AN: Surprise! A double update! Merry Christmas everyone! I promise I'll get to Starlight Wings next after this. Hope you all enjoy your holidays

There was such a stunned and horrified silence in the Hospital Wing that one could hear a fly's wings flapping, and they'd sound like a bomb going off. Whatever horrible experience they expected Moxxie to have gone through was nothing compared to the truth. Millie couldn't help but wrap her arms around her husband, who had silently started crying as he talked about one of the most fucked up childhoods that any of them had ever heard about. Being in Hell, you think you'd seen or heard of it all, yet this took the cake.

"...That's fucked up," Rachmiel said, which got everyone to stare at him in surprise. "What?"

"You can curse?" Loona asked in surprise.

Rolling his eyes, Rachmiel answered, "Yes, I can curse. I just don't do it often. Saying a bad word here and there isn't a sin. Jeez, how stuck up do you think we Angels are?"

Loona opened her mouth.

"Never mind. Don't answer."

She closed it and shrugged.

"What happened after?" Blitzo asked as everyone refocused on Moxxie again.

"I met my other siblings. Each of them skilled in various means of assassination, combat, or other means useful for the revolution," Moxxie continued with a sigh. "I wouldn't say we were really a family. At least compared to most. Our main focus was just doing whatever our parents told us to do. We developed our personalities and skills but were told not to let it be our focus. The mission is what all that mattered."

"Did your parents even love you?" Octavia asked, but this made Moxxie snort.

"I don't think my parents knew any love but for themselves and the cause," Moxxie growled. "I don't even know if they saw us as children or just tools. My guess is the latter."

"And Tyson is one of your siblings," Millie whispered.

"Yes," Moxxie nodded. " Artificial Combat Designed Demolitionist-110109200512, that's his real name."

"So on that day when he came to meet us," Millie realized with horror.

"He was already strapped with enough explosives to blow us to bits," Moxxie sighed, which made everyone pale in horror. "That friendliness we were doing? It was all fake. From both of us. I pretend to be happy to see him to keep him from doing anything that would hurt you."

"Why not just kill you then and there?" Loona asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because he wants something from me," Moxxie answered as he gripped his fist. "He wants the location of where our parents are being held prisoner."

"Wait, your parents are alive?" Stolas was in disbelief and fury. "The news said they were dead! Why, in the name of every celestial object in the sky, did Lucifer and the others allow them to live?! After everything they've done?!"

"My parents know the secrets to creating perfect biological weapons. You don't think that Hell's elite wouldn't want that for their own gain or to use it against Heaven?" Moxxie pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

This made Stolas frown, but he couldn't offer a rebuttal. It made too much sense. Lucifer was always trying to find some extra means to gain an edge over Heaven, and the prospect of having a new army of loyal, biologically advanced soldiers was too enticing to him. The other elites of Hell, including the Goetia, would also want their own super soldiers or assassins for their own personal plots and schemes. In times like this, Stolas really hated the "Great Game" of Hell, which caused more problems than solved.

"But such stuff could also be used for a more progressive manner," Rachmiel said with disappointment as he looked over his notes on his Aion. "You have one of the healthiest bodies I've ever seen. I doubt you've even gotten sick once in your life. If what your parents did to you was used for good or the betterment of life, it could radically make demon lives a lot better by making them healthier and stronger. "

"Should you really advocate for that, considering you play for the other side?" Blitzo pointed out.

"I'm just saying. Maybe if Hell focused more on its internal problems and bettering the lives of its people instead of trying to get revenge on Heaven or antagonize it, it wouldn't need to waste time and resources on such violent and futile pursuits while increasing the betterment of their own people. It would make them happier," Rachmiel replied with a firm look.

"Charlie really is going to love you when I introduce you two," Stoles chuckled to himself before clearing his voice. "Anyway, how did you betray your former handlers?"

Moxxie lowered his head in shame as he closed his eyes and remembered his life before he crusaded against his former family. How happy and normal he felt. The warm love he got from his real parents and the friends he had made at the academy. And how it all came crashing down because of his mistake.

"I was assigned to do an undercover mission at The Sirenis Musical Academy for Gifted Students . It was thought to be a potential target for an attack, so I was sent there because I was a talented musician. A hobby I was allowed to have growing up," Moxxie explained as he gripped his hands so hard he almost broke his skin. His memories of those happy days played before him with both happiness and regret. " Moxxie was the cover name I was given. I was pretending to be a gifted orphan Imp who would go there after we cheated on one of their charity contests. My mission was to assess its target size and gain as much info about the place as possible. One of the professors and his wife took me in. They were...they were good people."

