have. Was it really that cut and dry, or was it something
else?

"I don't get it. You have everything you want here. Money, women,
respect, you have all of that. So why is it that you're so dead set on
getting back to the living world? It can't be just for cash, right?" Zack
questioned, his stare only growing more intense. Kokichi silently
chuckled.

"Well, I might as well just tell you, since this is your end. You already
said this, but when I obtained these powers, I had ruthlessly
murdered my men. I couldn't stop myself, nor could I save them, and
to make matters worse, I was dragged into hell, alone and useless
once again," his glare grew murderous, "and it was all thanks to him;
The demon in white."

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he continued to listen. The demon in

white; that wasn't a name he was too familiar with, nor was it a title
he had ever heard. That meant he had to be giving said demon a
name based on their look. Another question, another piece to this
mystery that only meant to challenge him.

"The demon in white? What does he have to do with anything? Is he

the one who gave you his blood?"

Kokichi scoffed, "Not only that, but he's the one who gave me that
book. He said it was the last of it's kind, told me that it was the only
means to help protect me and my men!" he huffed, his anger slowly
morphing into sorrow, "I should have never listened to that bastard.
Demon's are never to be trusted. They always have some sort of
desire at your own expense. Thus is why, I'm taking that book. That
demon is somewhere, and I must find and kill him!"

Zack silently watched, his mind slowly recollecting and analyzing his
words. He didn't refute that fact that he lost his men, people who
were dear to him in some sorta way, but there was one thing that you
couldn't do in front of him. You could never lie to him. Zack's face
slowly grew a dark glare, his hands clenching tightly.

"I've heard a lot of stories, but that bullshit is the biggest cop out I've
ever heard!"

Kokichi's eyes widened, his face holding a mixture of shock and

anger, "Excuse me?! How dare you disrespect my men! They all
deserve to be-"

"I'm not saying that you didn't lose your men, that much was obvious,
judging from the alter in your office," Zack interrupted, "But you
blaming some asshole for all the shit you pulled is another thing!
What about all the demons you killed, the ones you hurt, for no
reason!? They didn't need to die, especially when you had
everything here! I understand you wanting to return to the real world.
After all, hell is a shit place at times, but why would you need to kill
for that book?! You could have just requested to be taken back to the
living world, but instead, you toyed, hurt, and potentially murdered
people just to get at it!" His teeth clenched, his right eye growing a
darker shade of red, "You weren't doing this for them, you were
doing this because you could! Just because of some fucked-up
power trip! Anyone who'd hurt innocent people, even if they are
demon, are just selfish bastards!"

The silence filled the room, the only thing heard being the crackling
of flames and breaking of wood. He was speechless, consumed by
an unwavering, boiling anger deep within his chest. Never had he
been told those things straight to his face; spoken in a way that
made him look deep within himself. Was what he said true? Was his
motives changed along the way? Did hell change him, or was he
always like that? No, that couldn't be! He knew why, he was the only
one who knew his own reasons! Yet, here he was, being told this by
a lesser being! Hell, he couldn't even consume the demon within
him; he could tell by his eye. It was still the same red and silver color,
whilst his was a dark ebony. He was weaker than him, like all the
rest.
"… It would seem that we really are meant as enemies, hm? A
human-demon hybrid of justice and truth, and a demonic yakuza of
the chaos. Ying and yang, we both thrive and live…" He stood up
straight, his height instantly towering over Zack's, "but that's about to
change. Show me your resolve, Trevle-san. We'll see who is truly fit
to live!"

With that, he slowly got into a fighting stance, his fists clenched and
held up for the brawl. Zack stared, as he picked up the steel rebar. It
was pointed with a sharp edge, the perfect weapon for his style.
From the very beginning of this, he hated to bloody his hands with
weapons, hated the fact he had to kill to survive against demons. To
him, the more he lived in hell, the more he saw them as people;
normal people who lived their lives in a world where they had no
choice but to be ruthless. It was a dog-eat-dog world in hell, more so
than the living world, and, in a way, Zack understood that. There was
nothing any of them could do but play with the cards given to them.
This time, however, he wouldn't have any remorse for him. Though
he was feeling bad for the fact that he was changed thanks to this
"Demon in white", he still couldn't forgive the many times he tried to
hurt Loona and his friends, all because of his excessive greed and
desire for more. This was personal, and he was going to make sure
he didn't hurt anyone ever again.

"Kokichi Nagasaki, I've been requested by my boss, Blitzo of I.M.P.,

to kill you. This will be my first hit. So, apologies if my execution isn't
exactly quick and painless."

Kokichi merely laughed, his face twisting into the most deranged
look you could ever witness, "There it is! That demonic spark that
people like us have! You're definitely gonna make this a battle to
remember!"

Zack growled, before the two simultaneously launched forward and

sprinted towards each other, as if a bell had been rung in their
minds. Each of them held a malice towards one another; one for his
family, and the other for his desires. Kokichi was the first to strike; his
left foot stomped to the ground, as he threw his right fist forward,
aiming it at Zack's face. It was rather slow, possibly due to the
injuries he had obtained, so it was easy for him to block it. Zack
quickly caught the punch with his left hand and, with the other, he
quickly dragged the blade of the robar against Kokichi's forearm,
before kicking him back and away from him. It would prove fruitless,
however, as Kokichi would quickly grab Zack's necktie and pull him
closer, catching him off guard. Using the momentum of his
movements, he slammed his forehead against Zack's nose,
knocking his head back and throwing him off balance. Kokichi
smirked, as he pulled him back again, this time opting for a punch to
the stomach. It instantly connected, sending harsh waves of pain
through Zack's body, as if he was just hit full-force with a baseball
bat. This, however, would be the perfect chance. With a quick thrust,
Zack slammed the metal bar into Kokichi's shoulder just deep
enough to hit the ligament within. He grunted in pain, his grip on
Zack's tie slipping.

" There, now's my chance!" Zack thought, as he gripped Kokichi's

face tightly, and with all his might, slammed him harshly to the
ground, using gravity and his tight grip to pull his weapon out of his
opponent's toned body. The flames grew hotter around them, as
Kokichi gripped Zack's ankle and threw him off his balance, before
getting on top of his body, his legs keeping his arms bound to his
sides.

"Not bad! You're quite resilient," He shouted, before slamming his fist
straight into Zack's nose, "but I'm just more experienced!"

With the raw power of a truck, he began to repeatedly punch and

ram his fists into Zack's face, forcing blood to spray from his mouth
and nose. With every attack, his vision grew blurry and his skin
bruised. He was tough, really tough, but there was one thing that he
lacked. He focused on the now, whilst Zack planned his every move.
Before he could feel the next blow attack at his face, Zack reached
for the robar and with as much force as he could, slammed it deep
into Kokichi's lower back. The tip entered, before exiting his
stomach, forcing his punch to lose it's mark. Zack quickly moved his
head to the side and pushed him off of his body, before slamming his
heels against Kokichi's face, pushing him back even further.

