A/N: 6.2K words! By far the most I've ever written in one chapter.

Pookas were special creatures that had the power of shapeshifting into any animal they wanted, they were mischievous and loved to play tricks on poor souls that wandered by. It was possible to tame these beasts, but only if you're kind and gentle towards them, so Demons never got very far with them when it came to training so they moved onto a new breed that they eventually named demon horses. Very original of them. Adrien, on the other hand, had been the first and only demon to tame a Pooka, to which he later on named Plagg.

"Did you bring any cheese?" The small black cat asked as Adrien entered the room, the Demon had been absent-minded all morning, distracted by the events that took place the night before. Without a word, he tossed a wheel of Camembert onto the bed for Plagg to eat and usually he would just dig in right away but today, he watched the Demon in curiosity.

"What's wrong?" He asked, though, by the tone of his voice, it didn't sound like he really cared. Adrien sighed and glanced out the window of the balcony, he could see the dark forest and just barely make out the shape of the Angel castle.

"Is this about those rendezvous' you've been having?" Plagg asked again, getting a suspicion that he was right. When Adrien simply glanced down at his hands, Plagg smiled, even in a cat's body. "If you love this girl so much, why not just run away? You'd solve all your problems,"

Adrien glanced up at him with a hard stare, "It's not like that. She's just a friend," He said, averting his gaze again to the floor. Plagg sighed and leapt off the bed, making his way over to the Demon as he took a seat at a nearby table. Plagg jumped up onto the table, sitting in front of Adrien who avoided eye contact.

"Just a friend? If she's just a friend then why'd you stay up all night thinking about her? Why'd you save her yesterday?" Plagg asked and Adrien glanced over at him with furrowed brows, not sure how that could possibly relate to what he was getting at. Then Adrien remembered the little intimate moment he had with her and how he had given her a suggestive nickname. He groaned, banging his head against the table, causing Plagg to jump back slightly.

"I called her Princess," Adrien mumbled and Plagg didn't even try to cover up his amusement. He chuckled and Adrien once again groaned in shame, his wings drooping low to the floor, "This isn't funny Plagg!"

The Pooka laughed, "Just a friend, hm?" He teased and Adrien frowned, despite the heat that flushed his cheeks. What were his feelings towards Marinette? He cared about her, of course, but he had always just considered her a friend. She made him smile and laugh and she was the only person he could really be honest and talk to. She brought out the best of him. He didn't have to fake anything around her, he could just be himself. Was he really just in-denial?

Perhaps he was, perhaps he truly did love her and he was just trying to see past the fact that they could never be an actual couple, not when their Kingdoms hated each other. Not to mention he was a Prince and she was just a baker's daughter, even if Angels and Demons could be together, they wouldn't let him be with someone so common.

But she wasn't common, not to him. She was amazing, she was special. She was brilliant and kind, and always found a way to make his darkest days bright again. Her smile was enough to warm his heart and whenever he looked in her eyes he would get lost in the sea of blue. She was beautiful and—

"Oh my god," He started, lifting his head off the table, "I'm in love with her." He admitted with a smile, his wings ruffling with excitement.

Plagg smiled smugly, "Told you so,"

Adrien's grand realization was cut short when he heard a knock on his door, the smile fading from his face. He straightened up, checked to make sure he was wearing solely black and cleared his throat.

"Come in," He called and Plagg jumping off the table without a sound. The door opened and Nathalie stepped in, her hands awkwardly at her sides. Adrien could've sworn he saw a trace of pity on her face and he could only assume it was directed towards him.

"Your father is concerned you are not prepared for Pro Coronam, he would like you to train today." She said and Adrien tilted his head slightly.

"He would like me to train or ordered me to train?" He asked and Nathalie paused before sighing quietly.

"Ordered."

Adrien nodded, not the least bit surprised. He glanced over at Plagg for a moment before returning his gaze, "Thank you, Nathalie, I'll begin in a minute I just want to finish speaking with my Pooka first." He said and Nathalie glanced over at the black cat who merely meowed in response. Adrien rolled his eyes.

'Way to make me sound like an idiot,' He thought as he glanced over at the cat again.