"...I know that school. It was destroyed in a terrorist attack by the I.R.A.," Stolas whispered as the place went silent.

"Moxxie...tell me you..." Millie couldn't even come up with the words. She just stared at him with a pleading expression. It couldn't be true. Moxie couldn't have done what he was saying.

Moxxie just stood there in silence before tearfully telling what happened...

***Sixteen Years Ago***

"Hey, Moxxie?" The Imp student was at his locker, ready to gather his things and return home after the last bell had run. He had been all prepared to go when a female teenage Sinner demon with blond hair, reddish-black skin, and cat-like eyes approached him. "Got a second?"

"Sure, Cassie," Moxxie said as he turned to his friend and smiled. "What do you need?"

"Can you help me with my project by listening to what I've written so far? I think it's mostly good, but the melody is missing something, and I want your opinion on it," Cassie said with a bright smile. "You're like the best in our class, so I figured you were already done with yours and could help me with mine."

"Well, you guessed right," Moxxie chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head and blushed. Being the best at something he developed independently and praised for it was strange. Yes, he was the best sharpshooter among his siblings due to being made to be such, but music was something he learned and mastered on his own. He was expected to be a sharp-range killer but not a musician. He earned that with his hard work and dedication to the craft. "But sure, I'd love to help you. See you at your dorm tonight?"

"Yup! I'll order pizza! Thanks again!" Cassie said as she waved at him and walked away with a wink that made Moxxie blush.

"Damn, Cassie works fast," Moxxie turned around and saw a giant, slightly muscled light blue shark demon named Nack walk over to him with a grin. "And here I was asking you to hang out with me tonight at the Mister Hyde Club ."

"Sorry, Nack. Better luck next time," Moxxie chuckled as he took his bag and guitar case while walking towards the exit with his friend. Other students said their goodbyes to Moxxie, who gave his farewells in return. He felt so relaxed and calm while walking outside on a nice day with the various students of the musical school engaging with one another. Playing songs or having snacks under the trees. Running around to get to their after-school classes and clubs or heading out to enjoy the rest of the day.

"Come on, Moxxie," Nack said as he walked beside his friend and nudged him. "Me or Cassie. Who is it going to be?"

Blushing, Moxxie wished he had paid more attention to his sister's lessons on romance and hormone feelings. It was hard enough learning how to make legit friends who were not his siblings while pretending not to be an assassin. It was even worse when he had to deal with teenage love, especially when two of his friends admitted to having feelings for him not long ago.

The first problem was dealing with the factor that not only were two other demons in love with him, but he was also having feelings for them too. He knew he shouldn't be acting on these feelings, especially since Moxxie wasn't supposed to be "Moxxie" forever. Still, he was able to reason that since he was supposed to play the role of a "normal student," then having a romantic relationship would help solidify that part.

The second problem was he had yet to choose who to date. Moxxie was even surprised that he liked males and females at the same time. Cassie had been one of his first friends, and Nack had been his buddy since he joined the theater club. Both were...nice and attractive in their own ways and regardless of their feelings, they never let their desire for Moxxie get in the way of their friendship. But that didn't mean they wouldn't compete for his heart.

"We could always have a three-way relationship if that works out for you," Nack joked, and Moxxie turned even redder than usual upon hearing this. "I mean, Cassie doesn't interest me romantically. I'm into guys only. But I can be fine with experimenting."

"Look, Nack," Moxxie turned to him with a smile. "I like you both. I do. But I'm still learning about this friendship and family thing. Having a girlfriend or boyfriend in the middle of all that makes things even more complicated for me."

"Fine, fine," Nack chuckled. "But I am taking you out to next month's Spring Dance. That is going to happen either with or without Cassie."

Moxxie sighed but couldn't help but admire his friend's tenacity. It felt strange having two people he had come to respect not only by his friends but outright smitten with him. Romance was forbidden for Moxxie and his siblings, though they were taught about sex and reproduction as part of their primary education. The only ones who really performed sexual acts were a few of his siblings, who were geared towards "certain" fields where it was required. Seduction was an excellent tool for gaining the correct information or getting close to a target to slice their necks open.