"Geez, your shit at staying quiet. Don't you know that's how you let
your opponent know what you're about to do?" He panted out, as he
wiped the blood from his chin. Kokichi merely stood to his feet and
pulled the robar from his side, chuckling lowly and angrily.

"So you're saying you know my every move? Well then, prove it!"

Kokichi would then start his Sprint towards Zack, his frightening
laugh filling the battle ground. Zack stared at him, his heart pounding
against his chest. He knew he couldn't fight him head on, it'd be
impossible. So, he'd have to subtle for a bit of a different approach.

" Okay, let's think about this! Asshole is a rush down type, meaning
that he's always gonna try and run towards me. Not only that, though
his punches are strong, his right hand holds more force, meaning his
right handed. So, if I take that into account… !"

Kokichi reeled his right fist back, as he closed in on Zack's position.

It was just as he said, his right hand was his go to. Zack smirked, as
he leaped forward and over him, but not before giving him a swift
kick to the back of his head. It wouldn't prove much though, as
Kokichi quickly turned on his heel and went to slam his right fist
against the back of Zack's head.

"Predictable." Zack mumbled, as he slammed his elbow against his

incoming fist, throwing off his movements. Using this to his
advantage, he quickly turned to face his opponent and with all the
force he had, he quickly socked his right temple, his thumb harshly
jamming into the opponents eye. He knocked him off balance and
forced him to stumble back, his hand holding his bleeding eye. Zack,
however, wouldn't let up the assault. With as much momentum,
strength, and speed that he could muster, he harshly and repeatedly
crashed his fists against Kokichi's jaw, nose, and even neck. He
could feel his punches doing damage, as bruises formed on his
person, with the occasional shot of blood from well-placed shots to
the nose. He just kept going and going, putting forth all of his anger
and hatred for him into every blow, before finally ending it with a
heavy uppercut, knocking him into the air and back down to the
ground. Zack panted heavily, his body trembling and tingling with
adrenaline. Was he down for good? Though it seemed like it, Zack
didn't buy it.

"Get up. I know that's not all you got." He spat, as he slowly back up
and away from his person. Kokichi, giving a smirk, slowly rose to his
feet and wiped his mouth of his blood. Seemed like this wasn't over.

"It appears I underestimated you. You're actually quite strong for

such a small human. Good, that just means I have no reason to hold
back," his left eye throbbed and glowed, as he chuckled lowly and
menacingly, "You see, my friend, I know you didn't consume the
demon essence. You instead decided to destroy it, like the fool you
are. In doing so, you've locked yourself from the full extent of this
power. Let me show you, just what I mean!"

The ground slowly began to shake and the air around them grew
cold, even with the flames that burned around them. It was as if his
own presence was making he tremble. That's when he saw it. Deep
within his demonic eye, something seemed to be moving, as if it
were a dark black fog that traveled within his ebony eyeball. It was
just like when Zack's before he destroyed the demon essence.

"I don't need to give up what makes me human for power! I can kick
your ass with my own abilities!"

"Hmhm, then let's see you prove that, my friend. For now we reach
the final round! Don't hold back, or I may just kill you too quickly!"

Before Zack could even move, Kokichi lunged towards him, at break-
neck speeds, catching him off guard. Using his quick movements,
Zack jumped back, forcing him to slam his fist against the ground.

" Damn, he's fast!"

Before his body could hit the ground, he felt his ankle get gripped
and, with extreme force, was thrown through a nearby wall,
destroying it. Zack skidded and rolled against the ground, his body
screaming in complete pain. As soon as it hit the ground, Kokichi
sped towards him and harshly kicked his chest, flinging him forward
and against a nearby wall. Zack's body throbbed in agony, as he
quickly picked himself up just in time to dodge another one of
Kokichi's punches. This one was strong enough to completely
destroy the already burning wall! Zack growled, as he quickly backed
up.

"This isn't good! He's too fast; I can't study his movements with him
moving like this! There's gotta be some way that I can stop him, use
his speed against him!"

His eyes widened; he could feel Kokichi's presence behind him. He

was moving fast, but he had just enough time to dodge his kick. It
just barely missed him, instead passing his body with just enough
space for Zack to counterattack. He quickly gripped his leg and,
using his elbow, he slammed it down against his knee. He could hear
the harsh snapping sound of his knee breaking under his weight.
Using Kokichi's momentum, he flung him through the wall, panting
heavily. He could barely stand at this point. He may have had gotten
in a few lucky hits, but right now, he was getting nowhere. He had to
land a fatal blow, and quickly!

Kokichi slowly got to his feet, the attack seemingly not phasing him.
He was slowly growing more and more dangerous, deadly even.
There was nothing he could do, not with what he had now. He had to
think of a plan. He slowly stepped back, doing his best to keep some
distance between them. That's when he noticed it. The floor was
really weak, so much so that enough force could utterly destroy it.
Not only that, but he also caught the sight of a rope. Luckily, it wasn't
caught in the fire. His eyes widened with realization, a plan soon
forming in his mind. There was only one way to get him, but first, he
had to use a very important skill in every RPG; provoke!
He stood as straight as possible, as he did his best to keep his
breathing steady, "What's wrong? Is that all you got? I was hoping
you'd be a bit harder to fight than that!"

Kokichi lunged towards him at full force, but this time, Zack was
starting to get a good grasp on his movements. He dodged to the
side towards the rope and grabbed onto it. He had to keep going,
keep using his chances to counterattack to set up the trap.

"Come on, give me a challenge here! Don't you wanna give your
men a bit more of a show, or should we round them up to see you
get your ass beat?!"

Kokichi growled, as he leaped toward his opponent. Zack, catching

his movement, quickly kicked off of the wall and up towards the roof,
where he quickly looped the rope on one of the rafters tightly. He
landed on the ground, his trap in place. All he needed was to get the
other end of the rope right where he needed it. There was only one
way he could do that, but it definitely would be dangerous.

"Oh yeah, that's right, if you killed them, that means that they'd most
likely be here in hell! Why didn't you go meet them? Oh, I get it,
you're scared to."

Kokichi, boiling with rage, threw himself to Zack, his anger helping
him achieve his quick speeds and his raw power. His words kept
cutting him like a knife, as if he were insulting his very being, though
technically, he was.

"Shut up! You don't know shit!"

Zack smirked, as he continued his heckling, while ducking

underneath Kokichi's attempt to tackle him, "Oh, I know a lot of
things. It's kind of my job as an investigator. You're just being a
pussy! Too scared to meet them eye-to-eye. To apologize for your
mistake. Sounds kinda like somebody's a bit of a shit leader, huh?!"
"Shut the fuck up, you waste of space!" he screamed. His constant
leaps and bounds made the ground shake and tremble, as Zack
narrowly dodged and escaped his attempts to tackle him. He was
almost there, he just needed one more push.

" Aw, did I hit a nerve? Is somebody being a bitch? Well, good, just
means that I'm right about everything. Everything is your fault, you're
to blame. How about you go back to wallowing in your own shit,
bitch!"

