Rolando Infests Octavia

 

 

Octavia was floating in space, surrounded by a dazzling display of shooting stars, hovering planets, and brilliant colors of indigo and blue. Stolas and Stella were flying with her, the whole family laughing with love in their eyes.

 

She was seeing the stars at last!

 

“Look at that one!” Stolas exclaimed as he spotted a flaming blue meteor streaking by.

 

 

Octavia closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the warmth of both her parents embracing her. They both sang sweet lullabies to her, the tunes reminding her of her dad’s song, “Everything Will Be Okay.”

 

“My sweet owlet,” said Stolas. “Can you play your beautiful music for us?”

 

Octavia looked down with a smile as she spotted her guitar in her hands. With a look of confidence, she strummed it and moved her head wildly to the beat. An audience of stars cheered her on as she rocked out. Even the Goetia royals clapped in approval, handing her bizarre gifts of skulls and taxidermized owls, leopards, and bats. She admired them in her hands.

 

“Hey, Via,” said a smiling, good-looking owl prince. “I love your beautiful singing…and your collection. Wanna go out sometime?”

 

Octavia took his hand and chuckled nervously. Stolas gave a thumbs up.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Great! Here’s my number.”

 

Octavia looked down at her cellphone…and instead saw a text from her dad: “I’ll always love you, my Starfire.”

 

Stella then looked at Octavia. “I apologize for my earlier behavior. If you’d like to move in with your dad, I’ll respect your choices.”

 

Stolas strode forward and added, “I just want you to know, Via, that I am also truly sorry.” He hugged her. “I had no idea you felt left out. If you want to move away and need a break from us…I’ll understand.”

 

Happy grateful tears spilled from her eyes. Were her parents making up and finally listening to her?

 

 

“Octavia…Octavia…” her parents chimed.

 

 

Octavia smiled again.

 

 

“OCTAVIA!”

 

The owl was startled awake from her dream of paradise. She let out a frustrated groan and sat up. Her mother stood beside her bed.

 

“The fuck is it now?” the teen grumbled.

 

“Get your ass out of bed,” Stella called. “You need to help move all these boxes.”

 

Stella mentioned to several brown boxes in the hall. Several imps were carrying more boxes outside to a van.

 

“What’s going on?” Octavia stood up.

 

Stella grinned coldly. “Now that Stolas is gone…”

 

“He’s alive,” Octavia spat.

 

Stella waved her hand. “…gone from our lives for good, you’re moving back in with me.”

 

Octavia shuddered. She was used to being with Stella on the weekends, helping her with shopping and listening to her lectures on Goetia beauty and royalty. But that didn’t mean she enjoyed it.

 

Now she was about to leave the one place she’d always known as home…and any reminders of her dad.

 

Being with her mother at her palace, she would feel more alone than ever.

 

“W-what?” Octavia gasped as she stood up and began to lift a box with her arms.

 

“No complaining, dear,” Sella chided. “Might as well leave the past behind. This will be the best for all of us.”

 

“Indeed,” Andrealphus strolled in with a haughty grin, glancing at the various ice sculptures and posters of himself in the palace. “I’ll have TWO palaces now! I bet my dim-witted former brother-in-law is sobbing himself to death in the streets!”

 

He and Stella laughed out loud. “Hilarious!”

 

Octavia fumed. There they were, acting like cackling, arrogant idiots once again, while she was the one to bear all the pain.

 

“Anyway,” Stella said to Octavia. “We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning, so chop-chop.”

 

She shoved aside an imp butler and strolled down the stairs, Andrealphus following her.

 

After hauling several boxes and placing them in the van, Octavia headed back up the stairs to gather her stuff. The owl princess wore her usual magenta dress with gold stars on it, black beanie hat with a small crown, black pants, sleeveless black jacket and black boots. She looked inside her closet. She held her guitar close to her chest, the one decorated blue with gold stars on it, signed with “Love Dad,” and packed it in another box. She found more clothes and packed them in as well.

 

Octavia paused and stared at several drawings and pictures. One of the drawings showed her as a little girl and Stolas smiling and holding hands with pink hearts drawn all around them. “Me” and “Dad” were written in black. She briefly glanced at a Father’s Day card and then at a picture with “Star observation” written below. She and Stolas were smiling at each other in space, with stars and planets in the background.

 

Tears began to well up in her eyes. ‘Why can’t I have one happy normal family?’ she wondered to the blackness. ‘Why did my dad ever have to meet that crazy rogue imp? And why does my mom have to be so cruel to everyone?’

 

Octavia knew Stolas was still alive…but knowing that they would be separated from each other for basically forever made her feel worse.

 

‘I wish I could go back in time. Travel across the stars to the moments when I was young and free. When my parents didn’t hate each other and I never had to worry about royal duties or school or…’

 

She shuddered, ‘…potential marriages. Why did you leave me, dad? Why were you willing to give up your life to a total stranger?!’

 

“I will be okay,” Octavia sang as she took out her guitar and strummed it. “I want to be okay…you told me I’d be okay…but deep down…I know I’m not okay…”

 

 

“Shining Star”

 

“Glancing up at the star-filled sky

A glimpse of a memory, passing by

Safe in my parents’ arms, flying high

The three of us happy together

I thought those times would last forever

 

But the days turned to years

Child laughs to teenage tears

With you gone, I’m lost in my fears

Was I a burden to your secret stress?

Did you or Mom first cause this mess?

Stunned at how fast time flies

And now I live a life of lies

 

Broken promises you made to me

I never knew before but now I see

You left me behind, left me for him

These dark palace walls are caving in

Take me back to the stars, Dad

Back to the life I wish I had

My world is silent and sad (Ohhhh)

 

Am I still your shining star?

Still your little girl burning bright?

Or am I a dimmer light to your dreadful night?

Is it too late to make things right?

 

The palace windows echo your name

I saw you lower your head, drenched in your shame

Now I’m stuck with Mom, feeling far away

Why didn’t you listen? Why couldn’t you just stay? (Stay, stay)

I’m not okay today (Not okay)

 

Am I still your shining star? (Your shining star)

Still your little girl burning bright? (So bright)

Or am I a dimmer light to your dreadful night?

Is it too late to make things right? (Make things right)

 

A powerless princess, I’m sick of my role

Now I’m of age and I shall take control

If Mom and Dad won’t listen to me

Should I talk or should I flee?

Live on my own

In a non-broken home

Is the place to be

 

Am I still your shining star? (Your shining star)

Still your little girl burning bright? (So bright)

Or am I a dimmer light to your dreadful night?

 

It breaks my heart to say goodbye

But life goes on even though I try

Not to cry…cry…cry

Perhaps it’s best to just move on

Try to pretend that I belong

But nothing will be the same when you’re gone

I’ll walk alone all through the night (through the night)

I’ll miss you Dad, your guiding light (your guiding light)

But it’s too late for you to make things right

Too late…to make things right.”

 

With a somber sigh, Octavia lowered her guitar and placed it into the box. She packed the rest of her things and closed the closet door. She carried a box and headed downstairs, listening to her music.

 

She soon reached the van.

 

“Here, let me get that, Your Highness,” chirped a small voice.

 

Octavia looked down and saw a butler imp by her feet. He took the box from her hands and hoisted it into the van.

 

“Uh, thanks,” Octavia said. “But you don’t need to call me that.”

 

She turned back to the palace.

 

“Here, I’ll help you carry the rest,” said the imp, following her.

 

“Oh, you don’t have to…” Octavia began.

 

“It’s alright, Octavia. I’m happy to help.”

 

The imp walked by her side as they headed back through the doors.

 

Octavia glanced down at the butler. He wore the same new uniform all the servants wore: dark blue pants, a light blue, ice-colored shirt with black buttons and a black bowtie with a small white snowflake in the middle. He had red skin, short, stripped horns, short white hair with a bang in the middle and a white thin mustache.

 

“I don’t even know your name…or the names of any of the servants,” Octavia admitted.

 

The imp shrugged. “My name’s not really important, but for convenience, you can call me Ron.”

 

Ron lifted up the last of the boxes and Octavia walked with him toward the van.

 

“Moving upsetting you?” he asked.

 

Octavia nodded.

 

“I’m sorry,” Ron added. “It must be hard after living here for so long.”

 

Octavia sighed. “Not just that. It’s my Dad. I don’t want to be anywhere near him, but…I still miss him.”

 

Ron sighed. “I know the feeling. I miss my parents, too. Used to live a simple life before I was hired to work for your family.”

 

Octavia and Ron began to carry their boxes down the stairs, Ron in the front.

 

“Just stay away from my Mom,” Octavia grumbled. “She can be such a…”

 

Ron spotted Stella strolling near the bottom of the stairs. The imp yelped, tripped and tumbled down the stairs. Octavia gasped. “Look out!”

 

The imp and the box crashed to the bottom. Clothes and books spilled out of the box, landing by Stella’s feet, almost causing her to trip. Ron was soon on his belly in a heap among the mess of books.

 

Stella whirled around, barely glancing at her daughter.

 

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, IMP?!”

 

Ron lifted his head up, shaking. “I’m terribly sorry, Your…”

 

Stella kicked the books aside and lifted the imp by his collar. “Are you trying to make me fall? Or are you always this clumsy?!”

 

She grunted loudly and tossed him to the floor by his wrist. He briefly spun before landing on the hard floor. He groaned and strained to stand up. He looked at Octavia with wide pleading eyes, a bruise forming under one of his eyes. ‘Are you really gonna let her keep doing this?’ he seemed to ask her. 

 

Octavia took a breath.

 

Stella noticed her. “You need to tell these imps to stay out of the way,” she waved a dismissive hand. “And when you’re done, fetch me some more tea for my spa session. Time to celebrate the end of my bastard ex-husband.”

 

Octavia fumed. “Shut up.”

 

Stella blinked, pink eyes widening. “What did you say?!”

 

“You heard me, Mom!” Octavia spoke with a slight stutter. “I’ve had enough of you and Uncle Andre laughing in my face. C-can’t you see I miss my Dad?”

 

Stella scoffed. “Can’t you see I don’t care? I don’t know exactly what you did in that fight, but you WILL apologize to Andrealphus and do what I say once we arrive at my estate.”

 

“I-I’m 17, almost 18! I’m an adult now!” Octavia protested.

 

“Still the same brooding background teen you’ve always been,” Stella droned. “You and your father were always close, often a nuisance. I can see you haven’t learned much of anything on how to be a worthy Goetia.”

 

“You don’t really care for me, do you?” Octavia spoke in a quivering voice. “Not as much as before, at least. You only care about your status and my possessions.”

 

“Nothing good would come with Stolas and his disgusting imp managing things around here, would it?” Stella countered. “Both of you are delusional on how things are supposed to work in the hierarchy. You should be thankful your father didn’t get you or I into trouble sooner!”

 

“W-why do you want him dead? Do you…really want me to be all alone?”

 

Stella softened, playing the role of a somewhat concerned mother. “My dear Via, you won’t be alone. You still have me and Andrealphus, and King Paimon your grandfather. I’ve worked so hard to bring justice to our legacy…and I need to count on you to grow up and not cause any more trouble. You hear me?”

 

Octavia gulped, her courage leaving her. “Yes, Mother.”

 

“Very good.” Stella pulled Octavia into a hug that felt forced and hollow. They soon separated.

 

“Now clean this shit up!” she barked at both Octavia and the imp before storming off toward the kitchen.

 

 

Octavia raced over to Ron, who was wincing as he lifted a book into the box.

 

“Here, I’ll get that,” she said.

