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It was a tedious task, he knew that for sure, but his prey would not escape him, he wouldn't let it. He watched the yellow butterfly pause on a leaf and grined broadly. It was his change to pounce, asn so he did, and so he came plummeting to the ground, the butterfly hovering away unharmed.

Jizzy giggled from her table at the terrace. A book was open before her, along with her notebook. SHe'd been studying some more which Deimos played outside, but he was too amusing not to watch.

Aphrodite blinked as she flew out and into the terrance, landing on the table where Jizzy was at. She looked up from where she sat, boy she needed a rest. he tiny wing took her farther than she was ever allowed to to go in life! Whoo! "Jiji!" She exclaimed waving to Dizzy. "Day pway?" She pointed at the stalking Deimos.

Not far behind her little mishap was Catherine, the plump and now short haired witch was making her way over towards the table. "Hey" She grinned abit, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. She settled the large basket she always carried with her on the floor next to a chair. "How's the quest going? ... Deimos caused quite a buzz."

Not far after Catherine came a tall and skinny man. He was dressed in a simple white tank and a pair of worn out jeans. Tattoos adorned his bare arms, a flame comming out from the wrist of his right arm and reaching up to his elbow, a pentacle on the same shoulder. On the other was a simple 13. His hair was the deepest shade of brown, quite similiar to Catherine's. Long and untamable by the mere white elastic that was holding it in place. Actually Catherine and himself looked as though they could be related. Their eyes were the same soft brown with an ever caring gaze. He pulled down the dunglasses he had on his face, letting them hang from the collar of his shirt. Slipping off his worn pair of boots he then took of his socks. "You know.. this is a really nice place. It's almost as big as Salem's place."

Deimos looked up at the sudden increase in noise by his mother and his face broke into a fanged smile at the sigh of APhrodite. "Smalls!!" He cried, running over to come greet his tiny friend.

Jizzy chuckled again, but meekly, halfheartedly. SHe had no clue how she was going to get Deimos to complete the quest.. "It's.. doing.. well in truth I've made no progress at all.." She said, letting her head plummet onto the book. "and I've sifted through a bunch of my books for any demon refferences and I find nothing.." SHe gave an exhasperated groan. "I'm so worried about Deimos.." SHe said, trailing off as she came to realize that she hadn't been ranting off to just Catherine.

"DAY!" she squeelled flying over towards the demn mishap, hugging his nose. she learned how to stop!

Catherine blinked a second, smiling she took a seat. "Maybe you're trying too hard... Deimos is strong, he just needs to see that." Her tone ws light and optomisstic.

"Maybe you need to look at the big picture." He spoke up, his voice was deep and raspy. his hand itched for his pocket as he stopped, his horible nicotene cravings were getting kinda bad... so instead he started chewing on piece of gum.

Deimos smiled at Aphrodite and brushed her hair with a finger. "How is Smalls?" He asked, moving over and jumping onto a seat on the table.

"Possibly.." Jizzy said, lifting her now red forehead from her book. "I don't belive we've met.. I'm Jizzy, Deimos' guardian.." SHe said extending a kind hand to the man.

"Smah goo. Di miss Day" She cooed happily into his finger. "Day.. kay?" She blinked, she had missed him at the recent halloween gathering and say the brass protrustion from his forehead was gone.

Catherine perked up from where she sat. "This is Duke, I've known him since I was a child... he also works at Salem's Home like I do."

His smiled was soft, as he made his way over to the table. He waved lightly. "Pleased to meet you."

"I much better, see no cross." He said, pointing to his forehed. "I have tatoo instead!!" He pointed to his left forearm where a swirled mark was imprinted into his skin. Deimos listened in to the introuduction of DUke, leaning over the table to look at him. He narrowed his eyes looking him up and down. "You smell funny.." He pormplty told Duke.

"Deimos! That isn't polite." Jizzy excalimed, but Deimos just shrugged. "But he do smell funny!" Jizzy sighed.. "Sorry DUke, yyou'lll have to forgive Deimos.." SHe said sheepishly.

"Oo.. Ly Duu!" she 'ooh'ed a bit more, oogling at the sight on his arm. Blinking she looked up at Deimos and then at Duke. "Stinky!" She promptly pointed at Duke, which in truth was right. He sometimes smelled of ciggerettes.

Catherine snorted, covering her mouth.

Duke made a face, he knew someone was going to comment.. but with Deimos he wondered what did he mean. " I bet you smell rather foul after taking a dive in a mud hole" He laughed a bit, patting Deimos's head with a forced grin. "Heh."