" ENOUGH!! "

Before he could move to get away, Kokichi reached for him and
tightly gripped his neck. Zack grabbed onto his wrists tightly, his
breathing instantly getting cut off from any air. He was livid, his eyes
seeing nothing but blood-red rage! Any little thing could set him off
now. He slowly raised him off of the ground, keeping him at eye level
with him.

"You know, you're more of an irritation than anything else. You don't
have a right to say anything about me. After all, you never found or
searched for your own parents when you came here," Zack's eyes
widened, his throat feeling as if it were being crushed, "That's right, I
know all about you; Killing your own father, living alone as a hermit.
You're just a pathetic as I am. The only difference is that I made my
way. I destroyed, killed, and stole to get where I am. What did you
do, huh?! What do you have to show for it?!"

It was getting harder for him to breathe. With how things were going,
he'd end up suffocating. Not just from his hand strangling him, but
from his words too. Did he really have anything to show for it? Was
he just as much of a coward as he was? This entire time, he wasn't
even worried about finding his parents, even when this was the best
chance to do it. Could he have found them? Did he have anything?
With a gasp, Zack glared at him, "Nngh, y-yeah, you may be right
that I was avoiding that thought, but you're wrong about one thing…"
he slowly smirked, "What I have to show for all of this shit, is my new
family, and my smoking hot, big tiddy, goth hellhound girlfriend!"
Before he could shout a rebuttal, Zack slammed his head against his
nose. While his grip released his neck, allowing him to grip the rope
and loop it around his neck. He tightened it harshly, cutting Kokichi's
airflow off. Phase one complete; now for the fun part!

"Alright big guy, let me know if there's an afterlife for demons!"

And with that said, he swept his legs from under him and grabbed
his face. Using all the strength he could muster, he slammed his
body down against the already weak floorboards, causing them both
to fall through the newly made pit. Everything seemed to go so fast;
Zack's body was now at the mercy of gravity and whatever was
below him. Within seconds, he found himself crashing through
multiple wooden floors, until he finally came to a halt, his person
crashing against a large desk. Zack groaned loudly in pain, as he
laid in the wooden rubble, his body tingling and numb from the
constant abuse.

"Goddamn it, that hurt like a bitch…"

He slowly opened an eye. Was he able to do it? It was quiet, and not
only that, there was only one crash. To his relief, it did work. There
he was, Kokichi Nagasaki, hanging by his neck like a gruesome
windchime. In a way, it made Zack sick, knowing that he went out of
his way to kill him in such a terrifying way, but at least he was able to
kill him quickly. He could even see the shocked look on his face, a
clear sign of how much he hadn't foreseen this chain of events.

"I would make a joke about you hanging in there… but I've got
nothing…" he grunted, as he did his best to try and get to his feet.
His body, though miraculously not broken, was still completely
exhausted. Hell, he could barely keep his fading consciousness
going any longer than what he could. Right now, he was completely
at fate's mercy. The building was still burning down, and if he had to
guess, it'd only take about half an hour for it to come crashing down.
Again, everything seemed hopeless, but at least it wasn't all in vain.
Though he was surely going to die, he was still able to keep
everyone safe and protecting them. That's all that mattered to him;
that's all he truly wanted.

"Heh, geez, can't believe I'm gonna die right at the end. Isn't..that…
something?" His vision grew blurry and his eyes were getting heavy,
as the adrenaline and the lack of blood from his wound made him
feel more and more exhausted, "Sorry guys… Sorry, Loona…"

This was it, this was all he could do at this point. He was going to
lose his life, with no ability to live an afterlife. His eyes soon closed,
and his body began to relax, with each breath he took being more
and more silent. This was the end of him, he knew it.

"Hmhmhm, now now, we can't have you dying yet. Your deal has yet
to be fulfilled."

As soon as the tired screeched and skidded to a halt in front of the

burning building, Loona jumped from out of the vehicle. She didn't
have any time to lose! Zack was still in there, and if he was still
fighting Kokichi, he'd need all the help he could get.

"Wait, Loona, wait!" Octavia cried out in an attempt to stop her

advances. Her words would fall on deaf ears. There was no stopping
her now, especially if Zack was hurt. Her anxiety and fears were all
attacking her at once, sending her into an fight or flight response.
She, of course, was all about the fight right now. She sped through
the entrance and headed towards the stairs, her heart pounding with
each bound and step she took. The entire establishment was in
flames by now, making it harder for her to breath, due to the
suffocating smoke. The rafters and floorboards were all on the verge
of falling apart, until it all came crashing down.

She stumbled and wobbled, as the ground creaked and trembled,

"Zack?! Where are you?! Come on, speak to me!"

She had to find him quickly, the building wouldn't hold up much
longer! After what seemed like hours for her, she made it to her
desired floor.

"This is the floor they crashed in! Hang in there Zack!"

With her left shoulder, she rammed against the door, forcing it open.
Her eyes would widen in shock, as she looked at the state of the
crash. The once functional helicopter was now nothing but a hunk of
metal, as the sea of flames coated and burned the inside of it. The
sight only imbued fear in her body. Was he actually in there? Was he
lower? How could she even tell?

"O-Okay, okay, calm down. Usually, in this situation, Zack would look
throughout the area and search for clues. I just gotta be quick about
it." She mumbled, as she looked around the burning scene. She
could catch the signs of a struggle, judging from the broken walls, as
well as the blood stains that littered the floor. She grimaced. What if
that was Zack's blood? She shook her head, as she slipped through
one of the holes in the wall, entering another room. This room was
much more damaged than the former, especially with the large hole
in the center of the floor. She instantly caught the sight of more
blood, most likely from the two's scuffle.

"Damn it, I don't have a lot of time! Where are you Zack?!"

That's when she noticed it. Hanging from the rafters was a rope, and
from how tightly it was being pulled down, it meant that something
was tied to the other end. She quickly stepped towards the hole in
the ground, bracing herself for what was to be seen. She hoped, no,
prayed that it wasn't Zack; that he was still alive and breathing. She
peeked down into the hole, her eyes catching the sight of Kokichi's
lifeless body dangling below by his neck. She huffed in relief.
Though it was a gruesome sight, she was just happy that it wasn't
Zack.

"It he's down there, that means that Zack would probably be a
couple of floors down!"
She quickly sprinted back down the stairs and into the smoke
infested lower floors, her arm covering her nose and mouth. Her
eyes burned and watered from the excessive smoke, but she didn't
care. The only thing that mattered to her was finding her investigator.

"Zack!? Can you hear me?! Where are you?!" She cried out in
between coughs. She crouched down lower to the ground and
searched throughout the room. It was the last room that had a hole
in the ground, so this had to be where he landed, right? She
searched for what felt like hours, feeling more desperate to find
anything that meant he was alive. Her eyes would soon see the
remains of a destroyed desk. It laid right underneath the last hole in
the floor above her. This had to be where he landed! She bolted to
the desk's remains, in hope that he was still there.

"Zack, I found-!"