"So be it, I'll let your father know you'll be starting soon," Nathalie replied, nodding curtly before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Adrien let out an exhausted sigh, he didn't really want to do training, the only thing he ever practised was fencing and even then Demons still made fun of him for practising such a "useless" fighting style.

Plagg jumped back onto the table and sat back down, lifting a paw to examine before settling it back down.

"When are you gonna tell the angel that you love her?" He asked, not wasting time getting back onto the subject from before. Adrien glanced out the window briefly, catching a glimpse of the forest again.

"Later today when we meet up in the forest," He answered and Plagg nodded, his chartreuse green eyes drifting over to the window for a moment.

"What if she rejects you?" Plagg asked and despite dreading the thought, Adrien merely shrugged.

"I'm most likely gonna die in two days anyway right? Might as well make my last few days worth it, and even if she does reject me, which I'm guessing she will, at least she'll know." He reasoned and Plagg went silent. Adrien had accepted the fact that he wasn't going to win the Pro Coronam, he viewed these next two days as his last and he was okay with it. Plagg had a feeling that he was lying to himself.

"Let me help you train," Plagg suddenly said, Adrien, glancing back over at the cat who stared back at him directly.

"Wh— But, how?"

"I'm a Pooka, remember?" Plagg said, jumping off the table to stand on the ground, his small cat body melted away and grew until it was the size of a normal person. The black mist vanished to reveal Plagg once again but in the form of a Demon that looked exactly like Adrien but with black hair, green eyes striking with mischief.

"I have many hidden surprises,"

"Stop tucking in your wings so much! You're too tense," Plagg sighed, casually letting his sword rest against his shoulder. Adrien gripped his weapon tightly, then let his body relax, his wings hesitantly stretching out behind him. Plagg waited a moment longer before racing towards the demon, Adrien taking a step back as he got ready for the blow, his sword raised at the ready.

Adrien realized the Pooka was aiming for his wings almost a second too late and he quickly stepped to the side, Plagg's blade skimming past his feathers.

"That's why I kept my wings tucked in! They're too vulnerable in battle," Adrien whined and Plagg turned to face him, shaking his head.

"They can be if you don't know how to use them properly. Your wings are more than just two big weights on your back," Plagg explained, walking towards the blond and placing a hand on the muscled pinion, causing an uncomfortable shiver to run down Adrien's spine. He hated when people touched his wings, it felt like an invasion of privacy, they were too personal despite being out in the open. The only person that has ever touched his wings and got away with it, was Marinette.

"Use your wings as an extra pair of arms or legs, a weapon all on their own," Plagg continued, letting his hand brush against the dark feathers, earning another visible shiver from the Prince. "Club someone with them or kick out someone's legs from under them or even snap someone's neck for the love of cheese! Just use them as an advantage and less as a vulnerability."

Adrien stared at him for a moment, mouth agape and stunned into silence. He almost forgot Plagg was even a Pooka, he spoke about wings as if he had them all his life. Pooka's always did give great advice.

"R-Right, I think I can do that." Adrien finally said, fluffing up his wings if only to get them away from Plagg's touch. The Pooka smirked teasingly as if challenging him to try. He raised his sword, pointing it at the Demon in anticipation, Adrien running forward to strike first.

He brought his sword down and Plagg stepped out of the way, Adrien's reflexes fast enough to block his blade as it came at him, aiming once again at his wings. Adrien twisted, his wings swooping around and gaining enough momentum to smack Plagg in the side, sending him crashing to the ground. Adrien stumbled back, his eyes wide at the realization of what he just did, though he wasn't sure how to react. He heard Plagg let out a breathy laugh despite just getting the air knocked out of him and he met his green cat-eyed gaze.

"See? You can use your wings," Plagg pointed out as he slowly got back to his feet, using his sword to help him up. "Now, let's do it again."

Plagg was too fast for him, Adrien could barely see the tip of his sword when he moved, it was nearly impossible to react on time. He stumbled back just as Plagg got closer and he felt a blade press against his neck and before he knew it he was pushed to the ground, landing hard on his back. He groaned in pain as he felt his wings crush against him and the floor, going limp even after trying to pick them back up. Plagg sat atop his stomach, pinning him down and holding the blade against his neck.

