Chapter 2: A New Feeling:
Octavia squinted her eyes while she waited for them to adjust to the light. Though it was an overcast day, it was much brighter than it had been in the library. When her vision adjusted, her eyes widened with wonderment.
The field they stood in was filled with tall grass and small shrubs. Car horns could be heard from the road in the distance. On the other side of the road, tall hills rose toward the sky, their tops dotted with small buildings. Behind her, a tall fence ran through the center in the field, stretching off in the distance. Behind it was another part of the field, along with several large buildings. On a large area of flat concrete, large, odd-looking vehicles sat on its surface. As Octavia observed their surroundings, a bright flash suddenly appeared next to her. She turned and saw her father had into...something.
"Dad?" she asked. He looked at her with a big smile.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" he asked, stretching out his arms, "I've been working on my human disguise for a while now, but I think I've got it down!"
"It looks...um, nice" she said uneasily. Stolas cocked an eye at her before he realized what was wrong.
"Oh, that's right," he said, "You've never seen a human before."
"Yeah," Octavia said, her eyes moving up and down Stolas' form, "Such a strange creature."
"They sure are," Stolas said, "Now, let's if I can whip up a human disguise for you."
A light purple glow appeared in the palm of his right hand. He placed it on Octavia's forehead, humming softly. The glow then fully engulfed her body, a pleasant warmth filling her core. She then felt her body begin to change.
A few seconds later, Stolas moved his hand away from her head and the glow disappeared. Octavia blinked a few times to clear the after image from her vision. She looked down at her hands, now covered by pale skin and five fingers. Reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone, she turned on the forward-facing camera. The face that greeted her was one she almost didn't recognize.
Her hair was the same, and she was still wearing her hat, but everything else was different. Her eyes were smaller, though her irises were still pink. Her beak was replaced by small, light pink lips, and a pair of odd appendages were present on each side of her head.
"Wow," she said, touching the side of her face, "Is this really me?"
"It is, Via," Stolas said, "The first time you wear a human disguise is quite the experience."
"It's different," Octavia said, putting her phone away.
"Now, let's get going, shall we," Stolas said, leading her across the field.
They walked for a few minutes before stopping by an old barn. Stolas slid the doors open, revealing a car under a tarp. He walked inside and pulled off the tarp. He held arms over it, a big smile on his face.
"Well, what do you think?" Stolas asked. Octavia cocked an eye at him and looked at the car.
The poor thing looked like it had been pulled from a junkyard. The paint was peeling, the exposed metal covered in rust. The headlights were clouded over, and the windshield was cracked. The hubcaps were gone, revealing rusted wheels. The front bumper was attached by bungee cables, and it wasn't on straight.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" he asked.
"Is that a serious question?" Octavia asked dully. Stolas gave a nervous laugh before opening the driver's side door.
"Is this thing even gonna start?" she asked.
"Um...fingers crossed," Stolas replied awkwardly. Octavia facepalmed with a groan.
Stolas shuffled himself onto the driver's seat and closed the door behind him. He waved at her through the windshield, pointing to the passenger's seat. Octavia sighed and walked to the other side of the car and climbed inside. Stolas lowered the sun visor and grabbed the key. Placing it in the ignition, he turned the key, and the engine sputtered several times before going quiet. Stolas turned the key a second time, getting the same result. He turned to Octavia and gave her a sheepish grin.
"Don't worry," he said, "Third time's the charm."
"Ugh," she groaned, covering her face with her hat.
Stolas turned the key a third time, and after a few loud pops, the engine roared to life. He gave a triumphant laugh, happily slapping the steering wheel. He shifted the gear to drive and drove out of the barn. He stopped the car a few feet in front of it before getting out and closing the barn doors. He climbed back inside and carefully drove down a rough, dirt road.
The dirt road soon merged into a paved road of a similar quality. Octavia grunted as she bounced in her seat. It was quite clear at this point the car's suspension was shot. Stolas didn't mind the rough ride, though, chuckling to himself each time his head nearly hit the ceiling.
Soon they turned onto a better-quality road, though the car still creaked worryingly. Stolas stepped harder on the gas, the engine struggling to accelerate. Octavia could see the hood shaking through the windshield. She turned to her father.