She froze, all the hope in her body seemingly vanishing without a
trace. The one she desire to see most was gone, with a pool of blood
left. She instantly grew more worried than what she ever felt. Where
was he?! Did she just miss him!? Was he somewhere else?! She
didn't know; she just didn't know!

"Loonie?! Where are ya?!"

Her eyes widened in shock, her ears invaded by the sound of Blitzo's
voice and rapid footsteps. She turned towards him, as he screeched
to a halt in front of her.

"Blitzo! We've got a problem! It's Zack, I can't find him anywhere, and
he's hurt bad, I know it! We gotta look for him!"

Blitzo frowned, his coat acting as a makeshift filter from the smoke.
He felt bad for his daughter, and definitely for the investigator, but as
it stood, he had to think about situation. Searching this entire place
was gonna be way too dangerous, especially with the building
literally on its last legs. Besides, from the looks of things, Zack had
already escaped.
"Loonie, I understand you're worried, but we gotta get outta here
now! If we don't, we're both gonna die in here!"

Loona's eyes widened, appalled that he would even consider just

abandoning Zack like this, "But Dad, what about Zack?! He could be
in here!"

"That's unlikely! Look at the blood," they both turned their heads to
the pool of blood. To her surprise, it seemed to trail to the other side
of the room, before completely stopping out of nowhere, "There's a
trail. That means someone carried him outta here! If we wanna find
him, we're gonna have to broaden our search!"

Her eyes softened and her heart squeezed with fear. She just didn't
know what to do, what to believe. If he was right, that meant he was
at least taken out of the building, but if he wasn't, then Zack could
possibly die, crushed by the burning rubble. Blitzo, noticing her
indecisiveness, gently touched her cheek.

"Just trust me. He's okay, and we'll find him, I promise."

Tears fell from her eyes. She was so scared for his life. She didn't
know if she could trust anyone right now, but at this moment, she
had to put her trust in her father. Otherwise, who could she trust?
Without another word, the two sprinted back towards the stairs and
down to the main entrance. If they were gonna find Zack, they had to
hurry. After all, there was no telling where he was or what condition
he was in.

"Nngh… what…?"

Zack was at a loss. He thought for sure that he'd be dead via blood
loss, smoke inhalation, or burning; hell, he thought it would be all
three at once! Yet, he didn't feel like he was dead. He just felt, odd.
He couldn't describe it, but if he had to, it almost felt like he was
floating in the air.
"I'm… alive…?" He mumbled in disbelief, as he slowly opened his
eyes and sat upright, his head throbbing and his eyes blurred. He
slowly rubbed his eyes, hoping to help his vision return to normal.
With a few rubs and grunts, his vision began to return, but with it
came more questions. His eyes widened and his heart stopped, as
he stared at his surroundings in utter disbelief. Zack was in the night
sky! Stars sparkled everywhere, and below him were nothing but
dark clouds. There wasn't even ground where he was. He was
standing on nothing but the air!

"Wh-What the hell… Looks like I'm not in Kansas anymore… Wait,
does hell even have a Kansas? I should ask Millie later."

He stood to his feet, though a bit unsteadily, as he gently touched his

body. Miraculously, all of his wounds were healed! He still felt a little
sore from the battle he was in, but there was no blood or anything
leaking from out of him. It was amazing, but concerning as well.

"My wounds are healed… What's happening right now? Someone

had to have brought me here…" He inhaled deeply, before shouting
into what seemed to be an endless void, "Hey!! Anyone out there?!
Helloooooo?!"

No answer, not even an echo. He huffed, as he slipped his hands

into his pockets. Was there really anywhere to go at this point? If so,
where would he walk? There was literally no place to go; he'd just be
walking aimlessly.

"Well that just fuckin' figures. Who's ass do I have to kiss to get
some answers?"

"I'll be happy to give you some of those answers," Zack jumped in

surprise, as he turned to the voice, "thought I'd rather you not kiss
my rump."

He couldn't believe it. Of all the people to be here, it had to be

Alastor! His usual grim, though creepy, was a bit of a sight for sore
eyes. After all, he'd rather be here with someone he knows, rather
than a complete stranger.

"Not a problem, wasn't gonna do that anyway. Are you the one who
brought me here?" He asked, his left eyebrow raised. Alastor, with a
twirl of his cane, slowly stepped towards him. He seemed extra giddy
today.

"That I am! After seeing your tumble, I thought I'd bring you here and
help with your wounds. No need to thank me, though, all in a day's
work."

Zack blinked in confusion. What was he doing in a burning building,

and why would he save him? It couldn't have been just from the
goodness of his own heart. No, he had been around Alastor for a bit,
and every single thing he did was for a reason. Making Loona attack
him, instigating the fight the day they first met, and giving him all that
information when Niffty seemed dead. It was like he was guiding
him, but to what?

"I'm just gonna assume you've been watching me the entire time, but
what I don't know is why you brought me here. Everything you've
done has been for one reason or another, so this time shouldn't be
different. Not only that, but if you were just trying to save me, you
would have just taken me to the hotel, or even the I.M.P. building.
But no, you took me here. So, spill it, Al. What's going on, and what
have you been planning?"

Alastor merely smirked, before letting out a hardy laugh. He was

amused, entertained even. Was that his reason? Just for his
amusement?

"Haha, ever so sharp, are you? Hmhm, as expected from the

demon-human investigator," he slowly reeled from his laughter,
"You're right, Mr. Trevle. There is a reason why I brought you here."

Zack crossed his arms, his left foot tapping against the ground, "And
that would be?"
Alastor's smirk would slowly turn into a normal grin. However, even
though he was smiling, he could tell that he was serious. There
wasn't a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

"I brought you here, so that you can make good on our deal. You
remember, don't you?"

Zack's eyes widened. He did indeed remember that. The deal that
he and Alastor made not too long ago.

"Yeah, I remember. The one we made on the train. Which, by the

way, you never told me what you wanted."

"Merely to make sure you didn't stray from your path! If you had
done so, then there's no telling what could happen, my friend."

Zack rubbed his chin. He hated to admit it, but Alastor was right on
that merit. Things turned out okay as it was, but there really was no
telling what could have happened if he knew the full extent of what
he was asking. Still, he definitely just wanted whatever he agreed to
that day to be gotten done and over with.

"Okay, maybe you've got a point. Alright, so what is it you need?

Want me to find someone? Maybe kill a demon? Make you some
jambalaya?" Zack listed, counting them off on his fingers.

"As enticing as the last option is, I'm afraid that's not it. No, my
friend, I merely want you to meet someone."

Zack stood in just pure disbelief. Here he was, thinking it that he

needed him to do something so big and dangerous, yet all he
desired of him was to just meet someone; maybe have a chat with
them. Usually, Zack would be a bit irritated, but at this point, he was
just completely numb. With a huff, he shrugged his shoulders.
What's the worse that could happen at this point?

"Alright, fine. Who's this person you want me to meet?"