Adrien placed a hand on the handle of the sword, trying to push it away but Plagg kept it firmly in place. The next thing he tried was trying to push Plagg off him, to no avail. The Pooka laughed.

"If you're gonna be like this in the Pro Coronam, you'll be the first one killed." He lectured, Adrien scowling as he quickly thought of a way out of this. Then it clicked in his head and he lifted his wings up as far as they could go, before slamming them into Plagg, pushing him off and causing him to drop his sword as he stumbled back. Adrien grabbed the two fallen swords and bounced back up, immediately running towards the distracted Pooka. Once he got close enough, he elbowed him straight in the chest and Plagg tumbled back, rolling to a stop on the dirt covered ground.

Adrien didn't realize he had activated his ring until he saw the green flames moving from his hands to the blades, watching them dance against the silver metal. The next few moments went by in a blur, Adrien felt like he couldn't even control himself. He spun the swords in his hands tauntingly and walked straight up to Plagg who laid on the floor, then brought the swords down hard, aiming for his wings. Plagg thankfully tucked his pinions in at the very last moment, the blades piercing the ground and the flames dancing for a few more seconds before dying out. Adrien backed away as he met Plagg's wide-eyed gaze.

"Do I pass?" Adrien asked teasingly and Plagg stayed silent, glancing at the two swords beside his head before smiling slightly.

"Yeah, you'll be fine."

Adrien helped the Pooka up and glanced around the small training area, realizing Demons had gathered to watch their exchange. Their eyes were wide with astonishment or perhaps shock and Adrien didn't understand why until he remembered he had activated his ring, a power no one had seen before. He could already hear their whispers, giving him nicknames and making speculations. As he was heading for the door back to the castle, he heard a demon say as he passed, "Prince Adrien, the Pyromaniac."

Adrien Agreste awoke slowly from his well-deserved nap, Plagg practically forced him to get some sleep after the training to make up for the hours lost the night before. Grogginess clouded his mind, leaving him in a sort of not-asleep-not-conscious suspension. No worries, no fears, no troubles — perfectly content but unaware of anything and everything. He lay like that for what felt like an eternity but was probably closer to ten minutes before moving a muscle. Determined to stretch out this groggy contentedness, he still did not open his eyes, opting instead to extend his legs and arms as far as he could, rigid. The stretch brought some memory back to his limbs and revived them from the heavy slumber. This prompted the inevitable — Adrien's mind unwillingly became flooded with thought and emotion and consciousness. Annoyed, the boy opened one bleary eye, and then the next. His mind was no longer clouded, crystal clear now as a pane of glass and Adrien sighed out his nose before rising, cracking his back, and strolling across the room to change.

He pulled off the black silk pyjama pants and emerald green tank-top he'd worn to bed, flinging them back onto the unmade covers, and pulled open the door to his closet. It was massive, of course. In a display case covering 3/4 of the left wall were six mannequins, brandishing what looked to be ceremonial wears. Many he'd never had to use and many, even he has to admit, were beautiful, but he regarded them testily nonetheless.

The closest one was of silk — ebony black, glittering with rubies ranging from the size of a pinpoint to a quarter. These ran in rivulets from the shoulders, twining down the arms and halting at the cuffs, while the trails down his chest faded out at the bottom of his ribcage. Underneath, a blood red dress shirt, paired with a black collar type necklace, bearing the same red jewel inlaid with the family crest as a pendant. The pants were the same colour as the coat, ringed very simply with even sized rubies around his calfs. He knew from experience that the back had no rubies tracing down it, rather, encircling the holes left for his wings. It was a heavy outfit, but beautiful and thankfully bearable.

The outfit next to it was deep purple. It had a long tail coat and tight trousers, a lighter purple dress shirt and, again, a black necklace (this time with a black jewel) inlaid with the family crest in purple. The cuffs and hems of this one were also black. Adrien detested this outfit, partly because it was simply worthy of being detested but also because the colour scheme was a nod to his father who had chosen purple and black as "his" colours long ago.

