Chapter Text
Millie hummed a happy tune as she sharpened one of her daggers from her plethora of other melee weapons, making sure each and every blade was in pristine condition. There was nothing more embarrassing than failing to kill a target on account of a dulled weapon and Millie did not want to go through that sort of humiliation.
Things had sorta calmed down around the apartment after Millie and Moxxie’s gun show date, slipping back into their usual routines of Millie going out and getting her hands dirty to keep her bill collectors at bay. While Moxxie remained the ever loyal homebody. The two of them still went out together now and then, but there was this sort of…. odd change in Moxxie's behaviour that Millie couldn’t understand.
Moxxie wasn’t ignoring her, far from it in fact, he just seemed a bit…quieter and more skittish than usual. For starters, his mostly chatty nature had taken a rather dull turn, with most of their conversation now consisting of the usual but brief hello goodbye, good morning good night and him asking her about what she wanted for dinner, with the rare occasion of him asking a question about certain aspects of Hell he wanted to learn more about sprinkled in between, and even then those questions were very few far between.
This subtle change of mood was a far cry from the usually chatty and curious angel that had fallen (literally) into her life and naturally, Millie had tried to remedy this to the best of her abilities. Attempting to coax Moxxie’s inner troubles out into the open so that they could deal with them. Unfortunately, Millie wasn’t exactly good at being subtle and all her efforts only made the angel even more antsy and standoffish.
By this point, Millie was becoming equal parts frustrated and worried. Worried that there was something seriously bothering her angelic crush and frustrated that she appeared to be unable to do anything about it. She knew she couldn’t force things with Moxxie, he was like a shy kitten that you had to gently coax over to you and would flee in the face of a more direct approach. But she was getting awfully tired of waiting for him to come to her.
‘Ah just wish ah knew what was going on in that silly little head of his,’ Millie thought to herself. ‘Ah miss seein’ him smile and actin' all optimistic.’
Finishing up the last few pieces in her collection. Millie stood up and stretched her arms out, causing a wave of relief for her tense muscles. While the satisfaction of a job well done did cheer her up a little, it wasn’t enough to overcome the sense of monotony hanging overhead.
Without Moxxie’s cheery disposition to brighten things up, the apartment had felt a lot smaller and more dreary lately. Millie felt like she was coming down with a bad case of cabin fever and desperately wished for a change of scenery, even if only for a little bit.
Millie let out a frustrated sigh as she laid herself back onto the bed, staring up at the plain-looking ceiling deep in thought. Trying to think of something else to get her mind off things. Right then, her hellphone started to ring, and as Millie picked it up to check the caller ID, she couldn’t fight the smile coming onto her face when she saw who it was. Placing the phone up to her ear as she answer
“Hey Pa!” Millie chimed.
“Howdy Mildred! How’s mah little pumpkin spice doin’ in the big city?” Joe replied from the other end. His voice somewhat distorted by static due to the quality of his own phone.
“Ah’m doin great pa! Killing, working, fighting, and getting paid while doin it! Ya know, just getting shit done as usual."
Joe replied with a chuckle.“Ah’d expect nothin’ less from ya! Least the ‘gettin shit done part', ah know that freelance work don’t pay too-”
“We’re not talkin’ ‘bout this again Pa,” Millie insisted with slight annoyance, desperately wanting to change the subject.
Joe snorted. “Fine, fine. Ah can see that it's still a bit of a touchy subject fer ya hon, just remember what me and yer ma told you, if you ever change yer mind. Yer always welcome back home anytime."
Millie's grip on the phone tightened slightly as she let out a drawn out sigh. “So did ya call ta get on mah back again or was there something ya needed?”
“Well, yer ma and the rest of the family wanted ta know when ya’d be stoppin’ by the ranch this week so we can have yer room all tidied up before then,” Joe explained.
“Huh, why’s that?” Millie asked, somewhat befuddled.
“‘Cause of the harvest moon festival, we need all the help we can get to set everything up fer this year, were a little light on farm hands right now and it's been a while since ya last visit, so it a good time as any for ya to come by and catch up for a bit.”
Millie gasped and nearly dropped the phone in surprise. “THAT’S THIS WEEK?!
“Don’t tell me ya forgot about the festival! We were all looking forward to seeing you again and cheer ya on during the pain games!”
“Ah’m sorry pa, ah’ve just been really busy with work, gettin’ mah new friend settled in, and keeping up on-“
A series of static noises that faintly resembled the sound of a phone being fumbled around could be heard, before Joe's voice could be heard again. “Hol’ up now, what do ya mean ‘new friend’?” Her father asked in a rather accusatory tone.
Millie's eyes widened as she knew right away she had stepped in it now. Her pa always had been a little overprotective of his little pumpkin spice, chasing off countless suitors of both the male and female variety for most of her life, if he found out that she had been living with a single male roommate for the last few months the man would lose it.
As such, Millie had to select her next few words very carefully to avoid such an incident…so naturally, she fumbled immediately.
“Mah, uh….roommate. His name’s Moxxie an-”
“HE?!” Joe sputtered, sounding like he was just about to pop a blood vessel
“We’re just friends pa!” Millie replied quickly. “There ain’t nothin’ goin’ on between us, ah promise!”
Millie could practically hear her pa huffing and puffing up a storm. If she didn't know any better it sounded like he was about to drop everything and make a one-way trip to the Pride ring himself and have a 'talk' with Millie's roommate. Which would run a huge risk of discovering the angel’s true nature and make the whole situation even worse. But to her relief that didn't seem to be the case as her father had one of those rare occasions where he actually seemed to calm down a little, but she could tell that he still wasn't thrilled about this new revelation.
“Well then ah suppose ya wouldn’t mind bringin’ this Moxxie fella along with ya and introduce him ta yer family. Since yer such ‘good friends’ an’ all.”
Millie cringed at that declaration, easily able to pick up on the implied threat her father was making. Left with little recourse, Millie swallowed the lump in her throat and addressed her father.
“Not at all. Ah’m sure Mox would love it down there, he’s never even been outside of the Greed ring other than living here in Pride, so it would be a fresh new experience.”
“Glad to hear it,” Joe growled. “Can’t wait to meet this ‘friend’ of yer’s. See ya honey.”
