Blood of the Devil (Tinder and Yuuki_Tatsunohi)

Zien​

Watching news like this sink in never became easier. Zien had done this hundreds of times over this tenue with G.U.A.R.D.S, yet every time he had to walk into these rooms and destroy someone's world it left him feeling hollow. These people lost loved ones of all ages because one of his people hadn't been fast enough, hadn't been observant enough. Something as strong as an S rank should never have been allowed to walk around freely. Others would have argued for him to wait, to let that hope fester while they led the pointless investigation, but he knew that prioritized his comfort over Diana. No one deserved to be led on when it was so clear what happened.

It hurt and nothing would change that. The housing that Kims had procured for her had a built in psychiatric support service to help her through the grieving process, but it would take years for the worst of the pain to fade.

He nudged a box of tissues toward Diana. "Nothing anyone says will make this better. I can only assure you the creature responsible will be found and destroyed before it has any hope of achieving its goal. Everyone here is determined to see justice done. It won't bring your family back, but it's all anyone can do now." A good man was dead and a girl was out there being used until she too would be dead. The creature deserved to meet the same fate before it could escape.

With his few words of comfort delivered, he waited with her without saying a word or making a move to go. She deserved time to process the news before he moved her to the safe house.
 
Diana​
Justice

Yes. That demon should justice get, justice for killing Xander, possessing and practically destroying Nike, and taking everything away from Diana. For the harm it did to all of them

She sniffed once more, wiping away her tears. She took a deep breath. "When you find that demon—" her voice still trembled, but she didn't want any more tears to fall "—I want him to pay tenfold for what he did to us."

Is that all there was to it then? Diana wanted to do more, give them more details, give them something that would help the demon. More than anything she wanted to bring her sister home. She had no doubt about Zien's words: finding this demon was the only thing to do and G.U.A.R.D.S. would do everything to accomplish that. She wanted to help, except there was nothing more she could do. She'd done her part, given her story and now it was up to G.U.A.R.D.S. That sinking realization of her own helplessness tore through her once again.

She clenched her fist as she remembered that demon once again. Evil monster. And pathetic Diana.

* * *​

Later that night.

Diana lay on the couch. An officer had come by a while ago to let her know the place she would stay was now ready. A bus from the housing facility was on its way to pick her up and would arrive within the hour. Next to her was a small bag with a change of clothes picked from a donations closet and some other essentials. G.U.A.R.D.S. wouldn't allow her to go back to her house while finishing their investigation. Maybe it was also for her sake too. Maybe they knew the moment she saw that cherry wood front door she'd break down in tears.

Why was she like this? Always crying, hiding, and cowering away? Nike and Xander, they weren't ones to cry. Nike would never shed a single tear and would never hide away. She'd probably end up sneaking out of the station and running straight home, investigation or not. Xander would make an effort to communicate with the officers; he worked with these people, so he'd find any updates and figure out what to do next. And then her? All she would just do is go along with, trail after them because everything would be okay. Xander and Nike had always protected her from demons and angels. She could always count on them.

But could they count on her?

No, she thought bitterly. That charm hanging around her neck could only shield her. It could never shield Xander. And her own measly spell? She clenched her palms, knuckles white as bone. She couldn't even recite the incantation fast enough to save Nike. Anger boiled inside her. Anger at Xander for his shield breaking, anger at Nike for attacking that demon knowing she couldn't see it, anger at the demon for taking them away, and anger at herself. For crying, for being a coward, and for being so weak.

"Dammit all."

Three officers passed by: A girl a few years older than her, the woman in white who greeted Zien and Diana earlier that morning, and the officer reciting chants as he moved about the house yesterday. Diana caught snippets of their conversation; the younger girl was complaining about pains and callouses in her fingers from training, while Weber told her that the pains are part of her apprenticeship.

That's it! Diana jumped to the door, looking down both ends of the hallway. She followed the trio, pushing past them and ignoring their shouts. She navigated through the hallway, pushing the door into the main hub where all the agents' desks were. Most of the desks were empty, agents leaving for the day or already gone aside from a few who are putting in overtime. Diana could hear Weber close by, calling her back to the holding lounge. And then she saw him.

"Mr. Okuma!" She shouted running after him. "Mr. Okuma. Zien—" she gasped to catch her breath. That demon deserved justice. Mr. Okuma said that G.U.A.R.D.S. would give that. That silver-framed picture hanging underneath a larger portrait of the Commissioner spoke of how important Xander was to them. An innocent life was destroyed, someone who could have gotten a job at a random coffee shop just to be close to her after graduation. They would also get justice for her. But Diana wanted justice more than them. And she wanted to be the one to give it to that demon.

"Make me your apprentice."
 
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Zien​

Everything about the case circled in Zien's mind as sat at his desk going over paperwork for the remainder of the day. He lacked the focus for new work, something Rashn seemed to have silently agreed with as he never came to speak with Zien again after he sat down with Diana. The monotony was kind. It left him the space to go over case, officially or otherwise, and see what he could piece together about the events. An early breakthrough might be his one chance to get on that investigation team.

The entire concept of bias in their line of work was nonsense. He would handle a case the same whether he knew the victims or not. Unlike a police officer, he had no reason to give his quarry rights to trial or innocence until proven guilty. Demons of any kind deserved to die upon sight whether they had committed the crime he was out investigating or not.

