'It's odd. I haven't been hired by a human before. But meh, the pay is good and my bosses approved the hire' The early morning fog curls around his body, his dark blue suit slightly damp from it. In the distance a siren sounds as a police car races through the deserted streets tom some emergency or another. Vaanrasha suppresses a shiver as the cool morning air begins digging through his clothes to chill his flesh. He shrugs his shoulders, shaking off the cold best he can while keeping his eyes on his targets. It is unusual for most humans in this part of town to be awake at this hour, much less hanging decorations when there are no major holidays anywhere nearby. Vaan has little interest in their unusual behavior, however it does mean that his job will be a little more difficult. The job should have been over in a couple minutes. Had they been asleep when he arrived half an hour ago he would have slipped in and the deed would have been done without much of a mess.

However he had to change tactics when he spotted them up and about. Now he'll have to talk his way in and try and end it before they can call out for help. Not the biggest fan of killing beings that have absolutely not chance against him, Vaan shakes his head and huffs before walking slowly towards the large house. The street is filled with many lesser houses, but the neighborhood itself is full of very well-to-do families. The kinds of families that expect it quiet at six o'clock in the morning. The siren sound fades just as he reaches the door to the Christensen residence and he takes one last look up and down the street before knocking on the door firmly. 'There should be two targets, a husband and wife. I wonder if they have kids. The client wants a clean job, no witnesses, but killing kids leaves a bad taste in my mouth, no matter the race' He looks up as the door opens wide, the man inside looking very bright and relaxed.

“Oh, hello. May I help you?” he says rather quietly, glancing towards a set of stairs at the end of the hall.

“Yes sir. Sorry to disturb you at this hour but Mr. Jensen said I needed to get some paperwork to you right away.” he replies, sounding very much like an overworked gofer.

The name drop seems to work like a charm and Mr. Christensen steps back to allow him access to the hall. The name was that of the man who hired Vaan, and having noticed that he works in the same place this man does he took a chance that it would get him what he needs. 'And it paid off' he muses as the sandy haired man leads him into the living room. There what he can only assume is the wife, he long brown hair gleaming under the florescent as she turns to look at him with a quizzical expression. 'If I can just get them both within arm's reach. . .' His eyes dart around the room as the man makes for a door at the back of the room. He follows but stops a few feet short of the door. Inside he spots what looks to be a desk and some bookcases.

“Jack dear, what's going on?” the woman calls out softly, moving a little closer to Vaan. As she comes around the couch separating them he tenses.

“Nothing dear, it just seems Jensen forgot to give me some paperwork. It can only be about the Homenerg project so I'm trying to find the folder. . .” Rummaging can be heard through the doorway, but the wife's attention is now all on Vaan. At first she just has a polite smile on her lips as he moves in a little closer, and her mouth opens as if to ask him a question. However he strikes before a single sound can make it out. With a sickening squelching sound his now clawed hand sinks into her chest just below her ribs. Before she knows it he thrusts upwards and rends her lungs with a sharp twist of his wrist. A faint gurgling comes from her throat and he pulls his arm out with one sharp tug. His tongue snakes out as the clothes around him shimmer and vanish, leaving him in nothing but a brown loincloth.

His skin seems to almost fade, but truthfully it's just lightening to his natural color. The red of the blood coating his arm and speckling his skin where he final breath has sprayed it sticks out in stark contrast to his almost pure white skin. As the green fades from his eyes leaving only white orbs in his sockets he turns towards the study door where he can hear the husband calling out to his wife. His tail arches out, pulling her body across the floor so he won't trip on it when the husband emerges. 'With all the crap in that room if I kill him in there there’s a good chance of something making a nice loud crash. However out here I've got a nice open space to work with' Finally the man comes out and Vaan steps forward, His eyes find his wife first, her body laid out beside their plush white couch, but as Vaan takes another step forward his gaze finds the demon her slew her.

The swiftly cooling blood on his arm drops down, leaving a trail on the floor from where it drops off his darkened claws. Behind him his tail rises up and begins lashing back and forth, the movement draws the man's attention long enough for Vaan to take the final step he needs. He can hear a scream making it's way up the man's throat from his lungs, but before it can take shape and be released to the world he strikes. Like lightning his tail whips forward, slashing through the man's neck causing a vast spray of blood to cover the area. He staggers slightly to the side, his hands coming half way to his neck before falling limply at his sides. After another second he too falls to the ground, the blood from his mangled throat still pumping out strongly, creating a thick pool of blood on the dark hardwood floors.