"I feel like this thing's gonna explode," she said.
"Nonsense!" Stolas said, "I've used this car for years! She's a tough old bird." At that, the hood began to shake even more.
"I don't think so," Octavia said, tightly gripping her seat.
"We're almost there, my owlet," Stolas said, "Then we can get break from driving."
Octavia settled back into her seat, turning her attention back to the road. She could see more cars up ahead, along with a couple traffic lights. Stolas passed a few slower cars, waving at the drivers as they went. Octavia pulled her hat over her face and slumped lower into her seat.
She felt the car come to a stop a couple minutes later. She lifted her hat, seeing they were stopped at a red light. Ahead of them was a large store, its parking lot filled with cars. In the center of the façade in giant white letters was the word 'Walmart'.
"That's the greatest store?" she asked.
"It sure is!" Stolas replied, turning to the right when the light turned green, "You'll be amazed by what you'd find in there! It's almost like a zoo!"
The excitement in his tone made Octavia uneasy. On the outside, this Walmart looked like some generic store, but if Stolas was this happy to be here, some weird things must happen inside. This was confirmed when they drove by the front entrance, and a couple of people with long colorful tails coming from the backs of their pants walked out.
"What is this?" Octavia asked in an annoyed tone.
"The epitome of humanity!" Stolas happily replied. Octavia sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Let's get this over with," she said.
Stolas parked the car in an empty space far from the entrance. Both climbed out and carefully closed their doors, lest they fall off their hinges. Stolas eagerly headed for the entrance while Octavia followed behind, far less enthused. So far, the guys with the tails were the only weird people she'd seen, which calmed her down a little. Walking inside the entrance door, Stolas grabbed a shopping cart and pushed it into the store, happily humming to himself. Octavia stuck close to him, feeling more out of her element.
The store was packed with people, nearly all of them with full shopping carts. To the left, all the registers had long lines. Stolas steered the cart to the right and into the produce section. Thankfully, there were fewer people here. Octavia mostly kept head, feeling a little overwhelmed. She hoped they wouldn't stay here long. She glanced at Stolas, who seemed to be having the time of life. She wasn't sure how many times her father had been to the human world, but he clearly loved being here.
Leaving the produce area, Stolas turned the cart down an aisle lined with freezers. One side was filled with frozen dinners, the other was filled with desserts. As they walked through the aisle, he pointed to all his favorite desserts. Octavia wasn't as enthused about them as he was, but she did agree that most of them looked quite appetizing. Stolas stopped at the last freezer and grabbed several pies, setting them down in his cart.
Moving to the next freezer aisle, Stolas pointed out the various frozen dinners, explaining which were worth buying and which weren't. Leaving the aisle, they emerged into the bakery. Octavia's eyes widened at the sight of the baked goods. Stolas smiled and started leading her in when he suddenly stopped.
"Look Via!" he exclaimed, pointing at something to his left.
Octavia followed his finger and was horrified by what she saw. Sitting in a shopping cart was a shirtless man. His skin was glistening, as if covered in oil. In his mouth was a cigar, one he was trying to light. Standing next to the shopping cart was an employee, looking completely dead inside.
"Uh, dad?" Octavia asked, taking a step back.
"See? Told you it was like a zoo," Stolas said.
"Dad, that poor kid," Octavia said.
"He'll be fine." Stolas said. Octavia opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a male voice behind her.
"Check that out, James," it said.
She and Stolas turned around and saw two men approaching. One was an older man, dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of faded jeans. The other was a younger man dressed similarly as the elder. Both were focused on the man in the shopping cart.
"God, I love it," the older man said.
"Dad, come on," the younger man, presumedly James, said, "That kid's hating his life right now."
"Ah, he'll get over," the older said.
"Are you enjoying the show too?" Stolas asked.
"Sure am," the older man replied, "I love Walmart!"
Octavia lowered her hat over her face. More people were starting to join, laughing at the employees' misfortune. She turned and walked into the dessert section that was nearby. Her focus was on the cheesecakes on the chilled shelves. She grabbed a few individual slices before going to a cabinet filled with donuts. As she eyed the pastries, she felt a presence step beside her.