Alastor merely smirked, the sound of static enveloping the area. He
snapped his fingers, a portal appearing behind him. It was at this
moment that he gripped his cane tightly and began to speak into it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, demons and harlots,

presenting the man who's known of your existence since you first
exhibited your powers, the one who had just been dying to see you,
and the one who you've all been waiting for!"

He paused for suspense, as he stepped from in front of the dark red

portal. In a matter of seconds, a new face slowly began to walk out
of the demonic entrance, one that Zack had never seen before. It
was a male, one who was dressed in a pair of white slacks, a white
undershirt, a long white coat, a red and white striped vest, black
boots, and a white top hat with an apple ornament on it. His skin was
pale all except for his rose cheeks, and his eyes were a bright
yellow, his teeth sharp and pearly. His lips were curled into a large
grin, as he held his cane tightly in his hand, staring daggers at the
human investigator.

Zack's eyes widened in shock. This man was completely dressed in

white! Was he the one who tricked Kokichi?! Before he could even
speak, Alastor continued his introduction.

"Please welcome, Lucifer Magne, the king of Hell!"

Zack merely stared, too shocked to say anything at all. If what

Alastor said was true, then that meant the one who wanted to see
him was the actual king of hell! The one who was at the top of the
spectrum in terms of power, the ruler who everyone feared at some
level! His presence was enough to make Zack feel so small in
comparison. Needless to say, he was completely mind-fucked!

"Again, you have GOT to be shitting me…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 23
Chapter 23: Lucifer Magne Is A Fuckin' Secret Boss?!

Silence filled the mysterious area, as Zack stared at the one known
as Lucifer. He had remembered Loona talking about him the day he
first started to investigate Kokichi's gang. He never thought he'd ever
meet him though. Well, it was more like he wished he didn't have to
meet him. Looks like that fell through hard. Zack quickly recomposed
himself, his hands slipping back into his pockets.

"Lucifer Magne… I'm guessing you're the father of Charlie Magne,

princess of Hell."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow, as he chuckled softly, "It would seem your

keen eye for details is just as sharp as they say." He said, his deep
and regal voice rumbling in his throat, "Yes, that is me. It's a pleasure
to meet you, Zack Trevle."

"Ditto. Now, what is it you want to talk to me about? It's obviously

something big, if you're calling me here." Zack said, his voice
sounding as unamused as ever. Lucifer slowly walked closer to him,
his cane clicking against the ground with every step he took. Alastor
merely watched, his grin remaining neverending.

"Quick to the punch, I see. Nothing wrong with that, shows you've
always got your eyes on the prize."

He began to slowly circle around Zack, his eyes observing every

inch of his person. He was around his size, though a slight bit
lankier. You'd never be able to tell, however, thanks to his choice of
apparel. Zack didn't like this. It was almost like he was sizing him up,
seeing where he needed to strike to end him. Whatever the reason,
he wasn't going to let his guard down.

"More like I want to get this over with, so I can get back to-"
"Your friends, right? And the woman you're seeing; Loona, wasn't it?"

Zack's heart stopped and his eyes widened. He knew about them? A
part of him wasn't exactly surprised, but still, he knew that this wasn't
a good sign. If he wanted to, he could most likely kill him, or perhaps
use them to hold them over his head. Lucifer smirked, the tip of his
cane pressing against Zack's chest.

"I know all about them, and you. From the moment you entered hell,
you intrigued me. A human surviving in hell, and not only that, but
you gained such a greatly seemed power, at least to human
standards," he tapped his can against the bottom of his chin, before
pulling it back, "however, I can tell that you're not exactly the same
as practically all the humans who sought out your abilities."

Zack raised an eyebrow, as he rubbed the spot his cane touched,

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean, for one, your humanity has not been rejected, yet the
demon essence within you is no more. That only proves one thing,"
he stepped back, his grin growing larger and more menacing, "you
have passed the test."

Zack silently stared. He didn't quite catch it, but he could have sworn
he said that he passed the test. What test, though? He did recall
there being a test that was mentioned in the book, but wasn't the
point of it just to kill the demon within and consume the essence of it.

"I don't exactly follow. How did I pass? All I did was kill the demon in
my head, so how does that exactly have a passing condition?" Zack
questioned. Lucifer, who seemed to just be eating the entire situation
up, continued his explanation.

"No, my dear boy, that is not the real test. The real test is what
comes after."

Zack raised his brow in suspicion, "What comes after? Wait a

minute, you're talking about the demon essence itself, and whether
or not I consumed it or not!"

"Correct! You see, killing your demon is one thing, but what you do
with the remains is another. Do you consume their power, their
morals, and lose your own sense of self, inevitably turning into what
you fought against, or do you learn from your demons, better one's
self, and in turn, protect your humanity? That is the test, a test that
everyone would constantly fail, except for you."

Zack couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was he seriously the

only one who passed the test? If that was the case, then was he
indeed stronger? What did passing the test entail? So many
questions filled his mind, but the biggest one he had was something
he had to figure out.

"Interesting… And I'm guessing Kokichi was another one who failed
the test, Mr. Demon In White?"

Lucifer stayed silent for a second. The corner of his mouth twitched,
a clear sign he wasn't expecting that question. He quickly shook his
head and shrugged, "Ah yes, Mr. Nagasaki. A fool in search for
power who failed the test miserably. He had potential, but his greed
got the better of him. A fitting end for someone who's been a thorn in
my side."

"Wait, so you knew of his existence? Of him having his entire gang
under Imp City?" Zack asked.

"But of course. Nothing gets past me, and unfortunately, he was

going to cause trouble at some point. Thus, I had to take measures.
Too bad that-"

"That your mole got found out and killed, right?" Zack interrupted, his
hand rubbing his chin, "You sent someone on the inside to get
information on him. However, he was found out, tortured, then killed.
However, he was still able to hide some information; a USB drive
that held documents that could have been useful to you. That's him,
right?"
Lucifer silently stared, before grinning evilly, "You're quite skilled, Mr.
Trevle. I'm impressed you could figure all of that out. Bravo."

He proceeded to clap in feigned gratitude. He was almost as playful

as Alastor, but he knew better. He wasn't the king of hell for nothing,
and the last thing he needed was to set him off.

"Which, by the way, I must thank you for that. If it wasn't for you, I
would have had to dirty my hands, and the last thing I need is to get
blood all over my suit. Bloodstains are so hard to get out of white,
you see."

Zack stayed silent. He knew that the torture victim was someone
working for another person, but for it to be the actual king of hell was
an almost impossible possibility. Of course, almost impossible
doesn't mean it's completely impossible. He just couldn't wrap his
head around any of this, and he still hadn't been told what he was
doing there. He huffed softly, trying to compose himself as best as he
could, before he began to question him further.

"Why am I here? What's so important that you felt the need to tell me
all of this?"

With a smirk, Lucifer slowly slipped his left hand into his coat pocket
and threw something to Zack so fast that he could barely make out
what it was. Even so, he caught it with relative ease, before holding it
up to inspect the foreign object. Zack's body froze. He was just
tossed a dagger, as well as a belt with throwing knives attached to it.
What was this? Why would he throw something like that at him?