They continued down the row, no two similar. All six had different purposes and different occasions on which to be worn. However, Adrien strode past those. On his right were other assortments of clothing. None as official or ceremonially as on the mannequins, but more what he should be wearing around the castle.

The shirts were in vertical drawer type models that Adrien would pull outwards to see the shirt, encased in glass. These panels lined the entire upper right wall. The bottom half of the wall was the opposite. Same drawers, but horizontally for the pants. Separating the two was larger, wider drawers. These compartments held jewels, hats, ties and shoes of all different colour, type, material, style and just about anything else you can think off. Each one held a different one of the four. All the drawers, as well as the panels below and above the set-in display case.

Adrien strode past all of these, towards the large circular mini-room at the end which was full of floor to ceiling mirrors all around. He stopped just short of the curtains drawn across the entrance, turning to the last quarter wall beside the display case. This significantly smaller wall held all his riding leathers for when he mounted his Pooka, Plagg, as well an assortment of clothes he'd bought himself and hidden amongst them.

He drew out his favourite outfit — a pair of dark wash, stretchy jeans, an emerald green shirt, a pair of sneakers, ebony gloves and a long cloak as black as his wings. The holes for those were sealable in this, in the case of wanting to hide them. They were easily recognizable, after all, sleek and inky where most were unkempt and ashy. The cloak could also don a glittering golden threaded pattern, weaving across his back and shoulders. However, through no magic of his own but rather, the cloak's, he could fade the pattern to the same colour as the rest of the garment with a thought and a well-placed flick of his wrist.

Adrien couldn't remember the last time he wore this outfit, it had always been something he wore while in the forest to stay hidden but after meeting Marinette, he didn't have to be afraid of hiding anything. But today was different, he had decided that today would be the day that he stepped out of the castle walls and into the village to see what life was truly like in the Demon Kingdom.

The hardest part would be sneaking out of the castle without Nathalie noticing, he didn't want his father to be alerted of his misbehaviour. He had never been punished before, he was always the perfect image of a Prince and a son, he certainly didn't want to break that streak because of his curiosity. He spotted Plagg sleeping on his bed, reverted back to his usual cat self. Adrien preferred him better as a cat, his human-self made Adrien feel like he was looking into a mirror, it made him uneasy. He quietly made his way over to his bedroom door, glancing over at the dark clock on the wall to check how much time he had before meeting up with Marinette. He decided he'd be fine as long as nothing happened down in the village and escaping the castle went smoothly. He just hoped luck was on his side today.

He exited his room and quietly closed the door behind him, pulling up his hood as he glanced up and down the hallway, checking to make sure he was alone. When he was certain he was alone, he made his way down the dimly lit hall, passing by violet hued charcoal lanterns that hung from their chains, giving the walls a radiant glow that reflected off Adrien's cloak. It was quiet in the castle, which wasn't unusual but also not common, he was expecting to find guards doing their daily rounds through the halls, but instead, Adrien was greeted by silence. Perhaps they were avoiding the sleeping chambers to give the royal family some privacy, but even that seemed absurd. It wasn't until he came across The Crater that he really understood why barely anyone was around, they were all gathered in the room below, seemingly taking a break or having some sort of meeting. Considering he didn't hear his father's voice, he figured it was the former. He did, however, overhear a conversation between a group of Demon's, their voices loud and slurred. Of course, they were drinking, it wouldn't be a Demon gathering if alcohol wasn't involved. He rolled his eyes and was just about to continue down the hall when he heard his name and froze in place.

Thankfully, it wasn't someone recognizing him but instead, it was the group below gossiping; "Did you see Prince Adrien's fight earlier? He nearly got his ass kicked by a dumb Pooka, there's no way he's gonna win Pro Coronam." A demon with a rough and hoarse voice said and Adrien peered over the ledge just slightly to get a better look.

"Wait, he's joining that? Says who?" Replied the demon beside him who's voice was a bit more pleasant to listen to than the first, save for the fact that he sounded like a stuck-up stubborn little child.

