Hello everyone! I have a new story up for you all! I'm still working on my other chapters, but this story nagged itself into my mind, so I couldn't help it.

To begin, I find it unfair that someone like Stolas does not have a friend! His adoration and desire to be with Blitz is all connected back to his first infatuation with Blitz, due to meeting each other as children. Ever since, it doesn't seem like Stolas has ever had someone he could confide in. Friends can help shape what kind of person you are, as well as the other relationships in your life. Stolas is deserving of friends, and it's the job of someone to give him that!

And no, Blitz doesn't count. They bone each other, and their relationship is too complicated to be considered a platonic friendship. At least for now.

Anyhow, onto the story!

Chapter 1: Teacher's Intuition

"Remember students, when solving for the Derivative, you must remember to carry the exponential down. 4X^5 plus 5, when you complete a derivative, will become 5 times 4(X^4), because we are subtracting from the exponential by 1. Constant values with no variables will disappear, as they are only constant within this current set of exponential values. They will not carry over without a variable." The teacher underlined the Mathematics equation on the board.

The scribbling of pencils to paper followed their words, with the teacher moving out of the way to display the full work he had just completed. Some students scratched at their heads, while others seemed to nod along with the material with no enthusiasm. A few braver students managed to hunch over, covering their faces in an effort to get some sleep.

"Are there any questions?" The teacher asked, looking around the room. He only received no response except for a soft cough in the back of the room. "I know this material seems bland to some of you, but its applications are used within many facets of society. Whether in the use of vehicles, or comprehending the speed of objects overtime, etcetera." The teacher waved their hand. "I want to make sure we're all on the same page."

*Riiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggggg*

The clattering of the hammer against the school bell signaled the end, much to the relief of the students. Life seemed to reignite in the room. Some let out puffs of fire in joy, others immediately tossing aside their focus in favor of exasperation. The teacher looked at the clock on the wall, then back to the students.

"All assignments are posted on the board, like usual. Study materials are listed with page numbers beside them. I'll be posting the notes for today's sections by 5 o'clock, so if you need the help, look at them on the class Math Forum." The teacher gave them all a grin. "Have a good day. Don't do anything an Imp would do." Which elicited several snorts from certain boys and girls.

Students moved to collect their books in haste, hoping to speed out of the room, while others laid about, leaning back into their chairs.

Octavia sighed as she closed her notebook, a bland look on her face as she tucked it away into her backpack. She grabbed up her pencils, nonchalantly tossing them in with the rest of her school supplies. With a huff, she swung it onto her back, grabbing at the straps to make her way out of the classroom.

She made it to the door, only to grimace at the small clique of Baphomets standing in front of it. Not bothering with their gossip, she pressed herself closer to the wall, trying to slide by them and get to freedom. She brushed by the back of two of the girls, their giggling and nonsensical words making Octavia roll her eyes. She tucked her bag close to her back, nearing the door.

"Hey, watch it, Goetia!" Unfortunately, one of the girls leaned back as Octavia moved behind her. This led to her rear slamming into the hip of the Bird Demon. Octavia glared at the demon, pushing by as the group of gossiping goals now glowered at her form.

"Oh, Ms. Octavia. If I may have a moment." Octavia froze, her hand on the handle. She turned back towards the classroom, being met with the sight of her math teacher.

Of course, this elicited the "OOOOO"s from bleating Baphomets. Before Octavia could feign ignorance, she felt a pair of hooves shove her towards the teacher. She stumbled forward, her gaze finding itself on the form of her slightly shorter professor. Said teacher raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to get a look at the callous actions of the Baphomets.

"Ladies, I believe the bus back to Envy and Sloth is the first to leave the school. Unless you have other means of transportation, I suggest you head there so you can get home to your families." The teacher offered, before looking at the remaining students in class. "And to the rest of you, I would ask for you to leave the classroom. You can stay in the school if you would like, but I need a few minutes. I appreciate it." The boys sitting near the back shrugged their shoulders, as well as the few remaining demons who collected their belongings. Some made looks at the Goetia as they passed by, smirking at her possible misfortune.

The Baphomets also grabbed up their items, some taking the teacher's words to heart as they made healthy strides towards the transit terminal, but with no less talking/bleating as they exited the class.

Eventually, the class was empty, save for the anxious looking Octavia and the math teacher. The door remained open, allowing for the noise of students and conversations to still permeate into the room.

"Don't worry, Ms. Octavia, you're not in trouble. I just wanted a few moments to speak with you."

Octavia rubbed her hands together. "Mr. Leios. My driver will be outside soon. I don't want to get stuck in traffic on my way home."

Mr. Leios nodded his head, "I will not hold you long. I just wanted to discuss your grades." The teacher walked behind his desk, opening the compartment draw on the side.

