Chapter 5: The Mystic Arts

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario + Vampire or High School DXD. This story is made purely for fun, not profit.

Tsukune's face wore an expression of mingled horror and agony as he felt a hand penetrate his midsection, a splatter of blood shooting from the fresh wound. It took him a moment to regain his bearings, but a swift blow to the kneecaps sent him crashing to the ground. The ex-human barely had time to catch himself, using both hands to prevent what would have been a nasty face-plant into the dirt. The physical injury healed, yet he could not shake the lingering pain of defeat.

"Protecting your vital areas is the most important thing to do. Attacking should be secondary." Akua pushed his chin up to establish eye contact, her look of disapproval twisting into something more playful. "This is especially true when your opponent possesses a higher degree of skill."

"Well, at least your dad says I'm getting better." he closed his eyes in anticipation of punishment, only to receive a small pinch on the cheek.

"No one said you were completely incompetent as a fighter... What you really lack is the natural instinct for battle that most vampires possess." she politely offered her hand.

He accepted the gesture only to have the bones in his fingers crushed by her vice-like grip. The Shuzen assassin effortlessly lifted swung him over her shoulder by the arm, maneuvering around him in midair and pinning the male Shinso onto the ground with her free hand.

"That was a bit uncalled for, don't you think?" Tsukune tried to break her hold, but to no avail.

"You let your guard down too easily, boy." she admonished him.

"I get it, already. My defense may not be the best, though it's not for lack of trying. Shinso blood heals all of my injuries really fast, so I've been working on honing my physical strength, instead. At least, that's what we were supposed to be doing."

The teenager felt her grip slacken, gulping as he felt her breath against his neck. "Even the most powerful can be felled if they show a moment of weakness." she crooned, running a finger down his collar. "To think even I was beginning to like you..."

Tsukune felt a warmth enter his cheeks, though the familiar sensation seeming set off an alarm in his mind. He rolled sideways with a sudden burst of strength, forcing her to leap away to avoid being pinned by the sudden reversal. "What was that thing about letting your guard down!?"

"Not bad... You sensed my opening and reacted, just as I hoped you would. Though, I'm a little insulted at how indifferent you were to my charm magic."

"That's nothing compared to what I've experienced. I spend everyday with a Succubus, so that technique is nothing new to me."

Akua spun and brought her hand down in a chopping motion, only to lock arms with her sister's fiancé, both their faces glowing with a familiar light. "Using the Mueitou to counter my Jigentou at such a close range! Most impressive, Mr. Aono..."

"Just like last time!" he answered through grit teeth, his footing slipping as she bore down on him, gently pushing him back.

Charging into a deadlock, the clash of energies sent both combatants flying backwards, each recovering quickly in preparation of the next round. Moka's eldest sister folded her arms, giving her head a gentle shake. Strong as Issa was, Tsukune had begun to question whether or not it was the father or the eldest daughter who possessed the greatest power. Even after becoming the "ultimate vampire", Tsukune could not deny that they were a formidable group whose reputation of fear and strength was well-earned.

"Your form could use some improvement." she seemingly vanished from sight, appearing in front of him with her arm poised to strike.

Unable to escape, he chose to block her strikes with his Mueitou, parrying each of her chopping motions with his arms in quick succession. Due to her immense strength, even guarding was exhausting. Tsukune concentrated yoki into his left arm, defending with both hands against her single-armed Jigentou.

While Tsukune was short-of-breath and his clothing torn in several places, Akua remained as pristine as ever. Her black uniform, raven hair, and flawless pale skin were unsullied, and she displayed no signs of weariness or fatigue. Thinking back to their battle on the Floating Garden, her movements had been slower and more predictable. Had she been serious, he most certainly would have been killed along with all of their friends. The difference between the two of them was staggering, and he knew it.

"Even those who possess the blood of the First Ancestor are not unbeatable in battle." she spoke out, having seemingly read his mind. "Though I admit my father has trained you rather well in such a short span of time."

"Strange how when we first met I took you for the strong silent type."

She ignored his comment. "The you I battled atop the Floating Garden would not have been so quick to counter my strikes. No need to appear so upset."

"I wouldn't be so bothered about losing if you had actually been trying." Tsukune exhaled slowly, wiping more sweat from his brow. "Sheesh, Moka wasn't kidding when she said you were unbeatable in a fight."

"Don't be stupid... Everyone has a weakness, Mr. Aono. Have you forgotten so quickly that unfortunate encounter with a certain stray priest?"