And with that, the call came to an end and Millie immediately plunged her face into her pillow, letting out a muffled embarrassed scream, legs kicking against the bed. She stayed that way for a good long while to properly vent her frustrations until finally her anger gave out and Millie was able to deal with the situation at hand.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it all!” Millie groaned before taking in a much-needed deep breath. “Okay, calm down Millie. You can make this work, ya just gotta convince Moxxie ta come with ya to wrath for a week, shouldn't be too hard right?"
“What?!”
For the second time that night, Millie felt a spark of fear shoot down her spine when she saw Moxxie standing in the open doorway to her room with an expression of pure dread on his face and a laundry basket in his hands that soon slipped out of his grip and spilled onto the floor.
“Moxxie!” Millie chimed, trying to play it cool. “How are- how long ya been standin’ there?”
“Long enough to hear all about your plan to drag me- um…” Moxxie did some quick mental math. “Two rings down for an entire week!”
“Ah thought ya wanted ta learn more about Hell! Ya know, see more sights and sounds and all that! Besides, you've seen enough of Pride already, a little trip to Wrath could help ya out getting ta know how things work differently in other rings,” Millie replied.
“Millie, according to the materials I’ve read, Wrath is one of the most inhospitable rings in all of Hell! Widespread volcanic activity, extreme weather conditions, and a plethora of dangerous and aggressive beasts!”
Millie chuckled. “Yeah, it’s a real hoot!”
“Not to me it’s not. I’m sorry Millie but I’m going to have to decline your invitation and remain here for the duration of your trip!" Moxie affirmed.
The angel turned to leave but Millie was faster, rushing over and grabbing the first appendage that came into range; which just so happened to be one of Moxxie’s wings.
“Moxxie wait!” Millie pleaded, pulling the angel back. “Ah know Wrath might seem a little rough, but it’s a lot nicer than those stuffy old books make it out ta be! Especially during the harvest moon festival!”
“The harvest moon festival? What’s that?” Moxxie said with a tone of intrigue.
The country imp smiled, now she had his attention. “Only the biggest celebration in all of Wrath, where folks get together ta give their thanks for another great harvest! There’s great food, fun games, and there’s even a royal fella who blesses the whole thing with a real harvest moon!”
Moxxie still had a look of a mix of fear and scepticism, but she knew him well enough that she definitely got his attention. “Well…it does sound interesting,” he muttered as he rubbed his chin. "if….. I we're to say yes, where exactly would we be able to stay?"
Millie grinned, she had him hooked now, all that was left to do was reel him in and the imp knew exactly how to do it.
“We could stay with mah family! They’d handle everything while we’re down there… ta be honest Mox, ah haven’t gotten ta see them much since ah moved out here to the city. Ah’ve really missed em’ and ah thought the festival would be a good chance ta stop by for a bit and catch up a little,” Millie said with a look of faux gloom. “But if ya really don’t wanna go ah guess ah won’t either. Can’t leave ya all by yer lonesome fer a whole week after all, what with yer condition making it difficult ta go outside alone. Ah’ll just tell mah family ah won’t be around for the festival this year.”
Moxxie sighed and bowed his head, his bleeding heart once again getting the better of him. How could he deny Millie an opportunity to relieve some of her homesickness? Especially when she had done so much to alleviate the same feelings within himself? It would have been downright hypocritical!
“Alright. Fine, I’ll pack my things while you make the necessary travel arrangements.” Moxxie said.
Millie squealed and threw her arms around Moxxie in a jubilant hug, bringing their bodies uncomfortably close together and painting the angel’s face a deep red.
“Thanks Moxxie! Yer the best!” Millie cheered, only to be abruptly shoved away from the embrace by the aforementioned angel.
“Y-You’re welcome M-Millie!” Moxxie nervously stammered. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have to prepare for our trip!”
The angel quickly stumbled out of the room, Millie chuckling at the adorably awkward display. He really was too easy to fluster.
But the imp’s cheery disposition dissolved when she looked down at her hand and saw that there were several white feathers clutched between her fingers; obviously she had accidentally ripped them out when she grabbed Moxxie’s wing but that wasn’t the concerning part.
The feathers looked…off. Moxxie had lost a few feathers here and there since his arrival, partly due to stress and Millie plucking some off to mess with him, so she was well aware of what they were supposed to look like.
Normally they’d have an ethereal glow to them, sparkling in the light like the heavens they were forged in and giving off an aura of purity. But the ones clutched in her hands lacked that characteristic; there was no glow, no sparkle, they looked like some regular white feathers…almost as if they were dead.
Millie stuffed said feathers into her pocket and made sure to make a mental note of this to question Moxxie in the future, but right now all her attention was on making sure she had everything prepared for this trip, especially all the required parts for Moxxie's disguised, she'd also had to make a few phone calls to work, Bruce wouldn't exactly be thrilled to hear that one of his star fighter's would be taking a week off, but this was way too important for Millie to miss out on. If she played her cards right then this whole thing would go smoothly in the end….. Right?
********************
The bus rattled and shook against the dirt roads of Wrath, jostling the passengers with every bump it hit. But most of them were unbothered by the rough ride, treating it as another everyday occurrence that came with living in a more rural area of Hell, some even seemed to be enjoying the experience.
Moxxie, of course, was not one of those individuals. The poor angel was coming down with a serious case of motion sickness and fought to hold in his most recent meal that wasn’t sitting well in the slightest. Vomiting all over Millie once was bad enough, he did not want to suffer that sort of embarrassment a second time in a far more public setting.
“How much longer until we get there?” Moxxie huffed, breaths heavy and laboured.
Before Millie could give a response, the bus came to an abrupt halt and Moxxie lurched forwards and slammed face first into the seat in front of him; the demon occupying said seat grumbled about ‘damn lightweight tourists’ but didn’t express any further displeasure in regards to the impact. Unlike Moxxie who was curled up on the floor, clutching his aching head.
Millie sighed and helped Moxxie back onto his feet, shouldering one of the angel’s arms so that he could lean on her for support in his dazed state.
“Looks like our stop, ya gonna be okay? Yer lookin’ as pale as a sheet.” Millie asked with concern.