Deimos shook his hair up after Duke had touched it, as if shaking something off it. "WHy you dive in mud whole then?" He asked, eying Duke up and down. A tiny voice in him told him to dislike Duke, right off the bat, but his mother had told him not to judge before you got to know someone, so.. he'd give DUke a chance.. ONE chance.. He took Aphrodite into his hand protectively, fingering her hair with his thumb.

Jizzy smiled, Duke was taking it very well. "SO, Catherine, have you been well lately. I can't thank you enough for that remedy you made me. It cleared up the rest of the symptoms in a flash."

Aphrodite cooed a bit nuzzling into his hand. "Day." She smiled. "Mama bing foo" She said almost as though to assure him incase he was hungry that he mother made lunch.

"They did? That's great!" she peered over at some of the books on the table. "It was a potion my Nana used to make when me and sissy were sick." She explained.

He dismissed Deimos mud hole comment. "Yeah too bad it couldn't fix her attidtude." He shrugged lighlty, taking a seat and turning it backwards, stting down leaning his elbows on the back of the chair. Of course he was referring to Catherine's sister.

Deimos grumbled at Duke. How rude, he was just ignoring him. He turned to APhrodite now. "Did Smalls hear? I get quest. If I do quest I get grow big!" He made a signal with his spare hand to just abotu how big he though he was going to grow, which was probbaly greatly exagerrated. He frowned though. "But me no like quest. It have to do with.." He dropped his tone to a whisper. "holy things.." He shuddered. "They make me feel funny, not good funny."

"I'd love if you could give me the recipe. I've seem loads of remedies, but few work as well as that obne did,a dn it didn't taste terribly bitter either." SHe said smiling. The books before her were all about demons, but they mostly dealed on exorsing them, which wasn't exctly what she was looking for.

Aphrodite 'ooh'ed again. "Di geh big too?" She asked, looking herself over she was drastically smaller than Deimos. It didn't really bother her too mch, but she would feel bad if it bother Deimos or Mama.

"I'll give you the recipe next time I see you." She nodded a bit, looking over the books once more, opening one. " Hmm...Sissy.. is... stupid." She mumbled lighlty more to herslef than anyone else. "She was so rude on Hallow's Eve... She's such a cow."

Holy things? He blinked as he heard the little demon mishap talk to Aphrodite. "Hey sorry about ignoring you like that. I didn't go and swim in a mud hole." He grinned. "I jus' got some really bad habits ."

Deimos nodded to Di. "I be big and I get stronger! Then even Jabi no boss me round." He said witha smirk and he poked APhrodite's tummy gentle as to tickle her. His head raised up when Duke adressed him and he smirked, his way of accepting the apology. "Bad habits? Like picking boogers?"

Jizzy couldn't help but smiled. "I haven't spoken to my own sister in... wow.." Jizzy fnnaly realized it. It'd been more than 800 years since she'd actaully SEEN Amalia, 500 since she'd heard from her. "Ages.. We don't get along.. At all..."

A fountain of giggles erupted out of Aphrodite her worries ceased for now.

"You're lucky then. " Catherine slumped, but her smiled never left her face. " Briar is.. all talk. She likes getting what she wants and doing what she pleases. Grans always let her get away with murder, but our Nana was so strict with her it was though you put a ruler down her back." A small laugh left her lips.

Duke shruged. "Yeah, but not like that. Sometimes grown ups make mistakes and then they can't get themselves out of the mess they've made... but I think if you can admit to your mistakes it's the first step to fixing it." He smiled a bit to Deimos and Aphrodite. "So.. what's this quest thing I keep hearin' about?

"We do quest so we get bigger!" Deimos said witha nod, continuing to tickle APhrodite in his palm. "I have demon inside, so my quest is to tell difference between me and Erebus. I gots to see holy thing and if I like or not, not Erebus.." He said, trying to explain the best he could.

"You have no idea how lucky.. My sister's a big bully.. and when I mean big.. I mena giant sized.." SHe said witha small shudder. She still couldn;t even bring herself to say Amalia's name. JUst not yet. "My sisters was everyones favorite. SHe was a prodegy of sorts.."

All she could do was giggle and giggle! What a happy feeling filled her body. "hehehe!"

The name Erebus hit her ear, but she tried her best to ignoe it. " Sissy.. was just the same.. always better than me.. always... She was prettier.. smarter.. more talented. At least to Grans." She frowned.

"Quest to get bigger, that sounds so cool" Duke spoke,his entusiamism didn't seemed forced, but truly intrigued. The demon's name made him frown lightly, but he recovered a bit. "I can help you if you want."