 

The books and clothes were soon back in the box, and Octavia carried it outside to the van.

 

“That was…very brave of you, Miss,” Ron remarked, as Octavia scooted the box inside the back of the van.

 

“Uh, thanks,” she said. “I know Dad had a fondness for imps when he was younger…said they were his only true friends.”

 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” said Ron, “Do you have any friends?”

 

Octavia scoffed. “Other than some wild imps and a…very nice Hellhound named Loona, no. I have no friends.”

 

“Well…” Ron fumbled with his bowtie. “If you ever need any drinks or food or…someone to talk to…you know I’m here.”

 

Octavia chuckled dryly. “I probably won’t see you later tomorrow…that’s when I move.”

 

“Well then, I wish you the best of luck.” Ron bowed and strolled away to continue his duties.

 

‘At least someone in this fucked up world understands me,’ Octavia thought, a small smile appearing on her face. She placed her earbuds back in and headed down the ice-covered halls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 0 0 0 0 0

 

“Dad!”

 

“Via?”

 

Stolas hovered through the shadows, searching for his daughter.

 

He flew closer and could hear Stella and Andrealphus’ laughter echoing around him. Octavia was crying in her palace on her bed, knees folded up to her chest.

 

“Via! I’m right here!” Stolas cried from the doorway. But he felt his fists banging fruitlessly against an invisible barrier.

 

Octavia aged before his eyes, her feathered hair turning gray and wrinkles forming on her skin. By the time he could get to her, she only stared blankly at him.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m your dad!” Stolas sobbed.

 

Stella appeared by Octavia and smirked. “She had no dad anymore!”

 

She laughed as she led the elderly Octavia away.

 

“No! Please, come back!” Stolas cried. Moments later, a cry chilled him to his core.

 

“Help! Somebody!”

 

He heard his daughter’s voice again.

 

“My owlet! I’m coming!” Stolas raced forward toward the voice as fast as he could.

 

Octavia yelled as she tried to escape a powerful current of dark water. She raised her arms, clawing desperately at the air. The water was already up to her chest.

 

Stolas reached for her hands, but she slapped his hand away.

 

“I don’t need your help, dad! You left me behind!” Her bitter glare was enough to shatter his soul.

 

“Via, I’m sorry! No!”

 

Stolas dove into the water, but as he came up for air, the water turned to ice around his legs. He was soon stuck.

 

“Octavia! Wait!” Stolas cried, his hand outstretched. Octavia glared at him again before she screamed and was pulled under the water.

 

“Via!”

 

Stolas awoke with a start, shaking and breathing heavily. He sat himself up on the couch. He looked around and saw some of Blitzo’s horse plushies next to him. Blitzo stood on a ladder, taking down the Sinsmas ornaments and wreaths.

 

It was only a day or so ago that his daughter had turned her back on him when he had tried to explain how he had been banished and stripped of his powers. The dream he just had was abnormally vivid…it reminded him of his visions he would sometimes see when studying the stars and the future back at the palace.

 

“Good morning, Stolas,” Blitzo called, turning around. He saw his face. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah…” Stolas replied, unsure. “Just…a nightmare…”

 

He couldn’t shake off the strange nagging feeling of foreboding.

 

“Get ready to head back to work tomorrow,” Blitzo reminded him as he carefully lifted the green wreaths and took down the large ornaments. “The clients need someone to schedule their appointments and let us know of their targets,” the imp chuckled.

 

Stolas sighed. Another day of not living his former privileged palace life.

 

He still enjoyed his time with Blitzo very much…but the heartache of losing his home and daughter was too much.

 

How was he supposed to live with his deep regret for the next hundred years?

 

“I feel like…I have to see her again…even if it’s just a glimpse. To make sure she’s okay.”

 

Blitzo sighed, raising an eyebrow. “Going back into danger? After that fight? You must be desperate. I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not gonna go back to get my ass frozen by Elsa.”

 

“I feel like she’s in real danger! I-it’s hard to explain!” Stolas stuttered.

 

“Yeah, in danger from being with her bitchy mother and asshole uncle, I get it. If you really wanna go after her, you’re on your own this time.”

 

“But…” Stolas began.

 

“Look, I’m happy to get you some food sometimes and help you out, but remember, you’ll need to do shit for yourself to survive here. Besides, it’s not like your family will be exactly happy to see me.”

 

Stolas knew Stella would slaughter Blitzo on the spot just for being in her presence. And his daughter didn’t particularly seem fond of her either.

 

“I could come along,” Loona added, stepping into the room. Blitzo looked at her.

 

“Oh no!” Blitzo put up his hands. “I don’t need you involved in a battle with some elite birdfucks again.”

 

“I literally just fought alongside you guys!” Loona snapped.

 

“Yeah, and I don’t want you to get hurt!”

 

“Too bad, Dad! I…”

 

She paused and sighed. “I can handle it. Also, I…kinda know how Octavia feels. We’ve talked and…I think when all this shit is over…it’d be nice to hang out…”

 

Blitzo smiled. “So…you’re friends?”

 

Loona groaned. “Not yet, anyway. I just…see myself in her. Like a sister almost.”

 

Blitzo sighed. “Fine. You can come with me and Stolas, but don’t do anything too reckless.”

 

“Thank you both so much,” Stolas said. “But we need to make sure we aren’t caught. Fortunately there aren’t any guards around the palace for some odd…”

 

…

 

“…reason?”

 

Stolas froze with Blitzo and Loona next to him as they saw two new bird-like guards dressed in golden armor standing at attention at the dark blue-iron gate. Stolas’ palace was covered with snow and ice in the background. The sky was dark, with the usual red sky replaced by night.

 

“Oh, cheese and hot sauce,” Blitzo exclaimed. “I did not see that coming.”

 

“Don’t forget all that ice Andrealphus put in the way of the doors,” added Loona.

 

“Aw fuck!” Blitzo seethed.

 

“Shh! They’ll hear you,” Loona hissed.

 

“There has to be another way around,” Stolas said.

 

“Can you fly?” Blitzo asked.

 

“Without my powers? No,” Stolas glowered.

 

Loona glanced up toward the windows and pointed. “Perhaps we could sneak up and climb in toward the windows.”

 

“If we get our asses caught, Stolas,” Blitzo warned, jabbing a finger at him, “I swear to Satan I’m kicking you out of my apartment!”

 

“That is, if the police don’t drag us to the courtroom again,” Stolas mentioned.

 

Blitzo remembered the crystal on his wrist and facepalmed. “Fuck, I didn’t use the crystal when the reapers chased us, and now I forgot it again!”

 

“Did you hear that?” asked one of the guards standing by the gate. He held out his spear in warning.

 

“Will you shut the fuck up already?!” Loona growled at Blitzo. “I’m trying to think of a plan!”

 

“Since when do you actually plan things and not rush into fights?” Blitzo asked.

 

“All those times when I wasn’t invited to join you in our missions, Blitz,” Loona scowled sarcastically.

 

“You were much safer in our office, and we needed someone at the phone,” Blitzo mentioned.

 

“I much prefer my phone,” Loona deadpanned.

 

“Whatever,” Blitzo rolled his eyes. “Now let’s head out and…the fuck?”

 

Loona and Blitzo peered over to see Stolas standing in front of the two guards.

 

“Hey!” said one of the guards. “You’re not authorized to enter here.”

 

“Not letting me into my own home. How rude of you!” He mocked them, trying to get both guards to focus on him. He briefly glanced back at Blitzo and Loona, making a fist and punching motions.

 

“The hell is his doing?” Blitzo stood, confused.

 

Stolas stepped back as the guards aimed their spears close to his chest.

 

“You aren’t a Goetia anymore,” said one of the guards. “If we kill you, at least Stella will be pleased by…”

 

The guard squawked in sudden pain as Loona leaped onto him and bit into his neck. Black blood spurted out and the guard fell with a crash into the snow. The other guard raised his spear to attack, but Loona ducked under the moving weapon and kicked the guard hard in the side. He fell down on his back and soon yelled as Loona tore into him. After both guards lay dead, Loona stood up and brushed her long mane of thick white hair from her eyes.

 

She pushed open the dark blue gate. “Okay, it’s open.”

 

Blitzo grinned with pride as he followed Stolas and Loona into the courtyard. Stolas looked with disgust at all the Andrealphus ice statues on display. A potted plant, long dead, lay in a heap in the snow, and Stolas grimaced with sadness.

 

Their worried reflections stared back at them in the thick sheets of ice.

 

“How are we going to get inside?” Blitzo wondered.

 

He turned to Loona. “Search around the palace for any openings.”

 

“On it.” She raced off.

 

Blitzo and Stolas tried to squeeze through the small openings between the ice barriers, but the entrance was still out of reach.

 

A few moments later, Loona rushed back to the group, her clothes stained with black blood.

 

“Got rid of more guards…” she panted.

 

“Atta girl!” Blitzo waved his fist as they followed Loona.

 

“…and I found an opening…”

 

“Atta girl, again!” Blitzo was very pleased.

 

Loona pointed up to a window that was slightly open, not too high up. Stolas stood on Loona’s back as Blitzo was hoisted up to it by Stolas.

 

“…but I can smell someone in there,” Loona finished. “A lot of perfume.”

 

“Atta…bitch?!” Blitzo froze. Stella was lounging in her chair, kiwis on her eyes, pink bathrobe on, taking a nap.

 

“It’s the swan bitch!” Blitzo whispered to Stolas. “A.k.a. your ex.”

 

“So that’s why she wasn’t at the fight,” Stolas said. “She was always the foolish lazy type.”

 

Blitzo stumbled and nearly fell, but thankfully, Stolas steadied him. Blitzo crept through the open window and did a stealthy pose in the dark.

 

He turned back with a sinister wink. “Ya know, I could just kill her…”

 

Stella yawned and stretched awake as Andrealphus knocked on the door and entered the room.

 

“You missed the action,” Andrealphus grumbled.

 

Stella glared. “So, you wake me up to brag?”

 

Blitzo pressed his back to the wall, not daring to breathe.

 

“It was Stolas and that gang of hideous imps,” Andrealphus mentioned. “And the leader. The one whom Stolas cheated on?”

 

Stella fumed. “And you didn’t kill either of them?!”

 

Andrealphus scratched his neck. “Well, no, my dear. Apparently, they had a secret weapon…your daughter.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Octavia teamed up with her father…to attack me!” He pointed at the bite wounds on his neck in anger.

 

“Unbelievable!” Stella gasped. “She should be punished…”

 

“Or just let the realization of her breakup with her dad sink in,” Andrealphus suggested. “You don’t always have to use aggression to make a point.”

 

“Hmm…true,” Stella said, before frowning.

 

 “All the wealth will eventually go to Octavia,” Stella muttered. “And if she’s with Stolas…”

 

“Well ordinarily, you’d get nothing,” Andrealphus grinned. He put his hand up to his chest. “But now that I have taken your ex-husband’s place…it seems the goods will flow naturally to me…urm…us.”

 

Stella scoffed. “So you get to have two palaces for that reason?” She folded her arms. “I’m the one who has the heir, not you.”

 

“Stella, darling, you know I’ll happily share.”

 

“I know you, though! The big brother with the magic powers, the favorite! You never shared with me!”

 

Andrealphus scoffed. “Having such a bratty little sister, I could see why I didn’t!”

 

“Oh, you’re such a peacock and I mean a pea…cock!” She shrunk her fingers down.

 

“Making low sex jokes, sister?” Andrealphus smirked. “You know you’re hot when you’re angry…”

 

Blitzo made a silent gagging face.