The younger man joined her by the donuts, grabbing a small bag from beside the cabinet. He opened the cabinet and took a couple glazed donuts and stuffed them inside the bag. Octavia watched him the entire time, studying his appearance.
He appeared to be a few years older than her, and roughly her height. Dark brown hair covered the top of his head, his eyes an emerald green. His skin had a nice tan to it. Octavia leaned in a little closer, something about him catching her interest. He looked her way and gave an awkward smile, taking a step back.
"Um, hi there," he said.
Octavia then realized she was staring quite intensely. She moved a few feet away, nervously rubbing her arm.
"I-I'm sorry I..." she stammered.
"It's okay," the young man said, "I guess this is new to you, being from across the pond."
"Across the pond?" Octavia questioned.
"You know, England," he replied, "I figured that's where you're from, based on you and your father's accent."
"Uh, yeah," Octavia said, "We're from England." The young man let out a chuckle.
"England's a great place," he said, "Me and my dad took a trip to London last year and had quite the time. So, what part are you from?"
"Um," Octavia began, wracking her brain for an answer.
Since she knew nothing of the human world, she had no idea how to answer. She knew if she took too long, he would get suspicious, so she just repeated what he said earlier.
"London," she replied, "We're from London."
"That's cool!" the young man said, "It's a wonderful city! I'm James, by the way."
"Octavia," she replied.
"It's pleasure to meet you," James said, extending his hand.
"Likewise," Octavia said, gently shaking his hand.
"You gonna get some donuts too?" he asked.
"Uh, yeah," Octavia replied, "Which ones do you recommend?"
"Um," James began, looking over the remaining donuts, "The glazed here are my favorites, but the maple bars are pretty good."
He pointed to a pair of elongated pastries. Both were quite thick and covered by a gold-colored glaze. At each end, some of the cream filling could be seen.
"Those look pretty good," Octavia said.
James smiled and handed her a paper bag. She opened the cabinet and grabbed both maple bars with the tongs, stuffing them inside the bag.
Stolas, meanwhile, took a break from the public spectacle to check on Octavia. He smiled when he saw her grabbing pastries while happily chatting with the younger man. He was happy to see her coming out of her shell.
"Well, they seem to be getting along," the older man said.
"Yes they are," Stolas replied, "It's good to Via finally making friends!"
"And it's to see James talking to a girl," the man said, "That spends too much time inside."
"So does Via," Stolas said.
"Yeah, kids these days," the man said, "So, you and your daughter visiting?"
"Yup!" Stolas replied, "No Walmarts in England, so it's always good to make a stop. Me and Via are headed to the festival down in Gilroy after this."
"What, the Red Moon Festival?" the man asked.
"That's the one!" Stolas replied.
"Well, to each their own," the man said with a shrug.
"Speaking of," Stolas began, "We should get going. Don't want to be late. Come on Octavia!"
Octavia turned when she heard her name, seeing Stolas waving his arm. She blushed with embarrassment when James softly chuckled.
"My dad's calling me over," she said.
"Looks like it," James said, "Well it was nice meeting you."
"Nice meeting you as well," Octavia said, "I'll see you later."
She waved goodbye and went to her father's side. Stolas shook the older man's hand as they said their goodbye's before they headed to the meat freezers. James walked over to his father, watching them leave.
"You get her number?" his dad asked.
"No, dad," James groaned.
"Relax, I'm just pulling' your chain," his dad said.
James sighed in annoyance and the two of them resumed their shopping. Across the store, Stolas and Octavia were doing the same. They grabbed a few more items before heading to the self-checkout lanes. After paying, they left the store and returned to the car. Stolas turned on the radio as they left the parking lot and merged back on the highway.
The drive to Gilroy was mostly silent, the only sound coming from the radio. Octavia stared out her window, watching the city of San Jose slowly turn to countryside. Her mind played back her short time with James. While she spoke with him, a strange feeling filled her chest, one she didn't understand. She gripped the bottom of her shirt, rubbing the fabric with her fingers.
Stolas hummed along to the radio, carefully weaving through traffic. He looked over at Octavia, a frown appearing on his face. She was clearly troubled about something, the way she was staring blankly out the window and tightly clutching her shirt. Stolas turned down the radio.
"Octavia, are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she replied, still staring out the window.