Moxxie halfheartedly nodded. “I-I’ll be fine. I just need some time- *urp* some time to- *urp* Oh God…”
His vertigo finally overpowering him, Moxxie felt the unpleasant sensation of bile creeping up his throat and prepared for yet another technicolour mess to erupt from his body. Luckily for him, Millie had come prepared and pulled out a barf bag and held it up against Moxxie’s mouth right as a shower of vomit came flying out, catching the entirety of his stomach contents in the bag without spilling so much as a drop.
“Ugh…thank you Millie.” Moxxie groaned.
“No problem hon.” Millie replied, disposing of the bag of puke in a distracted imp’s knapsack. “Now mah brother Sammy said he’d meet us right outside of main street, and give us a ride the rest of the way ta the farm. How ‘bout ya hang back and collect yerself while ah go get him?”
Moxxie weakly nodded. While he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being left alone in unfamiliar territory without Millie to watch his back, what choice did he have? The angel was in no state to wander around in search of Millie’s brother, his head was spinning and his equilibrium had yet to stabilise, he’d only slow them down.
Besides, having a moment’s rest would be an excellent opportunity for Moxxie to take in the scenery and get an initial impression of how Wrath differed from Pride. In spite of his anxieties and fears, he was still a curious being at heart and couldn’t help but feel a slight hint of excitement at the prospect of learning even more about the nature of Hell.
Hopping off the bus, Millie scanned the nearby area until she spotted an unoccupied bench far away from most of the crowds.
‘Perfect.’ Millie thought to herself, lugging Moxxie over towards said bench and gently depositing his dazed form onto the worn-out wood. “Now sit tight, ah’ll be back before ya know it!” The imp said, playfully ruffling Moxxie’s hair.
Millie then turned on her heel and jogged off in search of her brother. Making her way through the growing crowd of imps that were disembarking the bus ranging from rough and tough locals to soft and meek tourists.
Out of all of their siblings, Sammy was easily the one Millie was the closest to. Not to say she didn’t love the rest of her brothers but there was just something about Sammy that made him click with Millie in a way none of the others did. They did everything together: taking pa’s tractor for joyrides, beating up bullies at school, training for the pain games, and more. Millie could go on all day about all sorts of antics they went up to back in the day, they were practically two peas in a pod.
At least up until Millie developed aspirations that went beyond working on the family ranch for the rest of her life. The country imp dreaming of making a name for herself in the big city as some infamous assassin or champion fighter, one of the two. When Millie told Sammy, however, he didn’t take it very well; the imp got all defensive towards his sister, acting like Millie was abandoning her family for some pie-in-the-sky plans. Their emotions went high that night, each of them saying certain things in the heat of the moment, and eventually, it turned into a physical altercation that left their brother and sister bond in ruins. Millie and Sammy haven’t so much as spoken to each other since then.
‘Wonder how he's been since ah left?’ Millie thought to herself. ‘Hope he isn’t still mad abou- ’
A shrill whistle shot through the air, cutting off Millie’s thoughts and grabbing her attention almost immediately. When she turned in the direction of the sound, Millie became rather confused when she saw a female imp waving their arms to get her attention.
“Millie! Over here! Hey!” The imp exclaimed.
As Millie got closer, she was able to take in some of the imp’s features: their tanned red skin placed them solidly into the category of ‘local’ with a ripped black tank top and equally torn up leggings under some cut-off short shorts covering their form, some worn out tan boots covered up their hooves and a red bandana tied around their long black hair completed the ensemble; however, their most striking feature was the pair of black and white checker striped horns sitting on top of their head
Millie had no idea who they were or how they knew her name. Sure their appearance piqued an odd sense of familiarity within her but Millie couldn’t quite place where she had seen them before.
“Uh, do ah know ya from somewhere?” Millie asked the imp, coming to a stop in front of them.
The imp chuckled. “Yer kiddin’ right? How many hits in the head did ya take when ya were in the big city? Must have been a lot If you can't recognize me.”
Millie shook her head, evoking another laugh from the imp.
“Oh ah see how it is, ya leave home fer Satan knows how long an’ when ya come back ya can’t even recognize yer own family anymore. Ah guess ah’m not the only one that’s changed.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Millie asked.
The imp shot her a cheeky smile. “C’mon Millie, don’t ya recognize yer favorite sibling?”
Millie gave the imp another once over, taking in all of their physical qualities until it finally hit her: the scar, the bandana, the voice, all the signs were there…
“S-Sammy?!” Millie sputtered out.
“In the flesh,” the country imp replied. “But ah go by Sallie May now, sis. So ya better keep that in mind while yer here.”
“W-wha…h-how…when did this happen?!”
“A few months after ya left, best decision ah ever made. Finally felt comfortable in mah own skin,” Sallie May replied.
Millie kept staring in wide-eyed disbelief. “An’ everyone was fine with…all o’ this?!” the imp said, motioning to Sallie’s form.
“Oh they’ve been real supportive, yeah things were a little ‘awkward’-” Sallie said, making air quotes. “At first. But once they got used ta it, they took mah choice in stride.”
Millie’s jaw was now stuck wide open, her eyes similarly jarred in place as she struggled to process what she was seeing. Sammy transitioned? She went from being Millie’s brother to her sister? How could she…
Slowly Millie’s expression morphed from shocked to upset, lips curling into a frown and arms crossing over her chest as she turned away from Sallie; unable to look at the imp.
“Hey, somethin’ wrong?” Sallie May asked.
“Nah, everything’s fine Sam- I mean Sallie. Just peachy ,” Millie growled.
Sensing some serious aggression coming off her sister, Sallie decided a change of topic was necessary.
“So…where’s that friend of yer's pa's been talkin’ about?”
“Right over here,” Millie said, leading her sister back through the crowd. “Poor thing was feelin’ a tad queasy from the ride over so ah let him sit fer a spell, get his head on straight.”
“Ya mean that scrawny little twig bein’ dangled over a spittoon?” Sally asked.
“Yes that- WAIT WHAT?!” Millie’s head whipped around to see that a rather brutish-looking imp was currently trying to force Moxxie into a spittoon, face first. The disguised angel was putting up a surprisingly good fight, keeping a white-knuckled grip on the rim and pushing upwards with all his might to counteract the imp pushing him down, but he was clearly fighting a losing battle.
Luckily Millie was there to even the odds, the imp literally sprinting over to the scene and forcing her way through the gathered crowd as quickly as she possibly could.