 

Stella stood up and paced. “So…Should we punish her? Where is she now?”

 

“Sulking in her room,” Andrealphus scoffed. “I’m sure some alone time will teach her a lesson.”

 

“We need to keep her away from that deadbeat at all times,” Stella declared. “Anything to keep him miserable! To show what happens to such traitorous embarrassments!”

 

“So…can’t you kill him yourself?” Andrealphus asked.

 

“I’d probably get in trouble with the rest of the Goetia,” Stella said. “That’s why I hired that…failure of an imp assassin.”

 

“But he’s not a Goetia anymore…there would be no problem…”

 

“Yes, I do want to kill him,” Stella added, “I just don’t know why you failed to do so!”

 

“I’d kill him much faster than you!” Andrealphus claimed.

 

Blitzo suddenly tripped with a soft grunt and raced out of the room, seconds before Andrealphus could glimpse at him.

 

Andrealphus glanced behind him and glared darkly. “I heard something…”

 

“The scum!” Stella scowled. “Could they have come back?”

 

“You tell me, lazy-ass,” Andrealphus retorted. “I’ll find them first…and mount all their heads!”

 

Stella grumbled. “I’m gonna need some fucking tea after this.”

 

He and Stella strolled quickly down the hall, missing Blitzo by in inch, who hid behind some purple curtains. The imp scurried back to the room to help up Stolas and Loona.

 

“Okay,” Blitzo breathed. “That was too fucking close. Now where’s Octavia’s room?”

 

Stolas led the way as Blitzo and Loona carefully followed him down the hall.

 

Stolas didn’t care whether she’d be angry with him or not. All he wanted was to see her safe once last time…to prove to himself that his nightmare was just a random nightmare. He stared longingly at old portraits as he passed, portraits of him and a younger Octavia smiling together in gardens, in the palace, at Loo-Loo Land and under the stars.

 

‘She hates me now…but I bet she misses me too,’ Stolas thought. ‘She saved us from Andrealphus’ ice hydra…now I hope I can save her, too…’

 

He still couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread…dread that felt colder than the ice glistening around the walls, and more frigid than the icy hearts of Octavia’s mother and uncle.

 

Blitzo held his hand in comfort, letting him know he was there. Stolas felt slightly braver as Blitzo and Loona walked on either side of him.

 

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

A soft knock was heard on Octavia’s bedroom door.

 

“Go away, Mom!” barked the teen, fiddling with her guitar strings and sitting on her bed.

 

“Your Highness, may I come in?” spoke a soft voice.

 

Octavia sighed and opened the door. Her face softened.

 

“Oh, it’s you, Ron.”

 

The imp butler held a snowflake plate in his hand. On it was a small cup of tea.

 

Octavia sighed. “I’m guessing Mom told you to get some more tea for her.”

 

Ron shook his head. “No, Miss. I decided to make this one for you. I bet Stella’s had plenty already.”

 

He closed the door.

 

“Oh,” Octavia said. “You didn’t have to…”

 

“It’s all good,” he said, walking over and moving the plate toward her. “Consider it a thank you gift for earlier.”

 

Octavia took the cup and had a sip. It was warm and comforting.

 

“Just wanted to check to see how you were doing,” Ron said. “You have a busy day tomorrow.”

 

“Don’t remind me,” Octavia sighed, drinking more tea. They sat in silence for a while.

 

“Isn’t it your bedtime?” Ron asked.

 

Octavia yawned. “I guess it’s getting close. Lifting those boxes is hard work.”

 

“So is dealing with Ice-Cock and Mean Queen,” Ron remarked. Octavia chuckled softly.

 

After finishing her tea, she leaned back on her bed, gazing at the glowing constellations and magenta lighting on her ceiling.

 

“Thank you, Ron,” Octavia said. “You can go now.”

 

“Good luck, Octavia, and sweet dreams.”

 

Ron bowed and stepped backward into the darkness.

 

0 0 0

 

 

Stolas walked with Loona and Blitzo down the many halls.

 

“Are we there yet?” Blitzo asked the owl. “This place is a fucking maze. You know if we get caught, I’m not gonna bail your ass out.”

 

“Then let’s make sure we don’t get caught,” Stolas replied.

 

“STOLAS?!”

 

Stolas and the gang stopped short. Stella and Andrealphus stood across from them straight ahead. Loona growled softly and Blitzo held a hand in front of her.

 

“THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY PALACE?!” Stella barked.

 

“Your palace?!” Stolas glared. “This place has MY sigil on it! And despite being forbidden to be here, I’m here to check on my daughter.”

 

Andrealphus scoffed. “Your daughter? I’m surprised you actually believe she exists to you! And Stella…” he turned to his sister. “This is actually MY new palace.”

 

Stella rolled her eyes. “Details later.”

 

Andrealphus sneered at Stolas, Blitzo, and Loona. “These lowborn invaders dare impede in my territory?! I will have all your heads mounted…and Octavia punished!”

 

Blitzo smirked. “Still upset that your niece blasted your icy feathery ass with her magic?”

 

“YOU DARE SPEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF A MARQUIS?!” Andrealphus screeched.

 

Stella gave her brother a mischievous look. “Whatever happened to the calm, scheming brother I once knew?”

 

Andrealphus growled, not approving of his pride being tainted. “Forgive me, Stella, but it’s been a long several days.”

 

He pointed a finger at Blitzo and Loona. “And these plebian freaks need to be eliminated!”

 

Stolas stepped forward. “Listen to me, Stella. I have a sense that our daughter’s in danger!”

 

“She’s my daughter!” Stella barked, also stepping forward and jabbing a finger at Stolas’ feathery chest. “And the only danger she could be in is from YOU and these miscreants you associate with!”

 

“Via’s never felt safe with you!” Stolas argued. “You didn’t consider how she’d feel if I were dead! I’ve endured years of your abuse; I can’t imagine what you could have done to her too!”

 

“I only cared for her when YOU weren’t around! While you were sleeping with that imp….”

 

Blitzo glared.

 

“…and I comforted her when you were willing to throw your life away for the imp. I told you you’d pay the price for your fall from grace.”

 

“And I remember telling you that I’m done with your bullshit,” Stolas glared. “No more of your screaming, insults, and lies!”

 

“You have no powers anymore!”

 

“You never had any to begin with!”

 

“I’ll call the reapers right now!”

 

“The police will be an easy obstacle compared to ALL THE GUARDS YOU HAVE HERE!” Stolas sarcastically remarked.

 

Andrealphus muttered under his breath and put a hand to his face. “Stella, you really should’ve listened to me when I talked about ice guards. You’re just always jealous when I use my powers.”

 

“Andre, you may kill them all,” Stella remarked, changing the subject.

 

Stolas scoffed. “Getting your brother to do your dirty work? Why don’t you face me yourself! BITCH!”

 

In response, Stella yelled and leaped onto Stolas, both of them were rolling on the ground. Stolas blocked her angry punches.

 

“You will not keep my daughter away from me!” Stolas seethed, trying to push her off.

 

“Your cheating ass will be sent to jail,” Stella responded. “Or better yet to double Hell!”

 

“Double Hell would be paradise compared to staying with you,” Stolas replied, managing to shove her off.

 

Loona leaped at Andrealphus, but an ice blast sent her backwards. She flipped and steadied herself, shaking her thick mane of hair.

 

“Whoa!” Blitzo cried as an icicle narrowly missed his face. “Now would be a good time to run, Loony!”

 

Andrealphus aimed an icicle at Stolas.

 

“Nope,” Loona growled, ramming into the ice peacock. 

 

“Mangy mutt, get off!” Andrealphus sent a flurry of snow at Loona, temporarily blinding her and allowing him to move upwards on an ice slide. A snowball hit him in the face.

 

“Sorry, Elsa!” Blitzo mocked.

 

Andrealphus growled and lowered himself to the ground. “I’ve had it with you…!” His eyes glowed teal as he prepared blasts of magic from his hands.

 

Stolas gasped as he spotted his daughter’s bedroom door from behind Andrealphus, who was blocking the way.

 

0 0 0

 

Octavia stared at the glowing constellations on her ceiling. They reminded her of the times when she and her dad would stargaze together, back before the divorce and before all the troublesome times. She knew the names of the constellations and could almost master creating a portal to get to space.

 

‘It’d be nice to work on my magic,’ Octavia thought. ‘Finally escape the palace and explore the world away from my crazy hateful parents.’

 

In the blink of an eye, the lights in her room went off. Her ceiling was now black.

 

“The fuck?” Octavia groaned, sitting up. The room temperature dropped, causing her to shiver.

 

“Mom? Dad?”

 

She slid off her bed and stood up, feeling tired and dizzy. The voices of her arguing parents echoed around her. In front of her, she thought she saw a shadow of Stolas embracing a shadow of Blitzo.

 

Octavia suddenly felt very alone and very scared. She remembered the nightmare she had as a little girl, of Stolas not being there and abandoning her in the dark.

 

‘I’m not scared of the dark,’ she thought. ‘I’m just here alone.’

 

But a low growl rumbling behind her contradicted her thoughts.

 

She whirled around, purple and black magic forming in her hands.

 

“Show yourself!”

 

A pause.

 

In a jump-scare moment, Ron the imp hovered in front of her face. But it was not the Ron she had seen before. He had large glowing yellow eyes and a wide grin of sharp teeth.

 

“Sweet screams, Octavia!”

 

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

 

Andrealphus aimed his icicles at Blitzo and Loona, who were backed up against a corner. Stolas was pinning Stella down and punched her hard in the face.

 

“Touch me again,” Stella smirked, “…and your buddies will be skewered kababs!”

 

Stolas looked on in worry as Andrealphus grinned.

 

“This is why you never mess with Goetian royalty,” he smirked, icicles aimed at their necks. “Goodbye, commoners!”

 

A shrill scream rang through the hallway. Andrealphus paused. “The fuck was that?”

 

Loona used the distraction to knock the marquis aside, ramming into his stomach and sending him backwards.

 

Stolas and Stella froze, both staring at each other with the same shocked expressions on their faces.

 

“Is that…?” Stella breathed.

 

“Via…” Stolas finished.

 

For the first time, both parents forgot about their squabbles…and rushed full speed toward their daughter’s door. (Though they gave each other plenty of glares and shoves).

 

“I was right! She needs help!” Stolas cried.

 

“Octavia! What’s going on?!” Stella cried.

 

Andrealphus skated forward, sliding on a sheet of ice he created. Blitzo and Loona slid on Andrealphus’ ice slide as they followed him.

 

Stolas and Stella yelled as they both reached for the handle.

 

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Octavia groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

 

“Where am I?”

 

“In the dark void of your mind, princess,” whispered a voice next to her.

 

Octavia looked down and saw she was chained to an old movie theater seat. Looking around, she saw more seats in rows, covered with kelp, coral and seaweed. The walls were decorated with large glowing eyes and a pair of curtains opened to show a green-tinted screen.

 

Octavia concentrated hard and looked down at her hands. To her horror, no magic appeared!

 

She felt something wet move against her cheek. She glanced to the right and spotted…something licking her with a long yellow tongue!

 

Octavia yelled and flinched away.

 

“Oh, sorry about that,” mused a demonic voice, not sorry at all. She felt a claw trace under her chin. “Ever since I sensed your long-repressed despair, I just had to get a taste.”

 

Octavia trembled at the monstrosity hovering before her: a lanky aquatic demon with gray skin, fin ears, glowing yellow eyes under red sharp sunglasses with yellow trim, and transparent white-gray hair pointed off to the side in a combover style. He wore black pants and a purple vest with a black undershirt. Drool dripped from his mouth of sinister sharp teeth.