"Please Via," Stolas said, "I can tell something's troubling you. Please let me help." Octavie sighed and turned to her father.
"It's that boy," she said, "Something about him, like, gives me this weird feeling in my chest. I don't understand it."
Stolas gripped the steering wheel tighter. He had a good idea what she meant, and that really concerned him. Octavia's personality made it hard for her to make friends, so she spent most of her time alone. Her talk with the boy was the most he'd seen her do in a long time. But if she had feelings for him, well, he wasn't sure what he would do, especially since it was very unlikely they'd meet again.
"Well, uh," Stolas began, stopping for a moment to think, "I think it's because of the...culture shock."
"Culture shock?" Octavia questioned.
"Yes," Stolas replied, "Since this's your first time to the human world, and you're being hit with all these new sights at once, your body's having trouble registering it."
"I guess that makes sense," Octavia said.
"Exactly," Stolas said, "The feeling will pass real soon. For now, let's have fun."
Octavia hummed in agreement and went back to gazing out the window. The highway had turned from a four lane to a two lane, the buildings of the city far behind them. Ten minutes later, signs for Gilroy appeared on the side of the highway.
Turning down a dirt road, they drove past several barns and large fields of crops. After another five minutes of driving, Stolas pulled onto a gravel driveway and parked the car in front of a large barn. Getting out, they walked past the barn, following a path to a small building behind it.
"What is that?" Octavia asked.
"The humans call it a bed and breakfast," Stolas replied, "There's an old couple that owns it. They're quite nice, if a little gullible. This is where we'll stay for the festival."
Octavia nodded and followed Stolas to the house. Like he'd said, the elderly couple were quite nice, welcoming them with open arms. Sitting in her room, Octavia lay on top of the bed. Putting her music in, her thoughts drifting back to James. The strange feeling again filled her chest. Though Stolas had assured her it was normal, something told her it wasn't. Despite this, the feeling wasn't an unwelcome one, in fact, it soon made her smile. Somehow, she'd have to find him again.
Imp City outskirts, the following day:
The demon leaned back in his chair, the cushion squeaking loudly as he did. With one hand, he pulled the cigar from his mouth and blew a puff of smoke towards the ceiling. His other hand slowly dragged itself across his desk, his claws digging into the wood. The imp in front of his desk took a step back, sweat slowly dripping down the side of his face. The demon turned his chair to face him, dumping his cigar in an ashtray.
"Run that by me again," he growled, staring daggers at the imp. Clearing his throat, the imp spoke.
"W-well sir," he stammered, "I w-wasn't able to find h-him."
The demon snarled and jumped from his chair, scrambling over his desk. The imp yelped and turned to run, only making it a few feet before the demon was upon him. Wrapping his hands around the imp's neck, the demon squeezed as hard as he could.
The imp gagged and grabbed the demon's wrists. He pulled with all his strength but was unable to pry the demon's hands from his neck. A black cloud formed on the edges of his vision, slowly filling his view. He began to fade, feeling his life leave him. His grip loosened as his muscles went limp, a ringing present in his ears. Soon, weightlessness filled his body, and everything faded away.
The demon released his grip and stood to his feet, staring at the dead imp on his floor. Spitting on his face, the demon turned and sat back at his desk. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialed the number at the top of his contact list. The line rang a few times before it picked up.
"Hello?" a male from voice asked.
"Gareth, it's me," the demon replied.
"Oh you," Gareth groaned, "The hell you want, this time?"
"To rant about that little shit you sent me!" the demon snarled, "I've been in hell less than three damn days, and even I know imps are unless!"
"Get over yourself!" Gareth growled, "Despite what you think, imps have their uses."
"Really?" the demon asked, "Because I gave this imp a pretty easy task, and it seemed too hard for him."
"What was he doing anyway?" Gareth asked.
"He was tailing a target," the demon replied, "Someone important to my plan."
"And what is your plan?" Gareth asked. The demon was silent for a moment before he spoke.
"I'm trying to get back to the surface," he replied. Gareth burst out laughing, making the other grit his teeth.
"You're a funny man," he chuckled, "But you can't bullshit a bullshitter."
"I'm quite serious, asshole," the demon sneered.