“C’mon ya little twerp! Ah’m jus’ tryin’ ta give ya a warm welcome ta the Wrath Ring!” The imp sadistically laughed.
“PLEASE NO! HAVE MERCY!” Moxxie screeched. “I’M BEGGING YOU! PLEASE! IT’S REVOLTING IN THERE!”
“Oh stop crying and take your initiation like a man. A little country-style facial will put some hair on your chest!”
Right as Moxxie’s strength was about to give out, the spittoon was abruptly pulled away from his field of vision and the angel was left dangling from the larger imp’s grip.
Moxxie sighed in relief. “Oh thank God,” he muttered under his breath.
"Hey! What's the big idea?!" The larger imp said as his focus snapped towards Millie.”Why did ya have ta go and ruin my fun like that?”
Millie tossed away the spittoon as she slowly made her way towards the imp, the once smushed up crowd started to scatter once they noticed who exactly was making their way through them; although some of the braver ones remained in the general vicinity, knowing that they were gonna see one helluva show.
“Put. Him. Down.” Millie snarled.
Not realizing the danger he was in, the imp snorted. “Or what? You’ll kick me in the shins? Oh, oh maybe give me a stern talkin to?" The imp said in a mocking tone, before letting out an annoying laugh.
Millie didn't react in the slightest to the imps insults, in fact she seemed unnaturally calm about the whole situation which only made her all the more intimidating to onlookers.
“Oh, that poor bastard really stepped in it now.” One imp said.
“Guess he doesn’t recognize the five-time winner of the pain games.” Another imp said.
“Think she’ll end it quick? Er make him suffer a little first?” A female imp asked.
Their friends shrugged. “Who knows? Either way, she’s gonna get really messy with him. Big guy is screwed.”
Millie cracked her knuckles and smiled in anticipation, the whispers of the crowd stopping on a dime.
“Fine. Have it yer way,” Millie sneered.
Before the imp had a chance to make another condescending remark, he was hit with a solid uppercut that sent him flying several feet off the ground, his body spinning through the air and flinging off his clothes in the process, before landing on some inconveniently placed dynamite that exploded on impact. Millie kept her back to the explosion like a badass, catching Moxxie in a bridal carry where they gazed lovingly into each other’s-
********************
“Wait, wait, wait. That is not how that fight went,” Moxxie interjected.
“What do ya mean? ‘course that’s what happened!” Millie insisted.
“Millie, I was there and I know for a fact that you didn’t send him flying nor was there any dynamite involved.”
The female imp shrugged. “You have yer version, ah have mine.”
“But it’s not true! The way I remember it was you shattering his jaw with an uppercut before grabbing his arm and snapping at the elbow, making him drop me in the process. Then laying into him like the beautiful warrior goddess you are, his blood giving your skin a glowing sheen with every blow you landed flowing perfectly together like a melody of violence and…” Moxxie trailed off until he saw Millie giving him an amused smile.
“Now who’s exaggerating?”
Moxxie chuckled nervously as a small blush went across his face, he tried to look away due to the sheer amount of embarrassment he was feeling, but Millie gently tilted his chin up to meet her gaze, she pulled him in for a quick kiss on the lips before breaking off and chuckling at Moxxie's starstruck expression, the couple took in one another's beauty as they stared longingly into each other's eyes.
Sadly, their little moment ended as Blitzo banged his fist on the table to get the couple’s attention.
“Will you two stop eye fucking each other and get on with the story already?!” The taller imp said, foaming at the mouth.
“Alright, keep yer pants on B,” Millie replied. “Anyways, once ah had beaten that asshole within’ an inch of his life. Ah finished him off by-“
******************
Millie slammed the spittoon from earlier straight onto the imp’s head, stuffing the entirety of his bloody and bruised face into the toxic soup contained within.
He stood still for a few moments, hardly moving or reacting, but soon a small sizzling noise accompanied by some smoke started coming out of the spittoon; followed shortly after by muffled screaming. The imp grabbed at the spittoon, desperately trying to pry it off his head but it was wedged on tight. Even as blood and chunks of flesh mixed with chewed tobacco ran down his form like a gruesome waterfall, he couldn’t free himself from his toxic prison. Eventually, the screams fixed down and his body fell to the ground, the spittoon shattering on impact and revealing a skull with bits of melted face still clinging to it.
Moxxie could only look on in horror as that entire scene played out before him, thanking the heavens above that Millie had come to his rescue before he could suffer from a similar fate. Speaking of which…
A shadow fell over Moxxie and he looked up to see Millie standing there with an outstretched hand, her knuckles still bruised and bloody from the fight moments ago.
“You okay Mox?” the imp asked.
Moxxie tried to choke out some kind of reply but felt the words getting stuck in his throat when his gaze fell upon Millie’s face.
Even with the small splatters of blood covering her person and hair a mess, Millie still managed to look positively gorgeous and it left Moxxie stunned. The sunlight shining down on her gave the imp a heavenly glow, as though she was his guardian angel, an assumption that wasn’t entirely false given what had just occurred.
“Mox? Hello?” Millie repeated.
Moxxie realized that he was probably staring at her for a little longer than was appropriate. The angel shook his head to clear up the trance he had been under before taking Millie's outstretched hand in his own, shivering slightly at the contact.
“Y-yes, I’m fine,” Moxxie said as she pulled him up. “Thanks for saving me by the way.”
“No problem, ah’ll always have yer- oh hang on, ya got a little spot on yer face. Lemme jus…” Millie licked her thumb and wiped the small scuff mark off Moxxie’s cheek, which promptly turned a deep purple in response.
Millie smiled. “There we go! Got it! Now let’s do something about those clothes.” the imp said, patting Moxxie’s shoulders.
Moxxie squeaked out what sounded like a thank you, it was all he could manage with how flustered he had now become. Something that wasn’t helped by the fact that Millie continued to check him over: fixing his collar, smoothing down his hair, and generally putting her hands all over him. The angel became increasingly embarrassed and…let’s say ‘excited’ from all the physical contact he was receiving.
“Alright! Now yer lookin’ nice an’ presentable! Ready to meet mah family?” Millie asked.
Moxxie nodded, letting out a small squeak when Millie grabbed his hand and started eagerly dragging him over towards Sallie May with so much force that Moxxie was worried his arm might get torn off.