 

“Whatever you are, get the fuck away from me!” bellowed Octavia.

 

Rolando chuckled darkly. “Relax, sweetie. Just wanted to say thanks for making it so easy for me. It was a hoot pretending to be a weak little imp. To trip and fall so I could watch you duke it out with your mother. And I may have put something in your tea to make you tired…and unlock some of your fears.”

 

Octavia’s eyes widened in realization. “You tricked me, asshole!”

 

“You’re only tricking yourself, pretending like your parents still somehow care about you. But they’ve only cared for themselves the whole time. Both of them. You’re just…what was the term, a ‘precautionary heir,’ yes?”

 

“LIAR!”

 

Rolando appeared behind her and ran his clawed fingers through her hair. “That’s where you’re wrong. The truth lies right before you…in your own head!” He poked her in between her eyes.

 

The projector blinked on as “3…2…1” spun on the screen. Octavia gasped.

 

 

“Alright then,” mused Rolando to Octavia. “Let’s take a look at your painful pathetic past.”

 

 

 

 

0 0 0 0 0

 

Octavia used to be a small owl baby, sitting in a wrapped-up blanket surrounded by stuffed toys and pillows. Stolas cradled her and loved her from the start…Stella loved her, too…but Stolas was the one who stayed with Octavia the most.

 

 

“Mommy! Daddy!” cried little Octavia from inside Stolas’ palace.

 

Stolas groaned and opened his four red eyes. His wife, Stella, lay next to him in bed, hogging the sheet.

 

“Via’s calling us, Stella,” he murmured.

 

Stella grumbled. “You get up.”

 

Stolas sighed and got up. He headed to Octavia’s room and opened the door.

 

“Via? What troubles you, my owlet?”

 

Little Octavia peered from under her purple covers with star designs on it.

 

“Daddy! Daddy!”

 

She raced over into his arms and sobbed.

 

“I had a dream! A really bad dream!”

 

Stolas picked her up.

 

“Oh. A nightmare,” Stolas said, wiping her tears.

 

“I was looking all over the palace, and I couldn’t find you anywhere! You weren’t there!” She hugged his neck.

 

Stolas patted her back. “There, there, Via, it’s okay. You’re okay.”

 

He carried her back to her bed, his grimoire hovering into the room. He settled Octavia on his lap.

 

“When you’re scared and you don’t know where I am, you must remember, no matter what happens to me, I will never be far away from my special little imp.”

 

Imp?!

 

Octavia froze…her dad always called her “Starfire.” She blinked, and in the place of her younger self, was a young Blitzo, smiling in her father’s lap, wearing her pink dress with yellow stars.

 

“Dad! Hey!” Octavia cried, waving her arms and trying to touch his face. “I’m over here!”

 

The illusion Stolas and Blitzo didn’t hear her. Stolas poked Blitzo on the nose and he giggled. The room grew dark and began to fade as Stolas sang “You Will Be Okay.”

 

“Dad! Wait! It’s me!” Octavia pleaded.

 

Another scene morphed into her vision. Again, what should’ve been her dad and a younger Octavia, was a child Blitzo in her bed.

 

Stolas was explaining the special event that occurred every thousand years. “What appears to mortal beings as a meteor shower, we can see it for what it is: Azathoth’s Tears.”

 

Young Blitzo giggled. “Daddy, can we go see it, someday?”

 

Confusion and loss flooded Octavia. She remembered not getting to see the special event and running away after she heard her parents fight over the phone.

 

“Yes, dear, I promise,” Stolas answered. He tucked young Blitzo into bed.

 

“When the day comes, nothing will be able to keep me from being there with you.” He poked him playfully. “Goodnight my imp.”

 

“No! I’m your owlet!” Octavia cried in her head.

 

 

 

Once again, the vision faded to black.

 

0 0 0

 

Octavia had lived a very sheltered lifestyle. Sure, she did experience fun moments with her dad and even her mom, like birthday parties, outings to the theme park and shopping sprees.

 

But for much of the time, Octavia remained in the palace, seeing her father watching TV, and being lectured by Stella on how to be a proper Goetia member.

 

“Remember to curtsy like this,” Stella demonstrated to a younger Octavia. “No swearing in the presence of the other Goetia. No munching messily on mice like you do here. Keep your dresses ironed and cleaned. Raise your pinky up and sip softly on your tea. And be sure to keep up on your studies.”

 

Octavia, of course, began studying the stars, politics, etiquette, and using magic like her father. She managed to form purple and black swirls around in her hands…and she cheered when she felt it for the first time. Stolas clapped and Stella nodded in approval.

 

“As princess, you’ll probably have to get married when you come of age,” Stella said to a groaning Octavia with a frown. “King Paimon will arrange it for you. Just make sure it’s to someone rich and not some careless cheater.” She glared at Stolas.

 

“Why don’t you have magic, mommy?” Octavia asked, desperate to change the subject.

 

Stella scowled. “Who cares? I guess because I’m not an official Goetia,” she muttered. “My dim-witted older brother with his ice magic, oh so special, and Stolas with his power to go to Earth and visit space. The absent-minded Prince gets all the attention, and I’m left to be his stupid babysitting wife…”

 

A hunger brewed in Stella’s pink eyes.

 

“Ohhh if I could just have one taste of their magic, I could create the most splendid dresses, have suitors serve me everywhere and stamp out those vermin-ridden imps and…”

 

Octavia stared blankly.

 

Stella paused and cleared her throat. “Don’t stand there like a doofus, Octavia! Show me how you walk regally down the hall.”

 

Octavia rolled her eyes and strolled with a blank expression.

 

Along with alternative music and taxidermy, Octavia also loved to read. She loved tending to Stolas’ plants after reading books about various herbs. She would immerse herself for hours, old pages in front of her…going on adventures through space or dark caverns or though Hell’s ancient history.

 

‘I wish I could see all the stars,’ she thought, as she looked at pictures of galaxies within Stolas’ leather-bound books.

 

“You can see the stars anytime,” Stolas smiled, lowering himself down to her level. “All you have to do is look up each night.”

 

He waved his hand, and a portal appeared above them, showing thousands of shining dots against a sky of blue and indigo. He moved his finger and showed Octavia the various constellations.

 

“Look for the stars that are brighter than the rest. Like Venus, the Morning Star often seen on Earth,” said Stolas. He pulled her into a hug. “Whenever you feel lonely, just find the most noticeable stars and you’ll know I’ll always watch over you.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course, my sweet owlet.”

 

 

Stolas soon faded again.

 

“Dad, no! NO! Please come back!”

 

Rolando leaned in uncomfortably close to her face.

 

“You can’t deny the facts any longer, Octavia. You’ve been hurt by BOTH your parents…and you’ll never get to experience the freedom-filled normal life you’ve always dreamed of.”

 

“Stop it, you freak!” Octavia snapped.

 

Rolando patted her head. “Oh, we’re just getting started, dear…”

 

 

0 0 0

 

Teenage Octavia’s pink eyes briefly flared as she was startled awake in her bedroom by the sounds of crashing and her parents fighting.

 

Stella screamed at the top of her lungs at Stolas. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU SLEPT WITH AN IMP! IN OUR FUCKING BED!”

 

“It was unexpected!” Stolas protested. “I didn’t have time to go to a motel!”

 

“A MOTEL?! LIKE A FUCKING PLEBIAN?!” Stella raged.

 

Octavia groaned and sat up with a grouchy expression, putting her earbuds in. She scrolled through her cell phone, scrolling through her playlists of My Chemical Romance, Blink 182, Nirvana, Linkin Park, Lilith and other alternative music. Octavia wore a black beanie hat, fingerless gloves, a crown on top and a dark pink dress with golden stars on it.

 

Octavia found a song: “My World Is Burning Down Around Me.”

 

“My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me (yeah)

 

The dark decay

I feel so sad

It’s black and gray

I hate you, Dad.

You’ll never change

You’ll only lie

It’s all the same.

 

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me (yeah)

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what will drown me (yeah)

 

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

 

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

 

Mom, I swear it’s not a phase.

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me (yeah)

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what will drown me (yeah).”

 

Octavia slouched and walked down the hall where Stolas kept his collection of Venus Fly Trap plants. She stepped over a plant in a pot that had crashed onto the floor. Stella screamed in the background and Octavia tuned it out with her music.

 

She walked into the kitchen, glaring at her screaming mother.

 

“You want to FUCK THIS ONE, TOO?!” Stella yelled, violently tossing an imp servant at Stolas.

 

Stolas raised his hands. “No! Of course not!”

 

Stella pointed a threatening finger at him. “You are a goddamn EMBARASSMENT! I’m not spending another moment looking at your pathetic IMP-SUCKING FACE!”

 

Stella stormed out of the kitchen, screaming some more and smashing more of Stolas’ potted plants.

 

 

 

Stolas let out an exasperated sigh in his red bathrobe before he turned around. He spread out his arms as Octavia sat down at a table with coffee and a box of cereal.

 

“Good moooorning, Octavia! Did you sleep well, my owlet?”

 

“Was that a serious question?” Octavia grumbled. She put down her blue mug with the Goetia symbol in gold on it. Next to it was a box of “Greed Seeds” cereal with Fizzarolli smiling on the box.

 

Stolas nervously opened the fridge and snapped his fingers. “Mm-hmm…what’s that you’re listening to?”

 

He peered inside the fridge…he found Hell Coca-Cola, “choccy milk,” a bag with three white mice inside and a flank of zebra meat.

 

“This song is called ‘My World Is Burning Down Around Me.’ It’s by Fuck You Dad. It’s a band,” Octavia deadpanned.

 

“Oohh!” Stolas laughed bemusedly. “How charming.”

 

He took out the zebra meat and closed the fridge. He tossed the meat into the mouth of a large white and pink Venus Fly Trap plant. It gobbled up the meat and Stolas patted it. It closed its three eyes, satisfied.

 

“So, you two done screaming for the day?” Octavia asked, sipping her drink.

 

“Umm…”

 

Stella screamed in the background, shattering another plant, and Stolas flinched.

 

Stolas then smiled and swooped over to his daughter.

 

“You know what I haven’t done in a long looong time? I haven’t taken YOU to your favorite place in all of Hell! Why don’t we go to Loo-Loo Land?”

 

“I’m not FIVE anymore,” stated Octavia.

 

Stolas continued. “You always were so happy when I took you to Loo-Loo Land! What do you say we go there again, have a DAY, just the two of us?”

 

He mentioned to a large portrait of Stolas and a young smiling Octavia at the theme park.

 

“I’d rather kill myself,” Octavia deadpanned.

 

“There we go!” Stolas dismissed her comment. “Anything but staying in this house. Now, I’ll arrange our security.”

 

“Security? For a theme park?” Octavia asked.

 

Stolas picked up a sunflower-shaped rotary phone held on a stand by a tired, bruised butler imp.

 

“We’re rich and we’re hot. People want our money AND our bodies.”

 

“Our money, maybe.”

 

“Speak for yourself, princess. Now I’m calling the only man who can f**k me!”

 

A disgusted Octavia dropped a handful of cereal. “What…?”

 

“Who can protect me…us! Being part of the Goetia family is rather valuable, you know.”

 

Octavia groaned and pulled her black beanie over her eyes.

 

In the I.M.P. office, a portrait of a grinning Blitzo holding a black rose in his mouth read “#1 Bitch” and “BOSS” scribbled in red.

 

Blitzo played with figures of Millie and Moxxie made from office supplies.