He had handled plenty of cases where kids were left orphaned or died and he felt no less outraged then than he did now. Having a good poker face did nothing to detract from what he felt.

Once he had finished up his backlog of paperwork halfway through the day, he took to searching the databases for known demons the team might concentrate on locating. Body hopping was second nature for demons, so knowing the ones that had gotten away recently might give them an early and critical lead on the girl. What he refused to do was waste the day by going home or out to lunch like about six different people had suggested. His colleagues thought he needed a distraction when what he needed was to make progress on the case. He felt motivated to work now just as he had been all those years ago when he came in as the lone survivor of an angel attack. Any other emotions were secondary and easily tossed aside.

Dinner came around when he decided to begin opening some of Xander's more infamous cases. His fifth cup of coffee sat beside a stack of files, the steam long since vanished as he got up to retrieve yet another file from his final years as an agent.

Zien almost ignored the sudden commotion in the background, assuming one of the victims brought in was showing signs of possession. It happened from time to time when the weaker demons panicked. Not until he heard his name called did he look up.

A glance to the side and he saw Diana running over to him. He thought she had left long ago, but perhaps someone had decided to observe her for the day to ensure only one demon had decided to take a host during that attack. What surprised him was the request that followed. She had shown signs of grief when he told her about her sister, but she hardly seemed the type to want revenge. He raised an eyebrow and then raised a hand to keep Weber from trying to drag her back to the witness rooms. The scene felt eerily familiar like a sick shadowbox from his memories.

He remained silent for a long minute, allowing her request to hang in the air. "It's not as simple as that," he said, his voice low but indifferent. "There's an application process you would have to go through and extra paperwork since you're a minor who has yet to graduate from high school which you would be required to complete in addition to any training you were allowed to do. Even if you agreed to all that and G.U.A.R.D.S hired, it would be years before you were allowed to work on any major cases. You might never be allowed to touch your family's case regardless of how many years go by or how skilled you became." Emotional responses such as this were common, but most lost their momentum when they heard about the hardships that lay ahead for apprentices. In reality, Zien knew G.U.A.R.D.S would be lucky to have a natural talent like Diana. Xander might have never trained her for combat, but he had trained her some and his training went far as everyone in the organization knew.

"Would you still dedicate yourself to this life if you never had your chance to get your revenge?"

Nike​

Far outside the city limits, something stirred in the forest. Word of the strange demon had spread among those who stalked the trees. It hid in a human form with great power that lacked control, a vessel ripe for the taking that would empower anyone fortunate enough to destroy it in battle. Perhaps enough to elevate a demon to the upper escalations of the hierarchy without the say of the Progenitor.

But its hiding place was a clever one. It went to the house of the angel who haunted the lake like miserable wraith, pretending to fit in amongst the humans day after day. A pathetic thing.

A plan had to be formulated to lure the prize away from the beast so that it had no chance to upset their plans. Such a plan required information about the house the angel had claimed and any defense it might have set up in the area.

Shadows darted beneath the trees, going nearer and nearer to the house in the dim moonlight. No footsteps or leaves carelessly trod upon disturbed the night air to alert the humans or their pets, and no vast power appeared to alert the angel. This was no attack so the smallest had been sent to make the smallest ripple of power across the surface of the air. Any who happened to see the shadows dart by might have mistaken them for tanuki or some such animal, though they moved with purpose unbefitting an animal. They sniffed and poked and prodded until a door was found. The demon's power radiated from behind it, even muted as it was from whatever the angel had done before claiming it.

But then a curious nose ventured too near to the door and a barrier was breached. The shadows reeled back and fled. Discovery carried too much risk. Another night would have to come and go before they tried again.

Inside the house, Nike lay sprawled out on the couch some of her hungry gone though she felt cold with nothing more than the dusty sheet wrapped around her. Her sleep was fitful as she tried to escape from the hell that was her reality with that stupid angel living upstairs. If only Xander would come and save her from all of this shit. She wanted to go home more than she had ever wanted to before.

Poor Diana; she was probably worried sick after everything that had happened. Had Xander told her what happened? He had probably been carted off to a hospital as soon as people got there. Nike hoped someone was there for her baby sister until Xander got back on his feet.

She rolled over and adjusted the jacket she had folded into a makeshift pillow. There had to be an end to this nightmare.
 
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Diana
​
Diana listened to Zien as he listed the difficulties she would have to go through and the processes involved. She was prepared; it was true she still hadn't graduated high school—in fact, going back just to finish up would be a challenge. Diana couldn't even fathom returning to that daily life now. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she was prepared. She'll take it all on, including going against demons with the risk of getting killed.

Then he hit her with the worst possibility. "You might never be allowed to touch your family's case regardless of how many years go by or how skilled you became."

That's why she wanted to do this! That's why she ran all the way to Zien! For the training and the chance to avenge her sister and father. She was the only one who survived. It was her right to avenge them. Her right to find that monster and destroy it for everything it had taken away from her. Why would they even deny her that?!

But then, what about others? Others who had the misfortune of being possessed. Those who weren't doing anything and were possessed simply because of a whim. Families like hers, destroyed by these monsters. Hers wasn't the first one and they certainly wouldn't be the last. She thought of the boy she saw yesterday, demons swirling around his head ready to take over his body. He had someone who loved him, and she was sure they were worried or likely grieving their loss too.

Weber let her go, taking a step back to let her make her decision.

She ground her teeth.

