The Daughter of Rose Ash

Chapter 1 - It Starts With Murder

Octavia's POV

"So, theoretically speaking, if I were to commit manslaughter, how much time do you think I'd serve, Ozzie?" I ask the goat kid next to me. He's a literal goat, like my pet goat, not a kid that's part goat- i'm rambling, sorry.

Of course I don't expect the goat to answer my question, I just feel empty inside if I'm not talking or listening to someone. I know it's weird, but that's how I am. The people Ozzie and I pass on the street give me a few judgemental glances, but their opinions are probably shit anyway so why should I care?

Who knows why they're so judgemental of me and my goat having a nice walk. Maybe it's the fact that I'm a twenty-one year old woman skipping down the street like I'm eight. Or it could be the giant five foot scythe slung across my back. Probably the fact I'm talking to Ozzie.

"Little Mary Phagan, she went to town one day, she went to the pencil factory to get her little pay," I softly sing under my breath. Like I said, I can't be silent.

Ozzie suddenly bleats, staring at a man.

"Found him already? Great job Asmodeous, looks like we will be home in time to watch Bluey," I say pridefully, which makes sense considering I live in the Pride ring of Hell. Did I forget to mention I live in Hell?

The target, a teenage boy with fluffy black hair, pale skin, and demonic red eyes. Perfect, he'll be easy to break away from the crowds. teenagers like him always are, just offer them drugs or alcohol, it's kinda concerning sometimes. They'll blindly follow anyone that promises they have anything to help them escape reality.

I slip into a different version of myself, more calm and collected, less childish. The scythe on my back slowly transforms into a dagger and finds its place in my left hand. I've always preferred my non-dominant hand for fighting.

"Let's do this Asmodeus..." I mumble. I've never liked killing, but there's really no other reliable way to make a living in Hell. Kill people who people hated while alive.

I walk up to the boy, a feeling of sickness already settling in my stomach from what I'm about to do.

As i walk past him, i have my eyes on the ground and i pretend to look for something important in my jacket, kids here are dumb as fuck so they always believe it. The kid grabs one of my arms, like expected.

"Got anything good?" He asks.

"Follow me and find out," I reply, clutching my dagger tighter.

"Damn, you must have some good shit then...alright, I'll follow you."

There's an alley nearby that I lead him to. Trash all over the ground, a few random graffiti tags and of course there's already blood on the ground and walls. His blood will be joining the mix of other useless sinners' blood.

"So, what ya' got, demon girl? Anything good, or do you got that cheap shit like-"

My dagger ends up in his throat when he starts speaking again. I cannot deal with this kid's voice any longer, even if I feel like I'm going to throw up from the rusty smell in the air from his blood pouring out of his neck. Ozzie appears by my side, some of the kids blood getting on his fur.

"Oz, are you serious? I gave you a bath yesterday..."

He just looks up at me with super adorable eyes.

"Damn it dude, youre lucky youre adorable..." I feel a smile slowly forming on my face, Ozzie always makes me happy, no matter my current mood.

"HOLY MOTHER OF SHIT-" a voice screams from outside the alley.

Gun shots ring in my ear and a body comes flying into the alley, luckily the person is alive. They quickly back up into the far corner of the alleyway, clutching their bleeding shoulder.

"Uhhh...you good?" I am confused as hell.

"Yep, totally fine, just a simple bullet wound," they respond, their voice tight with pain.

Ozzie trots up to them and nuzzles his head against their side, probably begging for attention.

"Asmodeus, don't bother them, they're injured," I say, a scolding tone in my voice as the dagger in the kids throat disappears and my scythe materializes on my back again.

"No I'm not," they protest.

"Yes, you are."

"Says who?"

"Me I guess?"

"Who are you?"

Octavia or Via? Octavia or Via? Who do I introduce myself as? An assassin or a kid who was forced to grow up too quickly? Which persona do they get to see?

"Doesn't matter, I'll be fine, I've been hurt worse," they say as a golden glow emits from the hand that's clutching their shoulder. I stand, watching transfixed like a child watching cotton candy getting "magically made".

Archers POV

God she's hot. Even in the darkness of Hell she is gorgeous. Her skin is dark red, her hair is wild and all over the place. Her eyes look cold and uncaring, but I can see a small bit of concern flickering in them like a candle. Her cat eyeliner is smudged on by her right eye and is about half the length on her left eye. She's so pretty. Even in just a leather jacket and gray sweatpants I can imagine her wearing something like a dress. Is that weird? Maybe it is weird.

"Dude, you good? Who even are you? You don't look like you belong in Hell," she says.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I quickly answer. I barely know what to say around her, shes so fucking fine.

"What just happened back there?"

"Oh, its nothing, just some assholes trying to kill me or something, I don't know."

"Okay, uh...do you want to come back to my place or something?"

"Sorry, you're not my type," i say, my voice having a teasing tone.

She just stares at me blankly while i starts petting the little goat that's at my side. My small metal seahorse companion pops up by my head, making some wiring sound of annoyance that I'm giving attention to another pet.

The hot ass demon girl looks startled when my seahorse appears, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?" She jumps about a foot backwards.

"His name is Connor, hes my little buddy, he helps with things," i respond calmly.

"But, like, what is he? That's not normal, things don't just, like, fly like that though..."

"Have you never seen Angels?"

"No?"

Well you just lied to yourself darling, but whatever.