"Hey Athry, you've been jumpy lately."

Athry looked up from the camera at her assistant.

"Am I?" She smiled weakly.

"Just a bit." Joe commented, putting the lunch she bought on Athry's table. "You seem to be distracted too. Anything I can do to help?"

Athry shook her head. "It's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's just a bit of stress. I'll be fine."

Joe shrugged. "If you say so. Don't skip lunch okay? I brought your favorite."

"Thanks Joe."

"Call me if you need anything." Joe said, leaving Athry to herself.

It's been over a week since she had smelled the demon in Azail's room and over a week since she had decent sleep. She had been vigilant ever since. Since that night she had brought Az to work to keep an eye on her and the kid hasn't been too happy about being stranded with her at work. She glanced to her left were Az is slouched over the couch, sulking next to the models, playing her video games silently.

The brat wanted to go out and play with her friends. As much as she wanted to give Az her liberty, she could not, not without putting her life in danger. Right now, the seal on her hasn't lost its power but since it's almost the 15th year of its effectiveness its getting weaker. It always does around this time.

All those years of hiding has finally taken their toll. She knew this would happen. She might not be as strong as she was before but she would still use the last of her powers to keep Az hidden.

Azail snickered as she went passed the guard on the building where Athry worked. She never really thought of sneaking out but she did not have a choice since Athry has been very strict. She had not sneaked out before. Well, there's always room for a first time. She never needed to before anyway. True everyone was keeping watch what she is doing all the time but it wasn't as strict as now.

Athry has been driving her nuts with all the "stay here", "where are you going", "make sure someone's with you" questions every now and then. She's not even allowed to go to the bathroom alone anymore. Athry's been acting really strange lately. She suddenly wanted to bring her to work and "help out" a bit. It didn't make sense since Athry had a gazillion assistants. She liked being at the studio with her but she's not a fan of getting being watched like an inmate.

It was normal that she kept tabs on her but recently things got stricter than usual. Which isn't typical of Athry.

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

"Azzy! Where you been at? The Simi was looking all over for you!" Simi squealed as she entered Sanctuary. Simi practically jumped off her seat and bounced her way to her.

"Hey Simi!" Azail smiled.

Simi wrapped her arms around Az and inhaled. "The Simi misses this smell. Hmmm~ Barbecue." She said, smacking her lips.

"What does that even mean?" Azail laughed.

Every non human staff who knew Simi turned and stared in alarm. Aimee who was the nearest, went out from behind the counter and subtly separated the two.

"Why don't we get you two something to eat?" Aimee said, guiding the two to a booth.

"Can we have barbecue, Aimee? Simi seems to be wanting some." Az asked as they took a seat.

"Oh goodies! The Simi can try the new barbecue sauce!" Simi chirped. She opened her coffin bag and took her bottle of barbeque sauce out.

Azail chuckled as Simi placed her sauce in front of the table. "Wow, I never knew anyone carrying their own barbecue sauce." She commented.

"Well, the Simi isn't like everyone else and besides you wouldn't know when the time good eats will come so the Simi is always prepared." Simi replied.

"Anything else you got in the bag?"

"Nothing much, just barbecue sauce and my plastics. Simi needs nothing else. Except Simi's akri because akri gives the Simi everything and of course, Simi's akra-Tory and baby Bas and baby Theron and akri-Styxx and akra-Beth and baby Ari and Xirena and Simi's Rik-rik and everyone else in Simi's family but you can't put them in the bag they won't fit so the Simi just bring barbecue sauce and plastic with her. More convenient." Simi rambled.

"Wow that's a lot of people in the family. I think I have as much too." Azail replied. "You have a point. "

Aimee went out of the kitchen and handed Fang the tray she was carrying. "Honey, keep an eye on them would you?" She said kissing her husband's cheek.

"Afraid Simi might eat her new friend?" Fang chuckled eyeing the two who were chatting animatedly.

"Hardly. I don't believe Simi could do such a thing."

"It's Simi after all, you'll never know." Fang jested.

"Stop that! Simi would know better!" She chastised hitting Fang's arm with a punch. "Ash and Tory raised her better than that."

Fang chuckled. "Alright, I'll keep an eye on them. Anyways, this seems to be the first time in ages that Simi's found herself a friend."

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Sulad, Realm of the Dead

Sitan slammed the door as he entered his chambers. He had called for a meeting with his minions and the imbeciles have not given him a proper report.

"It's been millennia after millennia after millennia! The child is still missing!" Sitan screamed blasting one of demons into the wall.

The demons gathered around whimpered.

"But my lord, the child has been skilfully hidden."

Sitan screamed. How hard was it to find one child.

A demon interrupted. "My lord, may I say that the child would have grown by now ----"

The demon's words were cut off as he slammed into the wall and splattered into several unrecognizable blotches.