Vaan stretches slightly, his body a little stiff from standing still for so long out in the cold. The blood now coating his front begins to cool like the stuff on his arm and he decides to wash it off a bit before heading out. Even if he can shift back into his human form, the blood would still be there, and make it harder to walk to the travel agency. Passing the stairs at the end of the front hall he finds the kitchen and begins cleaning up using the sink and a dishrag. He hums lightly to himself. His job now over he seems rather different. His usual stoic stare replaced with a light smile as he removes the proof of his latest target's demise from his flesh.

Young Daniel Christensen had been put in bed early like always. The boy had curled himself in his blankets in an attempt to stay warm and fall asleep. But the golden haired boy didn't succeed. For hours he laid there staring at the ceiling with his teddy bear in his arms. His parents had told him to just try and sleep, eventually he'd grow tired. But that had been easier said than done for the young man. He tossed and turned. Closed his eyes and then opened them again. He really tried his best to fall asleep but Daniel just couldn't. Eventually he turned on his side and looked outside.

His window was big and he had a beautiful view over the city. The countless amount of lights made it look like the dark skies were merely reflecting what was down on earth. It was only that pale moon that was too beautiful to be part of the world he lived in. It belonged up there. The boy would often look out over the city and look up at the sky. During the day he'd count the little puffs of clouds or close his eyes and imagined that he was a bird. At night he'd count the stars and whisper to the moon. Unlike many children Daniel loved the night. It was calm and beautiful, even though there wasn't much to see.

But back to Daniel. Daniel was home schooled. Before that he had always been schooled at a normal school with other children. But the young boy would get distracted all the time. He'd see people walk outside, but they weren't really people. He'd see things that others didn't see. He'd hear voices whisper to him when everyone was silent. Nothing threatening, but just whispers that hadn't even been directed to him. It was strange, but he felt comforted by most of them. They hadn't ever harmed him unlike people did, nor had they ever laughed at him when he told someone he saw something. He'd sometimes wonder whether they were there to guard him. But, of course, the young boy had no clue that most of those voices he heard were of cruel murderers and night dwellers. But he'd find out soon enough.That exact night to be more precise.

The young man heard the front door open and the low voice of his father, muffled by the walls, sound in the hallway. Wasn't it too late for visitors? Moments later, after hearing some voices, he hadn't heard anything for a long time. He thought that the man, or woman, had left and he could now ask his mother to sing him to sleep like she'd always do when he couldn't sleep. So softly he sat up and got with both feet on the ground. With his teddy bear held tightly to his little chest he walked down the stairs. When he was in the hallway he hesitantly called for his mother as he wasn't certain where she was.

"Mother?" He asked softly as he walked through the house on his bare feet. "Father?" He then called a bit louder. Little Daniel made the decision to see whether his father was at the study, but before he could even reach those doors he froze in his tracks. He was staring at his mother who was laying down in an eerily strange position. Her eyes were looking up at the ceiling and her mouth was opened in a disturbing way. "Mom..? " Dan whispered as he slowly took a step closer. "Mommy, wake up.. You shouldn't sleep on the floor. You'll get ill..." He gave a soft push against his mother's arm. He could see the dark stain of blood on her clothing and on the floor, but he couldn't make the connection between that and his mother. Then he slowly lifted his gaze and saw his father.

His father had a deep cut in his neck, but still the boy couldn't make the connection between that and their odd way of 'sleeping'. Actually he just tried hard to deny it. How would they have died like that? No, it wasn't real because his father told him he'd never leave him alone. The young boy knelt down besides his father, parts of his legs and his hands now covered with the still warm blood. "Daddy?" He asked softly.

Daniel looked back and forth between his parents until he felt a feeling of panic wash over him. Tears started to fill his eyes as he continued to look back and forth between them, waiting for the slightest of movements. "Wake up.." He said in a now begging tone. "Wake up.. I can't sleep. You have to put me to sleep." He shook his mother's shoulders again. "Wake up.. Wake up, wake up now." He repeated himself over and over again as tears streamed down his face. "Why aren't you waking up?" He finally sobbed as he almost choked on his tears in the middle of the pool of his father's blood.