"I believe that's what you're akin to, right? Quite the fitting ensemble,
in my opinion," he slowly gripped the length of his can, along with the
edge of it with his free hand, before slowly pulling them apart.
Imagine Zack's surprise, when his eyes were slightly blinded by the
gleam of a steel sword. He tossed the sheath over his shoulder and
got into what could be a fencer's stance. Now he knew what this
was. He wanted to fight him!
"Wh-Whoa, hang on a second, you're not seriously suggesting that
we fight, do you?!" Zack stuttered, even with him knowing the
answer. Lucifer smirked, a deep chuckle escaping his grinning teeth.

"You're the investigator, so I'm sure you already know that answer,"
he slowly raised his free hand into the air, "Now, for a change of
scenery!"

He snapped his fingers, the sound echoing throughout the barren

area. With little time for Zack to speak, the ground slowly began to
glow, as white feathers circled around the three. The light grew
brighter, blinding Zack so much that he had to cover his eyes, lest he
go blind. Within seconds, the light dimmed and dissipated, allowing
for him to look once again. As if things couldn't get any worse, the
scenery had changed again, this time back to the hellish landscape
he had grown accustomed to. The only difference was that he and
his new opponent were now standing on top of a skyscraper! Zack
quickly looked around, his heart pounding against his chest. This
was gonna be way more dangerous than his fight with Kokichi, he
could feel it.

"This, my boy, will be our battleground, atop the demonic world you
have accepted as your home," Zack's head whipped back to Lucifer,
as he quickly snapped that belt around his waist and pulled the
dagger out of its sheath, "Now show me your power; the power to kill
an angel!"

"Wait, kill a wha-?!"

Before he could even finish, Lucifer lunged forward towards him, his
sword trailed for Zack's eye. Luckily, he was quick enough to block it
with the side of his dagger. The sheer force of his attack picked him
backwards, but he was able to keep his footing. Zack winced, his
hand throbbing from the strength of his attack. For such a prissy-
looking man, he was much stronger than even Kokichi! With every
attack he made at him, Zack would block or dodge as best as he
could. Most of his attacks came so close to hitting him that his
clothes were getting cut and knicked.
"This guy's really fast! If I let any of those hit me, then I'm done for!
Gotta fight a bit more unorthodox!"

Zack quickly pulled a knife from his belt and tossed it into the air in
between the two. Lucifer glanced toward it in confusion; this was his
chance! Using his split-second lack of concentration to his
advantage, Zack quickly threw his fist towards his face, but not
before catching the knife as it twirled in the air. Lucifer, who caught
his plan, quickly tilted his head, causing the knife to just graze his left
cheek. He wouldn't stop there though, as Zack slammed his other
hand into Lucifer's stomach, knocking him back a few feet. His feet
skidded on the ground, but with Zack's powerful punch, he was still
able to keep himself standing.

He smirked, as he wiped the blood from his sliced cheek, "Not bad,
very unique. Let's see more!"

Once again, he lunged towards him, his sword aiming for his legs.
Zack quickly jumped over the weapon, before giving his left cheek a
harsh backhand. He landed back on the ground and grabbed the
collar of his coat, before quickly throwing him over his shoulder and
off the edge of the building. Zack watched, as gravity pulled him
down the air, leaving him alone on the roof of the building. He silently
stared, as he pulled out three throwing knives, his other hand
gripping his dagger. He knew it wasn't gonna be this easy.

"Alright, come on up, pal. I know you're still-"

Suddenly, the white-clad demon zoomed back up from the lower

depths, taking him off guard. As if things couldn't get any worse,
Lucifer had somehow grown a pair of white wings, akin to an angel.
Zack huffed, as he rubbed his face in annoyance.

"Fallen angel, Zack. Motherfucker is a fallen angel, why didn't you

realize that?!" he chastised loudly. Lucifer merely shook his head, his
wings flapping up and down slowly, keeping him aloft.
"A lot of people forget that, my dear boy. These wings are fairly
useful, especially for this."

His wings would flap harder and faster, before he would soar above
Zack, making feathers fall to the ground. Zack raised an eyebrow;
they looked shinier than he thought. That's when he realized that
they were gleaming due to them having a cutting edge! They began
to fall towards the ground quicker, cutting through the air and straight
towards him. Zack, using his quick reflexes, rolled to the side, just
barely dodging the aerial assault.

"Great, as if I didn't have enough shit to deal with! Gotta get him out
of the air quickly."

He quickly readied his knives and chucked them into the air towards
Lucifer. He shrugged and folded his wings, letting gravity pull him
down to the ground to dodge. Zack, using this to his advantage,
sprinted towards him. He twisted on his heel and readied his lifted
leg for a roundhouse kick to his person. Lucifer quickly caught it in
his dominant hand, his left eyebrow raised in question.

"You'll have to do better than that, you know."

Zack smirked devilishly, "Never underestimate a well-developed

plan."

His eyes widened, as his eyes glanced over his shoulder. The three
knives he had thrown were both spinning away with great strength
and speed, but then, it happened. Two of the knives grew closer to
the third in the middle, and miraculously, they both banked off of the
third, sending it back to the two at breakneck speeds. It was going so
fast, too fast for Lucifer to dodge completely! He went to move to the
right as best as he could, but it proved fruitless, as the buzzsaw-like
blade embedded itself into his shoulder, stabbing him. His eyes
widened in shock. He actually wounded him. he used his intelligence
to attack, instead of just focusing on his raw strength! He was
awestruck, so much so that he didn't notice Zack readying another
attack. He pulled back his fist and slammed it against his cheek,
giving him a well-placed strike and knocking him backwards a good
deal. His cheek stung harshly, the shock attacking his ability to move
for a split second. He would soon catch himself with his hand and
pushed off the ground, landing on his feet once again. Zack panted
harshly, as he shook his hand, trying to get the sting off of it. It was
definitely a sign that ol' Luci was much more durable than he looked.

"How's that for doing better?" he taunted, trying to make himself

seem tougher than what he was. Lucifer merely stayed silent, as he
touched his cheek. It was throbbing, coursing with pain. It was such
a long time since he had felt such pain, such cunning, such demonic
tendency. It made him feel, alive! He slowly began to chuckle, before
he loudly began to laugh out, his head thrown back. Zack stared in
shock, as he stared at him, completely at a loss for words. Was he
actually laughing? He had not only gotten stabbed, but also punched
so hard he went flying across the roof. This man was a complete
mystery all on his own.

"I knew you would be the one! Such cunning, such strength! Not
many have been able to wound me, and here you are, dodging and
attacking with the best of them!" he reached back at the knife and
pulled it out, tossing it off of the roof, "Yes, you are the one. The
perfect one to have this."

In the blink of an, he would appear in front of Zack, and with all of his
strength, he slammed his open palm against his chest, knocking him
back onto the ground. Zack groaned loudly, as he gripped his chest.

