Blood of the Devil (Tinder and Yuuki_Tatsunohi)

[Tinder]

Nike​

The barrier disappeared once again. Nike focused her efforts on suppressing the fire. Burning down half the forest with the crazy, wind man standing in front of her would not have good consequences. She took deep, measured breaths, gritting her teeth when she felt an ache deep inside herself. It was something like the pain she felt in her legs after a good, hard run only not within her physical muscles. It went deeper than that.

She might have tried harder to understand the unusual sensation were it not for the man who began chanting. He spoke in some strange language, at once foreign and eerily familiar. She glanced up and saw the man writing symbols of light in the empty air in front of him, forming them into a circle. She might have called the feeling that swept over her déjà vu, but a prickle of fear soured it.

He sent the circle forward with a gesture. Her eyes followed it while she tried to keep herself still. It began its work shortly after. Some kind of intangible force pressed in on her from all sides, pushing some part of her into a small ball. The sensation radiated from the same place as the ache. The same place the fire burned from. She fell forward onto her hands, grateful she'd been kneeling for this. Pain and relief rushed through her as she abandoned her measured breathes for panting. The fire around her dissipated until nothing remained but ash. With it gone or contained, she felt warmth begin to come back into her limbs.

She would have been happy to leave things there, but the man continued his work. Physical pain manifested as the pressure she felt earlier turned became physical and began to press down on her body. It increased with every breath, threatening to snap her bones for an unknown purpose. She let out something between a groan and a growl, losing her ability to concentrate. Her survival instincts began to kick in.

Then something within her broke. She dug her fingers into the loose gravel and squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel the fire within her body again. She tried to pull it back into the ball, but another part of her pushed to free it. The man tried to keep going with his ceremony, shouting something she couldn't hear over the blood pounding in her ears. The pain doubled and she clenched her teeth to keep from screaming.

The fire came bubbling out of her as the freezing burn gripped her again. The physical pressure disappeared as the man turned his attention back to the fire. "Shit," she managed to cough out, forcing herself to look up and see if the man had accomplished anything. She noticed his glasses had gone from his face, perhaps a casualty of her fire. Her eyes widened when they came to his. His irises were gold with a ring of silver surrounding them. Like nothing she'd ever seen before.

He pushed the seal forward again. She closed her eyes, relaxing when the gentler pressure returned. The burning sensation retreated as something settled onto her arm. She opened her eyes and found that black marks that had formed. Not exactly a planned tattoo, but alright. In time the pressure lessened and left her. Warmth flooded her weary limbs as she fell onto her side.

She worked to catch her breath, enjoying the absence of pain. After a night of running and fighting that fire, it was utter bliss. The blue tint left her skin as her body began to recover and she gradually regained her composure. Soon only exhaustion remained.

She managed to sit up, eyeing the man who had at once cured her and caused her a great deal of pain. She moved her feet beneath her; prepared to fight should he decide to come at her again. Then she broke the silence. "What the hell are you?"

Zien​

Zien watched the girl go, slapping his hand over his face and muttering a string of curses in Korean. He silently vowed never to work another case with Hendricks, not for all the money in the First Bank's vaults.

Kims started after the girl immediately, shooting the pair a disapproving look as she did. Zien appreciated her act-first-ask-permission-later attitude. Some of the other newbies could be so dependent on orders. He needed more of her sort of confidence on a day like this. His patience had already bottomed out. He started after the pair, deliberately ramming into Hendrick's shoulder as he went.

The other agent stumbled back and glared at his adversary. "Watch it, Okuma!"

Zien followed the screams up the stairs where he found Kims with the girl. The agents exchanged a glance over the crying girl that told Zien what had happened. He could understand the girl's distress, but he had no time for sympathy. "Get her down to the paramedics," he said, more as a formality than an order. "I'm going to see what they found."

Kims nodded and knelt down by the girl. "Come on…"

"Diana," Zien informed her before disappearing into the room.

"Diana," Kims repeated gently as she began to lift the girl. "You need to be checked over."

Zien stopped near the door to keep out of the way. Calvin straightened up when he saw the G.U.A.R.D.S. agent. He crossed the room to where he stood while his colleague continue to document the room. Zien noted that the room looked no better upon second inspection. If anything, the markers allowed him to see the mountain of evidence that something terrible had happened in the room. His eyes strayed to Xander once before Calvin stopped in front of him.

"Okuma, figured you'd be here somewhere." the sandy haired man gave Zien a strained smile. "Hendricks screwed up again, eh?"

Zien was in no mood for office gossip. "What'd you find?"

Calvin glanced at his tablet, flicking through his notes. "Evidence of a Class B demon with several E's in its retinue. Massive amounts of discharge suggests death or…"

"Possession," Zien muttered.

Anderson confirmed his suspicions with a curt nod. "Lee might've taken it down. He took quite a beating though. I'm guessing most of the blood is his. That girl must've put up one hell of a fight. Have you checked to see if she's possessed?"

"She's clean. But there was a sister." Zien examined the signs of struggle in the room, noting a rather large pool of blood near the wall. If the other girl had gotten out of the house without becoming a host, she wouldn't have made it far. He pulled out his phone and sent out an alert to start a neighborhood search.

Calvin scanned his notes. "Really? Damn. This case just gets worse and worse." He stopped near the bottom of his list. "We've got a second energy signature I can't account for. It's a big one, maybe Class A, but I can't figure out where it could have come from."

"Send me a copy. I'll check for an I.D." Zien stepped further into the room, stepping carefully to avoid disturbing it. Most of the scene read like an instruction manual. Straight forward attack with a potential possession. No tricks, no nothing. But that energy signature and the unusually small amount of demons that had managed to take down a seasoned hunter kept Zien from setting on the obvious answer. Something felt off about it all.

Calvin scratched down a few other notes. "Not much more than that. There's still a bit more to sort through. Too bad about the kid. I always wondered what Lee was doing in retirement. Can't say parenthood ever came to mind."

Zien glanced at his old master's body before he started back out of the room. "Keep me posted." He decided to check on the girl while he waited. He owned Xander that much.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

Simon turned to the girl at her question. She must have seen his eyes that moment when they were blown off. There was no way to hide that from her anymore.

"An angel," he answered curtly. "The kind who destroys demon spawn like you." He was half ready to leave her there and forget he had ever helped someone like her, but then he remembered Xander's letter tucked in his pocket. He pursed his lips. "You best follow me if you don't want to get attacked again. I'm only doing this for Xander, nothing else. And if you even try to attack me, I will kill you." He warned.

He started walking, leading the way back to his cabin. It was already dark as he followed the dirt road. He couldn't sense any restless energy in the air nor were there any signs of any other beasts coming close. Having detected his presence, they had made the right decision to stay away. It didn't seem like any hunters had followed her either so they should be safe from that as well. The lights on Milton's dock was on, but his boat wasn't back yet. At least there won't be any problem bringing Nike into his place. He walked up to the patio, opening the door to let her in.

Diana​

Gentle hands lifted Diana to her feet, their owner urging her to have injuries tended to. Diana didn't know who it was nor did she care; Xander's lifeless face was the only thing on her mind right now.

Her feet dragging with every step, Diana soon found herself outside the house, sitting on the bumper of the paramedic bus. The woman from before was talking to one of the paramedics while the other was checking on her. He shined a flashlight in her eyes, asked her to follow simple instructions, and repeat phrases to make sure she was sound. Once finished, the paramedic gave her a cold pack for her cheek and left to write his report. The crew told her to wait as someone would bring her to the station for further questioning and as a place to stay for the night while the investigation continues at her house.

Diana pressed the cold pack to her cheek without much though. A small crowd formed outside the area, neighbors emerging from their homes to see what was going on. Some noticed Diana and immediately look at her with sympathy. Diana could only respond with a blank stare as the woman named Kims worked on dispersing the crowd before they disrupted any important evidence.

Diana's eyes still stung, her eyelids heavy from the tears she shed earlier. She could still remember the skull-faced demon, Nike hanging by her neck in his bony hands and the stiff body that was once her guardian.

It was like she had moved from one nightmare to the next. Except it wasn't a nightmare; all of it was real and Xander was dead and her sister was gone, maybe possessed by that skull-faced demon. Her vision became blurry once again.

And she was too weak to stop it.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

The crazy wind man's—correction, angel's—response left Nike speechless. His blatant admission followed by another jab at her supposed demonness stirred up equal amounts of shock, uneasiness, and annoyance. She meant to answer him, one-up his jab with one of her own, but nothing that came to mind fully encompassed the information her brain fought to process. She knew angels and demons existed; everyone knew, but she wasn't supposed to be able to see them. Yet here she sat, being threatened by an angel with a new magic tattoo that had stopped her black fire from burning down the forest. This is a weird day.