A faint creek on the step brings the demon's actions to a halt. His head turns quickly to the side while his fingers dart out to turn off the tap. The telltale pad of small bare feet on wood makes his smile drop. 'Oh great, they have at least one kid, and he's about to head right into the mess int eh living room I bet' Carfully rubbing off the last little bit of the crimson liquid he throws the rag back into the sink and slinks silently towards the stairs. 'Maybe if I just do it quickly and leave, not stop to look at it. . .' He shakes his head. Children feel different when killed. Their flesh is always softer, their bones more easily broken. He can tell by the sound of the footsteps and the voice that it's a small one too, not one very likely to fight back. 'The younger they are, the more they seem to just give in' Coming to the edge of the stairs he braces himself before glancing around the corner.

"Mommy, wake up.. You shouldn't sleep on the floor. You'll get ill..."

The scene that greets his eyes is a common one. He can not see the boy's face from his angle but the way he moves, the confusion in his voice. All of it is familiar in a way he really wishes it wasn't. 'Why did they have to have a brat. I'm tired of these jobs where they don't tell me about the whole picture!' He bares his fangs in frustration for a moment but as the child’s voice grows more and more desperate he knows he has to do something before he tarts screaming or tries to run to a neighbor. 'That's all I need right now. I barely get work as it is. A slip-up is enough to lose me not only my job, but my ability to keep my relatives away. As long as I do my job, they'll leave me alone, but if I lose it, there'll be hell to pay, and in this family, that is quite literal'

Slowly he moves out from hiding behind the corner of the wall beside the stairs and begins approaching the sobbing child silently. He moves to the side so he can stay out of sight as the boy looks between his slain parents. His breathing slows, not wanting to catch it's attention before he's close enough to grab it should the child try to flee.

"Wake up.. I can't sleep. You have to put me to sleep."

In his mind he could hear his elder sisters response to the distraught child's plea. '“Don't worry little boy, I'll put you to sleep. . .” is the kind of thing she'd say at a time like this, taking off the kid's head as soon as he looks at her. She really seems to love tormenting her targets, even if she's not being paid for the extra bodies. It's really not my style though. I may be a demon, but hey, I'm not evil' The panic seems to finally build to a breaking point and he can hear the child's voice becoming choked. He crouches down slowly and takes a short breath. 'Might as well get this over with. I can at least try and let it die in peace' Licking his lips he sighs softly. “They aren't sleeping little one.” he murmurs, ready to grab the pajama clad munchkin should he try and flee.

Daniel just couldn't understand why they wouldn't wake up. He shook their shoulders more than once and called for their names enough times to usually start realizing what had happened. But that realization seemed to wait very long. Even the sticky, crimson red, blood didn't help him connecting the dots. He was just scared. He didn't understand what was going on. Why weren't they waking up? If this was some sort of joke, he didn't find it very amusing. "Mom, wake up.. I just want to go to sleep.." He sobbed softly.

When he then heard a murmured voice. Dan jerked his head up and pulled his stuffed bear tightly around his chest. He didn't seem to get all too scared because of how he looked. He had seen many like him. But up close they were a bit more intimidating. No, the creature was actually quite terrifying.. "W-what do you mean?" He asked softly as he looked back at his father and mother. Then he glanced up again with his bright, wondering and desperate eyes. He wondered what the stranger was even doing here in the first place. Maybe he was there to help. And that was exactly what he was going to ask. "Can you help them to wake up, mister?" His tone was almost like a beg. He didn't want to be alone. He feared to be alone. It was one of his only fears he had discovered up to his age. He didn't like isolation, but he didn't like busyness either. All he wanted was there to be somewhere for him. He needed someone to be there for him. If he didn't he wouldn't know what to do. He'd panic.

Slowly he moved closer with two big teardrops running down his cheeks. "I'm scared.." He then whispered. Not yet realizing that the cause of this bloodbath was the man in front of him. Bloodbath... "I just want my mom and dad..." He started sobbing again, finally realizing what had happened. Bloodbath seemed to have helped him. Daniel covered his face and continued crying. His skin had paled into an almost sickening color. The young kid just wanted his parents back. They meant everything to him. They had always been kind and loving and they always took care of him. Then again, it were his parents. How could he live without them? He was too young to live alone. There was still so much he wanted to do with them. He wanted to go to the zoo with them and he was promised ice cream in the summer. He loved them. "Can you bring them back before the bad man returns..?" He whispered with a raspy voice.