Thankfully, his.... guardians were happy to give him the necessary lessons to understand such feelings due to puberty. It had been a surprise for him to even learn that those of the same gender could not only have such feelings despite the lack of a logical, necessary need to breed but also that one could admire both sexes, such as Moxxie himself. His strange feelings for Nack and Cassie had very much confused him, but Professor Esine and Isabella had helped him figure this out. It was a different experience of learning than he was used to.

Mother and Father's lessons were brutal, cut and dry, yet detailed, so there was no room for failure. You got it right the first time or were punished until you got it again. For The Esines, it was just a matter of asking questions, being given examples, and feeling comfortable. And when you were confused, you just asked again until you understood. It was...weird. But nice.

After bidding Nack farewell, Moxxie made his way... home.

Home.

It really did feel like a home. A safer place than back at HQ. Moxxie had been here for nearly a year, yet he knew he had changed. He was still capable of killing, still functioning as he did, but he felt...different. It confused him. He thought maybe he was malfunctioning or something was wrong with him, and he almost told his real parents about it but hesitated. He didn't know why, but he felt his parents would not be happy to learn what he was going through. In fact, they might think he is broken.

That would lead them to do something drastic as memories of his failed batch of siblings echoed in his mind. Regardless of his loyalty, Moxxie had no desire to join them in the void.

Entering through the front door, he saw Isabella reading a book in the living room. She smiled upon seeing Moxxie return from school. "Hey, Moxxie. How was school?"

"It was okay," he answered, putting his bag down. "I'm going to Cassie's to help her with her music project later after dinner."

"Okay, we're having teriyaki chicken and rice tonight," Isabella said before grinning. "Are you two finally a couple?"

"No," Moxxie blushed as he rubbed the back of his head. "We're still just friends. Not that she's not trying to convince me to be with her."

"I'm kidding, Moxxie," Isabella said as she got up and walked over to Moxxie with an amusing smile. "You know me and my husband will support whatever choice you make between your two friends. Or neither of them at all."

"I don't know if a romantic relationship can work for me," Moxxie said, which was also the truth. He was a soldier. A weapon. Odds are he was going to die for the revolution instead of living to see him having a family.

"Hey, don't think like that," Isabella said as he knelt before him and hugged him. He was now used to these hugs and couldn't help but love them. They felt so...warm. "Everyone has a right to find happiness. Despite all I went through with my shitty family, I managed to get out and find true happiness in my life and later with my husband. Don't think that you can't get such a happy ending just because you're an orphan."

"R-Right," Moxxie said as he nodded his head.

"Okay, you go do your homework, and I'll call you for dinner when it's ready," Isabella said as she stopped the hug and began to walk into the kitchen.

"Okay," Moxxie said as he grabbed his guitar case and headed to the staircase. "Thanks, Mom."

Isabella froze and turned to Moxxie as he went to his room. He was at the final step when he paused. His eyes widened, and Moxxie realized what he had just said.

He called Isabella...Mom?

***

Mom.

He called Isabella... "Mom."

He never called anyone but his own mother that. So why did he do it? Why did he call Isabella his mother? Was he that into the role? There was no way Isabella could ever be his mother. He was supposed to only be here temporarily. He wasn't even a real orphan!

Moxxie lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling above as the fan spun. He called Cassie to let her know that he wasn't feeling well, which was true. Moxxie had been pulling it off for now, but he knew he had to face something that was gnawing in the back of his mind.

Who...am I?

He was supposed to be ACDS-131524240905. A weapon and a means to bring true freedom and equality to the Imp race. He was designed to be a killer and a perfect sniper for his parents to use in their revolution. He was supposed to judge this place, its people, students, and teachers. A judgment that would decide if they all deserved to live or die for the greater glory of the revolution.

So why was he calling himself "Moxxie" in his head? Why was he worried about doing homework and hanging out with friends he might have crushes on? Why was he so close to Professor Alex Esine and his wife? They were not Imps. They didn't care about him.

Or was that something he convinced himself time and time again?

Turning to his side, Moxxie hugged himself. Professor Alex and Isabella had been...kind and sweet. They helped him with his homework. They played games with him. Took him out to eat or cook with them to learn how to make food. Professor Esine helped Moxxie with his homework and his musical talent. Meanwhile, Isabella had comforted Moxxie when he had a bad day or ensured he was well-fed and happy. They...they acted like parents.

But Mom and Dad are my parents. They love me, Moxxie told himself as he tried to sound convincing himself. Yet more than once, Moxxie had looked up how parents acted online, and they did not act like Mom and Dad did. He saw what his parents did to his friends and other students, even to other Imps.