His threat, however, woke her temper. "If I attack you?" she repeated, getting to her feet when the man started to walk away. "Wait a minute. You don't get to—quit walking away from me!" She started after him. "Hey!" She followed the man up the path, her annoyed grumbling deteriorating into heavy breathing as they went. Without the numbing chill of the fire, her worn out muscle protested their continued use with each step she took. Her tail unwound from beneath her jacket and dragged along behind her. She grit her teeth and concentrated on the walk. Crewing this bastard out could come after they'd stopped.

The sight of the cabin nearly brought Nike to her knees. Her eyelids had grown heavy with only the hunger pangs in her stomach left to combat her desire to lay down in the dirt and sleep. However business came first. She caught up to Simon, leaning on her knees. "First of all," she hissed out between breaths. "Would it kill you to walk a little slower?" She finished catching her breath and straightened. "Second, where do you get off telling me not to attack you?" Her tail sliced through the air behind her to add emphasize to her words. "You're the one that tried to crush me to death in some weird, glowy…thing first. If anyone here gets to threaten people like an asshole, it's me--" A loud growl from her stomach cutoff her rant. Her fleeting energy burst fizzled as her body demanded fuel. She turned away from the angel and stalked into the house. "You got any food in here?"

She entered what she could only describe as one of the most generic living rooms in existence. Furniture showrooms had more personality. Aside from basic pieces of furniture and a few lamps, not one piece of personal memorabilia could be seen. Damn, this guy really isn't human. She walked straight passed the unnervingly clean room and into the kitchen, another vacant space. Vacant enough to worry her. Seeing nothing on the counters, she yanked the refrigerator open and stopped cold in her tracked. It was full to bursting with brightly packaged food, half of which did not require refrigeration. "What the hell?" Her stomach growled again, reminding her of her purpose. She grabbed out a package of chips and ripped into it. It was some weird barbeque flavor in a pink bag, maybe a knock off brand. She was too hungry to care. She shoved a handful into her mouth, ripping through half the bag before she managed to slow her pace. Each bite seemed to only increase her hunger or her awareness of it. What she wouldn't do for a plate of Diana's peanut chicken right about now.

Zien​

Zien passed through the lower level where another forensics team continued the search for new clues. They'd gather every scrap they could and then seal up the house for the duration of the investigation. If it was as straight forward as it seemed to be, that wouldn't be longer than a week. Zien watched a nearby officer running a tracer over some burn marks in the carpet. Everything felt to clean, too simple an answer to what ought to have been a huge feat. Few demons could take down seasoned veterans, even with the element of surprise. Fewer would bother to try without a compelling reason. Add to that Xander's hidden family and sudden retirement, and it cut down the "powerful demon getting lucky" excuse to a paper-thin explanation. Zien continued forward. Gut feelings with no evidence had no place in a crime scene.

Outside the crowd had grown and a police line had been established to keep the neighbors out of the scene. The flashing lights of the emergency vehicles danced across the white siding, practically creating a beacon out of it. The incident would make the evening news without a doubt. Fall out from it would mean an increase of calls to the area and a hundred false alarms as the usual panic ran its course. Zien hated the demons that made a show of themselves. He made his way to the paramedic vehicles, ignoring the buzz of the crowd. Kims, who had been speaking with a paramedic, walked over to meet him. "Girl checks out. Nothing more than some bruises and contusions. I think we should get her out of here though." The rookie's eyes shifted back to where Diana sat. The girl looked to be crying again. "It's been a rough night for her."

Zien pulled his phone back out and brought up his link to central. "We can take her to the station."

Kims sighed, running a hand over her hair. "Did you find out anything?"

"Pretty straight forward. Group attack that caught Lee off guard. One girl here, another missing. Just a weird energy signature to identify."

Kims frowned, her voice lowering. "You don't mean…?"

Zien meet her gaze and nodded. "It could be possession. It was a big spike."

"Poor kid," Kims said, her features beginning to show the strain. She kept her hand on the gun at her belt, squeezing the pistol butt as though it were the rope tying her shore in the middle of hurricane. Sorrow darkened her eyes, though she showed no sign of tears.

Zien recognized the signs of emotional fatigue all the same. "This your first big case?"

"Yeah," Kims replied. She stared off into space for a minute before starting toward the girl. "I'll take her in my car."

Zien started after her. "I'm coming with." She glanced back at him over her shoulder. He shrugged before she could ask her question. "I can't do any more here. There's nothing to kill and no trail to follow. If the other one's alive, she's long gone." He looked to where the girl sat hunched. "I'll stay near the witness I have."

Kims nodded. "I understand. Let's get to it then." She resumed her walk, finding some confidence in the action.

Zien began to follow but came to an abrupt stop. "Forgot something. You get the girl. I'll meet you at the car."

"It's the dark blue SUV near the out edge," Kims called after him.

Zien started back toward the other side of the barricade where the bigger crowd resided. Hendricks stood with Weber monitoring the situation. The media had arrived and currently were throwing questions at the two disgruntled officers. Hendricks shouted back at the nearest reporter, "No comments at this time. Wait for the press release." He noticed Zien coming up from behind. "Okuma, can you help us out here?"

Zien retrieved the bag of donuts from the top of the car trunk where he'd left them. "Nope." He turned away and headed for Kims' car, taping his ear piece to turn up the volume as he went. Hendrick's voice was drowned out by the radio chatter.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

She followed him, complaining the entire way. Simon ignored her, but he couldn't help but asked himself why Xander sent him a noisy one. If his powers drove away any beasts, then it would be her incessant yelling that would bring them back.

She barged into his cabin right after him, a low gurgling coming from her. A small breeze came from nowhere as Simon believed that sound was her growling like a wild beast. But the demon acted normal—as normal as demons could be—and walked right up to the refrigerator as if she lived here for years. She grabbed a pink bag which he vaguely recalled had big letters that spelled BBQ on its packaging and started consuming its entire contents.

"Spawn. Hey, demon spawn. Hey!" he reached for her shoulder to get her to listen but recoiled when he saw her tail moving back and forth. An air bubble formed under Nike's feet and backed her away from the fridge. "Don't just take something without asking, demon spawn. Did you lose your manners when you turned into a demon?

He checked the fridge to make sure nothing else had been taken or disorganized. Satisfied that nothing else was out of order, he closed the door then turned to her.

"Listen, demon, your guardian Xander asked that you stay here for a while but there are some rules you will have to follow. One: Don't just take food. Two: Do not speak to me or even be in the same room with me. Three: You will have to hide your tail, fangs and ears. The latter two will be easy, but unless you have a death wish from the human hunters, that tail cannot be seen. Hide it under your clothes, or I can make easier and chop it off. We're fortunate there are not many people who live here, and even less people who can see us." He glanced out the window at Milton's cabin. "But I'm not going to risk anything with you here."

When Simon first settled here, he was prepared to live in solitude without any interaction with neighbors, if he had any. So Simon was more than surprised to learn Milton could see him properly when he first came out here. So far, it appeared Milton was the only one who could see him. Cautious of him at first Simon slowly adjusted to the older man's presence, and not once did Milton suspect a thing about him. And Simon wanted to keep it that way, but it might be much harder with her around, especially if she is so loud.

"Honestly I would rather lock you in a cage and throw you in the basement, demon." The air around them grew a little thicker, heavier at his words. Air, being air, couldn't contain anything at all for long periods of time. Lightning could work well, and it would shock her if she even tried to escape, but that element wasn't available anymore. Earth element would have been perfect for this, but he never got to find out if that was an element he could control.

Diana​

"Hey Diana."

The woman from earlier was back again. Diana stared at her for a moment before looking away, expecting more bad news to come.

"I don't think I properly introduced myself yet. My name is Agent Olivia Kims. But you can call me Olivia." She held out her hand to Diana to which the young girl could only respond with a halfhearted shake. "Diana, we're going to have to take you to the station. You're not in trouble or anything," she added quickly. "But we need to finish looking into what happened here."

In other words, they can't have her running into the crime scene and ruining evidence as she cried over her dead guardian.

"What about my sister?" Diana asked. "She's still out there."

"We're doing everything we can to find her," Olivia assured. "We just need you to come with us for your safety."