‘I keep forgetting how strong Millie is, it really contrasts with her cute appearance…wait, what?’ Moxxie thought to himself.
That worrying thought would have to wait as Millie came to a sudden stop right in front of her sibling, Moxxie stumbling slightly from his leftover inertia.
“Mox, ah’d like ta introduce my bro- sister! Sammy- I mean Sallie!” Millie chimed, tone somewhat shaky.
“I thought you said we were meeting your brother,” Moxxie asked in confusion.
Millie grit her teeth. “Ah thought so too! But life’s jus’ full of surprises ain’t it?!”
“Okay….” Moxxie cautiously replied before turning his attention towards Sallie. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Sallie. My name’s Moxxie,” the disguised angel said, offering her a handshake.
Sallie glanced between the two of them, eyes narrowing ever so slightly before she reached out and accepted the gesture.
“Likewise, partner,” Sallie spat.
The angel winced when he felt Sallie firmly squeeze his hand, biting down on his lip to maintain a polite smile even as he felt her slowly crush his fingers in a vice-like grip. It wasn’t until Millie glared at her sister that Sallie decided to relent and spare Moxxie from any further torture…for now.
“Wow, quite the strong grip you have there!” Moxxie chuckled, nursing his now bruised hand.
“That’s what years of livin’ out here will do fer ya. Gotta be strong if ya wanna survive all the crap this place throws at ya!” Sallie replied.
“I assumed as much, based on what Millie’s told me at least.”
Now that in particular caught Sallie’s attention, her sister wasn't really the kind of demon to just talk openly about her family or really anything for that matter despite what some would think, not unless she had a really close strong bond with someone, which naturally made her very suspicious about Millie's ‘roommate.’ But now wasn't the time for that, all she needed to do was put up a friendly face and go along with things until she could bring this new piece of info to the rest of her family.
“Huh, and here ah thought ya’d be too embarrassed by us ta mention ta yer city friends," the wrath ring imp remarked.
"Oh no, quite the opposite!" Moxxie gleefully replied, blissfully unaware of Sallie's intent. "She actually mentions you all quite frequently, honestly it's almost the only thing she ever talks abou-"
Moxxie stopped mid-sentence as he felt Millie softly nudge him in the stomach with her elbow, letting out a small “oof” sound in the process. The angel looked over towards his roommate to see what prompted such a strange response, only to be met with a “look” from Millie which he knew immediately meant that he needed to keep his mouth shut for now.
“But…um…I’m sure we can talk later! Millie’s eager to see the rest of her family again and we’re burning daylight here, as they say,” Moxxie nervously stated.
"Well….. Ah guess you have a point there, wouldn't want to keep ma and pa waiting, they’ve been itching ta meet yer pal." Sallie said.
Millie responded with a drawn-out sigh as she pinched the bridge between her nose. “How bad is it?”
“He was getting Bertha outta the attic when Ah left.” Sallie responded with a chuckle.
Millie hissed. “That’s bad.”
“Yep. Real bad.”
“Excuse me. But am I missing something here?” Moxxie interjected. “Who’s Bertha?”
“Pa’s favourite battle axe,” Sallie replied.
“And why exactly is that a bad thing?”
The country imp rolled her eyes and motioned for the duo to follow her. “Yer gonna find out soon enough. Ah just hope ya ain’t too attached to them fingers of yers.”
“W-wait, w-what does that mean?” Moxxie looked over towards Millie. “M-Millie w-what is she talking about.”
“Jus’ keep movin’ hon. The sooner we get this over with, the better.” Millie replied before pushing him along the way.
Sallie led Millie and Moxxie to an old, worn-out pickup truck with a faded red paint job that seemed more like rust than paint. The entire vehicle was caked in dirt, mud, and bits of flesh and viscera stuck to the front grill. The interior wasn’t much better with ratty leather seats practically worn all the way through, an empty void with exposed wires where a radio should have been, and various little pieces of trash littered about.
Sliding into the vehicle, Sallie May took the driver’s seat and Millie took the passenger seat with Moxxie wedged in between them. Not the most elegant arrangement but it was better than throwing Moxxie into the flatbed and hoping for the best.
“Is yer friend gonna be okay the rest of the way there?” Said Sallie, giving the pale faced imp a side eye. “He doesn’t look so hot.”
“He’ll be fine. Ain’t that right Moxxie?” Millie replied.
The imp weakly nodded, convincing absolutely no one of the truth to Millie’s claims.
But Sallie just sighed and started the truck’s engine. “Fine. But if he spills his guts, yer gonna be the one cleanin’ my baby out, sis.”
Soon enough the trio was off, the worn out truck rumbling across the dirt roads through the backwoods of the Wrath Ring. Despite the dilapidated appearance of the vehicle, the ride was far smoother than the one Moxxie experienced on the bus and he felt himself relax and enjoy the trip; feelings of nausea dissolving into nothingness.
After about five minutes of pure silence, pierced only by the sounds of the truck’s tires thumping and bumping against the rough dirt road, Moxxie finally piped up.
“Um. Excuse me? Ms May?” Moxxie said
“It’s Sallie.” The country imp replied. “An’ what do ya want now? Gonna spill yer gut's out already or something?”
“No, no I’m fine. I was just wondering why you had striped horns.”
Sallie gave him a subtle glare out of the corner of her eye. “What the fuck is that supposed ta mean?”
“Well, I’ve never seen a female imp with striped horns before. I assumed that was only something that occurred in males. So why are yours like that?”
Millie’s head snapped over to the disguised angel, a look of pure dread crossing her face. Out of all the conversation topics, why did he have to pick that one?!
“It’s complicated.” Sallie huffed.
“Complicated how?” Moxxie continued, blissfully unaware of the other occupant of the cabin behind him, trying to get his attention.
Sallie's grip on the wheel tightened slightly, her shoulders tensing up as she let out a sigh, “Hoo boy. This is gonna be a long drive…”
****************
The drive back to the ranch was…. Rather awkward to say the least, after a long and complicated conversation on the topic of gender identity that left an unspoken tension hanging in the air amongst the trio. Even if Moxxie had proven himself to be receptive to this new info, recognizing how important it was to Sallie and giving her the respect she deserved, it did little to mitigate the impoliteness of coming right out of the gate and asking what was ostensibly a complete stranger a very personal question.
Millie could only hope that Moxxie would make a better first impression on the rest of her family.