And one thing was clear:

Parents didn't hurt their children, threaten them, or even kill them.

Esine and Isabella hugged him. Moxxie's Dad and Mom didn't.

Esine and Isabella never let him hurt himself or risk his life. Moxxie's Mom and Dad did.

Esine and Isabella encouraged him to find and improve his talents. Moxxie's Dad and Mom always said it was distracting and limited his time.

Esine and Isabella made Moxxie smile.

Moxxie's Dad and Mom never did.

And the more Moxxie found himself being "Moxxie" and less like "ACDS-131524240905," the happier he was. He still did his duties and reports, but...now it felt weird. Like he didn't want to do it.

But that wasn't supposed to happen. Moxxie was a soldier. A weapon.

Wasn't he?

A knock on the door alerted him that someone was behind his door. "Moxxie? It's Alex. Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Moxxie said as he sat up. "I'm just..a bit tired."

"...Can you come down for a second? We need to talk," Alex said at the other end of the door.

Moxxie was about to answer when he saw that his secondary phone was beeping. The phone that he had in contact with his parents, who requested reports on his behavior and tasks. "Um, I'll be down in a few minutes."

After hearing Alex's footsteps go away, ACDS reached for his phone. He quickly answered it. "The time is not yet right."

"But it will be when the sun turns blood red," said Father on the other side of the line. "Report."

"Nothing new or unusual," ACDS answered with a monotone. "I've continued to go on uninterrupted."

"And the Spring Dance?"

"Still happening," ACDS answered with hesitation. It would be one of the biggest events of the school year. A time when all the students, teachers, and even essential guests came to have fun at the dance and play music. "F-Father?"

"Yes, ACDS?"

ACDS bit his lip. "I...I have thought more about this. I feel that the school is not a good target."

"Reason?"

"...It's not anti-Imp," ACDS answered, hoping this would work. "The teachers and students treat me as an equal. None of them hold any major political or business relations compared to other targets we've dealt with. Also, it could damage our credibility if we take out a school like this. Our past attacks have all held political and logical meaning. Attacking a school will just make it look like we're more like terrorists than freedom fighters, and we could lose support."

If it had been in the first three weeks that Moxxie had been starting his undercover mission, he wouldn't care. But since coming here and living among these demons, going to school with them, befriending them, and more for months? He couldn't see anything wrong with letting them live. They were good people. Especially his guardians. There was no reason to hurt or eliminate them. It was illogical.

And deep down? He didn't want to see the school burn.

He didn't want to see his new friends or the guardians who had taken care of him die. They were innocent beings. He tried to remember that everyone who was not their ally was a sheep and a slave to the system, but they didn't do anything wrong. The school treated everyone equally. It wasn't...it wasn't a bad place.

He loved it here.

ACDS loved being Moxxie.

ACDS had spent weeks trying to come up with a way to convince his parents to abort the mission. Even if it meant leaving a place ACDS, admittedly, was happy living at. So long as everyone was okay. So long as it meant nothing terrible happened, he was okay with it.

"...There is logic in what you are saying, ACDS," Father said on the other end. "We will discuss this. Continue your mission as usual."

"Yes, sir," ACDS said as he hung up the phone and sighed. It was up to his parents to decide the right choice. He hoped they would make the right one.

What if they don't? ACDS asked himself, but he pushed that away. He couldn't think that. He had to focus on the now.

Remembering that Alex and Isabella wanted to speak to him, he put his secret phone away and went downstairs.

***

Moxxie didn't know why he felt nervous, but his palms were sweating. He figured this was about him calling Isabella "Mom" by accident. Each step down the stairs felt like Moxxie was about to have his heart beat so loud it would make a drum solo. Did Isabella feel insulted? Were they angry at him? Were they going to kick him out? Even if they didn't, he still felt terrible for the awkwardness. He would have to apologize with so much vigor that he wondered if he should bow or kowtow.

When Moxxie got to the dining room, Isabella and Alex were already sitting there with warm smiles. This quickly made him take a deep breath and relax. The fact that they didn't look angry or pissed off had made him feel that everything was going to be okay. He knew the two very well since living with them, which took a lot of anger from them. Only once had Moxxie seen them really angry, and that was when a store stated they wouldn't serve them due to having an "Imp Child." Isabella was so scary that it made Moxxie think of his sibling ATDT, who was the expert in torture. And Alex even decked the manager when they refused to address their complaint.