"What you know bout holy things?" He snapped defensively, insticts kicking into gear, but he breathed. Give everyone a chance, right.. "sorry.." He muttered. He'd get in trouble if he shouted, despite the fact he felt the urge to run from Duke now. He moved his gaze onto APhrodite, watching her giggle. "Having fun, Smalls?"

Jizzy nodded. "I know exactly how it is.. The whole family saw my sister as better.. I wasn't really.. accepted back home.." Home.. it felt so odd calling that place home.

She wiggled a bit nd took a breath, laughing takes alot out of ya. Taking about deep breath, she hugged Deimos's thumb and nodded.

" So you are apart of the club of people who wish their family were turned to toads?" Her grin was playful. " I once turned sissy into a toad... last christmas was so wonderful."

He blinked a bit, raising his hands up a bit as though to prove he was harmless. "Woah woah... careful kiddo, I know a thing or two."

Deimos shuffled, taking in deep breath, fighting his fight or flight isntict. "Not all holy thing no liek demon, right?" He asked then. If this guy knew about holy things, he may be able to answer some question. "and why it hurt when I touch cross?" He felt the warm weight of Aphrodite on hsi hand and it calmed him slightly, he rushed a clawed tip through her hair gently, more to calm hismelf than anything else.

Jizzy elt out a laugh. "Oh what I'd give to turn my sister into a toad! She's more powerful than I am, butl.. oh the though makes me giddy.." She said, her grin from ear to ear.

Yawning a bit, she clung to his thumb tightly as she began to suck her own thumb.

Catherine smiled. "If only that was the true cure."

Bounding his way out of the door was the eight foot long dragon wrymling. Garreth pulled a large red wagon behind him. "Mama!" He said happily. "We got lost!"

The little snow maiden was sitting inside the wagon, propped up against a pillow. She surveyed the area on her head was a tiny crown. Apparently she and garreth were playing Castle.

Duke opened his mouth to explain but his attention was turned to the baby dragon and the baby yukionna. "Yo Garreth! ... hey there Nariko."

Deimos glanced at the newcomers for a moment, but turned to DUke. He wanted his questions ansered. "Mister.." He said, reminding Duke.

Jizzy looked at the small new comers. "Are they all from Salem's place?" She asked. She'd visited the palce and submitted herself to be able to adopt one. Deimos could use a younger brother.

Aphrodite had fallen asleep for the moment, she stirred a bit it seems she was having a dream.

"Yes" She said lovingly. "Nariko came all the way from Japan.. and Garreth has lived there his entire life." She said.

"Mama." Garreth poked his nose about sniffing the basket, balancing momentarily on his tail. "I'm hungry."

"Again? ... You ate an hour ago sweetie." She tickled his chin.

"Baaaah." gurgled Nariko as she took the crown off her head and threw it across the yard.

Duke blinked a bit and then nodded a bit, he turned his head bck to Deimos. " Sometimes, " Duke explained to the first question. " It's hard to define 'holy' because some people consider different things to be holy." he took a deep breath. " and crosses ...? It all depends if they are blessed... From what I heard Deimos you are part demon. So the pains or discomfort you feel when near 'holy' items is understandable.. but I think there is a way around it. "

Deimos nodded, understanding sort of so far. "There way that crosses no hurt me?" He asked, hoping this would work, I mean if it did Jabir could no longer use a cross as a form of punishment. It'd be great.

Jizzy smiled. "Thay're very cute.." She said smiling down at Gareth and Nariko. "Hello you two. My name's Jizzy.." SHe siad, iontroducing herself.

A single yellow eye opened at the noise of her larger younger siblings... feh.

Catherine blinked, "Thats Garreth..." she gestured towards the green baby dragon. "...And the unruly princess is Nariko." She smiled at the little baby Yukionna.

"Uh! Uh!" The little ice maiden whined, her arms rased.

"Mama..." He strained

Duke took a moment to think. "You might have to train though. Becomming strong in body is nearly as hard as becomming at heart."

Deimos gave Aphrodite a one handed hug, careful not to squish her. "What I have to do?" Deimos asked, his face set, determined.

Jizzy bowed her head to Nariko and did a little wave to Garreth. "I thin he won't stop till you feed him.." She whispered, chuckling.

She squeeked a bit. "Day bih!"

As though defeated she opened the large basket taking out some fruits. Afterards she pulled out a bowl setting them on the table. "Here you go baby. " She moved, picking up the little ice maiden. "Hey what's wrong? ... Just want some attention?"