 

“You’re such a good boss,” Blitzo mimicked Millie.

 

“Yeah, I really want you, sir,” Blitzo mimicked Moxxie.

 

“Me too,” Blitzo mimicked Millie.

 

“Let’s three-way!” grinned Blitzo, moving the figures down to his crotch.

 

Blitzo’s red cellphone rang with a scream.

 

“WHAT?!” Blitzo yelled, when he realized it was Stolas. He gulped down his iced coffee in his white mug that read “Boss Bitch,” and propped his feet up on the armrest.

 

Stolas cooed in a lustful tone. “Why hello my big-dicked Blitzy.”

 

Both Blitzo and Octavia spat out their drinks. Blitzo slammed his mug onto the desk.

 

“WHAT…” Blitzo began.

 

“THE…” Octavia added.

 

“FUCK…!” said Blitzo.

 

“DAD!” Octavia finished.

 

“LANGUAGE! EVERYONE!” Stolas yelled.

 

Stolas twirled the cord and spoke into the phone. “I have a special request.”

 

Blitzo rolled his eyes. “Oh look, I just had a chemical peel, so you’ll have to find someone else’s face to plant that feathered ass!”

 

“It’s for my daughter.”

 

“Ah, well make sure she washes it.”

 

“No! No, no, no, no! I’m taking my daughter to Loo-Loo Land and I was hoping you brave little imps would accompany us.”

 

Blitzo wore a gold paper crown. “We’re assassins, not bodyguards, ‘kay? Don’t invite us to SHIT unless someone’s gonna die.”

 

“I’ll pay you.”

 

“Pay me what?”

 

“Money!”

 

“DONE!” Blitzo grinned, slamming down his phone, causing it to shatter. He glanced at it, then pulled out a megaphone decorated with sharp teeth designs.

 

“M and M, get in here! We’re going to Loo-Loo Land!”

 

Moxxie opened the door. “Loo-Loo Land?”

 

Millie smashed her head through the office door window, excited. “Loo-Loo Land?!”

 

“LOO-LOO LAND!” Blitzo declared.

 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Loona yelled in the background.

 

 

 

Soon the gang arrived at the theme park in the I.M.P. van. The imps were dressed in their dark suits, wearing dark sunglasses.

 

Moxxie pulled open the van door and out stepped a giddy Stolas, red eyes glowing. Octavia seethed as her pink eyes glowed. She peered out the van. Stolas put on a red apple Loo-Loo Land hat and beckoned her over. He wore Loo-Loo Land clothing: red shorts and a white shirt with a red apple on it. Octavia groaned and pulled her beanie over her face as she followed.

 

They walked through the entrance.

 

“Now remember, this is work and work only,” Blitzo reminded Stolas. “Me and my crew are not here to satisfy your perverted bird needs, alright?”

 

“Hey, Dad,” said Octavia. “Do we have to…”

 

Blitzo held out his hands and stepped in front of her. “Okay, hold on right there, sweetie.”

 

Blitzo turned to Stolas. “If you try fuckin’ my little ass in that park, I swear to…”

 

Stolas poked Blitzo in the nose and ran his finger down his face. “You are so cute when you’re serious.”

 

“I’m literally gonna be sick,” Octavia grumbled.

 

“Oh crumbs,” said Moxxie, pulling out pill bottles. “I knew today would be a lot. What do you need? Antioxidants? Ibuprofen? Morphine?”

 

Moxxie grinned as he held out a box of green glowing hyodermic needles.

 

Octavia folded her arms. “That was figurative, old man.” She strolled away.

 

Moxxie chuckled nervously. “Oh. Right.” He tossed the needles into a stroller, nearly hitting an imp baby inside, who happily reached out.

 

“Well, hey there!” called the Loo-Loo Land Mascot, a giant smiling apple. Moxxie screamed.

 

“I’m Loo-Loo!” said the Mascot. “Welcome to Loo-Loo Land! If y’all get hurt, just TRY and sue us!”

 

Stolas gasped. “Look, Via! It’s Loo-Loo!”

 

“I have a question,” said Octavia.

 

“Well ask away little girlie!” said the Mascot, turning to her. “A-hyuk, a-hyuk, a-hyuk!”

 

“Is it true this park is really just a shameless spin-off of Lucifer’s far more popular Lu-Lu World?”

 

 A pause.

 

“No?”

 

Octavia glared. “This place REEKS of insecure cooperate shame.”

 

Stolas chuckled nervously. “Why do we go check out the rides?” He nudged her away.

 

Stolas showed Octavia a matching Loo-loo Land shirt and she glared. She slouched as she walked with Stolas through the park as Blitzo darted from one spot to another with his sniper rifle.

 

Stolas hung upside down and stroked Blitzo’s horns with a finger.

 

“You know it’s quite thrilling to see you on the job, Blitzy.”

 

Blitzo cocked his gun, facing the left. “Save it, bitch, I’m working!”

 

“You both need to get a room,” scoffed Octavia.

 

Stolas pulled Octavia close and pointed ahead. “Oh! Look, Via! You used to cry such tears of joy at this show!”

 

Octavia became panicked. “Oh no…”

 

A traumatic memory flashed back to her as a little kid, watching Robo-Fizz perform on stage, “Fizzarolli N Friends” glowing on a sign. She was surrounded by cheering imp kids. Robo-Fizz reached out his robotic arms, sparking and grinning evilly down at her, making her cry.

 

“I hate that fucking clown!” Blitzo and Octavia both deadpanned.

 

 

Octavia sat down on a bench, arms folded. Blitzo carried Stolas and sat him next to her. Octavia pulled off a purple sack from Stolas’ head. Stolas clapped as Robo-Fizz and his animatronic band sang their sone, while Octavia groaned and banged her fist on the bench.

 

Blitzo blew the head off an imp raising a sword at Stolas.

 

“Oh my! What good aim you have, Blitzy!” Stolas smiled with a wave.

 

Octavia covered her face again and growled. “I can’t do this anymore!” She raced off.

 

 

“Octavia!” Stolas called.

 

“Just leave me alone!” Octavia yelled, racing into a fun house shaped like Lucifer’s face.

 

Stolas caught up with Octavia, who sobbed in a moving apple cart ride.

“Octavia?”

 

Stolas dropped his apple hat, a sad face appearing on it.

 

Stolas sat next to her. “I take it you are…not having fun?”

 

“I didn’t even want to come here!” Octavia protested, folding her arms.

 

“I’m sorry, sweetie…I…I thought you loved it here.”

 

“When I was a kid and my parents didn’t hate each other,” Octavia replied. “My dad didn’t flirt with some weird dick-head the entire time.”

 

“I’m sorry, Via. I’m sorry for…everything happening right now…I know it’s a lot..I-I should have listened.”

 

“I just want to go home,” Octavia’s voice croaked. “But home doesn’t even feel like home anymore.” She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “You ruined it.”

 

“Via, you need to understand,” Stolas stuttered. “Your mother and I…I just…I felt…she’s always been…I haven’t been…we weren’t in…love…”

 

He buried his face in his hands. “I’m sorry, I-I don’t have the words.”

 

“Are you gonna run off with him…and leave me behind?” Octavia sniffed. “Go away where I can’t find you?”

 

“What” No.” Stolas pulled her close. “No, no, never. I’d never do that. Never.”

 

Octavia leaned in for a hug.

 

“I think it’s time to leave this place,” said Stolas, picking her up. “You were right. You are too old for it.”

 

He carried her outside the park.

 

“So, what would you like to do now?” Stolas asked.

 

“Oh, can we go to Stylish Occult? They sell weird taxidermy there.”

 

“Hmm, okay.”

 

Octavia chuckled. “Thanks, Dad. You’re okay, sometimes.”

 

“Thank you, Via, thank you.”

 

 

“Do you even remember going to Stylish Occult with your dad? Or was he too busy flirting with that imp once again?”

 

“I…I don’t know…” Octavia breathed, refusing to look at Rolando.

 

“Interesting how time flies by…one moment you’re in your dad’s arms…the next…he hardly knows you’re even there.”

 

The memory faded and Octavia sobbed. Before long, the next memory appeared before her eyes.

 

 

0 0 0

 

Octavia excitedly hoped out of bed. She went up to her calendar and circled the date. It showed a drawing of meteors and stars, and the smiling faces of her and her dad. She pulled on her boot as she raced down the hall of potted plants.

 

“Hey, Dad!” she called, peering from a corner. She blinked in surprise. No one was in the kitchen or in the rooms.

 

“Dad…”

 

“Daaaad?” she called, running her hand along a golden railing.

 

She headed outside and saw Stolas angrily talking on his sunflower rotary phone at Stella. Imps were loading up boxes into a moving van. Stolas held a butler imp in one hand and the phone in another.

 

“Yes, I know!” Stolas complained as he spoke into the phone. “It will be there shortly! Of course they’re being careful!”

 

“Dad? What’s going on?” Octavia asked.

 

Stolas whirled around. “Apparently, your mother can’t exist two minutes somewhere without the entirety of her possessions before she…”

 

“…what?” Stolas asked into the phone. “NO! I’m not turning her against you…YES, STELLA!”

 

Stolas fumed with his mouth open in a strained grin and wide eyes.

 

“I better not have to see your fucking face AGAIN!” Stella yelled from the other line.

 

“Dad, this is going to be done before tonight, right?” Octavia asked in concern.

 

“What?” He sighed. “Oh, I hardly think so. Knowing your mother, this will take all weekend.”

 

Stolas grinned mischievously as he barked to the imps, “Don’t be gentle about it now! Break whatever you have to, to get it all in there!”

 

“WHAT?!” Stella yelled. “What did you just tell them to do?!”

 

“But tonight…we’re supposed to…” Octavia began.

 

Stolas sighed. “Darling, can we not talk about this now? Your mother’s being a real B.I.T.C.H.”

 

“The FUCK do you mean…?” Stella demanded.

 

He argued into the phone. “Well, how was I supposed to know you could spell? I have never seen you read!”

 

Stella screamed. “I’m going to take everything! Everything you own!”

 

Octavia angrily raced back up to her room and slammed the door.

 

“ARGH!”

 

She flipped a telescope over in anger, sending it clattering to the floor. She took off the calendar and crumpled it into a ball and tossed it to the floor.

 

‘Guess I’ll go see the stars myself,’ she thought, breathing heavily. She took her backpack, decorated with crescent moon charms and headed out of the palace.

 

Octavia then snuck into the I.M.P. office, covering her face with her hair. She looked around, then hid behind a cactus plant. She crawled onto the floor and hid behind a fax machine. Then she snuck and leaned against a picture that showed a Blitzo drawing with a gun in his hands. Octavia ducked into Blitzo’s office.

 

She reached Blitzo’s drawer and tossed out various items. She froze and turned her head all the way around toward a portrait of the I.M.P. gang. She found an old safe labeled “Blitzo’s stuf, do nut steal!” with ponies on the label. She typed in 1…2…3…4… and the door opened. She took out Stolas’ grimoire and flipped through the pages.

 

“Take me to see the stars,” Octavia said.

 

Her feathery hair blew, and the room turned purple with magic. Her eyes glowed white and a black pentagram spun around her. Octavia briefly glanced back at Blitzo, Moxxie, and Millie, before heading into the portal.

 

 

 

Octavia slowly blinked her eyes open. She spotted her hand.

 

“Where…am I?” she groaned.

 

She saw a golden star in front of her on the ground.

 

A man vomited in front of her, spilling out a condom. Octavia flinched back with a yelp. The man fell sideways to the ground. Octavia lanced at a dead Brennan Radgers man on the ground. The portal closed above her.