"Last night, I couldn't do anything. My sister, who couldn't even see those things, stepped up to fight them. She literally grabbed a bat, pulled me behind her, and hit the demon. All I did was cry and hide behind their backs and I fucking hate myself for it!" she clenched her fist, tears threatening to spill. "But I'm not the only one. So many people have been lost because of the demons and I don't want that anymore. I want to do something about it. I want to get stronger. Stronger so that families can be reunited, and to stop it from ever happening. I don't want anyone to go through what I have gone through ever again.

"I still want to do find that demon. How can I not after . . . after everything? But even if I put in all the hard work, even if I advance up the ranks, even if, despite everything, I never bring justice to Nike and Dad, I still want to do this. To get stronger and fight. For them."

Simon​

He jolted awake, sitting upright immediately. There was a dull throb on his temple, slowly fading away by the moment. He was about to lie back down when he realized what that throbbing was. A warning, that something had tried to break through his barrier.

Simon jumped out of bed, running to the basement and practically flying down the stairs. "What's going on here!" he yelled, stopping in the middle of the stairs and poking his head over the railing.

Aside from the sensation he felt earlier, there was nothing in the basement to show that she had tried fidgeting with his barrier. From a glance, all his spells were still intact. The demon lay curled up on the couch, using the thin sheet as a blanket. He promised himself that once Xander came by to rid him of her, he'd burn that thing and probably the couch along with.
 
Zien​

Zien waited for Diana to finish speaking before turning and walking back to his desk. He set down the file in his hands and searched the documents on computer monitor until one in particular came up. A few clicks and the printer came to life beside him. He grabbed the packet out of the tray, pausing to scribble on a few of the pages.

Once he was satisfied, he returned to where Diana stood and handed it to her. "It's your choice. If you're serious, this is the application to become an apprentice with G.U.A.R.D.S. I filled out the referral but you have to do the rest and bring it back tomorrow. It will take a few days, but I can fast track it so you don't have to wait the usual two months."

It was a simple matter of business. She wanted a chance and so he would give it to her. It meant more paperwork for him, but he wasn't cracking any cases tonight. People's disbelief would be more annoying to deal with than the forms.

"You'll have to go to the safe house until you get some word. We can't have you hanging around here for no reason."

Nike​

Nike jumped when the angel came barreling down the stairs, almost falling off the sofa. She sat up and glares daggers at the bumbling idiot. "What's your problem, Feathers?!"

He had so many it would probably take a year or two to list them all. She knew all angels and demons had issues, but this one seemed especially abnormal. Why was she trapped here with him?

"If you're not going to let me have a real bed, you can do the bare minimum and not run around like a freaking drill sergeant at 2 am or whatever the shit time it is," she grumbled as she rubbed her eyes.
 
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Diana​

Without a word, Zien turned back to his computer and started typing. She blushed at the idea that he had not heard her, and she had made a fool of herself in front of seasoned G.U.A.R.D.S. agents when the printer buzzed, and he handed her a warm packet. It was an application, an application to become an apprentice.

She nodded as he dictated what to expect next. The first thing she had to do was go to the safe house for a while. It wasn't home, but it was better than nowhere.

Minutes later, a social worker guided her into the bus that would take her to the safe house. The safehouse was a homey red brick building with wards and various charm on the walls. The worker showed her to her room: it was a bedroom slightly smaller than her own with one other tenant, a nine-year-old girl who would be going home tomorrow; her aunt was possessed by an angel but was one of the fortunate ones. Doctors gave the okay for discharge and later would go pick up her niece

That night, Diana lay awake in bed as her roommate slept. Mr. Okuma had given her an application to become an apprentice. She half expected him to say he would push it to his superiors, and they would give her consideration, but the application was there, folded and tucked away in her single luggage. Just because she still couldn't believe it, Diana slipped out of bed. Using the dim streetlight from outside she opened her bag and pulled it out. Immediately her eyes were drawn to the insignia of G.U.A.R.D.S. centered at the very top over the words APPRENTICE APPLICATION. Yes, this was real.

She found a spare pen and started to fill it out.

Bai Xu She ​

Bai watched the exchange between Xander's adoptive daughter and his former apprentice. After Zien handed Diana the application, Weber led Diana Lee back to the waiting room.

"Well, that was exciting," she said, approaching their adjoined desks. "And Zien, this is a surprise. You actually gave her the chance to become an apprentice? Are you thinking of becoming her mentor? Good for you!" She clapped his shoulder—very hard and completely unaware of the weight of her hand—with a bright smile gracing her features. "Ooh if she becomes your apprentice than both of us can work together in training our apprentices. Mines has a few years over her for sure, but it would make for a great teamwork experience. Imagine me and you co-teaching apprentices, trading tips and sharing stories about our apprentices to each other. If you ever need guidance on teaching her, I can always help! Ooh, this is exciting!" Bai pressed her hands together, giggling like a child in a candy shop.

"Hey, we should celebrate! My fiancé recently took me to this Korean barbecue restaurant and the food is just to die for. Let's invite Shikoba too! Come on, a round of drinks for Zien Okuma's first-ever apprentice!"

Simon​

He crossed the room, crouching near the doorway that led outside. The doors were still locked and the barriers still intact, but the magic did show a slight sign of tampering. He stood up, matching her glare as he walked back to the stairs.

"I placed my eyeballs on you, demon," he growled before walking back up the stairs and slamming the door shut.