"My grades? But I still have a B." Octavia argued, to which she received a slightly disappointed look in response.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Octavia, you 'had' a B." A set of papers dropped in front of the owl demon. Her eyes darted to the large red letters on both. One with a C-, the other with a D. She picked up both papers, her stomach twisting on itself as she read over the mistakes and errors from her own work.

"These were your last homework packet and test. The homework packet was finished, but it was clear that you were looking up the answers online. None of your work was shown." Mr. Leios explained. "While I can forgive some work being scratch work, being able to complete all the continuous function problems with no detailing of how you did it leads me to believe you weren't doing it on your own." The teacher flipped the test in Ocatvia's hand open. The girl went to say something, but the words died in her throat as she looked at the work her teacher pointed at.

"And unfortunately, that reflected on your test, where you made clear mistakes on all the questions with continuous function. This was what we have been covering for the past three weeks prior to this one, and you only got .5 points on it." Mr. Leios sighed, looking at Octavia with concern.

Octavia bit at the bottom of her beak. She wouldn't deny that she had been putting off her math. There weren't a lot of assignments, but sometimes she would forget about it and just do it last minute. With the homework, she would just open online derivative calculators and do them on her phone, just trying to get it done and be over it.

And now she was screwing up in class. In math no less! What would dad think? What would mum think!?

"What's…. what's my grade in class now?" Octavia mustered, looking at her teacher with unease.

"You have a 74% in the class after these are put in." Octavia sucked in a gasp.

Her mum was going to kill her!

"But this is why I wanted to talk with you." Mr. Leios offered. "I know you're a good student. You held one of the highest grades in my class for the first semester, and I had exempted you from the Midterm because of your high scoring tests. You were also one of the best math students for Dr. Jekyll's and Mr. Toskavich's classes." Mr. Leios smiled, looking up at her student.

"You're a bright, young demon, Ms. Octavia. However, you've been slipping these past few months. You are turning in unfinished work, you 'phone in' your quizzes. You're not asking questions in class anymore. I also spoke to some of your other teachers. They are having concerns as well about your decline in effort." Mr. Leios sat down in one of the chairs, relaxing into the wooden frame as he looked upon his once-star student. "Is everything alright? Has there been a change in your life that is affecting you?"

Octavia's mind immediately went to the sounds of shattering vases, screaming, and the retreating form of a red and white imp. She looked down at the floor.

"I'm fine, Mr. Leios. It's nothing. I'll make sure to work harder in your class from now on. And my other classes too, I guess."

The teacher gave her a contemplative look. He relented, leaning back into the chair and nodding his head. "Alright then. If you say so." He gave a soft smile to Octavia. "However, if you ever feel the need to talk, just let me know."

Octavia nodded her head. She looked down at the assignments once more before making her way for the exit.

Luther Leios watched the retreating form exit his classroom, the door shutting behind her followed by the taps of her shoes down the hall. He sighed once more, his own gaze going back to the flawed assignments from the Goetia. Getting up from the chair, he grabbed the papers and placed them back inside his desk alongside the rest of the homework packets and tests.

Slamming it shut and locking it up tight, he looked around at his empty classroom once more before departing.

Outside of the school, students were socializing with one another, friend groups talking about the day, while others made their way to club events or sports programs. A group of snake-like hellspawn ogled over the forms of naga females, receiving a mixture of flirtatious looks or faces full of disgust.

Tauren-like demons argued with Oni, an evident conflict based on their difference of species. Some outside students egged it on, with many pulling out their phones to get it for their Sinstagram pages.

Octavia walked by all the drama with her head down, wading through the thinning crowds. She passed by the main gates of the campus, the parking lot filled with an assortment of cars from the different rings of hell, along with a lineup of vehicles there to pick up students from school.

She walked down the way, slipping by with practiced ease as students talked and discussed their woes and enjoyments for what was to come.

The Goetia noted a familiar AUV (Armored Utility Vehicle) and trudged her way over, opening the backseat door and climbing in.

She closed the door behind her, slumping into the cushions as the AC blasted into her face from the overhead vents.

"Good Day, Princess Octavia." The chauffeur offered.

"Just take me home." Octavia clicked her seatbelt on, tossing her bag to the floor beside her feet.

"Of course, Princess." The imp driver said, used to the repetitive exchange.

Octavia ignored the slight jostle of the car exiting the lineup of idling cars, breaking out from the campus grounds and onto the adjacent road. She pulled her headphones in once more, flicking through her song choices with little care before allowing one to play.

Aggressive, angst filled music filled her ears as she leaned back into her seat. Octavia let the songs of sadness fill her mind, trying to put away the conversation that happened and what was to come from returning home.

Stolas leaned into his lounge chair with absolute bliss, using his magic to grab a book from the shelf and open it for some casual reading. Flicking through some of the pages, he found the place he had left off on, smiling to himself at the beautiful imagery of flora depicting within the pages.