That was when he really started to trust them.

Sitting down across from them, Moxxie gave them a nervous smile. "Um, hey. Listen, about before-"

"Moxxie?" Isabella asked, which made him pause. "I'm not upset that you called me Mom. In fact, I liked it."

"You did?" Moxxie asked in surprise.

"Well, let's face it, Mox. You have been like a son to us since you got here," Alex said as he held his wife's hand. "And we hope we've been like parents to you in return."

"You have!" Moxxie said a little too fast than he had expected. Before he knew it, he was speaking rapidly, "You two have been the most important thing in my life. I've never felt so happy in my life."

Why am I saying this? Moxxie thought in his head. They are not my parents. I am not their son.

"...Then I guess it's a good thing we got this ready ahead of time," Alex replied as he pulled out a sheet of paper. He gently pushed it towards Moxxie, whose eyes widened in shock. It was an adoption form. For him. A form written by both Alex and Isabella Esine for the legal adoption of Moxxie. "We got this two months ago but decided to wait until we felt you were ready to give you the offer."

"You don't have to accept either if you don't want to," Isabella said as she smiled warmly at him. "But we would love for you to be our son."

Their son.

They wanted him to be their son.

Moxxie felt his hand shake as he saw the pen near the paper. He knew he shouldn't sign. He was an assassin. A weapon. He wasn't a normal kid. He wasn't an orphan. He was living a damn lie. So why was he reaching for the pen?

Moxxie tried to remember his real parents. The ones who created him. Made him into who he is today. All the time he had spent training, killing, and acting on their orders. He couldn't betray them. He couldn't just forget about them.

He had the pen in hand.

This was wrong. Moxxie was supposed to analyze this place and deem it necessary to destroy it or not. He wasn't supposed to be this. Moxxie wasn't real. He was ACDS-131524240905.

The pen was on the paper.

They were not his parents.

...But I want them to be, Moxxie told himself as he signed the paper with tears in his eyes, knowing he had made the biggest mistake in his life, but there was no regret. His new Mom and Dad soon hugged him as he cried in their embrace.

And yet he smiled.

***One Month Later***

The sound of music played in the air as Moxxie's fingers danced on the piano keyboard with perfect harmony. Around him, the sounds of violins, cellos, basses, horns, flutes, and more were singing with his instrument as he let the sound and wonder of the music guide him into a blissful state of happiness. Although his primary skill was the guitar, Moxxie learned several methods of performing music, and the piano was one of them. The main person who was supposed to play for the Spring Dance performance sadly called in sick due to needing his appendix removed, so Moxxie, the second pianist, was asked to take his place.

There was some worry among the group that Moxxie wouldn't be ready in just a few days to memorize the necessary parts for the performance. Thankfully, his father had spent hours each day helping him practice, and he could sync perfectly with the rest of the group. As the last of the keys was played, Moxxie waited for the final notes from the horns before the maestro silenced the performance. There was a brief pause in the music before some clapping was heard from those who had stuck around to listen to the final practice, including Moxxie's friends Nack and Cassie.

"Excellent! I think we are ready, everyone!" A blood-red furred rabbit Hell-born demon with an upside down pentagram on his forehead and dark yellow slitted eyes applauded. "Tonight, we shall make the entire student body hear your wonderful hard work. Naturally, you will also be having fun dancing to that techno and pop music you teens like so much, but please remember to not get too excited that you'll drain yourselves of energy before our performance."

After reminding everyone to bring their instruments, he dismissed the group, who hurried up to pack and leave. The Spring Dance was in a few hours, and everyone wanted to get ready for the big night with their friends or dates. For Moxxie, he would be going with both.

"That was amazing, Moxxie," Cassie said as she walked forward with Nack behind her. "I can't believe you learned all the parts in a week!"

"Tell me about it," Moxxie sighed as he recalled the long hours he took to learn and practice. "Dad and I were so focused on this that we missed dinner until Mom had to bring the food under our noses to snap out of it."

"Jeez, how are you still standing without falling asleep?" Nack asked in disbelief.

"Coffee. Lots of it," Moxxie said before yawning. "I'm actually planning on sleeping before the dance starts."

"Good, I hate to have my dance partner fall asleep on me while we're on the dance floor," Nack said before thinking about it more. "Actually, I take that back. I wouldn't mind you falling into my arms."

