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A mental flash darted throughout the minds of the Paranormal Detective Agency's employees. Steel's eyes darted back and forth as he stood in the office, yet moment ago he was not here, "Did anyone else feel that?"

"Weren't we... filing something?" Aqua looked around for papers that had been on her desk.

Cleopatra's eyes narrowed, "Someone altered the past."

"Look at you, figuring this stuff out without me helping! But seriously, what the hell?"

Liliy and her fairy checked around things, making sure nothing was missing while Sabrina was simply flabbergasted and too spooked to move, "How can someone do that?!"

Steel carefully tapped the floor directly in front of him then stepped forward, "Several beings have access to that sort of power. However, they only get one use and I'm not sure who has their use left. Centuries are ridiculous like that. I wonder what they changed, it would have to be recent, as in the past few days recent. Otherwise none of you would be here and I'd be in the third floor hiding from the landlord."

The doorbell on the first floor rang, "Uh..."

"Did we have a first floor doorbell?"

Cleopatra nodded, "For after business hours."

Aqua looked out of the window, "The sky seems normal. No reds or lightning strikes or falling demons."

Steel put on his coat and held his revolver, "Demons come up from the ground. Angels from the sky." He traveled down the elevator, already creaking from the heavy use, and cautiously entered the lobby on the ground floor. Steel took cover around corners and tried to look through the glass doors. It was only a girl.

He opened the door, "You're Steel, aren't you?"

Steel didn't aim his revolver, but kept it ready in his hand, "Sorry, not interested in buying cookies."

"The sign says otherwise." Steel raised an eyebrow and walked out to the sidewalk. Under the massive demonic horns and the "Paranormal Detective Agency" sign was a smaller text sign that said, "Steel: Owner and Lead Detective."

Steel glanced at the girl, this time getting a good look. She was no more than a teenager with smooth fur and a flat chest. Her clothes were similar to a punk ensemble. A plaid short skirt, black t-shirt with missing sleeves, large black boots only designed to look functional but the heels made them fashion at best, wristbands covered in spikes, and two large tan horns coming out of her forehead and curling upwards at the end, "I really should have just looked at your head first..."

"Well? Are you going to let me in or not?" She was also wearing a canvas olive green backpack, carried a silver violin case in her left hand and had a refreshingly average rolling luggage case in her left, "I can't go in without your permission."

Steel looked around for pedestrians, but found none, "Demonic, yes, but no vampire. Why can't you go in devil girl?"

"Because I'm supposed to obey my new dad's rules, and that's you."

Steel blinked a few times, "Do I get a vote?"

"Steel." The wispy voice of the Angel of Sorrow came from behind him, and the devil girl's eyes went red and she hissed loudly, ready to pounce, "A demon that hates an angel?"

"Crap." Steel grabbed the girl and the angel by the shoulders and tossed them inside, "Let's get upstairs, there is a buttload of nonsense to sort out right now." He had to drag the devil girl and her things into the elevator then hit the button, "When you get up there, tell Cleopatra to get you... a seat or something." The doors shut, "Any news on the time alteration?"

"Several bits. One man who was able to find a piece of Armageddon was found dead, the Oracle has yet to wake up, and your sign has changed. More importantly, that demon... she hated me."

Steel sighed, "A demon hating an angel. Next thing you know fish will hate water. So, know anything about rebels?"

"Not a one in over three hundred years." The two finished climbing the stairs and walked right into the confusion and chaos, "How dare you! I am daughter of-"

"No, how dare YOU!"

"Ghouls and girls, be quiet." Steel pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on here, and to do that the little one needs to help me."

"Steel, why is this brat claiming to be your daughter now?"

"Says the glorified high priestess. And your other companions? A spirit of a useless girl, a blob that shouldn't exist, a succubus that cannot control herself and..." her voice lowered, "a fairy..."

"First things first. You get points for that last part. Second, I never said yes. I need to know who you are and why you're here."

The girl sat on Steel's desk and crossed her legs, "My name is Lucy."

"Funny."

"My father decided that I needed a better environment in which to grow, and declared that I would become your daughter. I can learn how to live my life better, or something of the like."

"Your father is a rebel demon then?" The Angel of Sorrow inquired.

Lucy hissed, "My father is my father, that is all."

Steel reached into his small refrigerator and pulled out a can of tea, "So, if I understand this properly, I wasn't given a choice and your real dad thinks this nonsense is a good environment..." He opened the can and took a long drink.

"Steel, it is time to act more like a parent."

"Do I look old enough to be your dad?"

"You are far older than me."

"... fair enough."

Aqua bubbled, "So, uh... how old are you?" Aqua received a glare as an answer.

"Alright, well, you're young, so I'll show you a magic trick." Lucy was mildly interested. Steel extended his arm and forced a ball of ice, "Keep your eye on the ice now."

"This is stupid, you picked up the ice while in your refrigerator."

"Just focus. Focus..." With his free hand he reached out and flicked Lucy between the eyes, "How old are you?"

"What kind of magic trick was that?!"

"An annoying one." Steel juggled the ball for no reason, "Now answer the question."

"Thirteen."

Liliy smiled, "I remember when I was that little. I think. Everything is pretty blurry."

Lucy was about to say something before the Angel of Sorrow intervened, "Hold your tongue. Little girls should be polite. I would hate to have to strike you down."