"Says the King you numbskull, he practically forced him into it too, I overheard the whole conversation yesterday. That brat's gonna get destroyed out there."

"If he wasn't such a pacifist maybe he'd have a chance in all of this,"

"Yeah but there ain't no way he gonna change in one day,"

One day? But Adrien was told it would take place on his birthday- in two days-, there's no way they changed dates like this, right?

"I almost feel bad for him, but to be honest, he never really did fit in with the rest of us. I'm not even sure if I'd consider him a Demon," The first demon continued, and Adrien could feel his fist clench, the bruises on his hand from the day before just slightly aching. He ignored the pain and rushed down the hallway, hoping no one saw him take off. He couldn't believe the things they said about him behind his back, he was the Prince for crying out loud! They should respect him and support him through his toughest times. Then again, he never really saw himself much like them either, why was he suddenly hurt by their words?

He shook off the thought and ran to the steps leading to the front gates, entering a large rectangular room that most of the time was used to hold ceremonial events such as crowning or announcements. The room was dark and cold, much like the rest of the castle, and Adrien could just make out the two guards standing watch at the main entrance, now the real question was how was he suppose to get by them unnoticed?

He nearly gasped in realization and outstretched his left arm slightly, placing two gloved fingers on the inner part of his forearm and dragging them up towards his hand, after a few seconds, an invisible facade enveloped him completely. It was a magic that all Demons were born with, it lived inside them and was used mainly for stealth, after many many years it inherited the name Shadow Cloaking.

Adrien quickly passed by the guards and waited for a moment as a carriage of coal-like rocks was let in through the gates, then he took the opportunity and snuck by before the metal doors closed again. He was finally out, of course, he had been out before but this time was different. He wasn't going to the forest but instead the village he (if he was lucky) would rule soon. He had no idea what to expect.

The facade eventually disappeared and thankfully he was a good distance away from the castle that no guards noticed him, save from the passerby's that shot him strange looks. He kept his head down, checking to make sure his cloak covered his wings and that the hood was properly over his cat ears, and peeked up only to glance around and successfully avoid running into people. The village was dirty, as expected, and noisy. He spotted at least 8 blacksmiths and 6 butchers that were either covered in ash or grime, there were merchants and carpenters and even a tailor or two, and yet he didn't spot a single farmer or baker. He began to wonder if Marinette had butchers in the Angel Kingdom, it didn't sound very likely. Besides all the blacksmiths and merchants, he noticed that the majority of Demons were either miners or soldiers or just plain thieves. The thought made him clench the fist that his ring was on.

The village was a sea of black, everyone was wearing dark and murky clothing and their wings were ruffled and unkempt, their feathers just barely hanging on. Some demons here only had one wing, the other just a stub of what used to be a forelimb. He shivered at the sight. He didn't want to find out how they ended up with only one wing, he could only hope it wasn't as painful as it sounded.

He stepped to the side as a carriage pulled by a demon horse sped through the crowd, nearby villagers rushing to get out of the way, a smaller child stumbling back right into Adrien. He immediately placed a hand on the child's shoulder to steady them, and they turned quickly to face him, obviously afraid of running into the wrong person. The child was a young girl who held onto a torn and sooty stuffed animal in her small hands, her pale face smudged with dirt and ash and her long dark hair was greasy as well as her tiny ruffled grey wings. It was evident that this girl was from a very poor family based on her appearance and Adrien couldn't help but feel pity.

"You okay? Nothing broken?" He asked politely, crouching down slightly so she wasn't so intimidated. The girl nodded, staring at him with a nervous gaze and clenching her stuffed animal closer to her. He offered a soft smile and she stared at him for a moment longer before smiling slightly. Then she seemed to remember something and she glanced around quickly, her wide brown eyes searching the crowd before meeting Adrien's again.

"Follow me," She suddenly said and ran off, Adrien not sure what to expect but following anyway. The girl turned down an alley and passed by a sleeping cat that opened its beady yellow eyes only to watch Adrien rush by. On the other side of the alley was another busy market street and he nearly lost her in the crowd, but eventually catching up with her as the two turned onto a dirt road that led to a field of dark grass, broken and cracked fences lining the path with even more shops and stores populating either side of the road. Adrien immediately heard the whining of horses nearby, but they weren't the same shrill sound of a demon horse, no, Adrien knew this sound all too well. It was a Pooka's cry.