"Oh? How do you plan on doing that?" Gareth asked.
"You've heard of Asmodian Crystals?" the demon asked.
"Yeah. What about 'em?" Gareth asked.
"That's what I'm gonna use," the demon replied. Gareth scoffed at that.
"You think the Owl Prince is just gonna give you one?" he asked.
"Like I know who that is," the demon scoffed, "I was talking about taking one from either an incubus or succubus. Those sluts use them to travel to the surface."
"I suppose that makes sense," Gareth said.
"That's why I asked for the imp," the demon continued, "I saw an ad for this Verosika Mayday playing a show in Pentagram City, and I wanted that imp to tail her entourage. I figured he wouldn't raise suspicion."
"If she's in Pentagram City it would," Gareth said, "Imps don't typically go there."
"It doesn't matter now," the demon sighed, "Since he couldn't even manage that."
"So, what's Plan B?" Gareth asked.
"I guess now I get my hands dirty," the demon replied.
"Need help?" Gareth asked, "I ain't had any action in a while."
"Sure," the demon replied, "Give me a few days to adjust my plan, and give you a call."
"Thanks!" Gareth said happily, "Looking forward to it."
He then hung up the line, the dial tone ringing in the demon's ear. Tossing his phone on the desk, he looked back at the imp's body. He sighed and stood up from the desk. Picking the imp up from the floor, he carried it over to the window. Opening it, he shoved the imp through, and his body landed inside a dumpster below. Slamming the window shut, he sat back down at his desk.
Resting his elbows on top, he buried his face in his hands. His plan had barely started and was already facing a setback. He took a deep breath to calm down, sliding his hands down his face. On the brighter side, Gareth was eager to help. And he was much more competent than an imp, at least as far as he could tell. Hopefully, with his help, he could get his plan back on track. Opening the drawer on the side of his desk, he pulled out a Kimber Warrior. The imp brought him the gun yesterday, apparently getting it from one of Hell's smugglers. The demon rolled the gun in his hands, running his fingers over the finish.
"Maybe that imp had some use after all," he muttered.
Too late for that now, but it did give him an idea. Maybe instead of an incubus, he could track down one of these smugglers. Since they get items from the surface, they should have Asmodian Crystals of their own. It would be much easier than trying to rob an incubus, but then again, he loved a challenge. Setting the gun on the desk, he leaned back in the chair and placed his arms behind his head, a new plan forming in his mind.
I.M.P. Headquarters, same time:
Blizto downed the rest of his coffee before slammed the mug on his desk, shattered it into several pieces. He picked up his phone and unlocked the screen, fighting back a growl when he saw no response from Stolas. Dropping the phone on his desk, he rubbed his face in frustration. Of all the times Stolas would need the Grimoire. A knock came from the door before it slowly opened, Moxxie shoving his head through the crack.
"Sir, the clients are starting to get impatient," he said.
"Tell 'em to get over it," Blizto mumbled.
"I'm not doing that, sir," Moxxie said.
"Well, what do you want me to do!?" Blitzo snapped, slamming his hands on his desk, "Stolas isn't back yet! We can't do shit without that book!"
He stood from his desk and began pacing back and forth. Moxxie stepped inside and closed the door, watching Blitzo with concern. For the first time in a while, they had a lot of clients, but with the Grimoire in Stolas' possession, they couldn't take a single job.
"Why of all times!" Blitzo grumbled through clenched teeth.
"When did he say he'd be back, sir?" Moxxie asked.
"Tomorrow," Blitzo replied.
"Ok, well, let's tell the clients to come back then," Moxxie suggested.
Blitzo stopped pacing and turned to face him. Moxxie stared back, realizing he had made a mistake. He slowly backed to the door, reaching out to grab the knob.
"Moxxie," Blitzo said, his soft tone hiding his rage, "Get the fuck out."
He nodded and quickly left the office, lest he'd feel Blitzo's wrath. Once he was gone, Blizto returned to his desk, checking his phone again. Still nothing from Stolas. He growled and went to his contact list, selecting his number. Putting the phone to his ear, he waited for the line to pick up, but it never did. With an annoyed sigh, he shoved his phone into his pocket and left his office.