With no other option, Diana nodded and followed Olivia to a dark blue SUV. Mr. Okuma was approaching as well, a bag of donuts in his hand. It looked a little strange to see the officer who had questioned her earlier casually carrying a bag of pastries and walking away from his peers who were struggling with the crowd. He had seemed like the dutiful kind of detective with a no-nonsense demeanor. Diana regarded Mr. Okuma for a moment before being ushered into the SUV.

"You know, I've always wanted to meet the legendary Xander Lee," Kims said to Zien. "Guess I get to meet his daughter instead."

The car started moving, officers clearing a pathway for the vehicle. Diana watched through the window of the car as the house passed by, closed off with police tape and G.U.A.R.D.S members moving around the lawn. The lights in Nike's window were still on, the shadows of the forensic team moving around the small space.

Nike was gone to who knows where. Was she really possessed? Or did she somehow manage to escape that monster? Nike may not have been able to see the supernatural, but that wouldn't make her go down so easily. She'd fight the demon, punch it, and kick it somewhere really sensitive, wherever that is. Maybe it got away and she went to go chase it to get that one last punch; that would be so like her. And if they find her, what are they going to do? Their home was gone, their only relative was dead. They may be eighteen, but Diana wasn't sure she was ready to start living on her own yet.

No, it's not the time to worry about that. She told herself. Finding Nike right now was more important. They'll figure out what to do later. She'll just have to trust the G.U.A.R.D.S agents to find her sister.

Olivia drove through a street covered in sigils and seals before approaching building where the gate alone had twice as many seals covering the railings. Diana could see the building just beyond it, three rows of windows twice as tall as a man lining all sides of the building. Jutting out of the left side of the building was a skyway bridge leading to another that reminded Diana of a school gym. Occasionally, agents would move through the revolving doors, and right above that door was the seal of G.U.A.R.D.S. A guard at the gate checked the badges Mr. Okuma and Olivia before letting the SUV in.

"Hope Colonel Rashn has some extra supplies and knows a place where she can stay," said Kims once parked. "All the temporary holding cells are filled and I don't think it's ethical to throw the victim there, especially after what she's been through." She opened to door on Diana's side and led her into the station.

The office was as busy as ever; a group of agents were dragging a woman whose eyes had a bright silver ring around the pupil, while another two were talking to each other as they headed for the parking lot. Olivia guided Diana, passing by a wall of honorable officers, past colonels and chiefs all underneath a large portrait of who she assumed was the commissioner. She noticed Xander's picture was among the list of colonels, his proud smiling face enclosed in a single chrome frame with his name and years of service underneath in a bronze plaque. Diana was taken to an interrogation room where Olivia left her, but not before promising something to eat as well as a place to stay.

Diana, now alone again, took a seat on the lone chair.

 

[Tinder]

Nike ​

Nike nearly lost her balance when the air lifted her off the ground. She managed to grab the nearby counter, shooting another glare at the angel. On a better day she might have retaliated this being his second attack on her within the span of an hour. As things were, she ate a few more chips before answering. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch and I just hiked up a mountain in the dark. I'm hungry. I can pay you back if it's money you're worried about." After the night she'd had, she could have put a buffet out of business. She intended to consume whatever calories she could find whether her host liked it or not.

However the angel ignored her comment and continued on with what he considered house rules she supposed. She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what he could do with his rules when he got to the third. That wiped the defiant glare from her face. She missed whatever followed. "My what?" Her voice barely registered as a whisper.

She turned away from her annoyed host and stepped back out of the kitchen. "Do you have a bathroom?" she asked, her voice hollow and unsteady. She didn't wait for the reply. Instead she followed a hall that led further into the house. She passed a few doors that led to other seemingly uninhabited rooms but the third opening into a small bathroom. She flicked the lights on and walked in. Her eyes found the mirror after which she stopped and stared.

It was her face or close to her own face. Only her ears had gained a point and her canine teeth had grown longer and sharper. Her hand reached up to touch her ears, confirming with touch what she could hardly believe her eyes saw. She stared at her reflection, seemingly unable to comprehend what she saw. "What happened to me?"

She met her own gaze in the mirror, noticing that her eyes had also undergone a change. Her irises had narrowed to something resembling a cat's eye. All together inhuman. Her mouth went dry. She leaned on the bathroom counter for some support. It didn't make sense; nothing made sense. Neither had the tail but…she'd been trying to forget about that. "I-I didn't look like this…before. What the hell happened?" She looked back in the mirror as though the answer would come to her if she stared into it long enough.

Zien​

Zien approached the car, focusing his attention on Diana before motioning for her to get in. He closed the door behind her then took shotgun by Kims. He left her statement unanswered. The girl had enough on her mind without needing a constant reminder of the man she'd just seen dead. He settled into the seat as they pulled away from the crime scene. Most of the radio chatter remained focused on reports from this scene, half of it repeated information being sent out to the top brass. Most would have been in bed during the initial reports. Luckily the demons had chosen a quiet night to send shockwaves through the hunters' community.

He continued to monitor the incoming data on his phone as they drove, eating another of his doughnuts. His choice to take that bakery job tonight had been one of his best in recent months. Had he gone home after his paperwork, he'd have been halfway through a can of soup when the call came in and several miles farther away. Hendricks probably would've burned the house down before he could find the scene. Leaving him behind to clean up the scene had only seemed like a logical punishment after his previous blunder that night. Hendricks couldn't do much to screw that up, not with the others there to help relay the appropriate information. There were fewer women to traumatize at least.

They arrived at headquarters in good time. Security had tightened with the news of one of their previous top agents being taken down. People would be antsy until the investigation proved the threat wasn't city wide. Zien could have told them that answer, not that anyone would have listened. Nothing could be official until it had gone through the correct channels. Still something was off about this case, but nothing that would require immediate action. The city could rest easy tonight.

They managed to get into the parking garage where Kims brought up an issue Zien had forgotten about. They'd been struggling with a recent surge of need for emergency housing. Nothing usual really. Colonel Rashn had been advocating for additional housing to be built in their district for years. Every request had been met with the same answer: they were a moderate risk district and no other funding could be diverted for additional resources. Someone needed to do another census.

"I'll talk to Rashn," Zien said as they approached the building. He took a separate path once they'd entered the station. While Kims got Diana somewhere quiet, he would see what the colonel had for them. He dodged his way around the group of agents wrestling with the woman. The woman looked his way as they forced her toward one of the solitary rooms. Zien remained passive as they moved away, but his trigger finger itched.

A head peeked out from an office down the way. "Okuma, in here."

Zien recognized Rashn's voice and moved to obey, his eyes remaining on the woman until he could no longer see her. He entered the colonel's office covered in piles of paperwork with a score or two of reports littering his desk. "Busy day, sir?"

"Busy night more like it," Rashn growled back, leaning on the edge of his desk. "I've been following the reports on this mess since it was called in. What happened?"

Zien stood near the colonel's desk, folding his arms over his chest. "Exactly what the reports said. Something broke in, killed Lee, then disappeared or died."

"Demons don't just disappear or break through the barriers of one of our best," Rashn replied, "I knew the man, Okuma. Xander's barriers could have held against an S rank. You want me to believe some no name demon appeared out of thin air took down his shields and then managed to kill?"

"Energy signatures suggest Class A."

"Fine. That explains the barriers, but I still don't like it. Xander was never one to be caught unprepared." Rashn stepped around his desk and dropped into his seat. "You brought in a witness, right? She tell you anything else?"

Zien moved to stand before the desk. "A bit about the attack and about a sister that's missing."

Rashn gave a cold chuckle. "A sister? Lee's retirement must have been eventful."

"They're adopted, sir."

"It was a joke, Okuma. Something we all could use after tonight. Especially if we've got a possessed teenager on the run." He leaned forward onto his desk and massaged his temples. "The kid needs a bed, I take it?"

Zien nodded. "And a meal."

Rashn sighed. "Fantastic. I'll need to make a few calls."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation as Kims walked in. "I've got Diana sitting in interrogation room 6. It's not much, but I figured it would be more comfortable than the office. I promised her some food soon."

Zien turned. "I'll get the food and wait with her. With luck, she'll talk again."

Rashn picked up his phone. "I'll let you know when we find a bed for her."

Zien headed for the door and made his way toward the interrogation rooms, tapping out a quick order for sandwiches to the cafeteria. The bleak interior of the simple rooms wasn't what could be called comforting, but Kims had a point about them being quieter. Between the calls, conversations, and occasional muffled screaming from the solitary rooms, the interrogation rooms seemed downright pleasant in comparison to the rest of the office.