"What's going on?" He asked the girl who just pointed at a carriage struggling to make its way down the dirt road, a few Demon's surrounding it with what appeared to be whips in their hands.

"They're hurting her," The girl replied, her voice quiet and brittle.

Adrien couldn't stand by watching them punish an innocent creature like this and even after it was deemed impossible for demons to tame them, why now were they trying again? Adrien rushed towards the commotion, swiftly moving out of the way of passing Demons who didn't spare him a second glance. He could see it now, the Pooka jumping back on its hind legs as Demons snapped their whips and yelled at it, commanding it to move faster. The black horse let out a high-pitched squeal and kicked its hind legs at the carriage, struggling to escape. Just before a demon cracked a whip against the creature, Adrien came in between the two and took the brunt of the attack, lifting his arms to protect his head and the whip came down and got him in the side. The Pooka squealed again and stepped back, meanwhile, a group of demons had seen what had happened and were now watching in interest.

"Hey! What's your deal? You're disrupting a royal order!" The demon shouted and Adrien lowered his hands, keeping his head low and glancing up only to look over the demon who had spoken. He wasn't wearing royal guards, therefore he was either lying or very low in ranking.

"Oh yeah? And who gave you orders to attack a Pooka?" Adrien asked lowly and the Demon straightened out, raising his chin proudly.

"Commander Dagon, as a matter of fact."

Adrien nodded slowly, hiding the small smile on his face. "And why exactly are you using Pookas instead of typical demon horses? As I've been told, Pookas can only be tamed with kindness, but you sir, seem to be the opposite."

"How dare you insult a royal guard!"

"You are no royal guard! You don't even wear their clothes!"

The demon hesitated, glancing around at the gathering crowd, "I'm... I'm undercover."

"Well I'm pretty sure you just blew your cover," Adrien remarked with a smirk, the demon growled and raised the whip again, Adrien taking a step back as he prepared for the blow, the whip snapping against his arm. He grunted and turned his body away from the assault, only for the whip to strike him again on his back, cracking against his wings. A cry of pain escaped him and he felt his knees give out, leaving him on the ground. He reached a hand back to touch his wings and his heart dropped when he felt something fall into his hand when he pulled it back his worst fears came true. A single one of his slick black feathers sat in his palm, giving him enough reason to believe that his wings were either damaged or moulting. He hoped it was the latter.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" The Demon asked sarcastically, a few of the surrounding men laughing at his pain. Adrien let his feather slowly drift to the ground and he stood back up, glancing over his shoulder at the Demon once again who's face was contorted into a grin. The demons who had been with him during the whole Pooka situation joined by his side, and by the looks of it, they were ready for a fight. Adrien turned to face them, scanning the group to see just how outnumbered he was. 5 to 1, his odds weren't good but then again, they didn't even know he was the Prince.

Before he could try and reason with them, one of the demons ran towards him, swinging a punch aimed at his face but Adrien simply moved out of the way and returned the blow straight to the demon's stomach. Two more came at him and he took a step back as one with purple hair tried the same thing the first demon did, only for Adrien to kick his legs out from under him and then catch the next Demon's punch, pushing him back to stumble and fall over the purple haired one. The last two demons, including the one with the whip, hesitated to advance, Adrien suddenly feeling a bit better about his odds.

"Well?" The demon with the whip said to the one beside him, "Get him!" The demon ran towards him but before he could even get close, Adrien put an end to the fight, his hands engulfed in the same green-hued flames as before. The demons all backed away in fear, never before seeing a power such as his.

"Enough fighting, I only want you to stop hurting this Pooka." He ordered and the Demon from before, despite the look of fear in his eyes, gathered enough courage to snap back at him.

"Your pathetic magic tricks mean nothing, we have our own business so piss off!" He barked and Adrien sighed, closing his gloved fist to extinguish the flame. The demon smiled and Adrien simple turned and began to loosen the ropes on the Pooka.

