Danika was having a good dream when she got woken to the sounds of screaming and crashing.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER WORD FROM YOU, STOLAS!!"

... It's her adoptive mother, Stella.

Danika sighed and closed her eyes, trying to tune out their shouting. Suddenly, the door was slammed open from her room, and she turned to see angry Stella.

"Get up! We're going shopping!" she shouted.

"... What?" Danika questioned in shock.

Stella grabbed her wrist and pulled her quickly out of bed.

"You heard me- get your ass up, we're going shopping."

At first, Danika thought this might be a perfect opportunity to spend some time with her, but when she started to get dressed after putting on her transformation necklace. Stella was unhappy with how Danika was dressed like a normal girl.

"No! Dress up something else! You look like a commoner!"

Danika was in disbelief at what she just said and decided to change another clothes, not wanting to argue with her. When she changed into something casual, Stella is still unhappy.

"No, no! You look like a slut! What is this?! A nightclub?! Dress up something more fancy and formal! Like you're an actual princess for once!" she shouted, making Danika reluctantly change another clothes.

Stella crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, leaning against the wall and tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for Danika to change.

"I don't want you looking like some cheap street skank. I want you to look like the princess you're supposed to be."

Danika eventually found something that looks like a princess outfit with a hint of modern theme and showed it to Stella. Stella nodded approvingly.

"Good, that's more like it. Let's go then, chop chop."

Stella grab Danika's wrist again, leading her out of her room, down the hallway, through the halls, and outside the front door, where the car awaits.

She open the car door, ushering Danika in as well as herself. The driver starts the car and off they go. Stella sat back in the seat next to Danika, checking her feathered hair in the mirror a few times and looking out the window.

"So... where are we shopping off to?" Danika asked curiously.

Stella simply rolled her eyes again, looking back out the window.

"It will be more fun for me than it will be for you, I can assure you that."

The car pulls up to the boutique after about 15 minutes of driving, and Stella open the car door, stepping out.

"Let's go."

Danika nodded and followed after her. She's starting to not like Stella at the way she talks to her. Stella started walking towards the boutique, her heels clacking on the sidewalk with each step. Once they reach the boutique, Stella open the door and gesture for Danika to go inside first, wanting to keep up the act of being a 'proper mommy'.

Once inside, the boutique is filled with high-class clothes: expensive dresses, extravagant shoes, and beautiful jewelry. Stella lead Danika over to a rack of dresses.

"Go on then, start trying on dresses. I want to see you in something more princess-like than a pair of jeans and a hoodie."

"Alright." Danika said, looking through the dresses.

She found some very nice dresses that match her purple hair and eyes. Danika could even use them when she go out for a party and anything. These dresses look comfortable enough. She even found a nice-looking black dress that reminds her of her sister, Octavia.

She thought this would suit her and get it for her as a souvenir from her first ever shop with Stella.

Stella lean against a nearby rack, watching carefully as Danika looked through the dresses. She was impressed to see Danika find a bunch of nice dresses, but when she picked up the black dress, her interest piqued.

"Ah, good choice. That one is a nice one." Stella said.

"Oh, this one is for Octavia. But I already found others that I need for today." Danika said, grabbing the rest of the dresses that caught her eye.

Stella tilt her head slightly, slightly surprised that Danika chose something for Octavia instead of herself.

"For Octavia? Well, that's... quite thoughtful of you," she replied, a hint of surprise in her voice. "You clearly have good taste."

"She's my sister. I like to show my appreciation and love for her."

Stella nodded in approval, a small smile tugging at the corners of her beak.

"I see. Well, it's good to see you taking care of your sister like that. I suppose you're not completely hopeless after all." she said with a hint of sarcasm, her eyes flickering over the dresses Danika have chosen.

"Now, go and try those on. I want to see how they look."

Danika nodded and started trying on dresses for Stella to see as she did some poses.

Stella stood off to the side, watching as Danika tried on dress after dress, her arms crossed. Stella found herself quite impressed by the choices Danika made, silently admitting that Danika had a good sense of style.

"Hm, you certainly know how to pick good outfits... I can't deny that."