The next morning, Simon stood outside his cabin, examing the doorway. Indeed, there was tampering, but from the outside, not from the inside where Nike was.

Milton swore, making Simon jump.

"What's wrong?" Simon asked.

"I think we got some raccoons prowling around here," he said. "They dug through my trash and made a mess!" he gestured at the toppled trashcans. "Pesky vermin."

The old man grumbled to himself as he started picking up the trash. Simon knew that it wasn't raccoons that toppled his neighbor's trash cans. The traces were weak but too magical in nature to belong to that of normal forest critters. And there were multiples of them too.
 
Zien​

Bai launched into her usual ramblings as Zien took a seat back at his desk. He had learned to ignore roughly ninety percent of what came spewing out of her mouth over the years. It limited the amount of irritation he had to endure. Though he had given Diana the recommendation, he hadn't given any thought to what would happen to her after that. Taking on an apprentice meant more responsibilities that would keep him from doing actual work. The apprentice years came packed with busywork intended to train beginners, but the trainers had to endure those mind numbing exercises alongside them. It seemed like an extended waste of time to him.

"Don't get excited. No endorsement can get her through the psyche evaluation or panel she'll have to go through." He took a drink from his coffee. "Until she passes those, she's not anyone's apprentice."

Though the girl had potential. A little training from Xander could carry someone a long way. It would take time to get her to let go of her desire for revenge, but once she got her issues straightened out, she could be shaped into a decent agent. The ability to see the supernatural was not a common gift and not all who possessed it were willing to face the dangers of fighting off demons and angels for the remainder of their lives. If she could see past her grief and show her skills, she might be fast-tracked for an apprenticeship.

"You should focus on your own apprentice. She can't be that far away from getting to test for agent status," he noted as he began to set his files into place.

Nike​

Nothing happened throughout the remainder of that night, and yet Nike awoke feeling as though she had hardly slept. The angel had wandered off mumbling gibberish that she hadn't cared to try and interpret while half-awake. Something about his eyeball or something stupid like that. She wondered if he had a habit of imagining break-ins.

As she stretched her sore limbs in the tiny patch of sunlight on her couch bed, she wondered if the angel had actually locked the door. She was hungry again. The fish had helped last night; Milton had given her a fantastic excuse to finally get something substantial in her stomach. Unfortunately, that food had only lasted so long for her. She still wanted to tear through an entire supermarket aisle. If only the powderpuff wasn't such a greedy jerk. He had food for days and yet he whined about her taking so much as one bag of chips. Ugh, the sooner she could get that trip into town, the better.

She crept up the stairs and reached for the handle. Much to her surprise, it opened. Either the angel had forgotten to lock up the night before or he had decided to stop caring.

The house seemed to be abandoned at the moment. She wondered where the angel had gotten off to…and if he would notice if she snuck off with something from the pantry. Before temptation could get the better of her, the sound of voices drifted in from the open window. She walked over to it and peered out into the morning sunshine. It seemed the angel had gone for a walk and run into Milton looking at his overturned garbage cans. Strange. Maybe Milton had found the angel freak digging through his trash. It would be best to investigate for Milton's sake.

She waved to Milton as she exited the cabin. "Morning! What happened to your garbage?"
 
Bai Xu She
​
Bai continued to smile, well used to the silent treatment of Zien.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," said Bai, leaning against her desk and pulling out her phone. "The psyche evaluation and panel were so easy."

Diana's wish for revenge wasn't unheard of. Bai swore that every other victim in the cases assigned to her have that same goal: kill angels and demons. And of those victims, perhaps less than five percent make it past the evaluation and even less actually become hunters. Bai, however, was optimistic about that girl. Xander Lee's training aside, Diana had potential. The deaths of her sister and adoptive father, as horrible and tragic they were, would be the drive for her. And if that drive took her far enough, G.U.A.R.D.S would have a remarkable hunter.

Bai hummed at the mention of her apprentice. "Almost. There are still quite a few hours to clock in and finding that third recommendation. She's hoping Rashn gives us a mission to take on a Rank A or B level supernatural before the exam." Bai laughed. "Ambitious, no?"

After a few minutes, Bai pocketed her phone and grabbed her purse. "I'm heading home. Today has been a long day." She twisted her torso to stretch out her back. "One of these days, let's go to that Korean Barbecue restaurant I mentioned. It's been awhile since we had drinks. See you tomorrow!"

Simon​

For the second time that day and in what was only a matter of minutes, he was startled, this time by the demon. Once again, leaving the house—leaving the basement—and going wherever she pleased. The beast has got to be doing this on purpose. Two days in and every waking moment there was something and it always involved that accursed demon. He rolled his eyes in the back of his head, cursing everything about her when the door closed.

Milton shot Simon a concerned look at his expression before shaking his head in amusement. "Bah, I think some raccoons got in my trash," he grumbled, turning one can upright and throwing the small garage bundle he had already gathered. "Dumb things made a mess! And I'm sure they did the same to yours too."

"Yeah," Simon said curtly. "We'll go check on it." He turned around, stomping towards her. "Now." He grabbed her arm, pulling her around the corner and out of Milton's sight. "You seriously are the most difficult, irritating, problematic thing ever. Great One, you demons only cause trouble. Why are you even out here?"
 