He instinctively nursed the spot where the madman had struck him, his teeth clenching as the memory replayed itself. "Wait!? How did you know about that?"

"Your Bus Driver friend told me as much." she answered, nonchalantly flicking a speck of dust from her outfit. "Sounds like this was your first time encountering a vampire's fatal weakness."

Tsukune grit his teeth, though he was not angry with her. It was his own weakness that had resulted in his friends injuries. He care little for his own scars, which had predictably healed some time ago. "When Moka first injected me with her blood, I didn't have the weaknesses of a vampire."

"Ghouls typically do not." she concurred with a casual nod in his direction. "Even bearing this is mind does not explain away your apparent weakness."

While the young vampire had spent most of his life as a feeble human, the last year or so he had been largely invulnerable to most physical attacks. While he had not yet attained the same mastery that Akasha possessed, normal injuries still healed instantly, even the ones inflicted by Issa during their brutal training sessions. Tsukune's encounter with Freed Selzen had left no lasting wound, yet the pain caused by the madman's holy talismans had brought back rough memories of his early days at the academy. It was a vulnerability he had not experienced in almost a year.

"Can you teach me how to fight against holy weapons? I mean, that has to be the reason why you came to the academy!"

"Hmmm... very interesting." The older woman placed a finger to her lips. She appeared to not have heard his question.

Akua took in her surroundings, her eyes shifting back and forth over the fields of paradise as if searching for something. Her reluctant student noticed these actions and glanced over his own shoulder, only to be distracted by a large wyvern flying in the distance while a small hoard of imps frolicked in the fields some distance away. He busied himself with watching Mikogami's old pets for several seconds before detecting a familiar energy in the air, though it was his tutor who reacted first.

She smiled, her steady gaze settling on a small thicket. "It appears your boyfriend is a little slow, but I know you've been watching us for some time." She waved her hand in a sweeping motion, causing a nearby tree to shatter into pieces. "Isn't that right, dear sister?"

"I see you're sharp as ever." Moka stepped into the open, her gorgeous silver locks swaying in the morning breeze. "It would seem you two have made quite a mess of this place. If I recall correctly, father was the one responsible for Tsukune's physical training, not you."

"No need to worry about that. I was simply curious to see how much he had improved since our last meeting."

Tsukune stood up a little straighter, giving his girlfriend a light-hearted smile. "No worries. Akua was just testing my progress for herself. It's not like she caused any lasting damage."

The elder vampire ruffled his hair, playfully punching him in the arm. "If nothing else, he's not the type to give in to adversity. I do admire that."

Be it an impulse from her former pink-haired self of her own compassion, she felt strangely protective. Moka shifted her glare to the eldest Shuzen sister. "Was it really necessary for you to get so close to him?"

"Are you jealous?" she inched slowly closer before suddenly wrapping her arms around the younger girl. "You need not worry..." She replied calmly, her voice becoming suddenly high-pitched. "The only person I truly love is you, my precious little sister."

Moka winced in surprise before reluctantly returning the embrace. Seeing her boyfriend's bemused look, she blushed, pushing her sister away. "Be that as it may, your job was to teach him the mystic arts, not use my future husband as your personal plaything."

"Forgive me then... I merely hoped to see if father's training was sufficient." Seeing her younger sister's defensive look, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course, you are correct. I journeyed here on the behest of Lady Yasaka to promote peace between the Youkai factions of Japan."

Her younger sister cocked an eyebrow. "I understand your duties, though it begs to question why the Golden Fox of Kyoto would place her trust in someone with such a sordid reputation. Does she not consider this alliance worthy of a more suitable representative."

"Not that we don't trust you, of course!" Tsukune interjected with a nervous half-smile.

Akua rested a hand on her chest, pretending to be insulted by their insinuations. "In addition to my lady's support in the future, our father requested only one thing."

"Which is?" Moka pressed with a thoughtful expression.

"I was asked to instruct the academy's new headmaster in the Mystic Arts so that he may be considered a worthy successor to this school's legacy."

Tsukune raised a hand timidly as though he were in class, though he quickly felt embarrassed by his own bashfulness. "Master Fuhai taught me how to use magic before we attacked Fairy Tale's base. I already some advanced techniques."

The silver-haired vampire folded her arms. "Indeed... What could you possibly teach Tsukune that the world's greatest sorcerer could not?"