Stella studied Danika closely as she modeled the dresses, her eyes flickering from head to toe as Stella tried to find something to critique but failed.

"You know, you actually look... pretty decent." she managed to get out.

"Thanks. So we're good?" Danika asked.

Stella took another moment to assess Danika's outfits before reluctantly nodding.

"Yeah, I guess we're good." she said, a hint of reluctance in her voice. "You're not as useless as I thought."

"Thanks...?" Danika said in question.

Stella rolled my eyes slightly in response, crossing her arms again.

"You're welcome. Now, come on, let's pay for these dresses and get out of here."

She lead her over to the counter and start placing the dresses on the counter. The shop owner looked at the dresses, then at Stella and Danika, a smile on her face.

"Wow, what beautiful dresses you have picked out. You have great taste."

"Thanks." Danika smiled at her.

The shop owner rang up the prices of each dress, the total coming out to a pretty hefty amount but Stella didn't bat an eyelid, paying without complaint.

"There you go, all paid for." she said, handing the dresses in bags to Danika and heading for the door.

Danika carefully carried the bags over to the car and placed them in the back of the car before heading inside the car next to Stella. Once they were both settled in the car, Stella leaned back in her seat and let out a sigh, running a hand through her feathered hair.

"Well, that was... less of a disaster than I expected."

"Which is good, right? So, where to?" Danika asked.

Stella shrugged, looking out the window.

"I suppose so. As for where we're going next... there's this little café that I've been wanting to try. They serve some pretty good coffee, or so I've heard."

"That sounds good." Danika nodded.

Stella nodded and gestured for the driver to take them there as they started driving through the streets. As they drive, Danika wonder something as she look at Stella.

"How did you meet dad? Were you in love?"

Stella turn her head to look at Danika, a pensive expression on her face as she asked about how she met Stolas.

"Love? Well, it certainly didn't start that way. As a Goetia princess, I had... obligations. One of them was to marry someone of high status. That's where Stolas comes in."

"Really? As in arranged marriage?" Danika asked in shock.

Stella nodded.

"It's a tradition to birth the precautionary heir to the Goetia." she explained.

"Have you ever... feel love? Do you two like each other?"

This made Stella let out a haughty laugh, rolling her eyes at Danika's question.

"Love? With Stolas? Ha! You must be joking. It was never about love. It was all about politics, power, and status. Our marriage has always been more of a transaction than anything else."

She shake her head, a scoff escaping her beak.

"I'd say our relationship is more like a business partnership than anything else. We tolerated each other for the sake of appearances, but there was never any genuine love or affection between us. Just a mutual understanding of the roles we had to play."

This made Danika frown.

https://youtu.be/p-OMdwzGkeQ

She look out the car window where she can see the view of Pentagram City buildings they pass by. Danika have never been in love before, but it does make her wonder what it feels like to actually love someone who will care for her.

I'm just a girl, arms open wide
Looking for kindness
Somewhere in your eyes
I'm looking for something I may never find
All I want is love

As the car continued its journey through the streets of Pentagram City, the towering buildings a blur outside the window, Stella noticed Danika's frown. She knew what she was thinking, but Stella couldn't bring herself to express any sympathy. Love was just a weakness, a thing that wasn't meant for people like them.

What you want doesn't exist
Love ain't it

Danika looks at Stella and starts singing.

You say, "Love ain't it"
It makes me weak
But how'd I know if I ain't felt it yet?
You say, "Love ain't it"
And I wish I could compete
With all the grief that you've experienced

Stella scoffs and sings along.

Love ain't it
And nothing's as sweet
As when you defeat all your enemies
I say, "Love ain't it"
And fear is more important if we'rе gonna rule for centuries, oh-oh

The imps noticed Stella in the car as it drove past them and sang.

Could it rеally be her?
They're saying there's no one worse
No one's as mean
Mean as the queen, mean as the queen
She's been gone for years
But now she's appeared, so hide under your beds
Under your beds (Queen of Stars: Alright, here we go)
Be careful of what you do
Be careful of what you say (Queen of Stars: That's right)
Or it'll be off with your head, off with your head (Queen of Stars: Out of my way, pleebs)
Be careful where you go, don't make her upset (Queen of Stars: Blah, blah, blah)
Or else, it'll be off with your head

Stella chuckled, feeling prideful to see those people scared of her. She then saw another female Goetia and scowled. Danika noticed and got curious.