Nike​

Nike opened her mouth to offer her help when the angel freak interrupted her and dragged her off. The idiot couldn't let her have a moment of peace before getting in her face and yelling. Half of what he went on about sounded like nonsense, but none of that surprised her. It was more surprising that the thing knew about anything human. She had always imagined angels and demons being more like monsters and not hipsters living out in the middle of the woods.

"You can believe whatever you want to, but this demon thing is new to me so I'm operating like I always have and that means I need three square meals a day. I got up to find some food and then I heard you two talking out here. I thought you might be creeping out poor Milton, so I came out to make sure he wasn't suffering. I've already suffered and I've known you for like a day." She huffed and tugged her arm free. "Besides I never thanked him for the food he brought over last night and that's the least I can do since I'm currently stuck with a grown man who thinks a bag of Doritos is a meal."

Milton was more likely to offer her actual food. If the angel wanted to throw a fit every time she did anything, she needed an alternative to deal with him. So far going on her own hadn't worked. She gave a rough sigh. If only she still had her phone. She would have called Xander by now and told him to send her anywhere else.

"If you're so determined to keep me in the house, you have to stop making me get permission to eat." She folded her arms. "I'm not going to starve myself just because you're overprotective of your snacks. Either you agree that I'm free to come and go in the kitchen or I'm going to see about moving in with Milton."
 
Simon​

'Creeping out Milton'? Did she seriously think he was going to hurt Milton and use him for a possession? Maybe she was trying to keep him away from Milton to use him. Typical demon: always thinking about what human to use as their next host.

The air around them stirred slightly. On the one hand, if he locked her away in the basement like he always intended, he could practically forget he now shared this cabin with a godforsaken demon. That was ideal in this situation Xander tasked him with. Except she somehow managed to escape not once, but twice, out of that basement. On the other hand, he would have to see her in his kitchen every single day, but as long as she kept her promise, this demon wouldn't be wandering around and possibly wreaking havoc.

"Fine," he spat through clenched teeth. "You can come up to the kitchen. But I don't ever want to catch you near my friend then." Oh, if only he could use his lightning; he so much wanted to zap this little demon monster right here. He pursed his lips. "I'll have to make a supply run to town," he said more to himself than her. "For now, just deal with the chips."
 
Nike​

Nike raised an eyebrow at his remark. She had to wonder if he was protective of Milton or if this was meant to be another arbitrary rule to drive her crazy. This jerk wanted nothing to do with her and yet he refused to let her go near anyone else. It was aggravating and yet she knew complaining about it would endanger her newly gained access to the food. It was crappy food, but if it took wolfing down half a cupboard of junk food to stay alive, she'd managed. She missed home so badly.

"Fine. Keep your boyfriend. I'll settle for not starving to death." She stalked into the kitchen and she opened the fridge again. It was filled to the brim when half the stuff in it belonged in the cupboard. It was ridiculous, but maybe she'd be able to dig around for something good. She moved around packages and bags in the hopes that he might've bought lunch meat or cheese that she could for a little protein. Even bread would be an improvement. Sweets and junk food filled the space with the exception of a few plastic containers at the bottom. She picked one up to examine the contents and almost gagged when she opened it. A noxious smell of rotting food and mold wafted out of it to reveal a spoiled dinner from ages ago.

She snapped the lid back into place. "Why is the only real food in here rotten? And why haven't you thrown it out? You're going to get yourself sick with garbage like this." She set the container on the counter. It was disgusted and she refused to ignore it. The next one she picked up appeared to be in a similar shape, but she thought better than to open it. "You really need to clean this thing out. I'm surprised your whole house doesn't stink from it."
 
Simon​
Again with the stupid nicknames. Every time she spoke, she had some stupid new nickname for him or his neighbor. Not even an ounce of respect for Milton at all. He followed her, glaring daggers into the back of her head. Thought it was interesting how she referred and addressed others, just like how Xander and Milton talk. So very humanlike.

Despite letting her eat his food, he still frowned when she rummaged through his fridge; a few items fell off the shelves as she dug further in. He chose to ignore that, choosing instead to sit on the other side of the table with a scrap of paper to jot down what he needed to get. She was gluttonous enough to want something else aside from the chips. Great One, she must have been spoiled rotten by the humans! Maybe he can get those little containers where all he had to do was throw them in the metal box called a microwave and then he had a hot meal. That should satisfy her.

The most disgusting smell hit his nose and he immediately clapped a hand over it. He glanced in the demon's direction as she placed a container on the counter, followed by another one. Oh, so that's where Milton's food went.

"'Rotten'?" he repeated. He opened the container and immediately regretted it. Not only did the contents smell awful, but there was also a greenish-white, fuzzy substance covering the fish. "I have never seen that happen. Gehenna rations don't . . . they don't ever do that." He stared at the container again. "What do I even do with this?"
 
Nike​

"I already told you. Throw it out. It's not safe for anything other than plants now." Nike grimaced when she looked at the container. "I almost feel like we should bury it or something. Neither of us want this smell getting in here, and I'd feel awful if some animal ate this shit and got sick from it. It'd be animal abuse through negligence."

She sorted through the bags and found a few other containers that she stacked beside the others. "I'm guessing all of these came from Milton if you don't even know about food going bad. You probably would've killed yourself by now if you tried cooking something as finicky as fish."

Everything else in the fridge looked to be non-perishable. Hell, most of it didn't need to be refrigerated. Whoever gave this angel the 101 on food had screwed him up royally.