The angry voices of his clients filled the hall. Normally Blitzo wouldn't care, but this time his clients sounded serious. He could hear Moxxie trying to calm them down, and it obviously wasn't working. Millie's voice soon joined the fray, meaning things would get bloody real soon. As much as Blitzo loved seeing people die, it would be bad for business if his clients were dead.
Entering the lobby, he saw a large group of demons standing in the center of the room. They were yelling over each other, making their speech incomprehensible. A few feet away, Moxxie was gripping Millie under her arms, keeping her from bisecting the other demons with the battle axe she held in her hands. Loona sat at her desk, her nose buried in her phone. Blizto facepalmed, a growl escaping his throat. He didn't need this. He took a deep breath before shouting to silence the room.
"Shut the fuck up!" he shouted.
Immediately, the room went completely silent, and all heads turned his way. Blitzo stomped into the room, slamming his hands on Loona's desk, his employees moving away from him. None had since him his mad before.
"I want all of you to form a line, tell us your target, then get the fuck out!" he snarled.
The demons present groaned in annoyance before forming the line. One by one, they gave Blitzo their respective targets, filing out of the office moments later. Once the last demon left, he slumped against the wall with a heavy sigh. The others gave him a moment to calm down. After a few minutes of slow heavy breathing, Blitzo rose from the wall.
"Alright," he said, "M and M, you two gather what you can on the targets. I'm gonna check on Stolas."
He quickly left the office, taking the elevator down to the parking lot. Getting into his van, he sped down the highway towards Stolas' Mansion. He pulled into his driveway twenty minutes later, somewhat amazed he only caused one accident on the way. Jumping out of his van, he ran to the front door, repeatedly jamming his finger against the doorbell. He continued pressing the button even as he heard footsteps rapidly approaching the door. It swung open seconds later, a giant, white owl demon glaring down at him. He immediately recognized the demon, one he was hoping to never see again.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked.
"Hey Stella," Blitzo said, "Is Stolas here? I need to ask a favor."
"What? Get his ass ready so you two can soil our bed with your disgusting affair?" Stella asked, her glare becoming more intense.
"Uh...no, no," Blitzo said, her glare making him nervous, "I actually need to, uh, borrow something from him, one of his books."
Stella continued glaring at him, making him wonder if that was her permanent expression. The silence stretched on for nearly a minute before she answered.
"He's not here," she said, "He's attending one of his ridiculous festivals."
"Yeah, he mentioned that last time we...hung out," Blitzo said, "I was hoping he'd be back today."
"He should be back tomorrow," Stella said, "Then you two can get back to ruining our marriage."
"Great! See you later," Blitzo said.
"Fuck off," Stella replied, slamming the door in his face.
"God, what a bitch," Blitzo muttered, heading back to his van.
He started the engine and drove back to his office, running every red light and stop sign along the way. Barging into the conference room fifteen minutes later, he was greeted by the sight of scattered papers and sticky notes. Moxxie in front of the blackboard on the far side of the room, pointing at various papers that were taped to it. Millie was sitting in a chair behind him, struggling to stay awake. Blitzo sighed in annoyance. He was gone for maybe forty minutes and Moxxie was already messing things up.
"Moxxie, what the fuck are you doing?" he asked. Moxxie turned around, giving him a questioning look.
"Research on the targets," he replied, "Like you asked me to do." Blizto ground his teeth together.
"Did you need to trash the office?" he asked.
"I...no," Moxxie replied.
"Clean this up," Blitzo sighed, heading to his office.
Moxxie grumbled and flipped him the bird as he left before turning back to the board. He continued reading his findings on the targets, unaware Millie had fallen asleep.
Imp City outskirts, eight hours later:
The demon crouched behind a dumpster, peeking out from the side. The imp at the far side of the alley was playing on his phone, the outside world far from his mind. Satisfied he hadn't been, the demon slumped back against the dumpster, releasing the breath he held. He glanced down at the glass bottle he'd accidentally kicked, sending it a glare as if it was its fault.
He peeked around the dumpster a second time, seeing the imp was still oblivious to his presence. He watched the imp for a few more minutes before another stepped into the alley. He could see this one was female, the shapely frame and skimpy outfit giving that away. The other imp stuffed his phone back into his pocket and began speaking with her.