So, you knew her?

I saw through her, Cinder and I were hatchmates (Danika: No way)
I spend way too much time in that place
So I had to escape (Danika: Okay)
The people here might smile
But they're two-faced and too fake

Wait, there's another Goetia manor?

Nope, wasn't even called that yet

Wow, that girl was super rude
What's her problem? What's her deal?

Some people act mean at first
Cause they're too afraid to feel
It's survival, it's protection
That's why roses grow their thorns

Come on, whose side are you on?
The only one worse than her is her mom

Look, hon, back in the day
A mean prank was played
And ever since that fateful day
She was never quite the same, it's a shame

What happened? Is it okay to ask?

We came to celebrate the future, sweetie
Not dwell on the past

Haha, stand aside, the queen's arrived!
Look at them, so innocent
Can't believe they let us in
Watch 'em pay the consequence for being so dang insolent
Can't you smell their cowardice?
Soak it up, devour it
Treats are for the weak
Let me show you what real power is
Quick, Danika, you gotta follow along
One day, you'll be on the throne
Automatic, just how I planned it

What about what I want?

They're gon' fall like parachutes
They're gon' crawl to me on all fours

What did they ever do to you?

Danika, what are you arguing for?
I don't speak politician, I'm a queen
Your submission's what I need
On your knees, kneel to me
Royalty, you should listen, or you'll wind up in a prison
You'll be living in a dungeon underground

Love ain't it (People: Love)
Let me show you what (People: Ain't) real true power is (People: It)
It's when I say you only live if I let you (People: Power) live
And you should take what I give when I'm givin' it
And what I'm givin', love ain't it
Love ain't it (People: Love), love ain't it (People: Ain't)
Love ain't it, na-na-na
Love ain't it (People: Love), love ain't it (People: Ain't)
Love ain't it, oh, na-na (Love ain't it)

Stella hold out a mirror compact for Danika to see a future reflection of herself as a princess standing besides Stella, who's sitting on a throne, along with Octavia standing on the other side.

Look into the mirror, it's your destiny
Rule a million years with you all perfectly
Swimmin' in their tears, won't they taste so sweet?
There's a new dawn in Hell
Your gonna take the crown and then put it on
Your gonna take the crown and do what I want
You're gonna make me proud when you take that throne

Love ain't it (People: Love)
Let me show you what (People: Ain't) real true power is (People: It)
It's when I say you only live if I let you (People: Power) live
And you should take what I give when I'm givin' it
And what I'm 't it

Love ain't it (People: Love), love ain't it (People: Ain't)
Love ain't it, na-na-na
Love ain't it (People: Love), love ain't it (People: Ain't)

Love ain't it, oh, na-na (Love ain't it)

Stella finishes her last song as she flicks her feathered hair.

Love ain't, mm
Love ain't it

They later made it to the cafe. Stella step out of the car, taking a deep breath as she scan the exterior of the café. It looks elegant and sophisticated, just like she hoped it would be. Stella motion for Danika to follow her as she stride towards the entrance

Stella open the café's door and step inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries filling the air. She take in the cozy ambiance, the soft lighting, and the elegant decor. This place is definitely up to her standards, obviously. She gesture for Danika to follow as she make her way over to an empty table near the window, taking a seat. Stella look around, eyes briefly scanning the other patrons in the café. There are a mix of regular demons and higher-ranking demons, but she pay them no mind. As she takes a seat along with Danika, a waiter approaches, ready to take their orders.

They order their coffee and pastries they like to try before the waiter left. Minutes later, the waiter came over with their order. Stella and Danika silently enjoy their time, taking in the atmosphere of the cafe.

Stella takes a sip of her coffee, the rich, flavorful liquid warming her throat. She let out a small sigh of contentment, the stress from earlier fading away as she enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the café. She glance over at Danika, taking in her expression as she savor her own pastry.

