A siren echoed off in the distance. The sky's natural red slowly faded. A shiv found a back before the owner's hand grabbed a mug of coins. The smaller number of demons out and about meant that there was no one to ignore the loss. Two black heels clacked against the sidewalk.

Octavia walked along, hands tucked into her pockets. She lifted her head and turned her gaze to an open area. Some playground parts had rusted over ages ago. The slide with metal fangs around its exit finally fell to the ground with a clang. Somehow, the swings were still intact.

One swing was occupied by a stationary figure. Octavia thought they looked familiar. She briefly tapped her phone a couple of times. Sure enough, she found the profile with a hellhound that matched.

Octavia put her phone away and called out, "Hey!"

Loona's ears perked up and she glanced, but she returned to sulking forward. "Hey."

Octavia walked over and sat on the other swing. "You doing alright?"

Loona scoffed. "Who wants to know?"

"Come on, ma'am. It's just me." Octavia held a hand over her own chest.

"Ma'am?" Loona tilted her head. "I'm like five years older than you." Her eyes widened. "Huh. So that's what that feels like."

"Um… do you want to talk about it?" Octavia held the chains on either side of herself.

"What's there to **ing talk about?" Loona sighed. "Just my d…" She growled at her vocal slip. "Blitz actually considered replacing me."

"What?" Octavia looked dumbfounded.

"Not from his **ty apartment." Loona shook her head. "Just my work."

"Oh." Octavia's shoulders relaxed.

"Who does he think he **ing is?" Loona clenched her fists. "Tells me to tweak my work ethic around clients. He can't even sort his own life s** half the time!"

"I mean, he's your dad," said Octavia. "Occasionally telling you what you need to do is part of the package."

"He wasn't the first demon to boss me around." Loona pulled out a cigarette. "At this rate, he won't be the last."

The hellhound flicked a lighter. It didn't catch. She flicked it a few more times. Still, the spark did not ignite. She snarled.

Octavia held out her arm and snapped, creating a small hellfire plume. Loona blinked before moving her death stick over and igniting it. She breathed in and exhaled deeply. Quietly, Octavia waved a hand in front of her face. Somehow, the smoke trail took the hint and started floating away from the owlet.

"I can't imagine life without parents," Octavia reflected.

(The other night…)

Stella rubbed her eyes and exhaled. "So, you called I.M.P. and told them to kill Andrealphus. Specifically, with their appropriated angelic weapon. And you did this all because he tried to kill your father." Her voice was straining at this point. "Did I miss anything?"

Octavia lowered her head, but kept her gaze in front of herself. "No, that's everything."

Stolas turned his eyes up at the ceiling. "Hoo, f**. That's… a lot to take in."

White noise invaded Stella's hearing. Darkness invaded her vision. The living room faded from her perspective. The only loud sound she could identify was her own shallow breathing.

"Stella?" Stolas's voice called into the metaphorical void.

Stella blinked twice. She closed and opened her fists. She shut her eyes and released some muffled noises. At first, it sounded like she was sobbing. Then, the corners of her mouth suddenly lifted.

"Ah ha ha ha ha. Ah! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"M-Mom?" Octavia lifted her head.

"You're scaring me, dear." Stolas leaned away from Stella. "Please talk to us."

The true peahen's demon form launched forth and lifted the owlet backward.

"So, you're the mastermind behind Andre's death!" Crimson eyes pierced the shadowy figure.

"Mom? What are you doing?" Octavia held her arms out to either side. Her beanie dropped to the floor.

"Oh, don't look so worried. I'm just repaying my brother's killer in kind."

Stella's second fanged mouth laughed underneath her blackened beak. Her head looked upside-down at Octavia. Octavia shook in terror as Stella's clawed wings swung her back and forth.

"Stella…" Stolas stood up. Magic threatened to leak out of his feathers. "Don't do something you'll regret."

His wife brought one of her wing's claws right next to the daughter's throat. Octavia whimpered and closed her eyes. Stolas had enough and summoned his own true demon form. He seemed to fly on a collision course for the other dark entity.

Stella's claw moved up and tapped Octavia on the tip of her beak. "Boop."

"Huh?" Octavia peeked.

"Wha…?" Stolas stopped mid-dive.

Shadows receded as Stella reverted to her default form. Holding Octavia in her arms, she proceeded to preen her daughter's neck feathers. Stolas's crimson eyes blinked twice before he slowly returned to normal.

"What are you doing?" Octavia asked between giggles.

Stella laughed, this time more gently. "Ha ha. Giving you a taste of the emotional whiplash I felt today."

Stolas tilted his head. "Your punishment for her behavior is a tickle fight?"

"The punishment was scaring her," Stella clarified. "The preening is for bringing us back to ground." She patted Octavia on the back.

"I'm confused," said Octavia. "Are you mad at me or not?"

Stella sighed. She walked back to her spot on the couch. She sat her daughter next to her. "Sometimes, feelings aren't that simple. Things get jumbled up, especially for a parent."

Stolas sat down on the other side. "Well, you're not wrong about that."

"I mourn the loss of my brother, the only person that was really around when I was growing up." Stella placed a hand over her chest. "But I'm also mad at him for resorting to attempted murder on a family member. He supplied his mercenary with more than one blessed weapon, so he needed to be stopped.

"Then, there's you, Via. I love you, and no amount of bloodshed will change that. But I clearly wasn't paying attention to how the mess was making you feel. It never occurred to me that you would be the one to retaliate."