 

Octavia stood up and grabbed the book. She moved backward and accidentally bumped into a clown.

 

“Oh! Woah!”

 

The clown turned toward her in anger, raising a fist. “Hey! This is my territory, bitch! Take your shitty costume and get the fuck off my corner!”

 

The clown shoved Octavia away and she rushed into oncoming traffic, narrowly avoiding the screeching cars and trucks. A mob of protestors stood by a golden statue of a man wearing a top hat. The signs read, “Demons walk among us!” “Go to Hell!” and “God hates you personally!” Octavia bumped into the statue and hurried along.

 

She suddenly tripped. She looked up to see two women staring at her. She grabbed her book and leaned against an alleyway wall, hyperventilating.

 

After she had calmed down, she decided to explore.

 

 

 

 

“Hey, do…” Octavia began, walking after a woman.

 

“Can you help…?” Octavia asked another woman passing by.

 

“How do I get…?”

 

“Excuse me, I just need to know where I can…see the stars…”

 

She groaned and rubbed her eyes in frustration.

 

A magazine blew into her face. She read it: “Star Struck Tours: Stalk Your Favorite Celeb!”

 

“Oh yes!” she smiled as she raced toward a light blue tour bus.  She later sat in the tour bus, groaning as she stared up at an airplane.

 

The tour guide spoke, “And to your left, you’ll see one of those influencers, who thinks they’re hot shit just because they do TV shows!”

 

A guy was on his knees as a white limo drove away. He then rushed over and kissed a pink-haired man.

 

“Ugh!” Octavia covered her face with her beanie again.

 

 

Octavia eventually stepped off the bus and tore the brochure in half. She stared with a deadpan look as she walked, not even looking as she stepped over crime scene tape and on a dead corpse.

 

She paused and looked to the right. She admired art of a light purple owl clutching a skull in it’s talons by a full moon. Light blue magic streamed from its eyes. “Star Owlz Souvenir Shop” was the store name in light blue.

 

Octavia smiled and took a picture. “#earthshit, finally found at least something cool in this place! The artist who did this, rocks! (flame emoji)”

 

She then paused and stared into the store. It had eyeball lights on strings, an IT clown doll in a box labeled with “I luv u,” “wanna play?” “He can TALK!” plus a variety of shirts, skull jewelry, an “Oh weed ya” board and spiked collars. Octavia’s fingers ran against the glass as she spotted a blue “Starstruck Studios” surprise box on display.

 

She put her earbuds in and listened to “My Life Is Burning All Around Me,” and another song “I Like It.” It felt good to be free.

 

“Don’t wanna do what my daddy told me to

On the edge, tryna to see a brand-new view

Woah, and I liked that

 

Sick and tired of just wastin’ all my time

You know what?

I think I’ll go commit a crime, woah

 

And I like it

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,

Oh, no

And I like it

 

Wanna see the sights

Be a troublemaker

Turn off the lights

Get in a fight

 

Live on long

I’m not a faker

I’m a product of a broken home

 

And I know that I can make it on my own

A story I will write

And, going off the radar

And I like it.”

 

She posted more on social media as gothchk17:

 

“Found a cool looking castle, reminds me of home.”

 

“A giant ball in a fountain? Hmm…weird designing choice. I would recommend.”

 

“What is Hollys Wood?” She posted a picture of the Hollywood sign.

 

“Woah, this looks dope!” Octavia posed in front of an Asian temple.

 

The last post was Octavia in front of the observatory at night.

 

“This is supposed to be an observatory, I assume. If I want to find a place to watch stars here, I don’t know.”

 

Loona reached Octavia who cried on a ledge. There were no stars to be seen, only a sky filled with smog.

 

“Hey,” said Loona.

 

Octavia wiped her eyes. “Hey. How did you find me?”

 

“Your Sinstagram,” Loona replied. Nice pics by the way.”

 

“Oh…ha. Thanks.” Octavia sighed.

 

“You okay?” asked Loona.

 

“I can’t believe I was so stupid,” Octavia sniffed. “I spent all day looking for a place where I could see some dumb…meteor shower…”

 

Tears fell down her face. “And all I get is…THIS!”

 

She mentioned to the smoggy sky.

 

“Yeah, smog’s a bitch,” Loona added. Loona tried to light up her cigarette, but a pink flame appeared on Octavia’s finger. Loona smiled as she moved her cigarette to light it.

 

“Ya know…your dad’s really worried about you,” Loona mentioned.

 

“Right! That’s why you’re here instead of him! He couldn’t be bothered to keep his promise and now he couldn’t be bothered to come get me himself.” Octavia folded her arms. “He’d rather spend his time just screaming at my mum.”

 

She turned to Loona and sobbed. “Why does he hate her more than he loves me?”

 

Loona paused and exhaled smoke. “Ahh…sometimes…sometimes it’s not as simple as that. This kinda shit gets messy. Everybody’s got issues, especially dads. And sometimes they fuck up. Ugh, well all the time. That doesn’t mean they don’t care.”

 

“If he cares, where is he?”

 

“He’s somewhere down there.”

 

“He’s here?”

 

“Looking for you,” said Loona. “I mean, try to cut your dad some slack. He may not always get it right, but…he’s trying.”

 

Loona smiled at her lighter, which now lit up with a flame. “That’s more important than you think.”

 

Octavia gasped in awe as the full moon appeared and moonlight illuminated the sky.

 

Loona tossed her cigarette away and stretched. She held out her hand to Octavia. “You ready to go?”

 

Octavia smiled and handed her the book. “Yeah.”

 

She gave Loona a grateful hug.

 

Loona and Octavia stepped through the portal.

 

“Dad…I’m so sorry…” Octavia began.

 

Stolas raced forward and hugged her. “I’m just relieved you’re okay! But what would possess you to do such a thing? You know I haven’t taught you spells like this yet.”

 

Octavia looked downcast. “I just wanted to see the stars you promised.”

 

“The stars?” Stolas asked.

 

Stolas gasped. “Azathoth’s Tears! Oh no! Oh my dear sweet Via! I am so…”

 

Octavia hugged him. “I know, Dad. It’s okay. You’re here now.” They hugged some more.

 

Octavia and Stolas stared in awe as fireworks boomed in the sky.

 

“Ahh! Look at that one! Did you see that one?” Octavia asked, pointing up.

 

She reached forward to hug Stolas, but his passed through her arms and vanished into shadow. Octavia was left in darkness.

 

 

0 0 0

 

“Stolas didn’t take you to see the stars, did he? And he didn’t keep his promise to you. He did run off with Blitzo, leaving you behind in your palace. It’s no wonder you decided to run away.”

 

Octavia tuned out Rolando’s words as the next memory played.

 

 

0 0 0

 

Octavia stood up, her eyes fixed on the giant TV in front of her. “Hell-G” network was at the bottom of the screen. To her horror, she saw her own father bound in chains, somberly lowering his head onto the execution block!

 

She raced out of the room…only for Stella to block her way.

 

Stella gave Octavia a somber look, then grabbed her head and pulled her into a hug.

 

Octavia froze…her mother almost never hugged her. Then after a pause, tears flowed down her face. She embraced her mother, making crying twittering owl sounds as she cried. Stella revealed a hidden evil smirk.

 

‘Mother knows best,’ she thought. ‘Now I have Stolas’ possessions and his daughter! Andrealphus has taken Stolas’ place and now my pride is restored!’

 

 

0 0 0

 

‘My dad is dead, my dad is dead…’

 

The nagging thought darkened her world further. Stella was unpredictable…sometimes she would ‘comfort’ Octavia whenever she would stare longingly at old portraits of her and her dad.

 

“I’m so sorry, Via. He had all the potential to be a proper parent and raise you to be a worthy heir. But look what he did…he gave into his lust and neglected his duty to study the stars. It was only a matter of time before he did the same to you.”

 

Other times Stella would just laugh in her face.

 

“That deadbeat got what he deserved! He was never a faithful husband, anyway.”

 

“You didn’t…try to kill him…did you?” Octavia had heard rumors among the royals.

 

“If anything,” Stella lied, “he once planned on hiring an imp assassin to kill ME! I tell you, his fascination with imps has been nothing but disgraceful from the beginning!”

 

Octavia couldn’t take it.

 

“WHY DO YOU HATE HIM MORE THAN YOU LOVE ME?!”

 

Stella folded her arms. “You should be asking, ‘why did he love the imp more than he did you?’”

 

That statement broke Octavia more…and she couldn’t fund the words nor the courage to speak up against her mother.

 

“Oh, by the way…” Stella added as Octavia wandered off. “Stolas loved that imp so much, he began to see you and I as chores…burdens. It’s no wonder he got suicidal and took pills.”

 

“WHAT?!” Octavia bellowed. “YOU’RE LYING!”

 

Stella shrugged. “You’ll find out for yourself. Why else would he so willingly die for the imp at the courtroom? It was obvious that royal life…and his royal family were too much for him to handle.”

 

Stella smirked and lounged in her chair, dismissing Octavia.

 

 “Go get me some Earl Gray tea, please.”

 

Octavia grumbled and stormed away, hiding her eyes with her beanie again.

 

Octavia couldn’t believe it. Right before her very eyes was proof that Stolas didn’t keep his promise to stay with her.

 

Not that Stella was any better…she and Andrealphus openly mocked Octavia every chance they could get. Octavia desperately wanted to leave her mother and uncle, to live somewhere else where she could truly be free.

 

But now she was stuck in the palace, either serving her mother tea, listening to her lectures on how to be a proper princess, or sitting alone in her room strumming her guitar.

 

“Did you abuse him?” Octavia asked Stella one day. “Did you hurt my dad?”

 

“Abuse him? No never,” she lied. “I may have a bit of a temper sometimes, but HE was the one who neglected my needs.” Stella admired herself in the mirror, adjusting her golden crown. “If I were you, I’d forget about your dad altogether. It’s time for us to start a new life.”

 

 

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Octavia sat on the couch with a golden star pillow in her hand. Her cell phone rang and she reached for it.

 

Stella snatched it away.

 

“Your father’s dead, remember?”

 

Octavia glared at her mother. “Then why did I see his picture on my phone?”

 

“It’s a scammer who got Stolas’ number,” Stella lied.

 

Octavia shot her a glare. “Where is my dad?”

 

“Banished. Tossed into the streets where he belongs,” she said, with a wave of her hand. “Now everyone knows about his secret affair with that scum of an imp. He will never come into our lives again.”

 

Octavia raced out of the room in tears, ignoring the butler imps hanging up posters of Andrealphus and Stella around the room.

 

She somberly walked down the halls, noticing the ice covering the purple stained-glass windows. She walked with her iPod in hand. She stepped on something crunchy. She looked down and spotted the pieces of dried leaves. Looking off to the side, she saw the remains of one of Stolas’ beloved potted plants.

 

 

 

 

Octavia sadly headed to her room and picked up a purple guitar with stars on it her dad had given her. She stared at the constellations glowing on her pink-lit ceiling. She went into the closet and spotted a box labeled “Stolas’ stuff.” Octavia sadly looked at an old drawing of her and her dad she made as a kid. Then she saw a “star observation” picture showing her as a little child smiling with her dad.

 

She sung her lament.

 

“Your boxes packed up on the bed

Your words are in my head

Tellin’ me that we’ll be okay

You’ll remember what you said

Or was it just another lie?”

 

Under rays of light, Octavia reached out to touch a starry Stolas’ hand, pressing hers against his. She sadly watched as the image blew away.