Stella swirled her coffee in her fancy cup, lost in thought. She had to admit, spending time with Danika like this was... pleasant. Although she would never admit it out loud, there was something oddly nostalgic about this moment. Despite their strained relationship, they were here together, sharing this simple moment in a quiet café. Stella took another sip of her coffee, breaking the silence.

"This place isn't half bad, I have to admit."

"It is. It's good. It's relaxing too." Danika agreed, biting her pastry.

Stella nodded in agreement, taking a bite of her own pastry. The flaky crust and sweet filling melted on her tongue, the flavors exploding in hrr mouth. It was absolutely divine.

"Mmm... this really is good. They certainly know how to make pastries here."

Stella savor another bite, the sweet pastry and coffee blending together in perfect harmony. She lean back in her seat, feeling more relaxed than she have been in a long time. It was strange to feel so at ease around Danika, but she couldn't deny that this was a nice change of pace.

Danika glance at Stella, seeing how calm she is. She thought she would be annoyed and mad all the time, but spending time with her is fine.

"You know, maybe after this, we can do more shopping you recommend?" she suggested.

Stella raised an eyebrow at Danika's suggestion, surprised but not entirely against the idea. A small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

"More shopping, you say? I won't say no to that. There are a few high-end boutiques I've had my eye on that we can hit up next. Maybe I'll even let you choose some things for yourself."

"That would be great." Danika gave her a small smile.

Before they knew it, they spent the next few hours wandering through the streets, stopping at various boutiques and shops. Stella lead Danika through each one, showing her the latest fashion and picking out pieces for her. Surprisingly, Stella was less critical and more open to her choices, genuinely enjoying the time they were spending together.

As the day wore on, their arms became laden with shopping bags, each one holding a new treasure to add to our collection. They took a moment to rest on a nearby bench, their bodies somewhat exhausted but satisfied with the day's purchases.

Stella noticed an expensive looking restaurant and decided to order a takeout. She snapped her fingers, and the imp butler came quickly.

"Put these in the back of the car." she said, giving him a handful of shopping bags hers and Danika's.

"R-Right away!" he said, struggling to hold as he walked towards the car that was parked nearby.

Stella turned to Danika.

"I'm gonna order our food. You stay here."

"Shouldn't we have dinner in the palace?" Danika asked, wanting to cook.

"Nah, I'd rather eat something more good." Stella said, giving her a dismissive wave, ignoring her question about dinner in the palace.

Stella had a taste for something different tonight, something that didn't include the stuffy atmosphere of the Goetia castle.

"Don't worry. This is going to be much better than whatever the chefs would cook up back home. Trust me on this."

Danika nodded as Stella walked over to the restaurant, taking in the elegant decor and refined ambiance. The waitstaff were dressed in crisp uniforms and greeted guests with a practiced air of professionalism. This was definitely a high-end establishment, just the kind of place Stella was looking for.

Danika suddenly had a visceral feeling that someone was watching her while she waited for Stella to make her order. Danika scans her surroundings warily, hoping to identify the culprit. She turned in time to see a familiar spade tail and cowboy hat as they quickly made their way into the building after hearing the sound of a familiar snake rattling. Danika glared as she stepped off the bench and began running after them. She entered and followed the specific imp she recognized, avoiding and apologizing to the demon people along the way.

Danika caught up to them quickly, and as the door closed behind them, she shot through it. The inside was poorly lighted, with shadows playing over the walls. With his back to her, Striker positioned himself in the middle, seeming intimidating against the dim light, his figure accentuated by the neon lights coming from outside. He turned to face her, a smirk on his lips, without saying anything.

"So we meet again. You're just a persistent little varmint, ain't ya?" Striker drawled, a sly grin on his face. "Makin' my job a whole lot harder than it oughta be."