He stopped by the community fridge on the way and pulled out a bottle of water along with one of the granola bars they kept stocked. He continued on to room 6 and walked in, closing the door behind him to keep out most of the noise. The girl had made herself comfortable at least. He approached her and set the water down in front of her along with granola bar. "Sandwiches are on the way. Should be here in a few minutes. I've got these if you don't like granola." He set his bag of doughnuts on the table. One or two remained. "They're fresh."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

The demon suddenly turned her back to him and moved out of the kitchen. Simon called out to her but she continued walking, going down the hallway in search of something. Fearing she might start ransacking the cabin, Simon went after her, ready to fight should she start scraping her claws against the walls. Instead of tearing the carpet, the girl went into the bathroom; Simon stood just outside the door as she stared at her reflection.

She acted confused, staring at her reflection as if seeing her face for the first time. She poked at her ears, teeth, and paid a lot of attention to her eyes.

"Can't you tell?" he started. "Your true nature has been released. Your guardian knew some strong magic if he was able to seal those away and make you think you are human. You're a demon. That—" he pointed at her reflection "—is what you really are."

It was apparent this demon had no idea she was even a demon at all. Simon wondered what spell Xander used to seal this girl's demon nature and make her think she was human for all those years. There was nothing in his letter that said how he did it, but surely it must be magic more powerful than what he used to conceal Simon's wings. His shoulder blades prickled at the thought of the markings Xander called 'tattoos' covering his entire back.

Simon heard the loud chug of a motor outside with the soft slosh of water against the shore. Milton's back which means it's late now. He didn't hear the loud crank of the boat lift so his neighbor hasn't docked yet. He turned back to the demon in his bathroom.

"Are you done looking at yourself, or are you going to sleep there tonight?"

Diana​

Mr. Okuma entered the room, carrying some food, including that bag of donuts he had earlier. Diana was a little surprised to see he still had those pastries with him since he could have eaten it by now or had something more filling like the sandwiches he mentioned was on the way. He must have been saving some for Diana since he offered the bag to her along with some granola bars.

"Oh, thank you," she said. She hadn't realized it until she saw the donuts, but she was hungry. The last thing she ate was the leftover strawberry shortcake which seemed so long ago. She stared at the food for a minute, unsure what to do next before taking the bag of donuts. There were only two donuts left inside, a jam-filled one and the other a chocolate cake donut. She took the cake donut, placing it on a napkin before sliding the bag back to Mr. Okuma.

For some reason, now that she had something to eat, she wasn't able to bring herself to take the first bite.

"Mr. Okuma, what's going to happen to me now?"

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Nike winced at the angel's words, her tail pulling in near her legs. No retort came to her lips; she couldn't even summon up a protest. What could she say when all evidence pointed to him being right? She had a tail and pointed ears and fangs. Black fire had come out of her body. She looked like a freak show. Her eyes dropped down to the counter. Her hands at least looked right. Covered in dried blood and dirt from her various scuffles that night, but the same ones she'd woken up with that morning.

The angel's next question reminded her of the time. She glanced his way, exhaustion and defeat darkening her expression. "Yeah, I'll go wherever you have room." A bed would be a welcome distraction after today. She could take a few hours to rest and not think about everything.

Her frown deepened. Why hadn't Xander told her? All this time he'd watched her struggle with people saying she was a violent delinquent who deserved to be in juvie, a danger to the people around her, a monster. He'd brushed them off but they'd been right. She was everything that people feared and more. She wasn't even human.

What would Diana think when she found out? Nike thought back to her twin who she'd left behind with Xander. Some of the pain left her face. No, this couldn't be right. Diana was perfectly normal. There had to be a mistake, something in Xander's letter the angel had read wrong. She had an identical human twin who had never displayed anything resembling demonic qualities. She knew little about magic, but she doubted it could morph her appearance. She glanced back in the mirror. Outside of her new features, everything else remained as it had been: same eye color, hair color, skin tone. She remained her twin's twin. She regained some of her resolve, pushing the fears back down. As soon as the heat had died down, she would find a way to get to Xander and make him tell her everything. Until then she needed to keep going for her own sake and her sister. Di must have been terrified after what happened.

Nike straightened up. "I should probably take a shower before I turn in. So I don't get your furniture dirty." She'd stain even a black sheet in her current state and she'd rather not own this strange man too much. She examined the clothes beneath her jacket. Those would be an issue. "I don't suppose you have some spare clothes I could use?"

Zien​

Diana accepted the food from him, a good sign though she hesitated to actually eat it. Zien would take what he could. Some of these cases left the victims unable to speak or move, requiring days with trained professionals to bring them back around. It delayed the investigations and gave the bastards ample opportunity to slip back into the crowd. Diana had not only managed to stomach the attack but also fight back and remain steady after seeing her father figure's body. All things considered, she was holding up well.

Her next question was expected, one of typical responses to these situations. Thoughts about the future rather than only focusing on everything she had seen that night. Zien crossed back to the wall to lean on it, maintaining a relaxed posture. "We're going to find you a bed for the night in one of our facilities," he replied, "Plenty of security and no way for anything to get into the building." Many feared returning to the outside world after a supernatural attack, particularly those who could see them. "You'll stay there for a few days until we complete the investigation. After that you'll be free to go."

A soft knock interrupted him. He cracked the door open and retrieved the sandwiches he'd asked for, nodding to the delivery boy from their cafeteria. Not the finest cuisine but serviceable and easy on the stomach. He brought them over to the table and laid the wrapped up food in front of Diana, taking one for himself. He peeled back the plastic wrap and took a bite despite not feeling very hunger. He swallowed and continued. "You have a few options after. There are programs to help victims of attacks such as yourself. We won't put you out on the street. You'll have support to get back on your feet."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

"My earlier suggestion still stands: the basement." Simon crossed his arms. She was weak, shown by how her shoulders drooped and her pale skin. Likely she had been in other conflicts other than the beasts at the meeting rock if the blood on her fingers was any indication. He could end her here. There was no way of knowing her rank, but if she really had lived as a human for so long, coupled with her exhausted state, he held an advantage.

But Xander had specifically requested he take care of the demon. This would be how Simon repaid the debt owed to the elder human who helped to hide him in Assiah. Simon's brow furrowed in annoyance. He left the bathroom door, walking down the hall until he stood in front of another door. He pulled it open, a musty smell emanating from the basement.

"I don't know what you are turning in, but this is where you can stay." He pointed down the stairs. "There's a bath, but I do not have clothes for demon scum like you."

He'll let her live here as per Xander's request, but that's it. Any further interaction will be limited and both of them should go about their days as if the other didn't exist. Hopefully, she's sensible enough to know showing her tail meant death in this realm, but just in case, she'll stay down there.

He continued staring at her, ready to counter if she decides to attack. This is temporary, he told himself. Only until Xander comes back to get her then it'll be like he never had a demon in his house, ever.

Diana​

She was relieved to hear the facility would allow her to rest and be assured the safety from any more demons. Yet she'd rather stay in her own home, with Xander alive and Nike safe. Unfortunately, that wish wasn't possible.

"'Free to go,'" Diana repeated Mr. Okuma's words. But where? Where could she go? Where could she stay? All her life that house was where she could go, where she was protected, warm, and with the people she loved. That house was where she felt the safest. Never would she have imagined the wards Xander created would break and let those monsters in.

She jumped slightly at the soft knock, relaxing when she realized it was a delivery boy with some food. Mr. Okuma proceeded to tell her about the available help she can get, programs to help her cope with all that happened. G.U.A.R.D.S certainly had the resources to help victims. Xander often praised G.U.A.R.D.S. and commended them for their efforts to help those who had survived attacks. Diana nodded in response; she heard everything Mr. Okuma was saying, but the weight of the night's events prevented her choosing what to do next.

"Will Nike also be with me when you find her?" Diana asked. When they find Nike and extract the demon out of her sister, would G.U.A.R.D.S place her in the same program as Diana or would they keep her away? Would they separate Diana from Nike because Nike had been possessed and use different protocols? It wasn't unheard of for some possession victims to be separated from their loved ones after extraction. For severe cases, it could be weeks or years before anyone was allowed to see them. Diana hated the idea of not being able to see her sister for so long after all this, and she knew Nike would hate it too.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

"I get it, Windbag. You don't like me." Nike snapped, "You don't need to be an ass about it. Cripes, are all angels as annoying as you or did you specifically decide to live your life according to a rule of escalating bitchiness?" This was the guy Xander said would help her? Suddenly going back to the city where numerous people with guns wanted to kill her sounded appealing. She contemplated walking back out the door and catching the next bus. The thought alone exhausted her.