The little one jerks at the sound of his voice, and he tenses, ready it grab him up if he bolts. However when the boy turns to look at him Vaan freeze. For some reason, the look in the child's eyes looks a little off to him. 'He has hardly given my obviously non human features a glance. He's looking directly into my eyes, almost. . .Almost as if he doesn't care. But, he's just a child, how could. . . .' Vaan feels himself relaxing, realizing that the boy isn't going to run. He remains quiet as the boy begins asking question, unsure of just how to respond, or if he should respond at all. The logical part of his brain tells him he could just kill the kid and git it over with before it really does begin freaking out. However even as he wills his limbs into motion, something keeps him still, just listening to the crushed and desperate words from the small living thing.

It moves closer causing his muscles to ripple beneath his skin as he shifts down on to one knee on instinct. He has no idea where the instinct came from, but as the boy seems to finally break down his eyelids droop a bit as he watches those blood soaked hands come up to clutch at tear stained cheeks. The blood trails over the pale flesh as his small hands com up even further to cover his face completely. 'Oh boy, now what am I going to do. I've. . .I've lost the will to do this. He's just to. . . .He has nothing to do with my job so why should I. . .' Like a bolt a thought fires through his mind. Pulling up his contract in his head he looks it over carefully and after a few seconds he smiles gently. 'I don't have to do it. I don't have to kill it. Nowhere does it say to take out everyone in the house, they just want a 'clean job'. Stuff like that is left up to the assassin's interpretation' Glancing down at the little shaking shoulder his smile widens a bit.

'And I'm interpreting it now' The child's last question is the final key and with a soft shushing noise he leans in closer to the boy. “I'm sorry, they can't wake up. That's not how something like this works little one.” He carefully pulls the bloodied fingers away from his pale face and with one arm scoops up the boy. Looking down into his wet face he adds, “I'm not the kind of thing that brings people back.” His hold is gentle but firm as to not drop him. A hold to try and make him feel safe as the demon stands and waters upstairs with him. “We have to get you cleaned up. There is somewhere we can go where you will be safe. Somewhere where you don't have to worry about sleeping and not waking up.”

Peeking through doors until he's sure that the child is the only one left in the house he wanders back down the upstairs hall until he's at the bathroom he'd spotted earlier. Wandering inside he stands the boy in the bathtub and strips him down before turning on the water to a nice warm temperature. Picking up a couple washrags he hands one to the child, smiling gently, then goes to work carefully cleaning the boy's face. “Could you get your hands and arms for me?” he asks. Spending a lot of time around humans on hos favorite world has given him a lot of insight into getting a kid to do what you want it to. He hums a little tune as he works, making sure to keep his claws off of the boy's delicate flesh.

Daniel's pale blue eyes were still staring into the darkness of his hands as he felt a hand taking them away. For a moment he flinched at the sudden tough, but then he relaxed and just stared into the demon's eyes. On his face his tears were starting to dry and leave salty trails down his cheeks and so did the red smears of blood that were turning into a darker color. He then slowly looked down at his parents as he was scooped up. It was a scary thing to see two bodies lifelessly laying down in their own puddles of blood. And that was also young Daniel's opinion. It scared him to see his father and mother with no life left within them. Their blood was no longer pumping through their veins, they no longer thought and felt, they were sleeping. They were sleeping the eternal sleep he had been told about when his grandmother had passed away. Another tear slowly trailed down his face as he turned his head back to the demonic figure in front of him. One of his small hands was holding on to his shoulder while the other had found an arm to hold on to.

Dan felt safe in the hold of the stranger. The stranger that told him about his parents and would take him away before the bad man would return. Finally as he was carried up the stairs he buried his small face into his neck and closed his pale eyes. He listened to the man's voice and nodded slightly. It was just enough to be noticeable. His teddy bear was left in the puddle of blood downstairs. He had let go of it when he had brought up his hands to cover his face. He didn't feel the urge to get it back though. He was safe without it. The demon would keep him safe. To many it would be a strange thought to have a demon to protect a human kid. It actually was a strange thought. But Daniel felt safe and he felt like he was going to be alright.

When he was brought to the bathroom and put down in the bathtub he didn't protest. He was too tired to protest. Soon he found himself with a washrag in his hand and warm water on his pale skin. He gave a silent nod when he was asked whether he could clean his arms and hands. Daniel found himself staring at the trail of red for a while before he started cleaning his hands. On his lip there was this thin, yet deep, scar that had been a reminder of when he tripped and fell down the stairs at school. It was something he'd always carry with him. It might not be the most heroic story to tell later on in his life, but it was a part of him now.