The demon pulled out his phone and began recording the imps. The two continued taking for another minute before the male imp picked up the duffle bag by his feet and handed it to the female imp. Taking it from his hand, she placed it under her arm and shook his hand. The imp waved her goodbye and left the alley. The female imp raised her other arm and pressed the sides of the small watch on her wrist. The face emitted a light purple glow before an orb floated from it, stopping a couple feet away. The orb expanded and a forest appeared in the center. The demon's jaw dropped in shock. He recognized the place. Lake Tahoe, his favorite vacation spot. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He aimed his camera at the imp's watch, using the zoom to get a better look. It resembled a cut diamond, its center glowing a bright purple. He realized now he was looking at an Asmodian Crystal. He watched the imp walk through the portal, setting the bag down in front of a bush. The branches parted and a human stepped out. The demon zoomed in even further, taking in his appearance. He was dressed in a green uniform, something akin to a park ranger or summer camp counselor. His long brown hair was bound in a ponytail, and a pair of large glasses sat over his eyes. Despite the presence of a demon in front of him, the human showed no fear. In fact, he seemed happy to see her. The demon watched in amazement as the human and the imp wrapped each other in a tight hug just as the portal closed.
Ending the recording, the demon shoved his phone back into his pocket and left the alley. As he walked back to his warehouse, his mind formulated a plan. He needed to get that crystal from the imp, preferably sooner than later. And with Gareth agreeing to help, tracking and capturing her shouldn't be difficult.
As he entered the gates to the warehouse, his mind floated to the human. The way he smiled and hugged the imp. It was clear they were either close friends or a couple, the latter raising many more questions. Maybe, once they captured the imp, they could use him for leverage. The demon entered his office, locking the door behind him. Laying down on his cot, he laid his head back and stared at the ceiling, his plan flowing through his mind until sleep finally claimed him.
Stolas' Mansion, two hours later:
A portal opened in the center of the library, filling the room with an orange-purple light. From the center, Stolas and Octavia walked through, changing back into their demon forms. Stolas set his Grimoire on top of a desk as they left the room.
"Did you have fun, Octavia?" he asked.
"I did," she replied, "It was scary, but an amazing experience!"
"I'm glad you loved it!" Stolas said, "Now-"
"Stolas!" a shrill female voice shouted from the end of the hall. Stolas winced and turned towards the voice, seeing Stella standing with her hands on her hips.
"Stella," Stolas said nervously, "How are you this morning?"
"Oh, spare me!" Stella snapped, "That imp came here yesterday looking for you."
"Blitzy?" Stolas questioned.
"As if I know or care what his name is," Stella said.
"Well, what did he want?" Stolas asked.
"Your book!" Stella shouted, "You've been giving your book to that imp!?"
"What do you care!?" Stolas shouted in a rare display of anger, "You don't even know what it does!"
Octavia rolled her eyes and hurried to her room, ignoring her parents' bickering. They weren't even back for a minute and her parents were already fighting. Stuffing her ear buds in, she turned on her music. She let her mind fade away, getting lost in the soft rock her phone played. Images of her time in the human world flashed across her eyes, the strange yet familiar sights. Then, James appeared, and Octavia felt that same feeling filling her chest. A smile appeared on her face. Though they met briefly, he'd left an impact on her. She pulled out an earbud. she could still hear her parents bickering, though they'd moved downstairs. She sighed and stuffed the bud back in.
She was tired of her parents fighting. There was a time when they loved each other, or at least pretended to, but those days were long gone. It was starting to wear on her. She tried to be happy, force whenever she and Stolas were together, but she was reaching her limit. Thinking to the human world, she realized it was the happiest she'd been in a long time. And James. The more she thought about him, the more she wanted to see him again. Stolas said what she was feeling was simply culture shock, but she doubted that was true. Something in the back of her mind told her the feeling was more than that. Maybe he was the key to finding happiness again.
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the long delay, but here we are. It's a shorter chapter this time, but I didn't want to keep you waiting. The next chapter will be longer. It'll be a while before its uploaded, as I need to catch up on Haunted and MHWA, plus finish the intro to my new project, which should be uploaded next month. For now, please enjoy this chapter. Constructive criticism welcome.