"Yay! Frutsies! My favorite!" He pushed himself up onto his hind legs and leant forward onto the table.

She cuddled into catherine's chest. Blinking she looked around. "Aff?"

"Well..." He leaned forward onto the chair backing. "What do want to achieve?"

"I no want Erebus hold me back. Just cause he demon, don't me cross have hurt me." He said, defiance glimmering in his eyes. He was determined to best out Erebus. He wouldn't reign his life.

Jizzy smiled at the babe, she moved her hand towards the fruit. 'May I have some?" She said, resisting the ruge to just go and ruffle up Nariko's hair.. SHe had that habit.

She heard Nariko, but didn't want to move. "Aff kies!" she reassured her.

She rocked Nariko in her arms. "Garreth...do you want to share with Jizzy?"

" Aff..? Mama."

"Sure!" the large baby dragon exclaimed as he ushed a apple out of his bowl and towards Jizzy. "'ere ya goes Auntie Jiji"

"... Well first what you need to do is figure out what matters most to you." He turned to look at him, his large warm eyes rested on him and Aphrodite.

Deimos craddlesd his clawed hand as to acomadate Aphrodite better. "What matta? Well.. Mother matta" He said nodding to his mother. "And Smalls matta." He said, rushing a finger though her hair.

Jizzy felt all warm and fuzz inside as she took the apple thankfully and bit into it. Antie Jiji. It soun ded so adorable. 'Thank you Gareth."

Her tiny stomache flip flopped for a moment... but why? She shifted a bit, sitting up inhis hand. She sniffed about... food?

Garreth grinned and then proceeded onto munching on the grapes.

"Aff! Pway? .. Boy.. pway?" her large black eyes gazed at them.

"Well it's good to know where you heart lie.. and knowing that you need to remind yourself that they matter most to you... when ever he tries to say other wise. " he took a deep breath and grabbed a few grapes before they were gobbled up. "This Erebus guy is powerless as long as you believe he is..."

Deimos looked around for a minute. He smelled food. SPooting some strawberries, he reached over and snatched them, placing them by him and Aphrodite. He took one and plopped it into his mouth, offering one to Aphrodite. He pondered on what Duke said and nodded. He imagined Erebus as a little tiny thing in his mind, and his presence, seemed to diminish, if even slightly. But he wanted to test it.. "Do you have cross with you?' He asked.

Jizzy smiled and took another large bite from the apple. "I expect to be getting a child from Salem's home rather soon, no clue how they'll be though.."
"Oo! ...strah!" She squeeled grasping the strawberry and munching happily.

"... I read your application." she smiled as se leaned back into her chair. " I think you have a good chance for our new arrivals... though two of them are inthe infirmary."

He blinked as others were taking food out out his bowl. He picked up the bowl by the rim and the bounded off into the yard.

She wiggled out of her mother's grasp and slid her way to pavement. "Pway." She said as she made her way towards the chair that Deimos and Aprodite sat.

"Always... I'm a priest... so it's good to have a bit of heavenly protection." He sighed, he didn't want to loose the alreadly minimal trust that Deimos had in him. Reluctantly pulled out his silver cross from under his shirt.

Deimos gave a short glare to Nariko. He was busy, this was no time to play. He raised his eyes up at Duke. A priest maybe that's why.. His body stiffened at the sighted the cross. Erebus' nagging precense piped up in his head, telling him to run, to get out, or to attack. But Deimos sat there gazing at the cross. He outsrenched a shaking finger, his body protesting against it, but he ahd to know. Witha final burst of will he pushed Erebus down and touched the silver cross with the tip off his finger. A jolt, like a small shock rushed through him and he twitched slightly, but it wasn't exactly.. painful. Just, discomforting.. "I no like.. Put away.." He said, looking away from it. No, it hadn;t been Erebus, it was him. It irked him terribly to have a weakness like that. "Please.." He added at the end.

Jizzy frowned.. "Poor things.. I'd be happy to take any of them in, injured or not."

"Day!" She frowned at the discomfort on Deimos's face.

Catherine grimaced for a momoment, oh well guess Duke's gonna try harder. " Yeah, Tal lost a leg and little Ani sprained her ankle."

Garreth blinked as he was in mid munch, reluctantly he left his bowl behind and went over to Nariko. He picked her up from the back of her pants and took her to her to the yard.

"Ah!" She pouted.

"I'm sorry." he said quietly, putting the cross away. "Maybe its becase of birth, but just because doesn't make you any different. " He grinned at him. "You may not look t but you're like the average boy... just don't let anyone bring you down."

< Continued elsewhere... >