Ignoring their obvious questions, the elder vampire found herself enjoying the interrogation more than she intended. As if to prove her point, she held out her right hand in front with her palm facing upwards. The atmosphere tensed as if they were expecting her to attack, though the two younger vampires reacted with surprise at what happened next. Akua clenched her hand, causing a magic circle to appear at her fingertips which quickly took the form of a glowing red mass.

Satisfied with the result, she dispersed the light ball with a flick of her wrist. "I never said my mastery of Youjutsu was a match for the Three Dark Lords, but your reactions were more than enough to prove my point."

"Don't speak to me like a child. Say what you wish and be done with it!" Moka quipped.

"Seeing two of my precious younger sisters again has left me positively ecstatic." The elder sister clapped her hands together with a deep flush, the display of sentimentality leaving them speechless. "You know, I sometimes miss those simpler times when we all lived together as a family. Where does the time go?"

Tsukune had seen this side of her before, though it contrasted so strangely with her normal demeanor that he was still struggling to get used to it. "Um, so what was that thing you did earlier?"

Akua's gaze suddenly became cold and angry, as if she had suddenly been distracted from something important, though she quickly suppressed the small annoyance. "First I would like you to explain what exactly it was that Master Fuhai taught you?"

"Hmmm... Let's see... ... The first step was changing my body to be compatible with demon magic." he began, slowly running a hand through his hair as he attempted to recall the details. "For some reason, I don't remember much about what happened."

Moka casually placed one hand on her hip. "I assume the process was painful to the point where your mind blocked out memories from the procedure."

"Those details are not important to me." the older sister dismissed. "What kind of training did you undergo following this?"

"To be honest, the old man focused almost exclusively on teaching me how to combat the Jigentou. Learning how to utilize the light tonfa took everything I had, and we didn't have much time to sweat the details."

"I figured as much..." She lazily cracked her knuckles together before continuing. "If the sole purpose of the training was to master a single technique, it's no shock you were unable to learn how truly diverse the art of Youjutsu can be."

Her younger sister stepped forward. "He mastered an extremely advanced technique in so short a time. Does that not prove his worth as a practitioner?"

"Talent and knowledge are two very different things, which brings me back to my previous point." Akua paused maddeningly, their impatient looks temporarily satisfying her need for amusement. "Youjutsu can be used in any number of ways, even though you have only learned one single method so far."

Moka absent-mindedly stomped the ground, her older hostile personality shining through. "Will you quit stating the obvious?" Her eyes narrowed, though she did not raise her voice.

As usual, her boyfriend appeared much more reserved. "I remember learning how to channel the energy through my body to utilize the Mueitou." Suddenly, he seemed to understand everything. "That light in your hand... Were you channeling the energy out instead of in?"

"It took a little longer than I had hoped, but at least you understand."

"You requested I attend these lessons, yet I'm not sure how beneficial such techniques will be to us." the younger vampire placed a finger to her chin. "The Shuzen Family has always favored fast kills and melee tactics in our fighting style."

Akua's expression became considerably darker. "Those tactics are fine in most circumstances, but they will do you little good against a strong opponent who utilizes light-based weaponry. Christian symbols are bane to even the most powerful of vampires."

Tsukune's expression darkened. "She's right." he grimaced, earning a look of concern from Moka, "When that maniac cut me, I felt human again, if only for an instant. It took much longer to heal then anything I've experienced in a while."

"Vulnerability is not something that vampire's are accustomed to feeling. Your reaction was natural." Moka comforted him before shifting her attention back to her sister. "We've already established this, but what can we do, now?"

"The key is for you both to learn versatility by mastering long-range attacks in addition to martial arts."

The raven-haired vampire smirked in a way that most would find unsettling, almost as if she had been waiting for this moment to come. Akua propelled herself into the air with a well-placed jump, her body glowing with a fiery aura as a series of magic circles materialized around her. On her command each began spewing out several spheres of energy which began gravitating towards the nearby trees like heat-seeking missiles, seeming disintegrating each on contact.

Moka's eyes widened in surprise. "Such a technique must require precise yōki manipulation. To be able to not only cast the spell, but also guide each to the desired target."

"My ability to control monster energy is far superior to father, however, one need not possess such refined skills to use it effectively in battle." She channeled a large mass of monster energy into her hand and released in the form of a lightning bolt, reducing a nearby boulder to a shower of pebbles.

"Seeing your reactions, I assume Touhou Fuhai taught you only what was necessary to counter my Jigentou. However, there are many more practical uses for Youjutsu that are easier and more versatile."