Sallie brought the truck to a halt right in front of the main house and motioned for the other two occupants to follow her out.
Millie followed suit as she hopped out of the vehicle and made her way toward the back of it, grabbing a hold of the bags she packed and hoisting them out of the flatbed. As she made an effort to catch up with Sallie, she noticed the absent presence of a certain disguised angel, she looked back the way she came and could see through the window of the truck that Moxxie was still inside.
The imp placed down their luggage before quickly jogging back over to her companion and upon closer inspection it seems as though he was slightly rocking back and forth in his seat while he fidgeted with his finger incoherently muttering something to himself. Millie slowly reached her hand out and placed it onto Moxxie's shoulder, causing him to to let out a startled yipe before calming down as he realised it was just her, placing his hand over his chest as he tried to settle his nerves
“Moxxie, Is everything alright?” Millie said as she jumped in to sit next to the angel.
“O-oh yeah, everything’s fine.” Moxxie shakily replied, still fidgeting with his fingers.
“Ya sure? Ya look like yer gonna throw up again.” The imp remarked playfully with a slight chuckle.
Moxxie stopped fidgeting with his fingers as he tried to break eye contact with Millie, but…. He couldn't help but just let out a sigh as he let himself sink in the truck's seat.
"N-no, I’m…” Moxxie gulped. “I’m just a little nervous about meeting your family.”
The two sat there in complete silence for a few seconds before Millie softly smiled at him and started to giggle. "That's all yer worried about?"
"W-well…. Yes," Moxxie replied.
“Aww ya’ll don’t gotta be nervous Mox! Mah family’s gonna love ya!” Millie said as she gave Moxxie a playful punch on his shoulder.
“You really think so?” The angel nervously replied.
“‘Course! Mah folks are some of the friendliest demons this side of Wrath!” Millie chimed. “Yer gonna be fine Moxxie….. I promise”
While Moxxie wasn't completely put at ease with his subconscious going through every sort of possibility of how he could screw this up, or even worse…. Blow his cover. Millie's smile, her voice and well just…..everything about her just made him a little calmer compared to how he was before. Taking in a deep breath Moxxie fixed and straightened out his ensemble before taking a look in the truck's rear view mirror to make any last final touch ups before leaving.
“O-okay, I’ll take your word for it,” Moxxie replied.
"Alright! Now let's catch back up with Sallie, she's probably wondering where we've been," Millie said as she took Moxxie's hand in her own and led him out of the truck.
There was that feeling again, that comforting warmth and sense of safety he got whenever he felt her grasp around him. Moxxie couldn't help but be very conflicted about his recent revelation when it came to his feelings towards his bombastic roommate. On the one hand it felt good…. Amazing even. If it weren't for the fact that he was in hell, he would have mistaken her to be a miracle blessed upon him by the creator themself.
But he also knew that these feelings would have serious repercussions in the coming months. Not only would he have to face judgement for the actions he took to get into hell in the first place, but if the heavenly order found out he was having any sort of romantic feeling for a demon. Not only would he suffer the consequences, but Millie and her family would as well with a far worse punishment in mind.
But what stood out to Moxxie the most was….. How would Millie feel all about this? She was sweet, kind, and gentle. But sharing that he had intimate feelings for her would for sure ruin a lot of the progress he had made with her in terms of their friendship. There was a very low chance that she would even reciprocate said feelings. Moxxies head started to fill with different thoughts and outcomes as he tuned out the world around him.
Suddenly what was thought to be a simple sounding plan, turned out to be a much more complicated mess than intended.
Though before Moxxie could dwell on the various consequences and set backs these newfound feelings would cause, he was halted in his tracks as Millie made a sudden stop. Finding themselves on the house's front porch.
"Finally, was wondering when you two would catch up," Sallie said with a chuckle as she stretched a fist towards the door with the intention to knock on the aged wood.
But before her knuckles could make contact, one of the front windows was suddenly smashed open by a large hell pig who proceeded to barrel through the front railing, down the dirt road leading out of the ranch.
“DAMMIT RUSTY! AH THOUGHT AH TOLD YA TA GRAB EM!” An old, yet fairly built imp with a bushy mustache screamed, leaping through the same window with a massive battle axe in hand.
“AH’M SORRY PA!” A younger sounding imp hollered. “BASTARD’S SLIPPERY!”
The sound of thundering hooves rapidly approached the front door and Sallie barely managed to sidestep away from it as it abruptly swung open, revealing a third imp decked out in a black denim vest and matching pants brandishing a spiked baseball bat. He didn’t even say a word to the trio currently standing on the porch as he darted past them, nor did the mud-covered imp that followed soon after.
“DON’T LET ‘EM GET AWAY! LAST THING WE NEED IS THE NEIGHBORS WHINING ABOUT THEIR KIDS GETTIN’ MAULED AGAIN!” the grizzled old imp exclaimed.
Moxxie shot Millie an incredulous look. “Again?!”
A string of nervous laughter was the only response she could give.
Turning his attention back to the trio of country imps, Moxxie was treated to the sight of the demons chasing down the runaway swine like a pack of wolves; the two unnamed imps slowly closing in before tackling it to the ground once the pig was in reach, the beast desperately thrashed around in their grip and tried to escape but it was no use. Try as it might, the creature couldn’t overcome the raw strength of the wrathian imps and was forced to lay helplessly on the ground.
Which worked fine for the oldest of the group, who calmly walked up to the struggling pig with his axe raised in the air before bringing the blade straight down onto its thick neck. Unfortunately, there was too much fat for the cut to be clean, even with the imp’s physical might, so it took him several swings to lop off the pig’s head; each strike splattering more blood and gore across the dirt and onto himself, squeals of pain echoing throughout the nearby area, until finally, the demon managed to land a fatal blow that brought the poor creature’s suffering to a brutal end.
Moxxie felt another wave of nausea pass over him, what little contents of his stomach hadn’t been lost on the bus ride over now threatening to vacate his body.
“Phew! Sonovabitch was a fighter! He’s gonna be great for tonight’s dinner!” the older imp said, wiping the blood off his face.
“How the heck did he get loose anyhow? Last I checked the pen was locked up tight.” the mud stained imp said.