"Down boy," Cassie joked as she shoved him in the shoulder. "He's my date too, you know?"

"I still can't believe you two are going to go out with me together to the dance," Moxxie said as he started walking towards the exit of the auditorium doors with his best friends. Having been unable to choose between the two, Moxxie found himself suddenly being told by both Cassie and Nack that the two talked about it and decided to share him together. Going to the dance would help the three of them figure out who Moxxie felt more for as their partner, while the other would accept the outcome.

"Hey, most demons wouldn't be complaining about going out on two dates at the same time," Nack said as he grinned toothily. "Especially with one of those being a handsome and sexy shark."

"Oh, you mean Moxxie found a different shark to date with?" Cassie teased, which earned a friendly glare from Nack.

"Har de har," Nack rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Anyway, let's all agree to have a good time. Between tests, projects, and that water balloon fight that ended up being a really messed up situation, we deserve time to relax."

"Yeah, I still can't believe that one student thought it was funny to try and fill a balloon with holy water," Moxxie said in disbelief. "How did he even get that stuff anyway?"

"I think we're better off not knowing," Cassie answered, and the other two didn't disagree.

***

"I'm home!" Moxxie shouted as he entered the front door. "Mom? Dad?"

"In here!" Moxxie heard his new adopted mother calling and walked inside to find her helping his Dad get a tie on.

"Hey, son," Alex said as his wife fixed his tie. "How was the final practice?"

"Everything was good. We're ready for the performance tonight," Moxxie proudly told his family. "Thanks again for helping me, Dad."

"What's family for, son?" Alex said as he rubbed Moxxie's hair with his hand before kissing his wife on the cheek. "I'm off to help get everything ready. See you both there."

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I promised to help Miss Feenie bring in some of the cakes and goodies, so you'll see me sooner than later," Isabella said with a sigh. "Turns out she made more than necessary."

"I hope some of those cakes are your famous cookie crumb double chocolate marshmallow mud pie cakes," Alex asked as he and Moxxie licked their lips at tasting just a tiny slice of the deliciously sweet dessert.

"Yes, I made some, but don't eat it until you have real food in your stomach," Isabella chided as she smirked at the two before heading into the kitchen. "I'm going to make a light snack to hold us over before the dinner at the dance. You want something, Moxxie?"

"No, I'm going to take a nap until the time of the dance," Moxxie said as he yawned soon afterward. "Last night, we kinda stayed up later than normal."

"Correction, you stayed up later than normal. I was ready for bed at one," Alex corrected his grinning son.

"Whatever. I'm going to get some sleep. See you both at the dance," Moxxie said as he headed towards the stairs.

"Have a good sleep, son. We'll see you soon," Alex said as Moxxie nodded and waved before heading upstairs. "Love you."

"Love you both!" Moxxie said as he hurried upstairs.

Sadly, this would be the last thing he would ever say to his adopted parents.

*** Hours Later***

Years of training and instincts alerted Moxxie that something was wrong. Eyes waking up, he pulled out the gun he had hidden in his pillow and aimed it at the door. He waited for someone to come in for a few seconds before slowly making his way to the door and opening it. There was nothing in the halls, but he could hear someone downstairs. It was too light to be his parents, and he knew by now the two were already at the Spring Dance, which he saw was starting in thirty minutes based on the clock on the wall.

Focusing his body on being as soft and gentle in touch as possible, Moxxie made his way down the stairs with his gun ready for anything. Even though this was a nice neighborhood, there was still crime, so it was not uncommon to have thieves or psychopaths trying to break in. Even in the nicest places of Hell, it was still Hell.

When he got near the kitchen, Moxxie pressed his back against the wall and focused on his hearing. The sound of a chair shuffling and lips smacking against each other echoed in his head. Taking a deep breath, Moxxie rushed in, raising his gun only to lower in surprise. "Sister?"

"Brother." A female Imp, taller and thinner than most, was sitting on the counter eating a slice of cake from the open fridge. She had long black hair yet shared a chin and cheekbone setting similar to Moxxie's. Her eyes were also identical to his, but just a tad slimmer, and the feminine qualities of her face almost represented that of a cat's face combined with typical Imp anatomy. It was rumored that ACDI-0301202315130114 was made with some semblance of cat DNA in her making. Finishing the cake, Moxxie's sister got off the counter and hugged the black trench coat she was wearing before walking towards him. "Are you well?"