She needed sleep and some quiet. At least she could get that much in the basement. She headed for the stairs, not bothering to look up at her new roommate. "Whatever. Basement works. I'm going to bed." She yanked the door closed behind her, glad to be rid of the annoyance. It was too much to deal with him and the other nonsense tonight. She just wanted a shower and some sleep.

Below she found another sparsely decorated room with most of the furniture covered by sheets and dust. The pair of couches and old TV suggested it was meant to be a spare sitting room which the angel had never touched. Several rugs of varying color and size had been laid down to cover the hardwood floors, helping to banish some of the chill. She crossed the room, heading for the door past the couches. Inside she found a bathroom, as promised, with a toilet, sink, and shower along with, amazingly enough, a towel. No soap but she would settle for just getting some of the grim off and dealing with the rest tomorrow.

She looked at her hands again, frowning to herself. To think all this blood had come out of her. It had to. She'd only swung at the thing…demon once before it grabbed her. Not even a scratch on it. She brushed her fingers against her neck. She could still feel the fingers there squeeze, felt the life leaving her body after the claws broke her skin…

She sucked in a breath and shook her head. Shower, then bed. No thinking or anything like that. Shower, sleep. Tomorrow she could make sense of the situation.

Zien​

Zien watched Diana as she processed the information. She had a strong will, he would give her that. He'd seen many victims of an attack go into a cationic state of shook. Recovery times varied with a handful still unable to speak to this day. He wondered briefly if Xander hadn't given her some training in the past.

He took another bite before answering her, chewing slowly. "It will largely depend on the circumstances we find her in." He set the food down and found Diana's eyes. "Whatever happens, I'll be sure the news reaches you when we make some progress on her case. Even if upper management would prefer it not to." Waiting for news that might never come was worse than only hearing a loved one had been lost.

Another knock came at the door, softer than the delivery boy's. It opened before Zien could stand, revealing Kims on the other side. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, flashing Diana a tired smile before turning to Zien. "Could I speak with you for a second?"

Zien nodded and followed her out of the room. When the door shut behind them, he turned his attention to Kims. "Found her that bed yet?"

She sighed. "That's why I'm here. We're full up. Not one safe house has enough space for her."

"Can't you even find her a couch or something?"

"That's against regs and you know it," Kims replied, frowning some. "I don't like it either. She'll have to stay here the night and no one wants to sleep on some cot after what she went through. But what else can we do?"

Zien racked his brain for another idea. People stayed at headquarters when space shortages came up but it wasn't a comfortable place. This was why they needed more space and some building permits. Politics. His frown deepened. Diana deserved something better than a cot in a featureless room after losing both her sister and father figure. Xander would want her to have more.

And Zien owed him a debt. "I can take her."

Kims blinked. "What?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I have an extra bed and my place has enough wards to stop an S class. She'll be safe and have an actual bed. I can bring her back in tomorrow and then find her more suitable arrangements."

"Again, regs…" Kims started but trailed off. "That really is our only option isn't it?" She sighed again before nodding. "Do it. I'll fudge the paperwork and tell Rashn a spot opened up."

Zien gave her the barest hint of a smile. "You're turning out to be a decent agent, Kims."

"You're only saying that because I keep helping you get away with things," she grumbled but smiled some to hear the praise.

Zien walked back into the room and sat down. "Looks like we found your bed for tonight. We can go whenever you're ready." He understood little about Diana's situation and even less why Xander had disappeared to act as a foster parent to twin girls, but he would do what he could in his mentor's absence. Just as Xander had done for him so many years ago.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

Simon watched her go, not even blinking an eye when she slammed the door. He stayed there for another minute, listening to make sure she really was going down the stairs. The stairs slightly creaked then turned into soft thumps moving across the floor. Satisfied, Simon walked away from the basement, then looked back and frowned.

"'Windbag'?" he repeated. Cupping his hands in front of his face, he blew; the exhaled air bounced off his palms and moved through a part of his hair. "What is she saying? It's impossible to bag wind." Simon headed to the kitchen, noticing the mug he pulled out earlier still full of water. He took a sip when he caught the faint whiff of smoke. His first thought was the motor of Milton's boat, but the shore was too far for the fumes to reach his cabin. There was no bonfire and Milton never smoked his catches this late. Milton was adamant about that, worried of starting a fire when he was about to sleep.

The only time Simon had seen fire today was when he had to seal that demon's powers, which meant the smell came from the demon taking up residence in his basement. She won't be burning anything down there; that seal blocked her from using her strange black flames. Then there must be smoke lingering on her clothing, and maybe on his own clothes too. He sniffed his sleeve, immediately finding that faint scent of burning grass. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Not even an hour into his cabin and she's already stinking up his home. Feeling a headache coming and too exhausted to deal with it, Simon decided to sleep, turning off all lights before crawling under the covers.

The next morning, Simon was on his porch, sweeping away a dirt trail from last night. He blamed it on the demon, grumbling "smelly demon" and "bringing dirt in his house" as he swept the dirt off his porch.

"'Morning, Simon!"

Quickly putting on his glasses, Simon turned to see Milton emerging from his own cabin. The older man took a deep breath of the morning air, smiling and waving at him. Simon nodded, then returned to his work.

"I got some good bites last night. First time in a while actually," Milton began. "One of them was this nice-looking bass, about this big—" he held his hands a distance apart to show how big the fish was. "A good seven-pounder in my opinion. Put up such a good fight I thought it was a demon at first!" Milton laughed. "I'm going to be cleaning my catch today and cook something up. Suggestions?"

Simon paused for a moment. "That one with the sour yellow fruit in cream."

"Baked fish in lemon cream? I haven't made that in a while but sure! I'll come by later to drop it off."

"You don't need to. I'll pick it up."

Milton shook his head. "No, you won't. You won't even remember I got food for you. Likely you'll be in front of that computer, typing away to do whatever it is you do for a living. Honestly, if I weren't around I'm sure junk food would be all you would ever eat. You'd probably forget what an actual cooked meal is." Milton laughed again. Simon wasn't going to argue with Milton about the kinds of food he has in his fridge. Xander always told him the same thing whenever he visited before proceeding to make something that wasn't chips or that cold stuff called ice cream. Simon didn't understand why they were particular about him eating 'junked food' and how it would be bad for him. It was food. It provided sustenance which is the purpose of food. Despite that, he accepted the meals given to him, grateful Milton and Xander would go out of their way to make him something to eat. "I'm going to go get started on that baked fish then. I'll be back later. Oh and—" Milton pointed at a footprint made of dirt on Simon's porch. "—missed a spot." And with a friendly wave, Milton went back to his cabin.

Diana​

She watched Mr. Okuma follow Olivia out of the room. Alone once again, Diana stared at the donut in front of her and replayed the events of the night. Demons breaking down the door, Nike protecting her despite not being able to see the skull-faced demon, the impact of the demon's hand on her cheek, and Nike hanging by her neck as the demon's form broke down and flowed into her. Had she been quicker, had she dodged that demon's attack, then maybe Nike . . . .

Zien reentered the room with news he found a place for her to stay. With a tired nod, Diana stood. Olivia led her out of the room and to her desk where she quickly scribbled something on paper.

"There weren't any available rooms for you to stay in, but Agent Okuma volunteered his place," Olivia informed.

"How long will I be there?"

"Just for the night. I'm going to find an actual room for you in one of our safe houses for tomorrow, but for now, Okuma's place will do. Our other option was letting you take one of the conference rooms but neither of us thought that would be a good idea." Kims paused then added, "You'll be safe there, Diana. Okuma's got plenty of wards, so no demon or angel will ever be able to hurt you."

Diana's lip trembled. "But Xander's— "

"That won't happen with Zien. I assure you," Olivia interrupted. Diana didn't doubt Mr. Okuma's abilities to create powerful wards, despite Olivia's perception. As an agent of G.U.A.R.D.S., he surely must be competent if he was part of the force that protected them from demons and angels. And if a fellow agent could put in a good word for him, then all the more reason for Diana to relax. Yet all she could remember is Xander's wards—the very same wards that have protected them for as long as she could remember—somehow disappearing and leaving them vulnerable to attack.

"Diana, I promise you will be safe with Okuma," Olivia repeated, one hand on her shoulder. "He's one of our best. You won't find a better agent than him in our region."

Diana took a shaky breath. "O-okay."

Glad to have her agreement, Olivia finished her writing and took Diana to the front of the station where a cab was waiting. She handed Zien a slip of paper. "Some paperwork saying Diana is at a safe house. Tomorrow when you bring her back, hand this to the front desk so they'll think you picked her up from there." Olivia sighed, rolling her head back and forth. "In the meantime, I'm going to be working on my report and try to find her an actual room. Gonna be an all-nighter for sure. Take care, Okuma."