The denim wearing imp shrugged, unable to give a proper explanation.“Probably hopped the fence again,” he remarked. “Woulda had a full stampede going if the gate went down.”
“Ah still don’t know how something so big can be so nimble…” The mudstained imp said, his companion nodding in agreement.
“Don’t matter none, we got this bastard all the same. You boys drag him inside so we can butcher ‘em later, ah gotta help yer ma clean up the house ‘fore Millie and Sallie get here.” The older imp said.
The denim wearing imp then looked past the mustached imp to see the trio standing on the front porch and started nervously pointing in their direction.
“What? What is it Wyatt? Is there somethin-” The older imp trailed off when he saw his daughters standing right in front of the house, flanked by the individual who was undoubtedly Millie’s roommate.
Now one would expect the man to be embarrassed or flustered over being caught with his metaphorical pants down, but instead a bright smile tore across his face and he started running towards the porch at a full sprint.
Millie could already see what was coming and opened her arms, expression adorned with a joyful smile of her own.
“PUMPKIN SPICE!” The imp exclaimed, practically tackling Millie into a massive bear hug.
“PAPA!” Millie cheered, returning the hug with just as much enthusiasm.
“How’s mah little girl doin? Hope the ride over here wasn’t too rough for ya!”
“Nah, a little bumpy but weren’t nothin’ ah couldn’t handle!” Millie responded. “And ah’m doin’ great pa! Still kickin’ ass and takin’ names, same as always!”
Joe chuckled. “Glad to hear it! Was a mite worried city life softened ya up while you were gone, but by the look of it yer still the same old firecracker ya were when ya left!”
“Aw, thanks Pa! At least one of us hasn’t changed much…” The country imp replied, not too subtly shooting her sister a glare.
Sallie immediately stiffened under Millie’s cold gaze, the tension from their earlier meeting at the bus station returning in full force and Joe easily picking up on the unspoken schism shared between the two; the other two I'd that we're with them could also sense it too as they both hauled the now dead hog away from the scene.
Before things could get any more awkward than they already were, Moxxie cleared his throat and got the attention of the rest of the group.
“H-Hello there, Sir. My name is M-Moxxie, I’m Millie’s r-roommate. I-I’m sure she’s mentioned me.” the angel said, nervously sticking out one of his arms and offering a handshake.
A handshake that Joe did not accept, letting the outstretched limb dangle in the open air as he took the opportunity to size up the ‘imp’ standing before him now.
They were a delicate thing, extremely so, reeking of softhearted snobbery that couldn’t have made him more of a fish out of water if he tried. A real uptight city boy if there ever was one with his scrawny little limbs, dorky suit, and slicked back hair; this ‘Moxxie’ wouldn’t last a day here in wrath doing real men’s work.
He already didn’t like him.
Seeing that the friendly gesture wouldn’t be returned, Moxxie slowly and awkwardly returned his arm to his side with a gentle chuckle. Maybe handshakes weren’t a traditional greeting in the Wrath Ring?
“So um…” Moxxie coughed into his fist. “Millie told me there was some sort of festival going on?”
The mere mention of the festivities appeared to flip a switch in the imp’s mind, going from stern and intimidating to bright and gleeful in an instant.
“You bet yer ass there is. It’s the Harvest Moon Festival, biggest damn celebration in the whole ring!” Joe exclaimed. “We all get together to-“
“Actually Millie already told me all about it on the way over. It sounds fun!” Moxxie said, interrupting the older imp.
Joe huffed in annoyance. “Don’t interrupt me boy.”
“Sorry sir.” The angel squeaked out.
“As ah was sayin, the Harvest Moon Festival has been a big part of our family fer generations. Brings a lot of money in fer the farm and gives the kids somethin’ ta look forward to every year, ‘specially the pain games.” Joe explained.
“The pain games?” Moxxie repeated.
“It’s a competition Moxxie, been around since the day the festival started.” Millie said. “Some of the roughest and toughest folks fer miles around come together to see who’s the strongest demon in Wrath!”
“My little Mildred over here is a five time champion too. Makin’ her pa proud, showin’ those bastards who’s boss ‘round these parts.” Joe said with a small tear in his eye.
“‘Cept fer two years ago when she got disqualified!” Sallie smugly sang.
Millie snarled at her sister. “That was yer fault and ya know it!”
“Not how I remember it.” Sallie continued. “Yer the one who shoved that cactus straight up that moron’s-“
Before Sallie could lay out the finer details of the mud pit mutilation incident and evoke another round of vomiting from Moxxie, the door to the farmhouse flew open.
“Ya take care of that pig yet Joe? We need a few more hands getting the house fixed up after it came runnin’ through.” An older female imp said.
The demon had a stout appearance, with a chubby face and very thick limbs well suited for hard labour out on a farm. Her tanned body was covered by a pair of faded blue jeans held up by an oversized belt buckle, a well worn white shirt with rolled up sleeves, and a dusty red bandana tied around her neck; a lovely ensemble that kept up with the family’s country aesthetic. Even with the countless blemishes covering her arms and cheeks, Moxxie could easily see where Millie got her good looks from…wait what?!
“Boys are haulin’ it around back fer supper right now, don’t you worry none.” Joe replied before not-so-gently shoving Moxxie forwards. “How ‘bout ya say hello to Millie’s ‘friend’ from the city? Ya were dying ta meet him, remember?”
As the imp turned her attention towards Moxxie, the disguised angel suddenly got the overwhelming feeling that he was in even greater danger than he was previously. The intimidating aura Joe was giving off moments ago couldn’t hold a candle to the strength radiating from the demon standing in front of him.
Nevertheless, Moxxie put on a brave smile and did his best to keep his composure.
“N-Nice to meet you m-miss?”
“Lin.” the imp gruffly replied. “I’m Millie’s mama. Speakin’ of, where is mah little-”
“Ah’m right here ma.” Millie interjected, eliciting a gasp from Lin.
“Mildred!" Lin said as she pushed Moxxie aside, taking her daughter in a tight embrace.
The poor angel stumbled back several steps, nearly toppling over the porch railing in the process, before regaining his balance and taking a moment to recompose himself.
‘Are all wrath imps this strong?!’ Moxxie thought to himself. There was so much force behind Lin’s somewhat rude shove that he was certain the demon could pick him up and throw him like a beach ball if she so wished.