"The hell?! How did you do-" out of nowhere, his chest began to glow
a bright white light, his eyes widened in awe. Whatever Lucifer did, it
wasn't hurting him. In fact, he was feeling warm and stronger. It was
off-putting, to say the least. As the light died down, he slowly got to
his feet, before brushing his pants off of any dirt and dust, "What was
that about? For an attack, it was kind of… short."

Lucifer only smirked, as he stepped closer to him, "Congratulations,

Zack Trevle. You have just been accepted."
"Um, accepted? Accepted into what?" Zack asked, his head tilted to
the side in confusion.

"You, my boy, have shown a great deal of prowess, intelligence, and

cunning. One that only a demon could have. However, you still have
been able to keep your humanity, the thing that makes you human.
Not many have been able to achieve that. Thus, I have decided that
you," he pointed to him, "shall be the Overlord of Imp City, as well as
a member of the Ars Goetia."

Zack only stared, his mind processing what was just told to him. Did
he legitimately just say that he was going to be both a member of the
Ars Goetia AND an Overlord?! That had to be a lie! Zack's face
twisted into a look of disbelief, as he stepped back.

"W-Wait a fuckin' minute! You can't be serious! I can't be an Overlord

or Ars Goetia! I'm not even born a demon, let alone a demon of
royalty!"

Lucifer shook his head, his eye holding a serious tone to them, "This
is important. There is a reason why this must happen. You must
raise your status, especially for what's to come."

His playfulness was gone, replaced with an aura of malice and

determination. He was serious, very serious. Zack slowly composed
himself, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"Alright, but what is to come? Do you know at all?" he asked.

"No, but I know what my gut is feeling. Hell is going to be a part of a

terrible storm, one that shakes the very fabric of life for both humans
and demons. You are the only person that can stop it, my friend.
However, the only way you will be able to do this is if you take your
place in the Ars Goetia, and act as the Overlord of Imp City," he
slowly extended his hand to him, smirking devilishly, "So then, Zack,
do we have a deal?"
Zack could only stare at his hand. What was he going to say? What
could he say? He was just happy that he was able to survive, but
now he was being asked to be a member of not one, but two parts of
the hierarchy! No, in actuality, he was being demanded. With a soft
huff, he took his hand and slowly shook it, nodding his head.

"We got a deal, I guess. You're looking at a new Overlord… and Ars
Goetia too."

Lucifer chuckled, before stepping back. He jumped off of the building

and hovered over the drop below, his wings keeping him aloft. His
hands slipped behind his back, his eyes staring down at the new
member of the Ars Goetia.

"We'll keep in touch, my friend! I do hope you're able to enjoy

yourself here in hell! After all, this is your new home!"

And with that, he turned his back to him and began to soar through
the air towards god knows where. Zack only watched him, his fists
clenched in hopes to keep him calm and collected. He felt like the
world was on weighing him down; like it was all on his shoulders. If
what Lucifer said was true, then that meant life would only get harder
for him, worse even.

"Don't worry, my friend," Zack's head whipped to Alastor, who was

now standing behind him. He had completely forgotten he was still
here, "Even though you may be in such a harsh state of events,
doesn't mean that you are hopeless. You have all the power within
you to take down your obstacles and to rise to the top!"

Zack blinked silently, his heart slowly starting to calm down. Was he
actually comforting him? This wasn't anything like Alastor, not at all.
That's when it hit him. This entire time, he was watching him to make
sure he was able to live. Perhaps maybe even because Lucifer
"requested" him to do so. If that was the case, then that deal was…

"Hey… that deal we made… it wasn't for me to meet him, right? So,
tell me, what was that deal for…?"
Alastor stayed silent, as he closed his eyes, huffing softly. It was odd,
completely odd. He was, of course, still smiling, but it was a bit
smaller than usual.

"… I wanted you to prove me wrong," Zack tilted his head in

confusion, as he let him continue, "When I saw you and what you
were, I was curious to see what you were going to do. I have seen
individuals like you before, thus I wanted to know what you would do.
Did you have the power to best your inner demon, or would you fail?
I was holding out hope for you, and I'm just happy that you were able
to survive all of this," he gently pats his shoulder, his grin return just
as large, "So come now, smile, my dear friend! After all, you're never
fully dressed without a smile."

Zack smiled softly, as he looked up at him. He wasn't as bad as he

thought. Maybe a little rough around the edges, but all in all, he was
pretty okay.

"Thank you, Alastor. You're a pretty cool guy."

"Of course, my friend! Now, I must be off, and you should get going
too! Your friends are waiting for you." he said, as he walked away,
his body slowly disappearing into the shadows. Zack sighed softly,
as he stepped closer to the edge, his eyes gazing out into the hellish
world before him. From the way he saw hell, it was almost like New
York. So many people lived their lives, whether they were good or
bad, or anything in between. The buildings were so similar, almost
identical, and the streets all were made the same way. Not only that,
but he was finally happy with the people that he called his family, and
the one he saw as the love of his life. Nothing could keep him down,
and if this adversary wanted to fight, then he was gonna fight with
everything he's got. This was his home, and goddamn it all, he was
going to protect it.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll protect all of you. Geez, I'm definitely gonna
have a lot of explaining to do though…"

To Be Continued…
Chapter 24
Chapter 24: An Epilogue Isn't Always Good…

December would draw to a close and the new year would finally be
welcomed with open arms. After the events that transpired and the
many news reports of the sporadic explosions in Imp City, normality
seemed almost like a pipe-dream. Not only that, but everyone was
none the wiser about the one who was technically the Overlord of
Imp City. Yes, things were changing, whether people knew it or not.
Zack was the one who was feeling it the most. Change was all
around him, revolving around him. His home had been switched, his
hermit life had been completely replaced, and his loneliness was
now but a footnote in his life. His life was nothing like it had been
before, and he welcomed it.

I.M.P. was quickly rebuilt, thanks to Stolas and his connection. What
with everything going on and all of the danger that was around them,
getting back to the swing of things was a slight bit jarring. Fortunately
for them, it wouldn't last long. Now, they were able to live like normal.
Well, as normal as you could get. Zack was, of course, still in hell,
working as I.M.P.'s investigator. Now, instead of just cases, he was
working in case they needed to find a target that was off the grid or
was so paranoid that they would hide. Funny enough, Zack didn't
have any qualms with it, as long as he was able to stay around them.
It was still slightly bittersweet, what with the reason he had to stay
there. Whatever was going to happen, he knew it wasn't going to be
small-scale. It was big, really big.

"Hey, Loonie, we get any phonecalls yet?!" Blitzo called from his
office, pulling Loona from her thoughts. She groaned, her legs kicked
up on her desk and a magazine in her hands.