 

“This place that used to be your home

Would you call me on the phone?”

 

Octavia ran down the dark hallway, seeing photos of her as an owl baby with her stuffed gold star. She saw more photos of her parents and her as a child. In her imagination, she raced after him as he flew toward the light at the end of the hall.

 

“Will I hear your voice in the middle of the night

When I turn off the lights?”

 

Octavia imagined herself as a little girl, crying in the dark when the door closed behind her.

 

“Or are you just another ghost?

Ohhhh…”

 

Octavia gasped when she saw a starry indigo image of her dad embrace a smiling red starry image of Blitzo. She reached out to him, but he turned into a shadow with four red eyes and darted away. She raced after the Blitzo and Stolas shadows zooming through the hall.

 

“How could you lie to my face?

And did our time mean nothing to you?”

 

The Stolas and Blitzo shadows looked down at her against another family portrait before zooming away.

 

“Were you bluffing all along?

That you would be there to see

Yourself forgiven by me.”

 

The shadow Stolas held out his hand to Octavia who was on her knees. Angrily, she slapped it away and stood up.

 

“If you thought that I’d take it, you were wrong!

Oh, you were wrong!”

 

The halls, statues, and portraits cracked and crumbled in her mind, until she saw the vastness of outer space. An orange and yellow supernova exploded over her head. She walked under a red and black starry sky as fiery comets rained down nearby. The ground cracked beneath her feet. Several family pictures caught on fire and fluttered down. A globe of constellations and several astronomy books cracked in half.

 

“And when you’re gone, I will be okay

I will be okay, though I will never be the same

And I’ll know that I was right to doubt you!

I’ll grow without you and you’ll only know my name!”

 

A pink explosion boomed behind her. She gasped and caught a dark purple tear-shaped light in her hands. She saw a picture of her and her father in her hands which soon burned away. She dropped it until it vanished in a golden light. She stepped upward against the sky, her feet leaving glowing golden footprints behind.

 

“You always told me I’d be okay

Well, I’ll be okay, even though I’m not okay today.

But my tears won’t fall upon your shoulder.

I’ll grow older and you’ll only know my name.”

 

Her tears fell upon the drawing of her and her dad and a pink heart card with “DAD” written on it. She strummed her guitar.

 

Octavia spotted a box full of her dad’s happy pills from Belphegor. She walked out of her closet with a determined look, the door closing behind her.

 

 

The I.M.P. headquarters door opened. “Dad?”

 

It was Octavia.

 

“Octavia?” Blitzo asked, hiding the notebook behind him. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

 

She held up a bottle of pills. “I came to get these back to my dad, where the fuck is he?”

 

“I swear, he was just right here,” Blitzo mentioned to the space.

 

Octavia facepalmed. “Ugh, where would he go?”

 

Blitzo put his fingers to his chin in thought, then looked up with worry. “I think I know.”

 

 

0 0 0

 

Loona, Moxxie and Millie flinched as the hydra towered over them. Blitzo defended Stolas, aiming the black sword in the air.

 

The dragon aimed its jaws at the duo…

 

But a burst of black and purple magic formed a magical shield around them.

 

Octavia!

 

“Stand down, girl!” Andrealphus demanded. “This doesn’t concern you.”

 

“ENOUGH! STOP IT!” Octavia strained as she lifted her hands, pulsing with her magic. “You will not. Hurt. My. Dad!”

 

With a mighty blast, Octavia’s magic disintegrated the hydra. It broke the icicles and sent Andrealphus backwards.

 

Andrealphus stalked forward. “You’re in no position to make demands of me!” He smirked. “Imagine what your mother would say.”

 

“Uh huh. Exactly,” Blitzo fired back. “Imagine what her mother would say when she finds out you got your ass handed to you by a gaggle of imps and a hellhound. I think that’s what folks call a BAD LOOK!”

 

“A very bad look,” Octavia folded her arms.

 

Andrealphus blustered, then waved his hand. “You aren’t worth my time anyway! But you WILL regret this.”

 

Andrealphus glared as he retreated back into the mansion.

 

“Via!” Stolas raced over to her as she walked back to the mansion and gave her a hug. “My brave, powerful girl! I am so proud of you!”

 

A crack formed in the ice that reflected Stolas and Octavia hugging.

 

Octavia pushed him away.

 

“You lied to me.”

 

“What?”

 

“You lied to me! You said you would never leave me! You promised!”

 

Stolas stepped back. “Via, I-I didn’t leave you I-I-I would never, it wasn’t my choice.”

 

“It was your choice! You chose HIM!” Octavia angrily pointed at Blitzo.

 

“Via, no! I didn’t I just-I had to. You don’t understand.”

 

Octavia spread out her hand, clenching a burst of magic. “I do understand! I understand that we were never enough for you! You never loved mother, and you don’t love me, you love him. And you needed THESE!” She held up the happy pills. “Was this my fault that you needed these?”

 

“No! No, never, Via!” He grabbed her hand. “Sweetie, please. You have always been the only good thing in my life!”

 

“So does that mean you just stayed miserable because of me?” She teared up. “Was I some fucking obligation? Is that why you didn’t even hesitate when you got a chance to leave?”

 

She shoved him away.

 

“I love you, Via. So, so much. Please, sweetie, let me explain.”

 

“I can’t. You lied to me once, and you’ll do it again.” Tears streamed down her face. “Have a good fucking life with him, Dad.”

 

“No, Via please! Please!”

 

Octavia blocked his way with ice. Stolas stared at his own reflection, crumbled to his knees and sobbed in loud anguish. Blitzo covered his shoulders with his jacket. Stolas sobbed as he clutched his happy pill bottle.

 

 

0 0 0 0 0 0

 

 

 

“So…you want to finally be your own person?” Rolando purred. “To tell your parents enough is enough?”

 

Octavia nodded and sobbed.

 

“Then nothing is stopping you, dear. In fact, I think you’ll be able to see them both soon enough.”

 

Octavia gasped as she saw water splash over the seats and smoke obscuring the screen. “W-what’s going on?!”

 

“Oh, don’t worry about all that.” Rolando hovered backwards.  “Just relax and be careful not to hurt them.”

 

‘Hurt them? I would never…’

 

Octavia’s thoughts were dulled by a numbing sensation. She felt like she was drowning in dark water, every breath a struggle.

 

She heard Rolando’s cackling before succumbing.

 

 

 

 

 

Stolas managed to reach the door handle first and flung the door open. Everyone froze.

 

“Via?” Stolas asked.

 

Octavia stood in the doorway, head lowered, her black beanie hat hiding the top half of her face.

 

“I’m here,” Stolas added, reaching out his hand.

 

Octavia lifted up her head. Her eyes glowed a sickly yellow instead of her usual pink. A too-wide grin curled upward on her face. She moved her hands in front of her. Black and yellow magic emanated from her palms instead of her normal black and purple.

 

Stolas, Stella and the others screamed as a powerful invisible force knocked them backwards off their feet. The lights flickered overhead, and several stained-glass windows shattered.

 

Possessed Octavia hovered up into the air, the force blowing her long feathery hair.

 

“OCTAVIA! GET THE FUCK DOWN FROM THERE THIS INSTANT!” Stella bellowed.

 

Octavia let out a distorted laugh, a combination of hers and Rolando’s.

 

“She doesn’t need to follow orders from you anymore, bitch! You barely acknowledged her existence. You even tried to hide the fact that Stolas wanted to talk to her just to satisfy your own pride!”

 

“HOW DARE YOU…” Stella fumed.

 

Stolas gasped. “Stella…h-how could you…”

 

Andrealphus shot a blast of ice at Rolando, but he moved out of the way.

 

“Look at this prissy peacock prick!” Rolando mocked. Andrealphus encased Rolando in ice, but he broke free with a blast of magic. He spun around Andrealphus’ ice attacks. “You call yourself a real marquis? You’re too focused on your sister’s hotness and Stolas’ position to even do anything worthwhile!”

 

“Why you foolish…!” Andrealphus began, but a blast to his face knocked him down.

 

Rolando picked him up by his fluffy ice-colored furry collar and spun him around.

 

“Looks like your niece is stronger than you thought,” Rolando mused. “I find it so…HILARIOUS!”

 

He laughed in a mocking impression of Stella and Andrealphus and tossed Andrealphus to the side. He rammed into one of his ice sculptures in the hall and was knocked out cold.

 

Blitzo huddled close to Loona as Stolas and Stella continued to glare at each other.

 

Rolando hovered in front of Blitzo and peered closer.

 

“Hey look,” Rolando growled to Octavia in her seat. “There’s the little red bastard that stole your dad away from you and crashed into your life.”

 

Octavia fumed.

 

Rolando hissed in her ear with a menacing grin, “Let’s kill him, shall we?”

 

Blitzo barely dodged several magic blasts that were hurled at him.

 

Loona leaped toward Rolando, but he moved out of the way, sending her crashing into the wall with a yelp. She slowly stood up, shaking her head.

 

Rolando hovered closer to Blitzo, chin under his hand.

 

“Hello, Bethany.”

 

Blitzo reeled back in realization. “Holy shit! I thought I ghostfucked you!”

 

“Nice try,” Rolando replied. “It helps when you fake your own death and have a crystal handy. Now it’s time to do the same to all of you!”

 

Rolando roared and unleashed another telekinetic blast. Stolas hovered over Blitzo, protecting him from glass falling down from the lights above them.

 

“What are we gonna do?!” Stolas cried.

 

“Obviously you’re gonna get your ass out of here while I settle this matter!” Stella barked at her ex.

 

“You settling things?! You only make them worse!” Stolas cried. “Like all the years I endured your bullshit so our daughter could have two parents and a somewhat stable family.”

 

“Why didn’t you divorce me sooner, then?!” Stella demanded. “You still had most of the inheritance and unlike me, you wouldn’t have gotten into as much trouble. Via probably would’ve understood.”

 

Stolas froze in disbelief, surprised at Stella’s sudden change in demeanor.

 

“Why do you suddenly care for her?!” Stolas demanded.

 

“She’s the next heir and…” She paused.

 

“And what?” Stolas asked.

 

Stella was briefly reminded of flashbacks when she watched Stolas and little Octavia having fun together. She felt a distaste for Stolas since the beginning, and Octavia didn’t feel like her kid at times. But when she saw only the two of them smiling together, she felt…jealous?

 

She was abusive to her ex and neglectful toward her daughter. But Octavia still had an innocence, a uniqueness about her. Stella’s heart had been darkened by years of expectations and burdens of being pushed to the side from the other Goetias.

 

But she couldn’t dive deep enough into her own darkness to want her own daughter dead.

 

And she certainly didn’t want to die at that very moment. She still had possessions to acquire and her reputation to maintain.

 

“Because…she will be of good use to me…to torment you more!”

 

Stolas facepalmed. “You wanna keep tormenting me? Fine. But unless we work together to get that…thing out of her, we’ll both be goners!”

 

Rolando laughed harder as he relished in the sight of Stolas and Stella fighting. The hall turned darker.

 

“DAD!” Octavia sobbed from inside her head. She tried in vain to free herself.

 

“What an ironic twist this will be,” Rolando purred, leaning his face uncomfortably close to Octavia’s. “The depressed teen bullied by her parents goes insane and kills them both. Oooh, you’ll be a pathetic orphan, and you’ll taste delightful!”

 

Rolando rushed full speed at Stolas from the air, punching him hard in the face.

 

“How does it feel to be powerless now, Stolas? Throwing away your life for a scum of an imp. I don’t blame your daughter for not wanting to speak to you!”