"It's true the light tonfa doesn't have much attack strength, but I wouldn't call it impractical." he replied.

"Shall we compared?" Akua formed a large mass of power in her hand and hurled it as if she were pitching a baseball, the blast coming within inches of Tsukune's head much faster than he was able to follow. He swallowed nervously before glancing over his shoulder, noticing a man-sized crater burned into the ground where it had struck.

"That was uncalled for!" Moka aimed a series of kicks at her sister's head, but her foot passed harmless through the air where she had been standing seconds before.

Tsukune clenched his fists in an attempt to steady his nerves, refusing to back down in front of the vampires. "I'm glad you didn't use those moves during our battle."

"You might have seen more had I actually been trying to kill you."

Her younger sister remained unconvinced. "Blunt as ever... I question the wisdom of Kyoto's Youkai faction choosing you as their representative."

"One could say the same about you people selecting our father for the same purpose." she countered before shifting her view back to the boy. "I find demonstration and experience to be a far superior teaching method than explanation alone. Are you both ready?"

Moka glared at her sister. "So we'll be doing this your way, my eldest of kin?"

"Which would mean?" Tsukune asked, instinctively striking a defensive position.

"Perhaps it would be better to showed you both true terror." Akua faced her future brother-in-law with amusement in her blood red eyes. She brought her hand up, the crackling sheen of monster energy bathing her features in it's glow. "Now then... Study closely!"

Meanwhile...

Deep beneath the surface, another meeting of sorts was taking place between a familiar enemy and his more mysterious benefactors. The crumbling chamber was outfitted with a dimly lit chandelier, which cast an eerie glow across the stone floors and red carpets, giving the room a decidedly medieval appearance. Directly beneath the room's lone source of light was a wooden table that could only seat six people comfortably, hardly a grand piece, but covered in ornate carvings and tasteful moldings.

Kiria Yoshii remained seated on a simple wooden chair, one leg crossed over the other and a book in his right hand, casually busying himself with its contents as if he hadn't a care in the world. Fairy Tale's leader had chosen a finely tailored black coat and stylish suit for this evening, though his hair remained messy as ever. While some people might have mistook him from a gentleman at first sight, the warped shape of his pupil and the shifty glint in his eyes made the chimera look oddly sinister.

Sensing his companion's gaze, the hybrid monster glanced up from his novel. "Oh dear, that's not the face I was hoping to see. You seem to be in low spirits today."

"Not at all... I was merely hoping for more progress in the field." the other man replied, sounding strangely courteous.

Sitting across the table was the Fallen Angel, Enoch, Chronicler of the Grigori and personal scribe of the Governor General. He wore the same double-breasted suit as he did during their prior meeting, though his wings remained hidden. He had dispensed with the phantom-like mask, and in its place he wore a gray fedora, which matched the outfit and complimented his dark brown locks.

"You seem strangely interested in my vendetta against Mr. Aono and his friends." He clapped his book shut with a smile. "The reason I agreed to this alliance is because you gave me the promise of everlasting entertainment... And yet you refuses to explain many things."

"Are you dissatisfied with the current arrangements, Mr. Kiria?"

"Not at all, Master Enoch. I merely wish to know why you desire to head of Tsukune Aono as much as I do. it is not your vendetta, but mine, that seeks to benefit from this."

The Fallen Angel Cadre frowned at the assertion, though he chose to remain patient. "You know as well as I do that the Shinso bloodline is a rare gift that has been bestowed onto only a handful of individuals throughout history."

"Gyokuro Shuzen knew this as well, hence it was her desire to control it. Do you endeavor to do the same?"

Enoch seemed to find the assertion almost humorous, though it had some merit. "Perhaps, but not for the same reasons as that vile woman." He removed his hat, gently placing it on the table. "Like any scientist, my desire is to gather knowledge through any means necessary. How do you suppose I do this?"

"Through the use of the scientific method, of course." Kiria reached underneath the chair and withdrew a bottle. Popping the cork, he gently began pouring the contents into a pair of slender glasses. "In simpler terms; experimentation."

"And I cannot conduct experiments without first procuring the necessary materials. In this case, the bodies of your hated enemy."

Fairy Tale's boss set a drink down before his guest. "Be it dead or alive?"

"So long as they remain unspoiled it doesn't matter to me." the Fallen Angel leader responded with a note of indifference. "Nonetheless, I have begun to grow impatient with Fairy Tale's failed attempts to bring me the Shinso."

