"Staz, I'm off to Saty's!"

No answer. She scanned the room for the ink-haired vampire, and her gaze rested upon the green bundle on the sofa. An arm snaked out from under the covers and gave her a slight wave. Fuyumi couldn't help but smile, "OK, I'll see you later".

At Saty's it was rush hour. Demons of all shapes and sizes sat in the booths, and Fuyumi was red in the face from cooking. She had three other kitchen staff to help her out, but it wasn't nearly enough. While she had enjoyed cooking for her father at home, it had always just been the two of them, unless her father had to stay at work late, in which case it was only Fuyumi. And Staz was hardly ever at home-his home- so she only had herself to cook for. Currently Fuyumi was frying an egg omelette, a dish she knew off by heart. Yet it was somehow harder to produce than ever before. "Fuyumi, order up!" Cheered Mame, his cute bushy tail swinging wildly.

"Sure, Mame" yawned Fuyumi.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me! You and Mimi are the only ones I have on the job today, so I'm relying on you two" Mame pointed towards the red-head in the corner, who was enjoying a smoke. Mimi raised her hands like a thief at gunpoint.

"Ok, ok I get the hint, Mame, I'll get my butt into gear" she said, slapping the silver squirrel-like demon on the back. Fuyumi liked Mimi, a fellow ghost stuck in the demon world. She looked to be in her early thirties, though Fuyumi had no idea as Mimi didn't like to talk about her age, or her human life at all. A mop of short red hair hung around her shoulders and a pair of blue eyes gazed forwards as if nothing could harm them. From what Fuyumi knew about her, she was American and had ended up in the exact same predicament as she when first entering the demon world. This had instantly sealed their friendship, despite their age difference, Mimi was like a teenager.

"Hey, Fuyumi, toss us a soda"

"You gonna pay for that?" Mame asked

"You can take it out of my check!" The red-head laughed. Mame growled.

"Better make it a tab"

"Oh, don't be like that my little chibi" she used his most hated nickname.

"Chibi? How dare you! I'm your boss ya'know, so I can fire you instantly, as in instantly, on the spot!"

"Oh, but you wouldn't"

"Wanna try me? I may be small, but I'm a black belt in martial arts"

"You wouldn't fire me and then leave poor Fuyumi to do the kitchen chores all by herself!" Fuyumi suddenly felt an arm latch around her shoulders, "Anyway, this damsel in distress can always call on me to kick your martial arts butt!"

"Come on then, red-head!"

"Bring it on, mouse!"

Fuyumi let the two of them fight like a pair of children, and slipped into the cooler and took the last soda herself.

Meanwhile, in demon world acropolis...

Braz watched the sleeping Liz, stroking her soft red hair. It was a trait about Liz that Braz loved; her hair looked so much like their mothers. It was comforting.

Braz sat up and started towards his own quarters, thinking about what Liz had said earlier...