"Then I will just let him go," He said and the demon shouted at him to stop, snapping the whip against the ground to try and scare him off. Adrien ignored it, which was his first mistake and he felt the whip get him right in the head. The blond stumbled into the black horse and placed a hand on his head, wincing in pain. His eyes widened when he realized his hood had fallen down from the whip and a collection of gasps made their way around the surrounding group of demons. He didn't turn to face them, they all could see his golden hair and cat ears, he was like a deer caught in the headlights, completely exposed.

"Y-you're... P-Prince Adrien..." The demon said in shock behind him and Adrien cursed under his breath. Before he could even turn around, someone spoke up on his behalf.

"Yes, he is which means he deserves an apology for everything that just happened. Assault to a member of the royal family is a crime punishable by death," The voice, a female, said and he glanced over his shoulder slightly to see the 5 demons who had attacked the Pooka drop to their knees, their unkempt wings trembling.

"O-Our sincerest apologies y-your highness, none of us recognized you in your attire," One of them stuttered out, sounding more genuinely scared than apologetic. The female who had stepped in for him had long brown hair and dark auburn wings that looked surprisingly clean for a simple villager. Adrien turned, he figured there was no point hiding it now, everyone knew who he was.

"You will not be punished for what happened today, I only ask that you put an end to using Pookas when not properly trained." He said, his voice steady despite the fact he was dreading the conversation he would most likely be having with his father later on. The demon with the whip glanced up at him and nodded quickly.

"O-of course, whatever you say, y-your highness."

Adrien nodded and with a small wave of his hand, the demons who knelt before him got up and ran off, leaving the Pooka alone. He sighed in exasperation and glanced over at the girl who had spoken on his behalf, she had finally turned around so that he could see her features; almond shaped green eyes and a thin mouth, a bronzed complexion and brown bangs hanging just above her eyebrows. Her attire consisted mostly of black like most demons but what made her stand out from the rest was her orange-red jacket that ended just above her knees and was tightly-fitted around her waist. Her smile was somewhat tense and he could only imagine why, what she did was unconventional and most demons would've just stood by and watched as he was publicly humiliated but she stepped in and even more surprisingly, got a group of idiotic demons to apologize.

"Are you okay, your highness?" She suddenly asked and Adrien realized he hadn't said anything to her yet, just stared. He fidgeted with his cloak slightly and glanced back at the Pooka who seemed to be watching their little exchange.

"Yes, I'm fine," He answered and took hold of the reins holding the horse back and carefully and slowly raised a hand up to its muzzle, waiting as it slowly leaned forward into his hand and he couldn't help but smile. The Pooka had already gotten comfortable with him, making it the second Pooka he's tamed.

"Why did you protect that Pooka? If you don't mind me asking," The girl asked and he glanced over at her to see the curiosity etched in her features. He looked back at the horse and smiled lazily, running his gloved hand down the horse's neck.

"Because they did nothing wrong, they're very intelligent Celtic creatures and should be treated with respect, like all animals." He answered and the girl let out a small noise in pleasant surprise. Even the Pooka seemed to like his answer, it's bright blue eyes meeting his gaze. It would take some time, but soon enough the Pooka would start talking to him just like Plagg did. He wondered if this one had a name.

"I didn't expect the Demon Prince to speak so fondly about animals, most Demons have little to no respect for them at all." The girl said and he realized he still didn't know her name. He glanced over at her again, noticing how she had taken a step towards him, her eyes focused on the horse.

He paused for a moment, "Well... I'm not like most Demons," He answered and she met his gaze with a small smile, once again taking another step towards him. He released the reins of the Pooka and turned to face her, her eyes very quickly glancing up at the cat ears atop his head as if to prove that he most certainly was not like ordinary demons.

She smiled, "Me neither, your highness." He shook his head slightly and offered a handshake, much to her surprise.

"Please, call me Adrien."

She stared at his hand for a moment before accepting and returning the handshake, a broad smile on her face.

"I'm Lila, Lila Rossi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Adrien."