"Nope, we don't! Just like what I said the last 5 minutes ago…" She
said, mumbling the last part. Though she was doing her usual duties,
which consisted of basically ignoring most of them, her mind was
elsewhere. After Zack had made his way back to Stolas's place to
use the phone to call Loona's cell, he told them all that was said to
him. Needless to say, they were all filled with a jumble of emotions;
most of them being worry, anxiety, confusion, and even curiosity.
Loona, however, was feeling more worry and fear than anything.
Zack was slowly spiraling into a downward shot into the true horrors
of hell, something no one should ever have to deal with. Even with
him constantly saying that everything would be fine, she was still not
very convinced. After all, she knew more about hell than him, and if
THE Lucifer was announcing him as not only an Overlord, but also
as a member of the Ars Goetia, then there had to be something
much more foul at play. Still, it's not like he could just refuse him, lest
he get destroyed right then and there. Still, she couldn't help what
she felt, fearing for a loved one.

"Love him… Never thought that would happen… Not complaining

though." She said in a huff, as she leaned back in her chair, a smile
on her face. Love was never something she thought she'd feel,
especially for a human. A part of her still wanted to just chalk it up as
her just having an inch that needed to be delt with, but if she said
that, she knew she'd just be lying to herself. She truly loved him,
wanted to always be with him, regardless of what he was or what he
was dealing with. It was a strange occurrence, but a good one.

"Heya Loona, we're back!" Millie bellowed, as she walked into the
room, her hand holding on to her beloved's, whilst her other hand
held a large bag. It wafted with a delicious scent of food, most likely
for lunch. She waved at the two, not even looking up from her
magazine.

"Hey, glad you're back, or whatever. So, got lunch for me to steal,
huh?"

"I'd rather you keep your paws off my food this time. You can't blame
it on a hangover this time." Moxxie huffed, his face holding a look of
annoyance. She, of course, merely responded with the ol' middle
finger.
Millie giggled, before placing the bag on the table, "Oh, don't worry,
we got something for you and your beloved Zacky!" She looked
around the room in curiosity, "Speaking of which where is Zack? I
saw him cleaning the windows before we-"

Her voice was soon cut off by an ear-piercing sound, one that was
akin to a tornado alarm. The three's eyes widened and their hearts
stopped. They knew what that meant, what that entailed. They just
didn't think it was already that time of year. With everything that had
happened the year before, they must have completely forgotten
about their usual, yearly, fear inducing holiday; Extermination Day.

"That time of year again, huh?" Moxxie mumbled, as he pulled out

his Avocado salad. Millie nodded, smiling awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah, but at least we'll be alright if we're inside. Everything will be

fine, trust me."

Blitzo, who was eating a footlong sub, walked out of his office, his
eyes searching the inside of the room, "Hey, is Zack not back yet?"

The three quickly looked back at Blitzo, their eyes widened slightly.
What did he mean by that?

"… Blitzo, what do you mean by that?" Loona asked, her pupils
shrinking with fear.

"Oh, I sent Zack out… to… get some more… ammo…"

His eyes widened, as he stood in shock, realizing the situation at

hand. If Zack wasn't back with the ammo, then that meant he was
still out in the open, and if he was out in the open, then that meant
he was able to be visibly seen. In his shock, Blitzo dropped his sub;
the situation just went grim!

"Okay! Got the ammo and now all I gotta do is get back to the office.
I hope I got the right shells…" He mumbled, as he walked down the
streets of hell, a small smile on his face. Life was good, amazing
even. With everything that had happened before, he never thought
he'd be able to live semi-normally ever again. However, thanks to the
welcoming of his friends, nay, his family, he was able to find his place
in hell. Even with him telling the others about Lucifer's plight and his
desire, they still stuck by him, even told him that he was completely
welcomed by them. He felt undeserving of such care and kindness,
but here he was, basking in all of it.

"Heh… Maybe hell isn't so bad after all…" He said, as he walked

down the… eerily empty streets. This was strange, hell was always
having demons roaming around, some even commiting crimes out in
the open, but it was quiet, not a soul in sight. He raised an eyebrow
in confusion. What was going on here? That's when he felt it; a
murderous and almost evil pressure was growing all around him. He
was being watched by someone. Without even thinking, he quickly
bolted down the street and ran into an alley way, his hands held
tightly at the bag of ammo he had acquired. Something was
happening, and the last thing he need was for some bullshit to ruin
his day.

"What's going on?! Why do I feel like I'm fucked beyond relief?!"

Suddenly, the sound of a loud siren filled his ears. He winced from
the earsplitting noise, as he turned a corner. He had to get back to
I.M.P. and fast!

"Damn it sir, didn't you know today was THE day?!" Moxxie
screamed, as he paced around the room. Everyone was in a state of
panic, especially with how bad things were right now.

"Shut up Mox, I'm trying to think! Damn it, what do we do?! We never
told him about those guys!"

Millie was doing her best to keep them calm, but to no avail. Loona,
however, was quick on her feet, as she gripped her phone and dialed
his number. She just hoped that he'd pick up the phone.
"Come on Zack, pick up, pick up…"

It rang for a few agonizing seconds, before it the sound of him

picking up was heard. Her ears perked and her eyes lit up. He was
okay!

"Hello…?" Zack said in a calm and hushed tone.

"Zack! Wherever you are, you gotta get back here! Remember that
thing we talked about, where demons are hunting once a year?! Well
that day is today! You're in danger right now, being out in the open! If
you can't get back here, them hide anywhere you can, alright?! Don't
let the see you, or they won't rest until they have your head on a
platter, do you understand?!"

Silence was the only thing she heard, until he finally responded,
"These guys you're talking about… Are they tall and dark, with horns
and a halo, jet black wings, and faces that remind you of screens?"

Her eyes widened, her heart dropping down to her stomach. He

wasn't already…

"Z-Zack… don't tell me…"

"Yeah… I'm looking at a bunch right now…" He said, as he stared at

the gang of demonic-looking angels. If only he hadn't mad that extra
turn, then he wouldn't be stuck between the wall and a whole bunch
of murderous beings. Things weren't going good. If anything, they
seemed worse than anything he had to deal with.

"Z-Zack, listen, we'll be there as soon as possible! Just stay alive,

alright?! We're heading there right-"

"No, don't move. I'll be there as soon as I can, just keep the door
unlocked."

"Wh-What?! You can't be serious! You're not gonna be able to-"

Zack quickly interrupted her, "Don't worry, I'll be fine, I promise. Just
keep yourselves hidden and I'll be there in no time at all. I'm going to
hang up now. See you in a few minutes."

"W-Wait no, Zack, don't hang-"

He quickly hung up the phone and slipped it back into his pocket
slowly, as to not set them off. They were all just staring at him, their
hands holding spears, swords, and even axes. They were geared for
murder, and right now, Zack was going to be their next target. With a
huff, Zack got braced himself, readying for the escape he had to
make. Too bad that he didn't have much of a plan to go on.

"Alright… This should be fun… I think…"

The End…?
A Special Thanks
A Special Thanks

I know this is a bit late, what with the second installment already
being worked on, but I just wanna give a huge thanks to all of the
people who have been reading and enjoying the story. If it wasn't for
the lot of you, I definitely wouldn't have continued writing the story
and fleshing out the many twists and turns and mystery elements. I
feel this has also allowed me to become a much better writer as a
whole, so to all of you, thank you so much. I appreciate every single
one of you.