 

Stolas sobbed out loud, flinching away from Rolando’s punches.

 

“Hands off him, infestor ass!” Blitzo countered, punching him in the gut and making him trip using his pointed tail. He stood up and tossed Blitzo into a nearby portrait of Stolas and Stella. The imp flinched at the impact.

 

“Watch in despair as I achieve my revenge,” Rolando mused. “…by tearing apart your precious lover!”

 

Stolas and Stella both kicked and landed punches as fast as they could. But they were outpaced by Rolando’s graceful kicks and moves.

 

“Don’t hurt me, Mom! Dad!” Rolando cried in Octavia’s voice.

 

Stolas paused, his fist frozen by his side.

 

Stella glared at Stolas. “DON’T JUST STAND THERE! BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF…”

 

Rolando laughed again and sent both of them back with powerful blasts of magic. He zoomed toward them and grabbed both of their necks hard, slamming them down to the floor.

 

Octavia cried inside her mind as she watched the struggling faces of both her parents under his grip. It was like her physical outside hands had minds of their own.

 

“The bitchy narcissistic mother and the horny neglectful father. Neither of them loved you, dear. I’m only doing you a FLAVOR!” Rolando smirked.

 

“STOP IT!”

 

“Hush, little bitch. Just enjoy the show.”

 

Octavia’s face showed an unsettling grin, and a yellow tongue licked her lips.

 

“Now to kill two birds with one blow,” Rolando grinned, his hands pulsating with deadly magic.

 

Before a horrified Blitzo could cry “NOW LOONA!” the Hellhound was already on it, opening her jaws wide and leaping on top of the infestor demon. Rolando fell to the floor and Loona pulled his arms behind him.

 

“Be careful!” Blitzo warned Loona. “Don’t hurt her body!”

 

“Show me what you got, mutt,” Rolando smirked in Octavia’s voice.

 

Loona growled and would’ve done damage had Blitzo, Stella and Stolas not promptly arrived on the scene.

 

Stolas turned to Stella with a sigh. “Go wake up your brother.”

 

“Seriously?” Blitzo asked. “Do we really need the ice queen now?!”

 

Stella sighed and headed over to the fallen Andrealphus without complaint.

 

Stolas bent down as Loona and Blitzo held down Rolando. Blitzo held down both his wrists, preventing him from using magic…but he was already starting to free himself.

 

Stolas blinked back tears as he cupped Octavia’s face.

 

“Via…” he choked, lowering his head. “I…I don’t know if you can hear me…”

 

“Blah blah blah,” interrupted Rolando, earning hm a firm slap to the back of the head from Loona.

 

Stolas continued, lowering his head. “I…I know saying sorry won’t be enough. Nothing I’ve done has ever been enough…”

 

Octavia could see his face on the screen full of regret.

 

“I didn’t mean to intrude on you…I just had to see that you were safe. After all, you saved my life from your uncle,” he added.

 

Octavia cried in her seat. “You still abandoned me. You couldn’t even bother to call me before the trial. Or during all those times you ran off with Blitzo!”

 

Stolas sighed. “Yes…I was more focused on my foolish fantasies than your own wellbeing…I realize that now. I was forced out of my own home…stripped of my powers…”

 

“Why did you take those pills?” Octavia asked. “Was life in the palace too much for you…was I really an obligation? Your own daughter secondary to him?”

 

“No! No, never! You were never an obligation,” Stolas answered. “In fact…I was…I was a burden on myself. Life in the palace felt like being in a cage. Bound by a marriage and responsibilities…it was all too much…”

 

Octavia sobbed again. “And you didn’t even bother to tell me why you and Mom fought all those years!”

 

“I didn’t want to see you devastated about our family being broken up…”

 

“OUR FAMILY WAS ALREADY BROKEN!” Octavia cried. “DID YOU REALLY THINK I DIDN’T KNOW THAT ALREADY?!”

 

Muffled laughter sounded from behind Loona’s paw which was over possessed Octavia’s mouth. He squirmed some more, Loona almost losing her hold on him.

 

“Hurry the fuck up, Stolas!” Blitzo hissed.

 

Stolas hugged his daughter’s body. “I don’t care how you react to me,” he sobbed. “Even if you never want to see me again…I just want you to be safe. Via, my Starfire…I will do what I can to make it up to you.” He held her hand.

 

“Can you forgive me?”

 

A long pause.

 

“No,” Octavia answered softly.

 

Stolas sobbed, his heart shattered.

 

“N-not yet,” Octavia said. “But…thank you…for coming back…I…really did miss you…”

 

“It already feels like a hundred years since I’ve seen you,” Stolas sniffed.

 

“AND IT WILL BE A HUNDRED MORE IF YOU DON’T LEAVE NOW, STOLAS!” Stella barked, Andrealphus swaying by her side.

 

Blitzo glared. “Wow, way to kill the fucking vibe, bitch.”

 

“You still hate me…” Stolas breathed.

 

“Dad…” Octavia replied. “I don’t hate you…not in the way you think…you certainly aren’t perfect, but…you did try harder than Mom.”

 

“Andrealphus, give Stolas ten seconds to leave, otherwise…”

 

Stolas sighed and held up his hands, staring long and hard at his daughter. He couldn’t believe what he was about to do…it hurt him far more than the thought of death.

 

But maybe…just maybe…it would be a step in the right direction.

 

“Okay, Stella. I’ll go.”

 

Stolas began to walk away.

 

“Wait, Stolas!” Blitzo exclaimed. “You’re just giving up? You’re letting Stella win? She brainwashed your daughter!”

 

“I know,” he sighed. “But it’ll only hurt her more if I try to complicate things. I can’t believe I didn’t realize this before. She’ll…she’ll come back to me when she’s ready.”

 

“WHAT?!” Blitzo and Stella asked at the same time.

 

Stolas stared at Octavia through the screen, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow, but also a deep love. 

 

“You are 17 now. It’s about time you made your own choice. You…you don’t have to stay with me…or your mother.”

 

Octavia was too stunned to speak. Was this really her dad?

 

“She’s never staying with you again!” Stella butted in.

 

“Shut it!” Stolas snapped. He turned back to Octavia. “Promise me you’ll stay safe. That’s all I ask. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me…See you again in a hundred years…my special Starfire…”

 

“D-dad?” Octavia cried as Stolas left her field of vision.

 

‘So this is how it felt for Stolas when I said goodbye to him…’

 

“HA!” Stella screeched to Stolas. “Admitting your defeat and your fall from glory. The first smart move you’ve made!”

 

Stolas restrained himself from firing back at his ex. Even if Octavia wanted to come back with him, even if he could persuade her…he’d still probably get in trouble. He was no longer a Goetia after all.

 

But in the back of his mind, he wondered…could Octavia find a way to true freedom? As much as he missed her terribly…as much as he was hurt by her rejection yet again…he was more thankful she was alive.

 

‘Even if you chose a life away from me…and away from your mother…I’d still be so proud of you no matter what…’ Stolas thought.

 

Stolas turned around and leaned against the wall.

 

“Get out of here!” Stella demanded.

 

Stolas folded his arms. “At least let me see Via safe, first.”

 

Stella sighed but relented.

 

Rolando powered up another blast of magic…

 

“GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY FRIEND!” Loona barked, landing a hard punch to Octavia’s gut.

 

Octavia couldn’t tell whether she was stunned more by the impact or Loona’s proclamation. Her mouth opened up and Rolando was ejected out in black liquid. He re-materialized just as Octavia groaned and sat up, her eyes back to normal pink.

 

“The hell happened?” she asked.

 

Loona helped her stand.

 

Rolando was about to pounce on Octavia…

 

“AAHHHRGH!”

 

Rolando let out a distorted cry as Andrealphus stabbed him in the back with a manifested icicle. He was lifted up several feet off the floor, black blood raining down.

 

Blitzo chuckled at the hanging aquatic demon. “Fish-kababs anyone?”

 

Octavia wiped away her tears and walked over to the wounded infestor demon.

 

He slowly turned his head and gave her a lecherous look.

 

“Please let me inside you again, princess…”

 

In response, Octavia screamed and shot out both her palms. Black and purple magic shot out from her hands, the pink ends of electricity pulsing like sharp guitar waves. Rolando screamed as her magic rapidly burned and disintegrated him until he was nothing but black blood and ash. The icicles shattered too, leaving shards on the floor next to the ash.

 

Stolas smiled. “That’s my girl,” he said with a quiet fatherly pride. Even Stella and Andrealphus were impressed.

 

All was quiet until Andrealphus spoke up.

 

“Perhaps…uh…we should not punish the girl tonight,” he said, tired from the turn of events…and grateful she had saved the day…again.

 

Stella glared at Stolas, Blitzo, and Loona. They had saved Octavia’s life, despite her hatred of them. “Or…kill those hellish hooligans.”

 

She folded her arms. “If they want to continue their pathetic lives and not get arrested or worse, they will not step foot in this palace again.” She stared intently at Stolas, who in resolve, stared back at her as if to say, “This is still not over. I will see my daughter again someday.”

 

Octavia took one last look at Stolas…it was a look of confusion, hurt, but most of all, sadness.

 

“Goodbye, Dad.”

 

“Come on, Octavia,” Stella said.

 

Without another word, Octavia turned away and followed Stella and Andrealphus as they led her back to her room.

 

Stolas collapsed on his knees and cried again. He cried in sadness and heartbreak…but tears of relief were mixed in. Loona and Blitzo embraced the owl, all of them thankful to be alive.

 

Blitzo and Loona held Stolas’ hands as they made their way out of the palace and back to their apartment.

 

“What should I do now?” Stolas grumbled.

 

“Well, you could start by slowly getting off those pills,” Loona suggested.

 

“What? No, that’s impossible!” Stolas protested.

 

“Quit being a privileged baby or I’m kicking your ass out, ‘kay?” Blitzo chided, giving him a dose of tough love.

 

“Okay, Blitzy…”

 

“And please…call me Blitz.”

 

 

 

 

“So Octavia,” Andrealphus said. “There’s no point in living with Stolas anymore. You’ll have more Goetia responsibilities now that you’re of age.”

 

Octavia dreaded the thought of the possibility of a future arranged marriage.

 

“It’s not like you have much of a choice in your life at these things,” Stella deadpanned. “I never did.”

 

Octavia looked up in concern at her mother for the first time. She took a deep breath as she reached her room.

 

“Let me stay here a little longer,” Octavia requested. “I’m not ready to move.”

 

Stella looked taken aback.

 

“It’s not like Dad will come back now,” Octavia admitted sourly.

 

“Fine,” Stella scoffed, too tired to argue. “But you’ll eventually have to follow our instructions and be on your best behavior.” Stella and Andrealphus strolled back to their rooms, not even saying goodnight.

 

Octavia remembered Stolas’ words: “You are 17 now. It’s about time you made your own choice. You…you don’t have to stay with me…or your mother.”

 

Octavia closed the door to her room, staring at the constellations that had appeared back on over her head.

 

Many possibilities lay before her.

 

She could stay and live with her mother, trying to forget about how much her dad hurt her. Try to pretend to fit in with the rest of the Goetia…to the detriment of her sanity.

 

She could stay with Andrealphus, though it wouldn’t be any better than staying with Stella.

 

She could run away and try to find her dad…but she’d have to deal with the one he cheated on his mother with…Blitzo.

 

She could try to stay where she was.

 

She could also run away for herself…try to find a new place to truly be free. But having been a sheltered princess only beginning to tap into her powers, she had nowhere else to go.

 

Octavia sighed and crashed into sleep. Choosing would have to wait for now.