With the flick of his wrist, Striker's hands held two angelic handguns that gleamed menacingly in the low light. Danika pulled out the hidden weapon she had taken with her and opened fire. However, Striker moved quickly, flipping through the air with ease and dodging her bullets with an almost uncanny grace. He fired back, his rounds reverberating across the small room. The sound of gunfire filled the room as Danika dodged and swerved, the bullets skimming past her with deadly accuracy, creating a lethal dance. However, she could hear the sound of an empty magazine clicking as she kept shooting. She realized with a dismal sense that she had run out of ammunition and had forgotten to pack her swords. Danika closed the distance between herself and Striker and sprang forward with all her strength, determined not to let anything stop her. She moved suddenly, taking Striker by surprise. He staggered back and hit the window with his body. Danika was met by the night air as they both gave it their all and crashed through the glass. As she fell through the air, the world whirled around her, with the ground below her suddenly rising to embrace her. Danika lost all feeling in her body as she fell on top of Striker. Only a few feet away from them, her necklace dropped and skidded to the floor, sending it flying off of her neck. Danika stumbled to her feet and turned back into a human.

Striker whipped his tail around her waist, sending her crashing beneath him, teasingly saying, "I'd never stop a lady from gettin' on top."

Danika let out a groan as her head struck the alleyway's concrete.

Holding her hands against the ground, he said, "But I reckon this here's more fittin'."

She shot back, "In your sickest dreams," shoving her knee into his stomach and snatching her hands out of his hold.

Punches flew from both sides as Striker attempted to shield his face from Danika's onslaught of blows. The alleyway was dangerous, dirty, and full with debris. Although they managed to avoid the used needles, Danika's flesh was pierced by glass fragments that fell to the ground, leaving bloodstains on the pavement. They were engaged in a fierce battle for supremacy. Although Striker had incredible strength, Danika was just as determined. As the fight continued, the alley was filled with the sounds of fists, groans, and the occasional curse. Danika did not give up in the face of suffering and overwhelming odds. She delivered blow after strike, driven by adrenaline. It looked like an unending battle, a vicious dance of fighting in the dark alley. Finally, through breaths, Danika took the upper hand and pushed him against the wall while gripping his neck with her hands. The two of them were out of breath.

This was her opportunity to kill him instantly, saving her father in the process. Ready to pull the trigger, she snatched up Striker's angelic weapon and aimed it at his face. She only needs to click to finish him, so why is she hesitant to end his life? As she looked into those bright yellow eyes, filled with agony, sorrow, and loss, she felt something that she shouldn't have. Danika let out a softening sigh and let go of the weapon. Striker was surprised by this at her mercy. Turning to face him, Danika maintained her hold on his neck.

"Why do you hate royals so much? What did they ever do to you?" she asked, wanting to know.

"...You'll never understand. Royals do whatever they want without consent. Take away everything you worked hard for and cared for. Treating you like a lower class." Striker said, glaring at her.

"But not everyone is like that." she said.

"Tell that to your dad." he scoffed.

This made Danika glare at him.

"Dad would never. Sure the way he talks to Blitz is very concerning and he should be careful at how he talk to him."

"Oh, so now you see that?"

"It doesn't matter. He's my family."

Danika then released Striker to let him breathe.

"I need to go. But you better not tell anyone about me being a human. It's bad enough that you only know about it." she said and started walking away.

"Danika." Striker called, making her stop.

"What?" she asked.

"You dropped this."

He holds out her necklace with his tail. Danika's eyes widen that she did not realize that she's out of her disguise. She was about to take it back when he moved it away from her.

"Why do you trust that royal blueblood adopted dad of yours? Are you willing to die for him?" he asked seriously.

"You wouldn't understand either. I owe him everything. And if I have to die, at least I'm willing to protect that are worth it." she stated, looking straight at him in the eyes.

Striker was surprised for a moment before chuckling.

"Heh. So we both have our own ways worth fighting for. Very well. Until we meet again, Danika."

He hands her back her necklace before disappearing into the shadow with a snake rattling being echoed. Danika stares to where he had gone before placing her necklace back on and transforming into an owl demon. She walks out of the alley on time to see Stella walking out of the restaurant with food bags in hand. Stella notices Danika and her eyes widens in shock to see her. Danika looked like she's gone through hell and back, her body covered in scratches and blood staining her clothes.

"What the fuck happened to you?!" Stella exclaimed.

"Just got scratched by some cat." Danika lied.

Stella raised an eyebrow at Danika's attempt to brush off her injuries as mere scratches from a cat. It was obvious that her wounds were far more serious than that. She gave her a skeptical look, not buying her excuse for a second.