"...Yes," Moxxie said with a nod as he put his gun away. "Why are you here?"

"Father and Mother said to me to retrieve you, ACDS. Your mission is over," She answered, which made Moxxie freeze inside, but he made sure not to show it on his face.

"Over?" Moxxie asked in repeat as he tried to process this. When was this decided, and why? "I was not informed of this."

"It was a decision just made due to circumstances. I'm to retrieve you and bring you to the pick-up zone," ACDI replied as she gave him a smirk. "I must admit, brother. I doubted you would do well in infiltration and blending in as a normal orphaned child, but you did better than expected. Even managed to win the hearts of your guardians into making you their child. Well done."

"Right," Moxxie answered in a monotone response. "If...If I am ordered to leave, I will do so, but how will my disappearance be explained? I am expected to be at the Spring Dance any minute now."

"Don't worry. You won't need to do anything. We have it all covered," ACDI said as she made for the door. "Grab your belongings. We need to leave now."

Moxxie nodded and obeyed, but a thousand thoughts were going through his head. Why did Mother and Father call him back? Had he done something wrong? Did they think he was in too deep or lost focus? What were they going to do, and what was their plan? There were too many questions, yet all Moxxie could do was obey his orders and get what few items he had brought for his mission, including his firearms and gadgets. He was about to leave when he paused and turned his head towards his desk. There were photos and items that Alex and Isabella had gotten him over the months, including a picture of the three of them holding the adoption paper.

He wasn't going to see them again. His life as "Moxxie" was over.

He was ACDS again.

His "Mom" and "Dad" were no longer his parents. He was going to leave and never come back. What were they going to think when they learned their adopted son was missing? Would they believe Moxxie ran away or something happened to him? ACDS could already see his Mom crying in hysterics while his Dad ran around the neighborhood calling his name. What about Cassie and Nack? Or his classmates and teachers? What would they think?

"ACDS! Come on!"

ACDS bit his lip and quickly took the photo of his adoption and his favorite guitar given to him by his Dad. He hurried down and walked out the door with ACDI, where a black van was waiting for them, driven by an Imp wearing a hoodie. ACDS got into the car, and soon they were off as he stared at the place that had been "home." He didn't stop looking at it until they had turned the corner.

***

The van drove for fifty minutes before arriving at the upscale cliff parking lot on the outskirts of town. A popular place for drivers needing to sleep for a bit and late-night dates that overlook the entire village, including the school nearby. A few of ACDS's siblings were there, along with his parents and members of the I.R.A. Once they parked the car, ACDS walked out and went to his parents, who nodded in greeting to their son.

"Mother. Father," ACDS said before them both.

"ACDS-131524240905," Father said in greeting him. "You have done well in your mission."

"Thank you, Father," ACDS said with a slight bow. "May I ask why I was pulled out of my mission before notification?"

"We have come to our conclusion for what is to be done for the school. Originally, your suggestion and statements regarding the illogical need to attack had been in our minds," Mother said with a sigh.

"...Has...Has something changed that?" ACDS asked as fear began to creep into his stomach.

"Yes, it seems the school had secretly planned to reveal that Greed's biggest Rock Star, Zeathor , was planning to make a surprise appearance and performance," Mother replied with a growl.

Moxxie knew things were really bad now. Zeathor was a frog demon, a Greruor, infamous for keeping slaves. Greed was a ring where slavery was still legal, and Zeathor was infamous for having many of them, including Imps. Being a wealthy, capitalist, slave-owning asshole who mistreated them like shit, he was bound to be a target of the I.R.A.

"How did you find out about this?" ACDS asked as his hands began to shake.

"ATDH-1337 hacked their schedule," Mother said.

"Since we cannot waste a chance to get rid of him, we've decided to use him and the school as a message," Father said as he turned to the town below them.

"I...I can understand targeting Zeathor, but why the school?" ACDS asked calmly, but his heart was racing, and his brows were sweating. He wanted to get a car, drive to the school, and scream for everyone to leave the area.

But his body never moved.

"The fact that the school decided to bring him in shows that they are just as corrupt as he is," Father answered, and it was taking all of ACDS's willpower to cry out "bullshit."

Zeathor was popular with many demons, including Imps. It didn't matter that he had slaves. Many famous and rich demons in various realms had slaves. Even Imps held Imp slaves in some cases. The entire excuse made no sense, and ACDS knew the real reason. It was for shock value. A means to stow fear. Or maybe his parents didn't care that they were willing to kill hundreds of children who only ever wanted to play and master music.