When he was sure he was clean he climbed out of the bathtub and held on to the demon to make sure he wouldn't slip and fall. He then turned and took a towel from the rack next to the bathtub. He wrapped the white towel tightly around him and turned back to the demon. He looked up into his eyes once again and then softly spoke, "My name is Daniel..." There was a pause for a moment. "What's your name?" Water was still dripping down his face as he asked him for his name.

As his clawed hands slide down to scrub off the blood that had managed to soak through the knees of the boy's pajama bottoms Vaan smiles as the little one goes strait to work on what he asked him to do. 'I wonder if he'll be this obedient when the shock wears off. It's obvious he's still a little out of it, but I hope he doesn't become a holy terror like some of the brats around town' He continues to hum, removing all traces of his parent's blood from the child’s legs and face, then he leans back slightly to watch the little one finish. He smiles as he looks over his arms and hands for any sign of blood before dropping the rag and putting his hands out to Vaan for help. Bringing his hands up he stays still as the boy climbs out of the tub, making sure he doesn't slip.

The feel of the thin skin against his own tough yet soft hide makes him sigh. 'Can I really do this? I mean, I could break him on accident. That skin if so easily broken right now. I know he'll toughen up as he grows, but can I really keep from hurting him until then?' His mind wanders over what would happen if he harmed the boy on accident,. Seeing him run to his neighbors in tears, telling his secret. . . He shakes his head,dismissing the thought. 'I'll just have to make sure he knows not only how important it is to not tell anyone, but that I don't mean to hurt him if I ever do. I'm sure I can explain it to him. It shouldn't be too hard' He watches the boy wrap himself up in a clean towel then turn to look at him once more.

'After all, he seems to trust me so much already. . .' His head tilts slightly at the child’s question and he reaches past the little one to grab another towel. Plopping it down on the top of his head Vaan uses the corners to start drying his face before replying. “Well Daniel, my name is Vaanrasha, Vaan for short, but you can call me Papa if you like.” He doesn't really expect the kid to ever call him that, but he can not help smiling at the idea. “Because from now on that's what I'm going to be to you.” His voice becomes softer as he finishes drying his little face. Sliding the towel off his small head he smiles, his fangs showing ever so slightly. “I'm going to take care of you, and keep you safe. I'm going to take you away from here, and bring you somewhere where you don't have to be afraid.”

Scooping up the little one again he carries the boy down the hall to the room that looked like a child's bedroom, setting him down on the soft plush carpet. As his eyes wander around the room he murmurs, “Go ahead and put something on. We can't have you outside in naught but you skin now can we?” Chuckling lightly at the idea he stands in the doorway and waits for the boy to say he's ready. While he's standing there he reviews his contract one last time before he thoughts drift over to his own family. 'This is definitely going to be interesting. It's not like I have any idea what I'm doing, save for what I've observed over the years. My own family is messed up even by demon standards. . .'

When the demon dropped a towel on top of his head it had caused a soft chuckle to leave the child's lips. He pushed it back a bit so he could look into the demon's eyes. Most children, and adults, would've started sobbing by now. But the demon, called Vaan, had promised to keep him safe. Little Dan believed in that promise and trusted him. Besides, he didn't think it was him who had killed his parents. He thought he was just there to protect him from the 'bad man'. "Papa?" The boy hummed softly. He wasn't quite certain about that one just yet. But he'd call him Vaan for now. Because, after several attempts, he was unable to pronounce his full name. Daniel gave him a few nods to let him know he understood and that he would come. He didn't want to get hurt as well. He wanted to be safe and not feel afraid.

Once again he was scooped up into the demon's arms. He was carried down the hallway to his room. It was a rather big room for a child of his age. The walls were white, but the ceiling was dark blue with yellow and white dots and clouds. There was also a small moon in the corner of his room. Daniel loved the night. He loved the starry ceiling of the sky and the pale globe that always seemed to change and place itself somewhere differently. There were some toys laying around on the carpet. Most of them in the corner of the room. There were also some drawings of strange creatures he'd see while he was in school. But those were all piled up as his parents hadn't allowed the young child to hang them on his wall.

Daniel had shook his head when Vaan said he couldn't go out without any clothes on. He agreed. He had been put on the ground and was now quickly walking to the closet in the corner of his room. He hesitated before opening and glanced inside the dark, wooden, closet for a while as if he was checking for monsters. There was nothing harmful there. Young Dan then grabbed a white shirt and a nice and warm sweater to pull over it. The sweater was grey and actually far too big for him. It reached till his knees and the sleeves covered his hands. He put on blue pants. It took him a while to button it. Then he sat himself down to put on his socks. He took a good look around before he got back on his feet and quickly got back to Vaanrasha.