"I was sick and tired of the thumb-twiddling." Octavia folded her hands. She glanced at Stolas. "You didn't sound like you were taking the threat seriously." Her eyes shifted to Stella. "And you thought hiding would solve everything." She sighed. "I really went too far, too fast."

"It might not have been the best choice," said Stolas. "But you acted based on the information that you had at the time." He shrugged. "Really, that's all any of us can do in a given circumstance. You're not alone, Via."

Octavia looked between her parents. "So… what happens now?"

Stolas held out a hand. He levitated the knit cap off the floor. He passed it to Octavia.

Stella rested her arm on the back of the sofa. "Well, that depends on you."

Stolas tapped his beak. "For now, I'd advise against bragging about conquering your uncle on your social media."

"Wasn't planning to do that anyway." Octavia adjusted her hat. "Do we have to attend the funeral?"

Stella pointed at herself. "I'm going to have to by association. You don't need to come if you don't want."

(The present…)

"Huh." Loona tapped some ashes off her cigarette. "I guess both of our parents have a complicated relation with death."

"Sorry for going on a tangent." Octavia shook her head. "I don't know your full situation, but… maybe cut your dad a break. He's trying, and that's worth a lot more than nothing."

Loona's idle thumb finally got her lighter to ignite. Her eyes were briefly drawn to the orange flame, then the I.M.P. logo on the little box. She chuckled.

"I thought you hated Blitz." Loona smiled wryly.

"Oh, don't misunderstand." Octavia crossed her arms. "He's still a d**head. But he's an important part of your life."

"You're d** right," said Loona.

Her ears twitched and she focused forward. Octavia rotated her head one-eighty and stared. An assortment of demons had the playground surrounded. A few of them had spiked bracelets. Some of them had switchblades. All of the thugs looked eagerly at their next prey.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the heir to the Goetian prince."

"Wait, whose dog is that?"

"Ah, who cares? Their hides will still fetch a price from the black market."

Loona growled low. Octavia emitted a cross between a hiss and a chitter.

"Ever fight for real, kid?" whispered Loona.

"No, but I have good aim now." Octavia yanked a crossbow out of her pocket.

Loona shrugged. "Works for me."

One of the knife-wielders ran and jumped toward Octavia. The owlet pushed herself back before swinging forward. Both of her shoes collided with her enemy's abdomen. Three more thugs yelled and charged. Octavia aimed and fired three arrows. One hit the first thug in the throat, one ran through the second thug's forehead, and the last shot sank into the third guy's chest.

Meanwhile, Loona had used her claws to slice through the chains holding up her swing. She flung it around a few times, whacking away four different predators to the dirt. She spat her still lit cigarette into the eyes of another enemy. She kicked that whiner right into one of his peers.

With a snap of her fingers, Octavia set a mantis-shaped demon on fire. He screamed and ran into three of the other thugs before he fled. Her hand glowed indigo and levitated the arrows she had fired earlier. With a flick of her wrist, the arrows found new heads to pierce. The few thugs that were still conscious dropped their knives and scampered away. Octavia spat on one of their footprints.

Fangs clamped down on a spike-bracelet thug's jugular. Loona shook him around a while before throwing him at the broken slide. His limp body slid over the metal tube, onto the dirt. The park returned to its usual quiet, albeit with more bloodstains and bodies than usual.

"Sheesh, the room full of spy agents must have **ing spoiled me." Loona wiped her hands past each other. "That was too easy."

Octavia sighed and stowed away her crossbow. "How do you do this every day?"

"I don't," said Loona. "Most of the time, I get stuck with **ty secretary work."

"Loona!"

The hellhound and owlet turned to see a familiar imp in casual clothes. Worry melted away into a relieved smile as Blitzo ran over.

"Oh, my sweet baby!" He held out both arms. "I promise I'll never replace you no matter-"

Loona's backhand met Blitzo's face.

"Ow!" After the impact, he fell onto his back.

"You're good," said Loona.

Octavia stared with eyes wide. "Isn't that a little harsh?"

Loona laughed. "Harsh? During my first week living with him, I kicked him in his **ing balls."

Blitzo whimpered. He rubbed his cheek while attempting to smile. "Wow, Loonie. Strong as ever. So proud."

Octavia lifted a finger, but she was interrupted by her phone ringing. "Hello?"

"Via?" asked Stolas's voice. "Are you alright? Your walks usually don't take so long."

"I'm fine, Dad." Octavia fiddled with her feathers. "I saw an old friend and ended up chatting about stuff. I lost track of time."

"Oh, I'm relieved to hear that," said Stolas. "I know there's not much around here that can permanently harm you, but I still worry. You know?"

Octavia glanced back at the other two visitors in the park. Blitzo was desperately trying to get a hug. Loona was holding his face back with her hand.

"I understand," said Octavia. "I think we're just about to wrap it up. I'll be home shortly."

"Good enough," said Stolas. "I love you, Starfire."

"Love you too, Dad."

Octavia tapped her phone, ending the call. She gave a quick wave to her friend. Loona smiled and flashed a peace sign at her. Octavia nodded before walking out of the park.

Loona sniffed. "Ugh, you smell like s**, Dad."

"Well, I was looking for you in the Not Topic's garbage bins and-" He paused and stood up straight. "Did… you just call me Dad?"

"Don't get **ing used to it." Loona deadpanned. "And whatever you do, don't tell Fatso and his wife."

The giddiness building on the imp's face indicated that he had stopped listening. Loona rolled her eyes. She grabbed Blitzo by his tail and yanked.

"Come on. We're leaving," she said.

Inside Blitzo's mind, a song was playing about how this was the best day of his life.