"An angel has no power over me!" She kicked open the violin case and pulled out a golden fiddle, "Bring it!"

A long, drawn out sigh silenced the fighting. Steel looked out of the window, "Enough stereotypes, please. All of you need to calm down, I have a hell of a headache. Your dad messed with the timeline a bit too much. Ugh..." He finished off his tea and tossed the can down, "I need a big ass aspirin and to start my vacation. But nooo, can't do that."

"Steel, what should we do?"

"Yes adoptive father, what should we do?" Lucy was still in a fighting stance.

He looked at the various females in the room, "I know what I'm going to do. Reaper!"

With a poof of smoke the Grim Reaper appeared before Steel, "Yes dear? Couldn't stand all of the boredom and trials of life eh?"

"Yeah, something like that. Can I stay at your place for a bit? I'm getting no sleep around here."

"Why of course, my home is your home after all." Her laugh was disturbing to everyone but Steel, "I have a fresh bottle of Spirit Wine and some exotic foods prepared."

Lucy was the first to comment, "Sounds like you had things planned out for a while."

The Grim Reaper glared in the girl's direction, "And who is this demon that takes up space in your place of business."

"Some other demon said I'm now her dad. So let's go, I need to get drunk fast."

"Hold on." The Grim Reaper turned to the girl, "From which corner of the Hells did you come? I need to know if you can be trusted in this realm."

Lucy snarled, "If you question me again I'll remove the curse on you."

"So you know that, yet you know almost nothing of curses. Amusing. This brat won't cause anyone any trouble. Let us leave Steel, your co-workers can watch her for a while."

"Have it your way!" Lucy extended her arm and white light gathered.

Steel sighed again, "Curses can only be removed before two hundred years have passed. You're wasting everyone's time. When I get back, you'd better prove to me that you have value. I don't want to sound mean, but I have enough children to watch over."

The world vanished in a cloud of smoke and Steel sat down on a chair he wasn't even sure was there yet. The Reaper's castle was quite nice, a bit morbid and Gothic but still nice. The black wood chair he sat upon was one of two around a table, where a bottle of spirit wine sat in a bucket of dry ice and a silver tray of various otherworldly delicacies rested. The fireplace was as bright as always and the Reaper was wearing a rather seductive dress (though it revealed little skin), "Is the silence everything you dreamed of?"

"I dreamed of more quiet and less stress. My vacation has been busier than my usual schedule." Steel opened the bottle and poured the cloudy liquid into two glasses, "I should spend more time here."

The Grim Reaper picked up a glass and took a sip, "You're more than welcome you know. Eternity of peace in my humble home."

"Humble, right. You live in a giant castle made from nothing in a realm that is completely under your control. I live on a tiny bed in the back of an office floor, separated from my co-workers by a tiny wooden door that won't lock." He gulped down his glass and poured another.

The Reaper sighed, "I know, I feel your stress. This demon girl is not something that should be. However, knowing your kind heart, you won't be able to send her away so easily."

The flames flickered, "I'm too soft sometimes. But she is just a girl, I can't kick her out on the streets." He ate a bluish hard cube, "Maybe she'll be useful. Or at least keep the others in line."

"Liliy, Aqua, and Sabrina may enjoy her company, though your loud mouthed companion my be a much larger issue. Her powers are strong, but she cannot use them without your say-so."

"Why?"

"She respects you a bit too much. For all her arrogance, she is no more than a young woman in a new world. You are the stability in your... facility."

Steel sighed and finished his second glass, "Where should I take a vacation? I wouldn't mind here, but I think you'd be a bit... clingy. Am I wrong?"

"Not entirely." She took another sip, "Though if your mental state worsens, you may suffer."

Steel leaned back in his chair, "I bet... that girls knows already. Actually, she probably has all mortal knowledge. Unfortunately, at her age she lacks context."

"You can kill yourself you know. Your little piece of Armageddon is powerless on its own and cannot do much even when found." She smiled, "The idiots of modern times know how to summon the pieces, but not how to bind a piece. Others will fill the void."

"No they won't. The only ones brave enough aren't skilled enough, and the ones who are skilled enough don't believe in this crap." He reached for his empty glass but missed, "Damn, who's spirit essence was this? Genghis-Freaking-Khan?"

"Close enough." She poured a glass for herself and for Steel, "Tell me Steel, and be honest. Can you do that?" He nodded, "How much longer do you think you can last?"

Living for a century puts quite a bit of strain on mortal minds and bodies, two centuries (if possible) leaves the individual a mess psychologically and physically. Any more than that and a person is no better than a doorstop that can ramble. Steel can't remember how many times he reached his breaking point, and he certainly can't remember how he continued to fight to stay alive. That was a long time ago and he left no hints to himself, "Hey... do you remember how I taped my brain back together?"

The Reaper looked sad, "Yes, but you asked me not to tell you."

"Smart, I predicted that I would wonder. I can probably guess though." He downed the next glass, "I mean, I have no attraction to people at all and I'm considered a bit of a dick." The alcohol was starting to put pressure on his head, "Oh, I see. That explains a shocking amount of my life. So can I fall asleep here?"

"Steel... I believe you may need to bring back your emotions. You r mind would deteriorate faster, but you would be able to feel again."

"Whatever you say dear."