His small hand took a hold of those of Vaan and he looked up. "I'm ready.." He then said softly. "I don't want to stay here. I don't want the bad man to return.." He gave a soft tug at the demon's hand and kept looking up with his pale blues. He didn't want to get hurt like his father and mother. Nor did he want 'Papa' to get hurt.

The demon chuckles lightly at the memory of the boy trying to say his full name. 'It is a little long for someone not use to long names. That, and it sounds nothing like a name from his language' He looks to the ceiling for a while, watching the child out of the corner of his eye, however something interesting catches his eye, bringing his gaze back down. Pushing off the wall he wanders over to a pile of papers laying haphazardly in one corner on the floor. 'Children's drawing, but why. . .?' His eyebrow raises as he makes out the top drawing. Kneeling down he begins to paw slowly through them, his gaze sharpening at each one he recognizes. 'There are demons and monsters. He even has a few night creatures in here. He must. . . Really have keen eyes' He glances over tot he boy wriggling into some pants.

'Or be descended from an order of some kind. I know a lot of them have it in their genetics. . .' Letting out a sigh he stands back up, pushing the papers back into a pile with his foot before walking back to the doorway. A few moments later Dan is back at his side, little hands tugging at him to go. He looks down at the small creature, his hands covered cutely in his sleeves like a little ghost boy. 'No turning back. He's attached now' “A moment Daniel, I need to get presentable. Curling his fingers around the boy's his body arches back slightly and after a tense stretch his body relaxes. He now looks very much human, a casual white button up and black slacks taking the place of his suit from earlier. Kneeling down he ruffles the boy's hair with his free hand. “Not everyone is as smart as you Daniel. They see me like that and they're scared, but you know better. However, one must cater to the masses some times. . .” He knows the boy may not understand all he's saying, but it is enough that he believes that the demon has to look like a human for now.

“Besides,” he adds, “you see guys like me all the time, but they don't always stay looking like that, right?” No matter the response Vaan picks the child up, propping him no one hip like he's seen mothers do before, and makes his way downstairs. Shoes appear on his own feet, sandals actually, and after carefully making sure the boy doesn't get a glimpse at the living room he stops at the front door to crouch down and pick up a pair of sneakers for the kid. Not wanting to waste any more time, risking getting caught with every moment he stays there, he simply hands the sneakers to the boy and tells him to hold on to them tight. “It's not far to my house, but it's plenty far enough away that you won't have to worry about being attacked. Once we get near home you can put you shoes on.” he murmurs, not looking at Daniel. Instead his head swivels around like a radar dish, listening carefully. 'The clean-up crew is here. They'll eat the boy too if they make the connection of their blood'

As if on cue a large rat erupts from the sewers and leaps at the child in his arms. Both arms tight around the lad he spins, landing a kick hard to the beast's side sending it flying. Hushing the boy soothingly he charges down the street to get as far as he can before more show up. “It's alright Daniel, they won't come after us. They only came for a job, they just got a little hungry, that's all.” He's not really sure how to judge how upset a child is when they aren't screaming their heads off so he simply hold him close and does his best to explain that he's still safe.

When Daniel was told to wait he waited. Then he watched how the demon arched his body and changed his appearance. Dan found it interesting and wondered whether he'd be able to do that as well. Of course, later on he'd learn it was only the demon who was able to do such things. Before he could ask him why he changed his appearance he was distracted by the hand that ruffled his hair. He pushed it away with his sleeved hand and for a moment glared at the demon. But within a second he had already forgotten what it was he was angered about. Slowly Dan nodded to the words that were spoken to him. But it was only little that he understood. All he knew was that people were afraid of him if they'd see him in his true form. That was the important part.

To the next question the young kid nodded. It was true. For some reason they all seemed to transform into something else. Some in humans, others in animals. At first he hadn't noticed and thought they simply disappeared. Until he saw it happening without anything to block his sight. He found it strangely fascinating. But when he told his parents about it he was told not to talk such nonsense. When Vaan picked him up again he wrapped one arm around his neck and the other was playing with the sleeve of his shirt. He carried him like his mother had always done. That reminded him of what she had looked like while she was laying down on the floor and bled and died. Strange how one could look so peaceful after being so terrified.