She spun around to look at him. "Clearly you need some new tips on food handling. Like the difference between perishable and non-perishable. Cooked meals and basically anything with fresh meat in it only lasts for so long. Maybe a week, maybe a few days. It depends on the meat used. Once something is cooked, it's on a short timer to becoming inedible or worse. Same thing goes for fresh fruits and vegetables. Stuff like chips—" She picked up one of the bags. "—you don't have to worry about. They do go stale after a while, but they won't make anyone sick. Dried foods or stuff with loads of chemicals can be eaten forever basically, but it's best to eat it sooner so that it tastes better. Frozen foods can also keep for a long time, but those get freezer burn if you leave them in there for too long which also makes them taste worse. And they can also go bad if they get too warm for too long. Canned foods are safe so long as the can is sealed. Once it's open, you need to keep it in the fridge and possible throw it out if you take too long to eat it. Pickled foods basically can't go bad because salt is a preservative." She thought for a moment. "I think that covers most kinds of foods. Did any of that make sense to you or did it all go over your head?"
 
Simon​
She pulled out more containers which were all given to him from Milton. The food had the same fuzzy substance as the previous one and he was certain they too smelled just as bad. The demon then lectured him on the differences between 'perishables' and 'nonperishables' and that everything basically had a time limit. She was also recommended that everything be sealed properly or else.

"I got it. Thanks," he said, taking the chips from her. He glanced suspiciously at the demon.

"But why? Xander said this is where you store food. So then wouldn't all food go in here? Where else am I supposed to put the food?" With the bag of chips still in his hands, he opened it and stuffed a handful in his mouth. "I thought the cold air from these human machines were just some silly error humans were still working on."

He had to admit the idea of this refrigerator was amazing on the humans' part. The cold air wasn't because of magic or any spell. Literally, all Xander had to do was take the line it was attached to, insert it into the wall, and it worked.

Simon stared at the pile of containers on his table. Looks like he may have another task at hand today too. If he threw it in the trash, then the stench would certainly cover both cabins until the next rainfall, not to mention attracting animals who will create a huge mess to clean up in the morning. He gobbled another handful of chips and scooped all the containers into a bag.

"I'll get rid of this. You just . . . do whatever. No troubles." He crossed the kitchen and was halfway down the hall when he turned back. "I mean it. I've had enough of your surprises." And with that, he was out of the cabin. He paused, his eyes following the dirt road that ran past both his and Milton's cabins. Then he looked towards the sky, feeling the slight breeze for any magic traces, and started to walk away to get rid of the rotten food.
 
Nike​

"Error? That's the whole freaking point of the—"

Nike stopped when she realised how pointless it would be to explain it again when he clearly had no interest in listening. He could whine about her supposedly making trouble all he wanted. She ought to go through the rest of the freezer and the fridge to sort out the whole mess. Maybe there was a meal or two that survived his carelessness.

She started by digging out the numerous bags of chips and putting them into the cupboard so that she could get a better idea of what was still inside. Thankfully, there was no other rotting food, though that was only because the angel had no concept of a balanced diet. Everything was crappy junk food that most people would only buy as snacks. He had to have one hell of a stomach not to be stick from vitamin deficiency. Her stomach growled and she silently wished for some kind of restaurant nearby. She needed something of substance to sink her teeth into. A sigh escaped her as she closed the fridge and opened the freezer. Diana would've been able to make her something tasty and filling in the blink of an eye. If only Nike had taken her up on her offer to teach her how to cook.

A break finally came her way when she spotted one of the containers from Milton in the freezer along with a good amount of ice cream and other crap. Any meat was better than nothing.

She took it over to the microwave and popped it in to defrost it. It would take a good amount of time judging by how solid it was, but she had some hope on the horizon. She grabbed out a pint of ice cream as she watched the meal spinning around.

How many more days would it be until Xander contacted her with some news? He had to have a plan. She knew he had looked bad when she left, but the police had been there so he had to be recovering in the hospital. Maybe he'd call or send her a letter soon. It'd be just another day or two. Hopefully. If she had to spend much more time with this idiot, she'd punch him before the week was out.

Another sigh escaped her as she glanced down at her ice cream. It was already halfway gone. She could smell the fish now which told her it was getting close to being edible. Normally that fishy scent emanating from the microwave would've made her sick, but today it smelled divine. With some luck, she could connive the ass to let her write him a grocery list before he went to get more food.
 
Simon​
Simon threw the soiled foods away and instead of returning to the cabin, he kept walking.

He walked further down the dirt road, his bespectacled eyes trained onto the pathway ahead of him. Despite that, he wasn't focused on where he was heading, rather instead the air around him. The density of the air, any breeze that passed by, and any pockets of magic that should not be there. Simon had walked half a mile before he turned, making a full perimeter around the cabins.

The traces were faint, so faint he had to pause numerous times to make sure he really felt it. The source—or sources—were so weak that he was lucky to be able to still find what he could. Was this demon magic, like the ones who attacked the demon spawn that first night? Or were these angelic beasts that liked to wander between worlds? Simon couldn't be sure.

Simon returned to the cabin. He saw the demon finishing a pint of that iced cream as well as catching a whiff of something that smelled like Milton's foods. Simon pursed his lip at the treat; he was saving that. Mint chocolate chip was his favorite. He growled softly, marching past her

Maybe this was nothing. He encountered a few small fry demons in this area before. He and Milton were so isolated from everyone that they were perfect pickings for demons. Well, Milton was and would have been if it weren't for good wards and Simon. Angels liked areas with more people so that was out. Maybe he was just on edge, now that there was another living being in this house. He just wasn't used to having to share this place. Particularly a demon.