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"No, you may not." Sitan breathed. "Did you take me for a fool?!" He bellowed. "Anitun-tabu would not permit that child to age. If that child would grow to maturity, she will bring forth chaos into the world. Anitun-tabu certainly have sealed her body, I know she would."

He knew he was right. The goddess wouldn't want the prophecy fulfilled lest she wanted the world to end as it is. She might thought it was clever to hide the child an infant forever but Sitan knows that the goddess wouldn't have that much power if she did so for the past millenniums. Sooner or later she will weaken and he would gets his hands on that child and unleash chaos into the world.

Katoteros

Beth looked up as she saw Urian sauntered to the living room. Acheron and Styxx were on the floor, playing with their sons and Soteria was grading papers in nearby table.

"Going out?" Beth asked as Urain approached.

"Yes, m-mom." Urian replied shyly. It was just until recently that he had found out that Bethany and Styxx were his real birth parents. It was still kind of awkward for him to address them appropriately but Bethany had been persistent and had said that she had missed hearing her "Galen" calling her mother for eons, she would like to start compensating now.

"Where to?" Styxx followed.

"Out." Urian sighed. Beth and Styxx gave him a droll stare. Ever since they found out that he was there son, Beth and Styxx have been acting like he was an adolescent who couldn't behave. He doesn’t blame them for acting that way. They were separated for several millenniums after all. But sometimes it was just annoying.

"I'm heading out. I swear I'm not gonna get into trouble. Besides, I'm gonna go look for Simi. That last bit about her new friend smelling like barbeque seemed suspicious to me so I might as well check it out."

At that, Ash and Soteria paused. They both stared at Urian, their eyebrows urging him to elaborate.

Urian raised both hands in defence. "Apparently, Simi met a new friend about a week ago. She couldn't tell whether it was a girl or a boy. She also said the kid smelled delicious. She'd never said anything like this about any human she made friends with before, has she?"

Tory diverted her towards her husband. Acheron shrugged.

"I didn't raise Simi to eat people. She has binges but she knows full well that she can't eat humans."

"I'll go check it out anyway. Just in case, so stay there." Urian graciously offered.

"That's sweet of your Urian, thanks. Say hi to Simi's friend for us, okay?"

Soteria said before Urian flashed himself out of the room.

New Orleans

The loud crash followed by a high pitched scream of frustration from the lounge of the studio momentarily halted the busybodies that were like a traffic of bees from their respective jobs. Everyone eyed the culprit with great interest.

Athry earned everyone's undivided attention as she tried to calm herself. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly and evenly. The little imp had probably been gone for an hour now and she was so busy she didn't notice.

"I'm going to fillet and flay that brat." Athry declared as she picked up the equipment she dropped. She was well aware that everyone in the room was staring at her. She stood up, gave the brightest smile she muster and turned.

"Carry on people, much to do. I'm gonna be alright. I'll be back in a minute." She left in a hurry afterwards.

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

Urian flashed just outside of Sanctuary. He walked to the front door and was immediately spotted by Dev.

"What brings you here, Urian?" Dev asked, raising a brow. The Daimon hasn't really been known for socialising and is famous for tending to be a lone wolf.

"Chores." Urian replied. "Just making sure the resident Charonte isn't causing any trouble."

Dev chuckled. He motioned his thumbs inside. "She's inside eating lunch with her new friend."

"Good." Urian nodded. "Just who I was looking for."

Dev raised a brow on the comment. "He's just a human, Urian and a little kid at that too."

Urian smirked in response. "And the last 'human' she made friends with?"

"You got a point. But this one's just so." Dev replied. "I would know."

"I would trust your instincts on this one bear, but as for Simi's appraisal this one seems to be in the 'not yet certain' category."

"Go check for yourself."

"That's what I came for." Urian replied, heading inside.

Sanctuary was packed by patrons for lunch. The usual biker people and the gruff looking rednecks, some casual people who looked like they were in the wrong place and the tourists with their excited chatter and necks full of cameras they point and click on just anything they lay their eyes on.

Simi wasn't hard to spot. Urian could hear her ringing voice as soon as he stepped inside the bar. She was sitting on the booth facing him, devouring a huge plate of barbecue. From his view, he could spot another head, a mop of messy raven just barely reaching the top of the booth.

"Wow Simi, you eat like a demon."

He heard him speak. Urian snickered as he approached. The kid has no idea.

He stopped beside their table. The two occupants of the booth looked up. Simi smiled at him and the other kid just stared.

"No wonder my sister decided to move here, this place is a hotspot for eye candy." Azail said before she could stop herself. The man who approached their booth had the same good looks with the blondies that he met a few weeks ago, except this guy had an air about him she couldn't place.

Urian raised a brow at the statement. Apparently, Simi's new friend shares her knack for saying unexpected things.