She waved goodbye to the pair and headed back into the station. Diana remained quiet throughout the ride. She should have asked why Mr. Okuma was allowing her—a complete stranger—to stay at his place for the night but she was just too tired, too numb to even try. The cab arrived at Zien's place and Diana was given the spare bedroom to use. Spotless, Diana figured this had to have been a guest room. For tonight this would be her room. Seeing the neatly made bed, Diana crawled under the covers and was immediately fast asleep.

When morning came, it took Diana a moment to remember why she was in an unfamiliar room. The thought unfortunately brought tears to her eyes and she buried her face in her pillow, stifling her sobs to not disturb Mr. Okuma in case he was still asleep. When the worst of it stopped, she sat up, using her shirt to dry her eyes. She looked out the window, the rays of the morning sun peeking into the room. Maybe by now they found something about Nike, or maybe they did find her and were working on extraction. With all the agents that were at her house, and many of them learning of the possession, someone must have found something about her. Diana needed to be strong until then and once she sees her sister, then they can figure out what to do after all this.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Sunlight streamed in through the narrow windows high on the wall, lighting up the basement with natural light. Nike's rolled over on the couch she'd chosen the previous night, pulling the old sheet over her head and mumbling something about ten more minutes. Consciousness returned to her in bits and pieces. She became aware of the muffled sound of birdsong, followed by odd creaks and groans and then a distinct absence of voices. Weird, Xander and Diana usually stayed home on weekends. Her eyes fluttered open.

Oh.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and glanced around the room. The daylight did little to improve the place outside of highlighting a door she'd missed the previous night and dust coating every surface in the room. Memories drifted to the forefront of her mind as she recalled how she had gotten to this sparsely furnished basement. To think until yesterday she'd thought the worst thing she might have to endure was another lecture from Xander about throwing her life away and the importance of education. Now she sat in a stranger's home after nearly dying at the hands of a demon miles away from her sister and guardian with the real threat of being hunted down by G.U.A.R.D.S. She winced when she recalled Diana laying against the wall and Xander clutching his wound. Just thinking that she'd left them in danger to save herself…

She shook off the feeling and stood. She knew no one more capable than Xander. He'd always seemed inhumanly strong, like some kind of warrior out of a legend. Not even a wound like that would put him down. She wanted to be with them, but if he said she'd be safer out here then she had to believe that.

Even if her new roommate was an ass. Her eyes flickered to the ceiling, lips bending into a frown. She wondered if he'd woken up yet. Did angels sleep? Demons must considering she'd had no issue passing out last night. Probably just best to just ignore him for the time being.

She glanced down at her tattered clothing, stiff from dried blood with some dirt and singed fabric from the fire. Her fire. She did something of a twirl to get a full view of herself. The tail continued to throw her off. It moved and she felt it but wrapping her head around the new appendage actually belonging to her… She shivered.

Objective number one of the day had to be find some new clothing. If her roommate refused to help then she'd make the trek back to town. Or rest stop if she were being honest. She had energy again after sleeping through her stomach remained uncomfortably empty. A growl accompanied the thought. Food. Clothing and food.

A few minutes later, she eased the basement door open and slipped out into the fresh morning air. She'd managed to get her tail beneath her shirt and wrapped around her abdomen before pulling Xander's oversized coat over her clothing to hide the whole mess. Not the most subtle, but better than explaining the tattered outfit to a store clerk. She'd put the credit chip into the pocket of the coat, grateful that Xander had though to include it in her package. Considering her host's response to sharing yesterday, she'd need to provide for herself out here. She started for the tree line, hoping to skirt the front of the house. Fine by her. She needed something more substantial than junk food anyways.

Zien​

The trip back to his apartment went by in a blink, a small mercy given how long the night had been. Zien got Diana up and into his spare room, ensuring she had everything she needed before he returned to his living area where his work station stood complete with several computer monitors and enough specialized equipment to make the prospect of moving near impossible. He understood the turmoil going through Diana tonight. He remembered the feeling of waking up to the death of a loved one, how the world seemed to shift into an unrecognizable state in seconds. Sleep might help to stabilize some of those feelings, but that kind of pain took years to heal.

For some it never did.

He sat in front of his computer long into the night, watching the incoming reports on the scene to glean what information he could. Most of the evidence remained locked behind red tape as it would until he got himself officially assigned to the case, but even mundane report carried nuggets of knowledge for those that knew how to read between the lines. Whenever the reports started to repeat themselves, he opened up the energy from earlier at the scene. Something about the traces in it, the other energy spikes occurring alongside it, had him wondering. What kind of demon were they dealing with and was it a demon? His eyes narrowed. If Xander had defeated the demon and been surprised by something stronger…then they needed to get ahold of Diana sister as soon as possible.

Around the time the sky began to lighten, he went to his room for an hour or two of shut eye. Better to get in a nap than pull an allnighter. The next few weeks would be a challenge for the department and himself. He refused to rest until he got to the bottom of his mentor's death. It was the least he could do after everything Xander had done for him.

Zien got up around eight am, quickly dressing in an outfit almost identity to the one he'd wore the day before and starting to cook breakfast. Normally a bit of fast food on the way to office was enough for him, but with Diana there he decided to try and make something hot and fresh. Simple comforts often helped more than words. He set work making some scrambled eggs with sausage links; simple but effective. Better not to chance something more complicated given his lackluster abilities. He put out a bowl of apples and bananas as well in case she wanted something not protein based.

However he chose to let her sleep, deciding to get the food ready and see when she'd emerge from her room. The girl deserved some peace and quiet after the day she'd had. The office could wait a few hours for their information and he had plenty to do from home in the meantime. So long as he got her back before the end of the day, no one had to make a fuss about it.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

Simon finished sweeping the little spot Milton pointed out earlier, pushing the dirt onto the ground below. He took a step back to check his work; clean of any dirt trekked in from the new 'guest'. With that, Simon walked off the porch to put away the broom, rounding the corner and noticing the basement door was open.

He had forgotten this door was here. He didn't even have a use for the basement anyways since he was either on the main floor or outside. According to Xander, the purpose of a basement was for shelter from bad winds and as another living space. All the furniture had already been there when Simon settled in. Xander suggested it could be useful as a guest room though Xander never used it whenever he visited. Usually, he'd travel back home on the same day, or take up the main couch in the living room for the night then leave early next morning.

Simon approached the door wanting to see how the basement faired with its new occupant. Despite not having access to those black flames, he wouldn't doubt if the savage demon found a way to make a mess of the place. He opened the door, expecting to see ruined furniture everywhere, but the room was relatively untouched, save for the small bundle of sheets on the couch where the demon likely slept for the night. Said demon wasn't even in the room either. So, where was she?

With the room empty and the door left open, she must have wandered outside. He regretted putting her here after remembering this door allowed her these kinds of opportunities. All he wanted was to get her out of his sight and not be reminded of the fact a demon now lives under the same roof as he. He might have to lock it, or even cast a permanent barrier to make sure she stays put. For now, he had to find her before she went after anyone and caused trouble. Leaning the broom against the side of the cabin, he closed the door and walked along the cabin's perimeters. Towards the front, sure enough, there she was walking along the dirt road.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked.

Diana
​

The room had a dresser. Placed against the opposite wall of the room covered with a sheet to keep the dust off. Diana swung her legs off the bed, approaching the dresser and removing the sheet to look in the mirror. Aside from her still puffy eyes, there was hardly an injury on her. She ran her hands through her hair. She had a dull ache on the side of her head whenever her hand brushed over it, having come from when the demon struck her unconscious. Her skin tingled when she recalled the surge of electricity flowing through her, an instant where nothing but pain touched every corner of her body, robbing her of her chance to save Nike.

If I even had one against that, she thought.

She placed one hand on her cheek. For the most part, she looked okay. In need of a little cleanup, but okay.

She left the room, catching a whiff of food cooking in the air. Following the scent, she approached the kitchen, peeking around the corner to see Mr. Okuma sitting at a table with a plate of freshly made sausages and eggs. There was a bowl of fruit as well. Could that breakfast also be for her to eat? Must be so given how much he made; unless Mr. Okuma was a big eater, one person wouldn't be able to finish all that by themselves. She paused. Why did this man take her in? He may be a G.U.A.R.D.S. agent but she never met him before. Even if there wasn't a place for her to stay, there wasn't any reason for a detective to house a victim even for just the night. Unless he was ordered to, but Olivia said he volunteered.