"Scratched by a cat, huh? That's the best you could come up with?" Stella replied dryly, eyes flickering over Danika's injuries. "Those wounds look much worse than something a mere cat could do."

"I'm fine. I managed to fight it off." Danika assured her, not wanting to mention she had a fight with Striker that tried to kill her dad.

Stella stared at her for a moment, knowing there's more to it than just fighting off some cat. She decides not to question her and checks on Danika's injuries and lets out a disapproving huff, clearly not convinced by Danika's explanation. However, she knew it was no use trying to argue with her. Sometimes, Danika can be as stubborn as a mule.

"Just... just let me take a look." Stella said, gently examining Danika's wounds, taking note of each scratch and bruise covering her body.

She carefully ran her fingers over her cuts and scrapes, my eyes narrowing as she observed the severity of Danika's injuries. Some of these looked deep, and Stella could see the hints of dried droplets of blood on her clothes.

"These are a lot more than just scratches, Danika. This is serious."

Stella gently lifted her chin, examining her facial wounds. There were a few cuts along her cheek and a particularly nasty bruise forming below her eye.

"And what about your face? Did the cat do this too?" she asked.

"Yeah. But I messed that cat up right back at it." Danika said with a hint of pride.

Stella shake her head in disbelief at Danika's stubborn insistence that everything is fine, but she knew better than to argue with her. As much as Stella wanted to scold her for being so careless, she instead chose to focus on treating her injuries.

"Come on. We'll go back to the car and patch you up there. You look like a walking nightmare right now."

"Gee... Thanks." Danika mumbled, nodding.

Stella rolled her eyes at Danika's sarcastic response, but knew deep down she knew she was in need of some patching up. Stella took her arm, gently guiding her back to the car. Once they were inside, Stella rummaged through one of the shopping bags, pulling out a first-aid kit she had bought earlier.

She pulled out various supplies - antiseptic wipes, gauze, bandages, ointment - and laid them out on the nearby console. Stella then turned to Danika, gesturing for her to come closer.

"Alright, let's take a look at those wounds. Sit down and let me clean you up."

Danika nodded and did what she was told as Stella carefully cleaned Danika's wounds, wiping away any dried blood gently with the antiseptic wipes. She applied the ointment to her cuts, making sure each one was properly treated.

"You really did a number on yourself this time," she said, shaking her head in mild disapproval.

Once Stella made sure all of her cuts were cleaned and treated, she started to wrap gauze and bandage over the more severe wounds. She worked diligently and efficiently, taking extra care to ensure everything was properly secured.

"You really need to be more careful, Danika." Stella scolded gently as she finished wrapping the last bandage. "These kind of injuries are no joke. You're lucky none of these need stitches."

"I'll try." Danika nodded. "Today was... a good shopping experience."

Stella raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by Danika's positive comment while covered in bandages.

"You consider today a 'good shopping experience'? You were practically bleeding everywhere."

"Well, I'm fine and well. Plus, it's nice spending time with a mom." Danika said.

Stella paused for a moment, expression softening a bit at her words. Even though it was a little strange to be called 'mom', she couldn't deny that spending time with Danika today felt... nice.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her beak.

Danika smiled back as Stella finished bandaging her before ordering the driver to take them back to the mansion. Stella leaned back in her seat, exhaustion finally catching up to her after the eventful day. She glanced over at Danika, who looked a little better now that her wounds were treated.

"You're lucky you're tough, kid. Not everyone could have handled all those scratches and scrapes like you did."

Stella took a deep breath, trying to relax a little. The car ride back to the mansion was quiet, but it was a comfortable sort of silence. She found herself reflecting on the day's events, and surprisingly, Stella didn't mind how things turned out. Spending time with Danika and going shopping was... enjoyable, in its own way.

Danika knew Stella enjoyed their time together as much as she is. She glanced at the car window, feeling at peace. As the car neared the Goetia mansion, Stella couldn't deny a small sense of anticipation building within me. Part of her was eager to finally have some time to herself, to relax and unwind in peace.

But another part of her, a small part that she would never admit aloud, was a little reluctant for the day to end. Spending time with Danika had been... nice.