He was carried down the stairs. He could not look back to the living room to catch a glimpse of his parents one last time. Never would he see them again. Strange. Daniel nodded once again when he was given his shoes. He held them tightly against his little chest. When he was sure they were safe and secure in his arms he glanced up. At that very moment a creature the size of a small dog, or a big cat, jumped at him. Daniel gasped sharply and yelped when Vaan turned around. It took him a little while before he realized what happened and the choking tears reappeared. Tightly he had pressed himself against Vaan with his face pressed against his shoulder, his shoes dropped but that would be the least he'd care about, and sobbed and shivered. He had never seen such a creature before and it had terrified him. Luckily for the demon he wasn't a child that would tear the silence of the night with his terrorized screams and sobs. He was a quiet one.

When he finally dared to look up he only focused on the man who was carrying him in his arms. That was his savior. He would keep him safe and sound. Slowly he calmed again. Others would continue their screaming for many more minutes, but not Daniel. Dan was safe. No one could harm him while he was in Vaan's arms. There was no reason to be scared with him around to protect him. With the palm of his hand the young boy wiped away his tears and continued to look up at his savior's face as he dashed through the empty, silent, streets. "I'm safe." He finally agreed. Of course, he was still somewhat tense. With every sound he heard, even if it was an echo of their footsteps, he'd jerk his head around to see where it came from and what the source was. But he wasn't crying. He had no reason to.

The demon looks down and curses under his breath when he notices that the boy's shoes are gone. 'Great, now I'll need to buy some as soon as we get back to my home. Most of the boys in town don't wear them at his sage, but this little one's feet, like most others in this realm, are to tender for such things. While mothers in my world let their children run around barefoot for the most part, letting them grow tough with the abuse they take against the rough rocks and dirt, I have noticed that here in this realm even babies are put into shoes. One of those strange cultural differences' He slows down a bit as they reach a safe distance from the house and the clean-up crew. His arms relax ever so slightly and he looks down at the boy.

The softly uttered words from the child makes his heart ache for two entirely different reason. The feeling of contentment at the small life in his arms conveying such trust for him, and the slight guilt that he is the cause for the boy needing him so. '[/i] I did my job, and I do not feel bad for that. I do not regret my actions, however I do regret that they caused this child pain and fear'[/i] He lets out a sigh, slowing a little more until he is walking calmly. He notices the little one jumping as every little noise and he can not help but smile. 'That is actually a good instinct to have. He has sharp hearing too, some of these noises are quite quiet' He runs a hand soothingly down Daniel's back, shushing him gently every now and then. The boy is calm now but the actions are more for Vaanrasha at this point than that of the child's.

Being so soft and caring makes him feel more and more like he made the right decision. Soon enough his goal comes into view and he lets out a sigh. The building in front of him looks a lot like an old run down warehouse, but the walls are completely intact, so too are all the windows, and the solid steel doors are strong enough to withstand a hurricane. Hiking Daniel up a bit he whispers softly, “You're going to see more like me inside, but I want you to just stay quite until we pass through the bright lights, okay?” Trusting the boy to do as he's told he walks up to the small side door and after pressing his palm to it the metal seems to dissolve out of sight leaving an empty archway. As he steps inside he makes quick not of all the other demons in the room, the presence of a human drawing all of their attention at once, but after a few silents seconds most go back to doing what they were doing before Vaan stepped in.

He rubs Daniel's back a few more times before stepping up to a desk along one wall. The demon behind said desk looks up at him, his red skin and pudgy belly marking him as an Ogre type demon. Biting the thumb of his free hand Vaan presses it to a blank space on a huge book sitting on the desk, a moment later his signature appears in red in the same space. The ogre looks at it, Gives the boy a questioning look, but seeing as Vaan has no marks against taking passengers with him motions that the demon and boy can go on ahead. Vaan lets out a sigh and moves to a gateway. He utters a few words in his native tongue and a moment later a portal appears in front of him between the gateway polls. “Almost home.” he whispers softly as he steps into the sparking white and green light.

There is a light rushing noise and a moment later Vaan appears in an abandoned barn half a mile from town. There are random piles of hay here and there, the roof above full of holes and the loft looks ready to fall over at any time. 'One of these days I'm going to have to do something about this place. Last time I came back I spooked a group of kids and had to hire someone to do some memory manipulation before the told the whole town about me. I didn't feel right locking them up like that. . .' He shrugs, smiling at Daniel with an honestly happy gleam in his eyes. “Now just a quick walk down the road and we'll be at my house. Do you want to walk? We can keep to the grass since we lost your shoes back there.”