She was grateful that he accommodated her, and it was nice of him to make breakfast too. She just wasn't sure why he would go that extra mile for her. Out of the goodness of his heart, perhaps? But as a G.U.A.R.D.S. agent, he must have dealt with plenty of cases like this. So why would her situation be any different?

She stepped out from her hiding spot, shifting from one foot to another before clearing her throat. "G-good morning, Mr. Okuma," she greeted.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

The dull thud of footsteps on the grass—which seemed louder than they should—alerted Nike to Simon's approach. Just great. She glanced his direction with a sour expression on her face. He hadn't seemed the hovering type yesterday.

"I'm going back to that little town at the foot of the mountains. I just want to get a few essential. You know like soap, toothpaste, food. The little things most people like to have to get through their day. Not to mention some new clothes," she added flatly, gesturing to the clothes beneath her jacket. "Walking around in ripped, dirty clothes isn't a great feeling. Or subtle. "

She turned back to the road and continued walking. "I'll be back in a few hours." If she had a choice, she'd get on the first bus she saw going back to the city, and go find Diana and Xander. G.U.A.R.D.S. or no, she'd rather be with her sister than whoever the hell this angel was. She'd be with her family then and back in her natural environment. Only old people lived out in the boonies like this in the modern day and age. So of course Xander had sent her out. Nothing like never-ending boredom to keep one safe.

Zien​

Zien heard a door creak open down the hall and the subtle creak of the floorboard near the room where he'd placed Diana. A purposefully imperfection much like the hinges on his front door that squeaked whenever anyone so much as turned the handle. He continued reading the handful of updates that had appeared on his phone overnight. Nothing more than the usual snippets about what agents were allowed to share with the public. No word about the other girl yet.

When Diana spoke, he looked up and nodded her way. "Good morning, Diana. I've got food for you," he said as he put his phone to sleep. A plate and utensils sat beside the piles of food. "Take as much as you want. It'll be good for you to eat something."

He got to his feet and picked up his mug. "When you're done feel free to take use the shower and anything I've got in the bathroom. I should have an extra toothbrush somewhere in there. I don't have anything else for you to where, not unless you'd like something a few sizes too big. If you'd like I can wash what you have quickly." That seemed to cover everything the safe houses usually offered. Maybe with a bit less tact, but better than nothing. He pulled out another tea bag from his stash by his water pot and refilled his mug. "Do you want anything to drink?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

"No, you're not." In a flash, he was right in front of her. A wind coming from the same direction as Simon blast past them, yanking some leaves off the trees. Simon glared at her. "You're not going anywhere."

If she made it to the town, then the demon would go around and find a human to possess. Blend with the humans using her new host and feed off the captured body for her own benefit. No doubt she wouldn't come back either, especially if she could get her hands on a particularly unassuming human and hide until she was ready to ascend again. It was possible she would jump bodies and leave the husks to wither away as if they were nothing. He wasn't going to give her that chance if he could do anything about it.

"I know your little game demon. I know exactly what you plan to do. You're not going anywhere near the humans." The wind picked up around them, growing stronger by the second. He took one step closer to her. The air became thinner. The small space around Nike suddenly lost all air, forming something of a vacuum around her. "You will go back to the basement where you belong. Away from others as it should be for a demon like yourself."

Diana
​

Her eyes wandered to the empty plate next to the food. Mr. Okuma didn't have anything save for the mug in front of him, looking at his phone a few times before making a cup of tea. That must mean the plate was for her.

"Oh, no. It's okay," she said quickly. "Water would be nice." She didn't want to impose any more than she should. It was very kind of him to provide a place for her to stay, especially with the safe houses filled. Still, she was a guest in Mr. Okuma's house and she didn't want over-step any boundaries. She can handle being in her current clothes for another day. She hoped that they would allow her to go home today as well. If so, then she can clean up there. Hopefully, they'll have found Nike too.

She looked at the food on the table. She should eat. After all, he prepared this meal for her. He had already given her a lot of food: donuts, sandwiches, and now a full breakfast. The least she could do is show her appreciation for his hospitality and eat. Afterward, she'll figure something to repay Mr. Okuma for all he has done for her. She sat down in the chair adjacent to him, pulling a few sausages and some eggs onto the plate.

"Thank you," she said and started to eat.

* * *​

Zien's phone vibrated three times. It was a text from Weber.

[Weber: Okuma, my report from last night's events are finished. I'm sure you will want to see it. I'll be at the station when you come in to work.]

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Nike stopped short to avoid running into the angel, stumbling back a step. "What's your problem?" she hissed as she glared up at his stupid face. Only a day and already she'd grown tired of dealing with him and his demon crap. He needed to go away so she could find some way to feel comfortable with herself again without the constant reminder of her new status.

The sudden loss of air didn't help things. She coughed, trying to take deeper breaths to compensate. A spark of anger ignited in her chest as she took a step closer to angel. "Listen here, you stupid windbag! I've been around other people my entire life and getting some stupid tail isn't going to change me. I've never attacked anyone and I'm not going to."

She coughed again as her lungs sought more air. "All I planned to do," she continued, her voice weakening, "Is go to the freaking store so I can buy food and clothing with my own money. And you're not going to stop me. I'm still a hu-person no matter what you say." Though her head began to spin, she stood her ground against the angel with her fists clenched at her sides. Stupid angel and his stupid wind magic crap.

Zien​

Zien retrieved a glass of water and set it down in front of Diana. She had already begun to eat thankfully. After yesterday, he feared she might refuse the food. Shock accompanying a loss such as this could be difficult to cope with and he had very little training in dealing with that sort of thing. He had a basic understanding of first response aid like any agent but nothing advanced or psychological.

His phone buzzed on the table, a little prompt for a message appearing on the screen. He unlocked it and read the message from Weber, making a mental note to check in with the man once they got to the office. Diana would be taken back in for questioning and a more thorough examination to ensure nothing supernatural had affected her the previous night. He believed her to be perfectly healthy but G.U.A.R.D.S. loved nothing more than following their rules to the letter. Speaking of…

He looked up from his phone at the young woman. "Did you experience any odd or unpleasant sensations last night?" Follow up questions to determine if anything had manifested overnight were one regulation he agreed with. He needed to know if a trip to a medical center would need to take precedent over their going back to the office.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

She didn't move, choosing to stay in her spot despite the loss of oxygen. She also denied being a demon as well, somehow managing to tell him how long she has been around humans with no problems or incidents. Maybe so with Xander, but he can't be sure she won't try since he's not here.

"Don't believe you, and don't care. So, go. Back. To. The. Basement."

A strong gust blast by, pushing Nike towards the cabin. Simon prepared another gale, ready to push her further back when Milton burst out of his house.

"My boat!" Milton cried, running towards the dock as fast as he could.

Simon blinked, letting the wind die down. Milton seemed more preoccupied with his boat, ignoring both Simon and Nike. Simon waited until the elder man was out of sight then stomped towards the girl. "Get in the house. Now," he growled through gritted teeth.

Diana
​

​

Diana shook her head. The rest of that night was practically normal after everything that happened. Well, normal as far as any occurrence of supernatural activity. Despite being in someone else's home, she managed to get sleep without any disturbance. Olivia's words rang true: Mr. Okuma's house was a safe place. Just as safe as her own home was.

"The only bad thing was when the demon hit me," she said. In that one instant, she was down, paralyzed on the floor as the skull-faced demon went after Nike. Nike couldn't even see the demon, yet she fought it until the end. And her? She cowered in the corner under Xander's shield. And even when she tried to fight, she was tossed away like a pathetic rag doll. "I tried to make it let go of my sister but—"Her grip tightened on the glass. "I couldn't move and every part of me felt like it was on fire."

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Nike's arms came up in front of her face to guard against the gust of wind, leaning her body weight into it to keep her footing. She braced for whatever might happened next when a door burst open on the cabin next door. An old man ran past shouting something about a boat. That was one way to meet the neighbors.

When the angel spoke again, she glared up at him. "You don't own me. I'm a legal adult entitled to do whatever the hell I want with my time and money so long as I'm not breaking the law. Just because Xander sent me here to crash with you, doesn't give you any right to keep me somewhere I don't want to be. And no amount of fancy wind tricks or threats will convince me otherwise." This was beginning to feel like one of her countless arguments with Xander, only he hadn't tried to physical drag her back home.

She crossed her arms and widen her stance, eyes blazing as if daring for him to try his little wind trick again. "If you're so concerned about it, tag along for all I care. Just get off my case."