Moxxie was ready to call Lin out on her poor manners, but the sight of her hugging Millie caused him to bite his tongue.
It wasn’t obvious, but Moxxie could tell Lin was on the verge of crying. The farmer scrunching up her eyes to bite back tears, lip gently quivering beneath her bright smile, and strong arms clutching her daughter with the utmost affection. Lin was more than a little relieved to have Millie back home, safe and sound. Even if she was trying her damndest not to show it.
Such a display of matronly affection, one that came from a woman who had missed her child greatly, warmed Moxxie’s heart right down to its core.
Although, it did bring up a deep seated thought he had as of late. Ever since he became friends with Millie, his time in Hell had been very much like what his books described. A wretched place full of the worst sins mankind had ever seen, but at the same time while obviously rare instances. It was nowhere near as bad as he was let on to believe. While he couldn't say much about the sinners, the natural born hellspawns were a completely different story. Millie, and to an extent her family were living proof of that, they weren't just mindless animals always having the need to kill. Now they weren't perfect by any means but….. Was death really the rightful punishment to deal?
‘How many families have been torn asunder? How many demon children were orphaned? Or parents robbed of their children?’ Moxxie thought to himself, though decided to dwell on it another time, as now he needed to keep his head clear for the upcoming days.
After Lin had practically squeezed the life out of her daughter, her grip slackened enough for Millie to free herself from the spine snapping hug.
“Sheesh ma, ah was only gone fer a couple months.” Millie said, rubbing her sore sides.
“Oh hush up now, ah’ve been waitin’ ta see my little gal again since the day she left," Lin said as she smacked Millie's shoulder. “Woulda had the place more tidied up for ya but somebody thought it’d be fun ta let one of the pigs come running through the house!”
“Ah tried ta grab ‘em lin! Bastard was slippery!” Joe argued.
“Yeah well now Millie’s gotta come home ta a pig sty. Hope yer proud of yerself.”
Their bickering would have escalated further, if it wasn’t for the fact that Moxxie decided to speak up at that exact moment.
“I could help clean the house, if you wish,” Moxxie said.
Suddenly all eyes were placed on Moxxie and the angel in disguise had to fight the urge to sink into his own shoes. He couldn’t afford to show hesitancy after so gracefully extending an offer like that.
“The house does seem to be in quite a state of disarray,” Moxxie said, gazing at the carnage within the homestead. “I’m sure you could use some additional assistance in getting everything straightened out.”
“He’s got a point pa, we have been pretty damn busy getting ready for the festival. If Millie’s boyfriend wants ta lend a hand, ah say let ‘em.” Sallie May said.
“Exactly! I- wait…BOYFRIEND?!” Moxxie exclaimed.
“Woah there! Moxxie ain’t my boyfriend! We’re jus’ roommates! That’s all!” Millie added, face adorned in a deep blush.
"Mhm, sure. Ain't heard that one before,” Sallie teased.
“WE’RE NOT!” Millie insisted. “Tell em Mox!”
“Oh sure, ask yer boyfriend who's obviously gonna deny it, ain't like he's worried about what would happen if Ma and Pa knew you two were mingling," Sallie interjected before Moxxie could say his piece.
The angel nervously tugged at his collar, faltering under the dual glares of Joe and Lin. His blush became more pronounced by the second.
“I…I’d better get cleaning. Do you have a broom closet nearby?” Moxxie said, desperate to change the subject.
“Down the hall, first door on the left.” Joe gruffly replied.
Moxxie nodded and awkwardly strolled through the shattered furniture and mud stains strewn about the house, Millie following shortly after him. The imp shot the rest of her family a not too subtle disapproving look as she passed by.
The very moment the two of them were out of earshot, Joe and Lin turned their attention to their youngest daughter.
“Alright, so what’d ya find out about this Moxxie fella on the way here?” Lin asked.
“Ah…ah…” Sallie trailed off, searching her memories for any notable info only to come up empty handed. “Ah never got around ta that.”
“What? Sallie, ah told ya ta dig up as much dirt on him as you could before Millie brought him around!” Joe said.
“Ah know! But then he asked about mah horns and then we got to talkin’ and I got a little side tracked!" Sallie said as she crossed her arms. "Ain't my fault he made thing awkward on the way here."
“He didn’t give ya any trouble about it, did he?” Lin questioned.
“Nah. Little guy was more curious than anything, surprised he's so green about it considering he's from lust and all."
Joe’s expression darkened. “Millie said he was from Greed. But getting a good look at him he don't look like any Greed imp I've ever seen.”
Sallie and Lin glanced at each other, bearing a level of suspicion equal to that of the family patriarch.
“Those two are hiding something an’ ah don’t think it’s jus’ a little secret relationship.” Sallie remarked.
“Festival ain’t fer another day or so. Plenty of time ta find out more ‘bout Millie’s new ‘friend’.” Lin said, punctuating the last word with finger quotes.
“We’ll hold a family meetin’ later tonight; round up the boys an’ tell em what’s what. One way er another, we’re gonna find out who Moxxie really is…”
********************
“Hold it! Hold it! Time the fuck out!” Blitzo exclaimed
“What is it now sir?” Moxxie asked.
“How the hell do you know what they said? You weren’t even around to hear it!”
Moxxie rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, Blitz. Who’s telling the story here?”
“But-”
“Just roll with it B. Don’t need to go fretting over every little detail.” Millie added.
“But I-”
“Blitz!” Moxxie snapped.
The imp wisely decided to shut his trap for a change. Not wanting to be deprived of the remainder of the juicy love story unfolding before him.
“Thank you.” Moxxie said. “Now, where was I?”
“The part about how Millie’s family was gonna interrogate you?” Loona replied.
“Ah yes! Now the rest of the night proceeded normally. We got the house spick and span in a matter of hours and by the end of it, Millie and I were so tuckered out we decided to turn in. Joe wanted me to sleep in the barn but Millie wouldn’t hear of it and tried to convince him to put me up in the guest room.”
“Had ta practically twist pa’s arm off to get him to at least make him think about it.” Millie said with pride.
“Not that it mattered much considering I ended up sleeping in the barn anyway, didn’t get a lot of sleep, I was up all night thinking about how I had made a horrible first impression on Millie’s family. Which wasn’t good considering how much work I had ahead of me the following day…and how much pressure Millie’s family put on me.”