Daniel gazed at the warehouse that grew taller as they approached it. "Ok. I will try my best." He said with a reassuring nod and smiled at the demon in whose arms he was held. It seemed to be in a good state for a building like this. When they stood at the metal door young Dan was looking up. His back slightly arching and him leaning back, but holding on tightly to the demon, to try and see the roof. But he didn't. Then he looked back down and his eyes fell upon Vaan's hand which was resting on the door. Curiously he tilted his head a bit and blinked. He wanted to put his hand on the door as well to see what would happen, but the metal slowly dissolved. The young boy was surprised at what he saw. There was a hallway here. Something he had not expected. He had expected stacks of boxes and maybe an old car, but not a hallway. Not a hallway like this.

With interest and slight fear Daniel looked around at the many demons that had placed themselves in the hallway. They were all different. Normally he wouldn't be scared, but they were with a lot and Vaan had actually been the first one he saw up close. He shifted a bit and pressed himself closer to the demon's body for protection and comfort. As they approached a desk with a horrible looking creature behind it, Dan had closed his eyes. This was too close. He had to get used to it. Vaan looked decent compared to the red skinned demon at the other side of the desk. The human didn't like their gazes either. He didn't belong. He had seen it before in a mild way at school. But here they remained silent and kept it to themselves.

When they finally moved again Dan looked behind them for a little while until he noticed a white and green light out of the corner of his eyes. When they approached the portal he turned around to take a better look at it. He wanted to touch the light that came from it. He wondered whether he could feel it. Before he could say a thing, however, they already stepped in. It was strange. Daniel felt that something happened, but he wasn't sure what. It was an odd feeling. Interesting but odd. The boy blinked to get used to the sudden dark after that. It took him a while so guess where they were. It looked like the inside of a barn. He had seen them in pictures. Honestly, he had never been even close to outside town. He had never been away from the houses and streets. The excitement was almost overwhelming. Even though it was almost a ruin he adored it. But then he heard this wasn't where they would live. Slowly the boy tilted his head and blinked. First he replied, "Yes, I want to walk." and then after a short pause, "Where do you live, Vaan?" His eyes were big of curiosity and wonder.

This would be amazing for the kid. Never had he felt grass between his toes or gravel under his feet. He had never seen nature at its fullest. This was a start of a entire new life and he was excited to see what it would bring him.

He can feel the boy almost vibrating in his arms as he announces that he wants to walk. “Okay then, once we're out of here I'll put you down. Don't know what's hiding in the filth in here for you to get hurt one. . .” He looks around at the floor with disdain before wandering over to the door nearest to them. Stepping out into the night he looks down at Daniel as he asks about where Vaanrasha lives. Taking a moment just to take in the night he stays silent, drawing in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the cool clean air. Unlike in the city where the factories and other such foul things fill the air with their strong odors, the light smells carried on the wind in Vaan's chosen land are far more subtle and pleasant.

All around stretching off in every direction is fairly short plush deep green grass with little tufts of longer, rougher grass sticking up here and there. Off in the distance in one direction is a treeline, and just behind them, a mountain ridge. The tree line curs around so that looking down the hard packed dirt road in one direction it looks as if the road would run right into the trees. Down the road the other way it looks to be just clear fields, nothing obstructing the view as far as the eye can see. In the direction currently blocked by the barn there is a river running parallel to the road, and though it can not be seen right now, the waters run strait through town, splitting it in half.

Vaan smiles at his world, setting the boy down gently on the grass as he begins answering the youngster's question. “I live off to the left here, down the road towards the trees.” His head swivels around one more time before he offers his hand to Daniel, but whether he take it or not Vaan starts off at an even pace towards the village. “My home town is much smaller than the city you lived in, and you can walk from one end to the other in less than half an hour. It's a very nice and friendly place, and we get all sorts of people coming through town quite often.” He vanishes his shoes now that he's no longer walking on rough stone and asphalt.

He hums gently, looking up to the familiar stars overhead. “My house is attached to where I work, but it's far enough away from the workshop that when Jeimus is works the bellows early in the morning it doesn't wake me up.” He looks down at the boy fondly. “It's not nearly as big as you house, nor as nice, but it's got two floors and after I clear the storage room, you'll have your own little room. Until then you'll share with me.” He looks towards the slowly approaching village. “It really is a nice peaceful place to live. . . .I wouldn't trade it for the world. . . .” He chuckles lightly and lets out a sigh.