Sharing this cabin now also meant more need for supplies. Food, clothing, and other necessities. Milton was nice enough to give the first two, but they shouldn't rely on the old man so much. Simon still was wary of her getting so close to Milton as well.

"We're going for a supply run later," he said stiffly. He ripped open a bag of chips and started shoving food in his mouth. "And yes, you are coming with me." While he hated to have her with him, he wasn't going to leave her alone.
 
Nike​

Nike was shocked by that answer. She'd expected him to critique her again or complain about something else, but actually give her what she had asked for. She could get good food and soap and a toothbrush. She'd never thought such basic things could sound like luxury, but now it felt like the road to heaven had opened up for her.

"Great." She was wary of upsetting the finicky angel. Tomorrow, once their trip was underway, she could get back to calling him an idiot. "Be looking forward to it."

It took a day or two to get everything in order, but soon they were on their way towards actual civilization.

Nike had never been so excited to jump into a car. She was practically bouncing as the angel brought a car out. Honestly, she wondered how the hell he had learned how to drive, but she supposed he had to survive in the world somehow. His skills didn't matter so long as he kept them alive. She had trusted taxi drivers sketchier as him before.

She jumped into the passenger side. "Hurry up! I'm ready to get some actual hygiene products and get cleaned up tonight." That bar of soap was doing next to nothing for her hair.

Her hand moved to her pocket to check for third time that she had the money from Xander. She could've gotten her own, but she was sure the angel didn't want to extend their trip into the city to find one of her stashes. It was all the same to her. As long as she had some cash for her expenses, it worked. She was willing to put up with clothes from a decade or two back—it helped that Milton was as kind as he was—but only having a bar of soap for all of her needs was not enough to live off.

She buckled into place and immediately reached for the radio. "I wonder how long we'll have to drive to get anything worth a damn." She began to click through the frequencies. She'd been sitting in silence for days and she was very ready to have any kind of entertainment. Maybe she'd buy a small radio for the house or even a TV.

Zien​

It was early morning. Painfully early, but nothing Zien wasn't used to. It'd been a few days since he agreed to take on the girl. Arguably, she should still be in a safe house waiting on her psych eval, but he had let her come back to his place. She was a smart kid. She'd be able to play the psych panel like a fiddle even if she had deeper issues that could prevent her acceptance. He had managed it himself and he'd been a child at the time. A teenager would have no issues with that.

No, there was only one way to see if this girl was cut out for this work.

He went down to the room had given her and knocked loudly. "Diana, get up. I want you ready to leave to in ten minutes. There's food on the table if you want it."

With his message given, he turned and went to go pack his bag. If she was going to be an agent, she had to focus on her physical abilities, first. She was clever, and she probably knew the basics from Xander, so now she needed to get her body into shape or she'd just be a very intelligent snack for the first demon that came at her. No agent got by without doing their share of fieldwork and that meant being tough enough to handle physical confrontations and long chases.

He tucked some papers into bag; the training regimen he had made for her last night. He'd be detailing it to her during their morning together. He might have to make adjustments depending on how she handled his test. He wanted her to see how tough it was, but he had to be careful about not straining her body. That would only get her into the hospital and then neither of them would see any benefit.
 
Simon​
After breakfast, Simon pulled out the cabin's only car: a small silver vehicle. It was a little rusted in the corners and covered in a rather thick layer of dust, but it ran still ran just like it should. Xander said this would be perfect for Simon to get around, although he hated it. Simon preferred flying, but when hiding in the human world, flying would attract some very unwanted attention.

He frowned when the demon slid into the passenger seat next to him. Sitting in such a cramped space together was one thing, but sitting in a cramped space with no more than two feet separating him and the demon? Great One have mercy. He decided not to say anything. He figured this would have to be another thing he'd need to get used to when sharing a space with her.

"Stop that," he growled, swiping her hands away from the knobs. The radio landed on a random station, garbled by a mixture of static and the muffled voice of a radio DJ. They were way too far from civilization for the station to reach them, but Simon wasn't going to have her be messing around with the radio again. What if it ended up on some channel that allowed for communication? The last thing he needed was another unexpected guest coming their way.

He pulled out of the driveway and onto the road, almost immediately rolling down the windows, hanging one arm outside, and tilting his head slightly to feel the wind rush by. This was the closest thing he could get to flying. He hated the roof over their heads and how it blocked the crisp air of the mountain. He hated the groan of the engine with every odd noise it made making him jump. He especially hated how it was only limited to the road before them and could never be part of the sky.

Simon did understand that this contraption would at least mean he survived here on Assiah. He may never be able to fly freely ever again on this world, but at least he was still alive. That's all that mattered. Right?

Town by car was a good thirty minutes away from Simon and Milton's cabins. The dirt road eventually turned into asphalt and Simon suddenly remembered Nike literally walked through here no more than a few days ago. No car, no wings, just her legs and sparks of black fire-spitting everywhere. He hoped the town wasn't on the lookout for some girl who was possibly possessed.

The warbled sounds of the radio became clearer the further they drove, the DJ talking to someone who had called their station and was congratulating them on winning a prize. After another send-off, the radio started playing its next song.

