Ourias split away from the passengers filing out of the plain as soon as he could, stopping in an empty area by a wall of windows. He visibly deflated, leaning against a column with a heavy sigh.

He let his bag fall off his shoulder and knelt down to open his bag. He pulled out his phone and turned it on, watching the screen light up.

As the phone started, he looked up at one of the TVs hanging in the waiting area. It was playing a news station, with a man and woman sat side by side at a table.

"Good evening, Stonebridge!" The woman started speaking first. "I am Isabella Bobbit-"

"And I'm Adrian Dyer-" The man said.

"And we're here with you now on Celestial News Network with breaking news-"

"And breaking in more ways than one." Adrian leaned forward, with one arm resting on the table. "Just two nights ago there was yet another demon summoning. The third one in within city limits just this month."

"Harper Bennett, an aspiring medical student, was found at the scene late Wednesday night by city officials, covered in her own blood. She has no memory of the incident itself, but the officers at the scene say that they believe she was meant to be the sacrifice to the demon. They also said she had disappeared a week previous, supposedly having been kidnapped by our attempted summoners."

"Fortunately for Harper, the summoning failed." Adrian said. "She's truly a lucky girl. Doctors say she is due for a speedy recovery." He laughed, "Though the summoners were not so lucky."

"They were not lucky indeed." Isabella stated. "Every single one of them was found dead at the scene, all of them being crushed or torn apart."

"That's just what happens when you try to summon a demon." Adrian gestured towards the camera. "State officials have come forward with a statement, reminding people of how dangerous these monsters are and imploring citizens to come forward if they believe someone is planning to attempt summoning one."

"A message, no doubt, Chief Benjamin Campbell will support during his press conference tomorrow evening." Isabella clasped her hands together. "We ask everyone to keep a watchful eye out there, and remember to always travel with friends after dark as rates of criminal magical practice continue to rise. Your safety is important."

"In other news, there was another attack last night," Adrian leaned back again. "There was another shooting last night, this one taking place in a night club on Marign Boulevard. Survivors found inside the building report a man leading the attack that matches the description of the last four attacks-"

Ourias stood up when his phone turned on, hiding the screen. He scrolled through dozens of missed phone calls and unanswered messages, all from unknown numbers.

He ignored them, tossing his bag back over his shoulder. Another call came through his phone, this one from Mateo.

He answered it, holding the phone up to his ear. "Hey. Are you and Theo Zach here?"

Ourias walked further into the airport. "Yeah, I just got off the plane. I'm going to head towards baggage claim."

Ourias laughed, pulling the phone away from his ear slightly. "Yeah, I'll meet you there. Thank you, Mateo." He paused. "Do you think you could help me change my number again?"

Ourias smiled weakly with a nod. "Yeah, I think he found it again. I'll see you in a few minutes."

He lowered his phone, closing his eyes for a second. He inhaled slowly, pausing only momentarily before exhaling and continuing.

----------------

Zacharius, Mateo, and Anatase were waiting for Ourias by a bench. Anatase was sitting down with Mateo, both of them playing a game on his phone. Zacharius stood next to them, looking over the crowds.

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Ourias and Zacharius both spotted each other at about the same time, Ourias visibly brightening and waving.

Zacharius squeezed Mateo's shoulder, and they exchanged a silent look before Zacharius left them to approach Ourias.

Zacharius took one of Ourias' bag. "How was your flight?"

Ourias grimaced. "Exhausting. I never want to fly again." He attempted a smile. "Yia Yia and Papou told me to tell you they miss you, and that they're upset that you haven't brought Anatase to meet them yet."

Zacharius shook his head. "We already have a trip planned for this summer. They don't understand that we can't just take Anatase out of school."

When Zacharius and Ourias got closer to Mateo and Anatase, she glanced up and grinned. "Ourias!" She jumped off the bench, running over to him. She waved Rangoon over her head. "Look at Rangoon! Daddy fixed him with a patch!"

"Wow!" Ourias crouched down, "He did a really good job."

Anatase nodded, holding him out, "He has jewelry now, too. It's a bracelet on him, but it's actually a ring from a giant man I met. He was really nice." Anatase hugged Rangoon to her chest. "And he makes all his jewelry by himself."

"Seems like a cool friend."

"He was super cool!" Anatase smiled. "Do you wanna have dinner with us? Táta and Daddy already said you could." Anatase squeezed Rangoon as she leaned closer. "Please? I wanna tell you about the science project I made with Daddy for school and show you the snowman I made in art and I made you a bracelet, but I left it in my room before school and I didn't have a chance to get it before we came here."

Ourias grimaced, but when Anatase stared at him with big eyes he looked away with a sigh. "Okay."

"Yes!" Anatase through her fists up with a shout. She turned around as Mateo approached, beaming proudly. "He said yes."

Mateo rubbed her head with a smile. "Good job."

"Can I get extra dessert?"

"I'll look into it."

"Yess." Anatase skipped over to stand next to Ourias. "Can I ride on your back on the way to the car?"

"I just came back home and the first thing you want is a piggyback ride?"

"I did invite you to dinner first." Anatase shrugged. "But if you got too fat and lazy on vacation and you can't carry me anymore, that's okay. I am a big kid now, so I am heavier."

Ourias' eyes narrowed his eyes, grabbing his hood and pulling it over his head. "Just to the car. And you gotta hold on." He set his bag down and crouched down.

Anatase clambered onto his back and Ourias stood up.

Ourias glanced back towards her, "Make sure to hold onto Rangoon."

"Aye, aye!" Anatase adjusted her grip on Rangoon, almost smacking Ourias in the face with it.

"Jesus!" Ourias laughed, "You're gonna take out my eye." He followed Zacharius and Mateo through the parking lot. "Why don't you tell me more about your new friend. When did you meet him?"

"I met him at a bus stop before we drove here. He was enormous, like a real life giant!" Anatase gasped, patting Ourias' shoulder "Oh, I can draw a picture to show you how big he was! And he wore a suit like those bad guys in movies. And he had little braids in his hair with pretty beads and jewels in them."

Anatase's face scrunched. "I don't know how he put them in his hair. His hands were bigger than my head. Maybe even bigger than your head."

"That big?" Ourias glanced at her with a quiet laugh. "Maybe he had help?"

"Maybe." Anatase seemed to contemplate this. "He must've." She shrugged. "They were pretty. I want my braids to look like that. Do you think Jackie knows how to do that?"

"Probably. I can ask when I get home and I'll let you know."

They reached the doors leading out of the airport, and Zacharius held the doors open for Ourias and Anatase.

"You promise?"

"Yeah. I'll ask."

The door swung shut behind them.

Characters:

Zacharius:

6'5", 240lbs. A broad-shouldered greek man with chin-length graying hair and forever stubble. Has a raven tattooed across his chest(generally hidden by his clothes). Wears a ton of diamond jewelry. Fashion is somewhere between formal and semi-formal, with occasion smart casual during his 'lazy' days.

Mateo:

5'8", 140lbs. A white man built like a twink(I mean this in the most endearing way possible) with short bleached hair styled in something similar to a mullet and autopsy scars. He has many tattoos, including a snake around his upper arm with floral patterns, bird silhouettes across his collarbone, snowdrop-like skull flowers on his inner forearm, the solar system along his back that spin in place, and a clock on his inner wrist that tells the time. I believe that his fashion is best described as 'retired punk'.