Two nights ago had been the full moon, and his body was still reeling in the pleasures that had been inflicted upon it. A slight presence of discomfort in his lower region made him stir in remembrance to all he had done with his dear Blitzy.

Coupled with the fact that Stella had a social outing for the rest of the night with her brother and his friends, it left Stolas to his own vices for the rest of the day.

Stolas still had some work to do for the week. Even after getting his Grimoire back for that night, the paperwork and documents that he needed to submit to the upper rings of Hell were still required. That was for another day though. He hadn't had much time to catch up on his reading, especially after buying the book on rare parasitic botany from the Envy Ring.

Stolas flipped through the pages, his eyes transfixed to the beautiful imagery and pictures of vines which wrapped around hellboars, draining them dry of their life before implanting themselves into the body for sustenance. Flowers which released spores that would land on animals. Said spores would sprout in their fur, using the mobile creatures to travel further before releasing themselves in areas with rich soil.

*Ring* *Ring*

Stolas looked up from his book. On the end-table, a cloud began to form overtop of the rotary phone, with words developing in the magical formation of fog.

*Unknown Caller*

Number ***-***

Stolas's upper pairs of eyes raised at the mystery number calling him. Placing his book to his side, he took several large strides and placed himself at the edge of the end-table. Stolas picked up the phone, bringing it to his beak and ear.

"Hello? Who is this?" He asked with a tone of suspicion.

"Hello there." A soft, middle tone voice spoke through from the other side of the line. "Am I speaking to the residency of Octavia Goetia?"

"This is Stolas Goetia. I am Octavia's father." Stolas kept the concern out of his voice. "Is there something the matter with her?"

"No, Mr. Goetia. There is no need to worry." Stolas all but breathed a sigh of relief. "My name is Luther Leios, and I am a teacher at Lilith's Upper-Rings Academy. This contact was listed should there ever need to be a reason to call."

Stolas didn't remember ever giving his home phone to the school. Then again, Via entered Upper-Rings three years ago, so it was more than likely Stella, who just put down his contact information so she wouldn't have to deal with the calls.

Ironic, considering she liked to know how Via's schooling was going more often than not.

"What is the reason for this call then? Is there something I should know happening at the school? Has Via been dealing with issues there?" Stolas asked. "Is my owlette having trouble in school?"

"I was just hoping to speak to one of her parents about her grades." The teacher on the other end explained. "There are concerns about her performance for the current semester, and the faculty at Upper-Rings desire for her to do the best that she can. Not just in school, but in her life."

Stolas nodded. "Well. I do have some time right now, if that is agreeable."

"I appreciate it, Mr. Goetia. Thank you for your time." Stolas almost wanted to call him on the refusal to use 'Prince' again, but let it slide. "To begin, several teachers have noticed that for the past few mo-"

"Where are you, you imp sucking fucker?!" Stolas cringed at the grating voice that echoed through the halls, followed by the sounds of more vases smashing against the walls. "I know that you had the disgusting little thing over again this week! Come out from your hiding spot, your cowardly wretch!" The shattering noises grew closer, much to the dread of the Goetia Prince.

Stolas looked to the door, pressing the phone to his ear. "Mr. Leilos, was it?" Stolas said abruptly, cutting off whatever the teacher may have been saying. "Unfortunately, I will have to postpone this discussion."

"Oh. That's fine. Is there a day where we can speak, perchance?" The voice on the phone asked.

"I can do it tomorrow morning." The screaming grew closer, with the slurring of words making it apparent that Stella had decidedly drank too much at her social outing. It would explain why she was home early as well. "Preferably, in person." Stolas knew that Stella would be just as bad in the morning, and wouldn't be able to stand looking at him for a moment with a hangover.

"I'm more than happy to work with that. I have office hours at the school before zero and first period. 6:00 to 7:30."

"I'll be there at 6:30."

"Thank you, Mr. G-" Stolas hung up the phone, picking up his newest book before fleeing through a portal to the other side of the mansion. Not a moment too late, as Stella barged in the door, spiked cactus in hand. She tossed it in rage at the retreating form, the potted plant barely missing the portal that closed behind Stolas.

Near the center enclaves of the mansion, Octavia tugged her beanie over her ears, trying to drown out the echoing noises of her father running away, her mother in hot pursuit with throwable items and horrible words. The sounds danced through the halls, easily making themselves known through the thin walls of the mansion. She slid back from her desk, hands still pulling tightly at her beaning.

Walking away from her homework once more, she slumped into her bed. Octavia grimaced at the sound of shattering pottery not far from her door. She prepared to grab her headphones once more, ready to drown out another day with music.

"Sorry, Teach. No homework again for tonight." She muttered, the powerful sounds of audio pumping into her ears and washing away all thoughts. Washing away the screams and broken objects.

Washing away the outside world for another day.