"I know this," Simon said, recognizing the beginning beats. He turned it up and The Proclaimers tenor voice started singing the lyrics to their song, 500 miles. "Xander played this all the time."


Diana​
Diana groaned at the knock on her door, clutching her blankets. Zien's voice carried through the door, letting her know there was food on the table.

Groggily, she picked up her phone. It was five in the morning, an ungodly hour to be awake, much less having breakfast prepared. "Five more minutes," Diana mumbled into her pillow. After another few minutes of wallowing, she reluctantly got up and made her way to the kitchen. She made herself some buttered toast and coffee, slumping in the chair and tiredly chewing through her breakfast.

It was clear Zien had been awake far longer than her. Having made breakfast and being fully dressed, the older man was now sorting through paperwork. Diana barely even had the energy to sit up straight. Last night was the first time in a while Diana had gotten a decent amount of sleep. One where she wasn't crying her eyes out or staring at the ceiling remembering everything that led up to that moment. It never occurred to her how exhausted she was until today.

She watched Zien work through the papers, the small sips of coffee slowly waking her up. "Are those reports?" she asked curiously.
 
Nike​

"Hey!" Nike pouted when her hand was pushed away from the dial. Great, he was going to be a jerk about this too. She flopped back into her seat with a huff and folded her arms. This angel had to wreck absolutely everything that could make her life even a little more bearable. She strongly suspected Xander had sent her here as a passive aggressive punishment. He had to know what a drag this dude was, so he would've thought there was no better place to send his problem ward off to.

A break in the radio static tore her away from her gloomy thoughts. She had heard this song so often as a child. She used to say she hated it, but now the memories overrode those thoughts. "Yeah, he likes this band a lot. I swear he played it every day in the car when I first started school. He never listened when me and Di tried to get him to play something else. He said he was teaching us culture." She laughed softly. "He can be a real ass about his music. I prefer something I can dance to. This song has a beat, but nothing dance worthy."

She missed home. While she had never considered herself a homebody, leaving so abruptly hurt. She had clue what was happening or if Diana was okay. Being in the dark was the worst. "This is probably the only station that comes in out here. We're deep in hick country."

Zien​

"No. It's a physical training regimen I put together for you." Zien spared a glance in her direction. "You need to be capable of fighting if you're going to be an agent. The ability to see the supernatural is only the first test. Plenty of recruits fail out before becoming apprentices because they can't keep up. You already got a pass through those tests by having me directly apply to train you, so I'm responsible for ensuring you're fighting fit. If impress me, I'll let you start on your apprentice duties right away, but I'm not letting you near fieldwork until I know you won't get yourself killed on day one."

He finished with his briefcase and sat down, pulling out his phone to check on emails again. Sure enough, he had a few from the higher ups thanks to his little stunt. It would take some spectacular results from Diana before they got off his back. He'd known the risks when he agreed to this.

"I'd recommend packing some snacks that have protein or you'll pass out during warmups. There's also a water bottle filled for you on the counter. Consider it a gift." As he had expected, there were no updates on Xander's case yet. It was too soon for the official autopsy and everything else would be slowed by bureaucracy. Just another day working for G.U.A.R.D.S.
 
Simon​
He raised his eyebrows at her. "What is a band?" Another weird human term. Simon had an idea of what a school was; sometimes, whenever Milton talked about his son or his own younger days, he'd talk about this 'school' and how its purpose was to give humans knowledge about this world. So apparently this demon had also gone to a 'school' too. There was also someone she lived with by the name of 'Di' and all three of them lived together. A demon, somehow able to live peacefully with two humans.

"It is," he murmured. He paused, driving along the road. "Away from cities and towns. No one else here but me, Milton, and now you. Where no one can find you. Hunters, demons, or angels." He paused after his last sentence. "Well, demons are more likely—" he gave her a pointed look "—but still so rare. It's perfect for hiding."

Another few more miles and they arrived in town. They drove through the main street before pulling into the parking lot of a grocery store. Turning off the engine, Simon looked around to make sure no one was nearby or watching then turned to Nike.

"Remember, we cannot be seen except by those with supernatural sight. If something seems off, or if a human suspects we're not one of them, Hunters will be after us in no time. Stay casual, don't draw attention, and don't go wandering off. Got it?"

Diana​
Her stomach sank as Zien lectured her on the importance of being in physical shape. Diana wasn't completely out of shape; the mile run was doable for her with frequent and strategic intervals of walking. But she wasn't exactly an Olympic medalist either. She wasn't even a star athlete at school! Not to mention fighting. She didn't even know what weapon she could use. Zander used swords back in the day so maybe she could try that. Although one time he did let her hold one of his weapons and she just barely managed to hold it upright.

Oh boy, she thought.

There was going to be a long, hard road ahead of her. She wasn't a fool to not realize work needed to be done. She made this decision, knowing full well what was in store. Just have a goal and make sure you get there. That's all that matters. Given Zien's lecture, she hoped he had enough patience.

"Thank you," she said, looking at the water bottle Zien mentioned.

She finished her breakfast and changed clothes. If today was going to be about warmups and physical activity, may as well dress for that. Though she may need to start investing in more athletic gear since she only had one pair of athletic leggings. Maybe she can go for a shopping trip. Tying her dark hair up, she headed back to the living room and filled up her new water bottle. She found a few granola bars in Zien's cupboards and swiped those for what she needed.

"Alright. I'm ready."
 
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