Zien​

So the demon went for one twin but not the other. Zien nodded as he listened to Diana's description of the events. Perhaps it meant to leave her for its minions or her sister had proven to be the stronger host. Demons like raw power in their hosts though the smart ones possessed those society wouldn't miss. Odd that one strong as this would break down a barrier for one teenage girl. He made a mental note to mention that to the investigation team.

"You did more than you had to," he assured her, his voice quiet as picked up a sausage with a nearby fork. "It takes years of dedicated training to defeat a demon, not to mention the ability to see them." A pause hung in the air as he considered those words. "So you can see the supernatural. Was your sister the same?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

Again, she refused to budge, going on about how just because Xander sent her here doesn't mean she had to listen to him. According to her, she also could do whatever she wanted because she was a 'legal adult.'

Whatever that was.

Blood boiling, he automatically raised his hand up, palm stretched outwards as if he were going to grab something from the sky. Realizing what he was doing, he stopped, pressing his lips together in a thin line. Right, he can't do that anymore. If he still could, he might be able to make this demon bend, maybe knock her out long enough for him to drag her back into the basement and lock her away. Unfortunately, all he can do was raise his hand out of habit. He clenched his fist, bringing his arm back down to his side.

"I don't care if you're your maker's most loyal subject or if Xander said you could roam free here. You are going back to the basement." He was about to grab her shoulders and push her back into the cabin when Milton reappeared, slightly out of breath with a relieved look on his face.

"Wow, that was quite a surprise. Big wind gale appeared out of nowhere! Almost thought I was going to lose that old thing, huh Simon?" Milton paused catching sight of the two in front of Simon's cabin. "Seems like we got a bit of a situation here?" he said, waving at Nike. "What made you wander up here?"

Diana​

At Mr. Okuma's question about Nike, Diana shook her head. "For as long as I could remember, Nike has never been able to see them. I know it's weird since we're identical twins, but that's how it was. Dad knew I could, so he gave me this—" Diana pulled out the little charm hanging around her neck. "—he said that if I or Nike were ever in danger I should use this to protect us."

The bronze charm lay on the palm of her hand, the metal casting holding a slight golden glow like the shield she managed to create with it. It was one little protective charm among many as the area the Lees lived in was generally safe. Small supernatural appeared frequently around her and her sister when they were younger, but the charm helped keep them at bay. It may have been excessive to have it when so many other wards were in place, but the weight of Xander's charm hanging around her neck brought about a certain level of assurance that she was safe. With all the wards set up around the neighborhood as well as Xander's own, it was very unlikely a powerful supernatural would come through. Unfortunately, last night just didn't work out in their favor.

Diana sighed. "Last night though, was different. Somehow, I think Nike was able to see them. I-I don't how it happened, but when we were trying to get away, the demons appeared, and Nike tried to attack them. She grabbed her baseball bat and tried to hit it, but it was stronger." Diana paused, her fingers clenched tight around the charm and turning to Mr. Okuma. "Can that happen? Can demons actually be strong enough to make those without the sight see them?"

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

When the angel raised his arm, Nike sank into a defensive stance, a look of grim determination on her face. So much for being someone Xander sent her to for protection. Maybe he only wanted someone strong enough to keep her trapped somewhere out his hair. Not like it made any difference. Everyone she had ever met found some reason to hate her before long. Everyone expect her sister. Oh, Dee…

Then the neighbor appeared, interrupting whatever the angel had planned. Nike blinked, straightening up before the man had a chance to notice her. His comment about the wind told her that he had no idea what his neighbor actually was or was capable of. Which meant she had to watch herself as well.

She waved back tentatively, sensing an opportunity to get someone sensible to chase away this idiot. Flashing the angel a disgruntled glare, she approached the neighbor and offered her hand. "Sorry you had to see that. My name's Nike. I'm…Simon's cousin." He had said Simon, hadn't he? Cousin seemed a safe enough story to explain her extended stay.

"I got here late last night," she continued, brushing some of her hair out of her face. Already she regretted losing her ponytail holder. "Unfortunately I lost my luggage on the flight in. I was trying to go down to that little rest stop at the foot of the hills to get a few things to tide me over, but my cousin doesn't want me to go."

That had to be the smoothest lie she had ever managed to tell. Desperate times, she supposed.

Zien​

Zien immediately recognized his master's handiwork having watched Xander make hundreds of charms in their short time together. It looked strong, almost excessive, but knowing Xander he had done so on purpose to give Diana the extra security. She hardly looked like a fighter and her comments backed that assumption up. That the twins didn't share the gift of spiritual sight did strike him as odd but the research into that had proven that predicting who inherited the ability was difficult. For some it ran in their family, but others saw it manifest in a child at random. Still for twins to not share it…

"Some demons are strong enough to be perceived by ordinary people," he replied with a slow nod, "The demon we detected last night would fit that profile. It's possible your sister saw something or sensed it when he came closer. But she never would have stood a chance against anything that strong. No ordinary person would."

He took a sip of tea. While understanding the incident remained his priority, he had to admit to some curiosity. For years he wondered what had taken Xander from the force so suddenly and here the answer sat at his table. The answer that he failed to understand. "Do you know when Xander adopted you and your sister?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

Simon returned her glare with one of his own before realizing she had moved closer to Milton. He tensed, waiting for her to attack the old man. She apologized and introduced herself as his . . . cousin. He side-eyed her, glare growing darker. By the great One, what is a 'cousin'?

Milton, however, seemed to buy it. He relaxed, chuckling. "Thought for a second you were some burglar who got caught. Simon! You should have told me you had family over. I can make more of that lemon fish for all of us."

At the word family, Simon's eyes bulged. "What? No, she is not—"

"Name's Milton," he shook her hand, causing Simon's breath to hitch. "Sorry to hear your luggage got lost. Never did like the idea of a blindly trusting a stranger to handle my belongings. Simon, you should head into town. I know you don't like interacting with others, but just accompany her so she can get some stuff until they find her luggage."

Simon grit his teeth. Milton had completely accepted her story, even shaking the demon spawn's hand without second thought. She had enough sense to keep their real nature hidden, but he loathed the idea of playing along with it. That this girl was his cousin. That they were family, apparently. His stomach churned at the thought of being related to a demon.

"No."

"Do you have clothes she can borrow then?"

"Absolutely not."

"Simon—"

"No," he growled through clenched teeth.

Milton raised his eyebrow, looking between Simon and Nike. Perhaps there was some history of conflict between the two since Simon was acting more stubborn than usual. Milton decided not to press any further on why; it's family business and always was a sensitive issue. Simon crossed his arms, making it clear he was dead set on this. There was no way he was going to offer his cousin his clothes. At the very least, Milton could help her settle in.

"Well, she'll need something if she's going to stay here. Nike, I have clothes you can borrow if your cousin doesn't have anything for you. Or won't let you go into town," he offered, muttering his last sentence while shooting Simon a questioning look. The angel was about to protest until Milton interrupted him. "I doubt it be anything a youngin' like yourself would wear, but it's better than nothing, right?" He nodded at his cabin, ignoring Simon and gesturing for Nike to follow.

Diana
​

Diana returned Xander's charm back to its place underneath her shirt.

But she never would have stood a chance against anything that strong.

Hearing that sounded wrong to Diana. Nike never had a chance of winning at all. Said by an expert and witnessing first hand just how strong the skull-faced demon was did make that statement true, but it's hard to picture Nike being weak against anything.

And the way he said it too. As if Nike was gone, just like Xander. Diana's grip on her fork tightened. No, that didn't happen, that won't happen. Maybe it looks that way to Mr. Okuma, but he has no proof Nike is gone. And that she was all alone. She just had to wait until they got more news. G.U.A.R.D.S. might have found Nike already, maybe she was back to the station and they were working on extraction at this very moment. Diana just had to wait until then. . .

Mr. Okuma's next question took her by surprise.

"Oh, well—" she paused "—we were officially adopted at five, but he's cared for us ever since we were babies. Dad said that a demon went after our mother when she was pregnant with us. He saved her, but she died soon after giving birth to us. According to him, in her last moments she asked him to take care of us and he's kept his promise. I suppose being attacked by a demon as well as the stress of birth finally took its toll on her." Her eyes grew listless, turning back to the two uneaten sausages left on her plate. Even the mother who gave them life had been a victim. No mercy, even for a woman fearing not only for her life, but the lives of her unborn children. Those monsters just never stop. "I've . . . never really asked about my mother. It just seemed what happened to her was too violent, and too painful."