He had to stop this. ACDS wanted to stop this right now. He wanted to beg them to stop. Warn his parents, Cassie, Nack, and everyone. He needed a cell phone Or something. And yet the part of him that was the excellent little solider did nothing. Just as he was ordered to do.

He was a loyal son and soldier of the I.R.A. He was not Moxxie anymore.

"H-How are you going to deal with this?" ACDS asked.

Just then, his brother, ACDD, smirked and nodded toward the school. "You'll see in a minute."

......no......

A flash of light was seen in the town. The sound of an explosion echoed in the air. Fires erupted from ground zero.

ACDS just stared at the burning area that was once The Sirenis Musical Academy for Gifted Students. It is nothing more than a burning grave for those inside and around it.

A grave for his parents.

A grave for Cassie and Nack.

A grave for the happy life that Moxxie had held.

He just stared in silence. His eyes were lit up by the flame seen in the distance.

ACDS was quiet as they watched the chaos. And yet "Moxxie" was screaming in sorrow deep within his heart.

***Present***

"...That night, I realized what my parents were. What my entire life was. It was wrong. All of it. I wasn't fighting for freedom or justice; I was a mass murderer and a killer," Moxxie muttered as he looked down with his hair over his eyes. "I swore to see the entire I.R.A. burn. I vowed to break free from the chains that bound me and be myself. It took me three years to plan it all out and get the proper means to do so. I worked with an H.I.S.S. agent named Danarius, and we took them down together. Him from the outside and me from the inside. I killed every one of my siblings and many others in the I.R.A. before it was officially torn down when my parents were captured."

Raising his head, Moxxie gazed at the sympathetic glances everyone was giving him. "I've hated everything I did in the past. The deaths, the suffering, the terrorist attacks, and more. I wanted to be my own person both in honor of my adopted parents but also to spite my parents. I thought I was free of my past, but my brother is alive. He's not going to stop until I've suffered and my parents are free again."

"...Fuck," That was all Loona could say as she rubbed her forehead. "Anyone else has a tragic backstory to go with our complicated lives? Between Moxxie's and my Dad's, I'm just waiting for us to find out that Bird Boy here is the love child between Satan and Mary, The Virgin Mother."

"But wouldn't that make her not the Virgin anymore?" Rachmiel pointed out, which got him a deadpan expression from the Hellhound. "I'll...just be quiet."

"Regardless, that is...quite the story, Moxxie," Stolas sighed heavily. "I'll keep my guards on alert now that your brother is after you."

"I'm sorry that I brought all this trouble on you," Moxxie said as he turned to Blitzo. "If you want my resignation from the company, I under-"

"Mox, shut up," Blitzo groaned as he rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to fire you because you happened to have been a sharpshooting anarchist who got raised as a child soldier by your supremacist parents who got into an issue with anyone who doesn't have black and white horns."

Blitzo pointed at himself and said, "I mean, come on. I've done just as much shit as you have. You aren't the only one with a bad past and things he did that he regretted. But we're all trying to help me with my issues, so what's wrong with helping yours? I don't care who you were in the past, Moxxie. As far as I am concerned, you're still the sharpshooting limp-dick pussy who complains too much that I call my best friend. So suck it up."

Moxxie couldn't help but chuckle at Blitzo before shaking his head. "Yes, sir."

He then turned his head to a quiet and unsure Millie and whispered, "Millie?"

"...I don't know what to think," Millie said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I...I understand...I do, but...all this...you...your brother...our baby..."

He gently held her hand, and the two looked at each other. Tears were in both their eyes as it was clear that there was a block between them. Moxxie feared that telling his wife the truth would hurt their marriage, and his reluctance and the truth were now hurting it.

"Moxxie, I still love you but...but..." Millie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "...I need some time alone. I...I need to think...get away...just...be alone for a while...with my family."

"...I understand," Moxxie said, but inside, he was already feeling like crumbling.

"...Can you portal me home, Stolas?" Millie asked.

"Of course, Millie," Stolas said as the female Imp got off her bed and left the room. She took a moment to look at Moxxie, who just stared at her with regret before walking out.

"...I want to be alone...please," Moxxie asked the others.

They hesitated at first but soon nodded and left one by one. The moment they did, Moxxie finally couldn't hold it any longer and cried. He curled up into a ball on his bed and began to weep.