"Do not think me rude, but I am curious as to what you plan to do with the blood of the First Ancestor." Kiria ignored the distrustful expression from his benefactor as he gave the liquid in his glass a swirl. "To be more precise... What kind of experiment do you wish to conduct?"

Enoch took a sip of wine as if to delay his answer, though the strangely grim smile made him appear more amused than irritated. "You have gall, child." he let out a deep, humorless laugh. "For such a young mongrel to speak so brazenly in front of me is amusing."

"I hope you won't kill me over something so trivial." The chimera casually lowered his cup.

"It is difficult to find anyone from the Youkai realms that is willing to cooperate with us. Due to the nature of my goals, it would be unwise to alienate potential allies at such a critical stage of the game."

"I'll take that as a no. However, it would mean the world to me if you would concede to answer this humble man's question?" his voice dripped with sarcasm.

The disgraced chronicler eyed him with a pensive look. "I see no reason to tell you yet, but I promise the results will be mutually beneficial should my research bear fruit."

Kiria returned the angel's stony gaze before silently accepting his answer. Even though his power had grown exponentially due to the absorption of monster blood following Alucard's demise, he knew it unwise to pick a fight with someone who had survived the war with the Biblical God and the Devil Kings. Throughout the ages, only a handful of Youkai had managed to obtain power equivalent to an ultimate class being, though he had heard legends that select few had even managed to ascend the limits of their kind. It was his desire to do so, even if it required the blood of thousands, or collaboration with other supernatural factions.

"My dearest desire is to see this peaceful world shattered by unspeakable calamity." The chimera proposed a small toast.

His benefactor obliged with a gentle tap of the glass. "To violate the unnatural order imposed onto us by a dictatorial few is what we desire as well."

"But is this goal of yours the will of the collective, or simply that of a select few within?"

The Fallen Angel set down his cup with a loud tap, though his expression remained inscrutable. "What do you mean by that?"

"Forgive my impertinence, Master Enoch. This humble one desires nothing more from you than a deeper understanding of the bigger picture. Do the other factions follow the same creed, or is there more of which I am unaware?"

"We all wish to disrupt the current order, though our motivations for doing so remain separate."

Kiria's eyed widened slightly, though he quickly hid his surprise. "Ah, so the rule imposed by the Ouroboros Dragon is merely an illusion... ... ... An empty symbol to unite those who despise the current order, and nothing more?"

"You are an uncouth child, yet one whose deductive skills are more prodigious than appearance would suggest." Returning to his feet, the disgraced angel towered over his much smaller collaborator. "While this conversation has been somewhat enjoyable, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

"I apologize for the lack of success, but the number of assassins willing to attack Youkai Academy has significantly decreased as of late." The face of Akua Shuzen flashed through his mind, sending a small shiver down his spine. "There are some unfavorable circumstances as of late, and I..."

"That matters very little right now, for someone very important has requested your presence and it is my duty to retrieve you."

"Someone more self-important than you?" Kiria's wit remained, though his smile wavered.

"How unfortunate it would be if that forked tongue of yours led to an early demise." The Fallen Angel pinned his traveling cloak, twirling his hat between his fingers before replacing it on his crown. "In regards to that, you may find my esteemed affiliate to be far less forgiving than I."

Enoch raised his hand, conjuring a magic circle in the center of the room. Once both were standing within the glowing runes, he cast the spell, causing them to vanish into the darkness. They emerged several moments later within a large dark hall, the stone walls and floor giving the impression of an abandoned temple. Unlike Fairy Tale's dingy base, no carpet adorned the hall, though the presence of large white pillars gave the room some sense of dimension. Due to the lack of light, only darkness could be seen beyond the columns, giving no hint as to how large the room actually was.

Though he rarely displayed any emotion save sadistic amusement, Kiria Yoshii found himself genuine curious as to their whereabouts, and perhaps even a twinge of fear towards the strange overwhelming power whose source seemed to be radiating throughout the entire room. it was the same feeling that he had experienced upon seeing Alucard's true form, though the aura seemed somehow less openly malicious, and at the same time, much more domineering.

"Follow me..." The Fallen Angel began walking forward, his footsteps echoing across loudly through the endless silence while Fairy Tale's leader cautiously followed.

At the moment, even he was at a loss for words, something that had never happened before to the snarky chimera. Even with his monster senses, he could not see clearly through the omnipresent shadows, almost as if someone or something was purposely locking out his powers. His winged collaborator seemed fairly comfortable with the conditions, almost as if he were enjoying the young monster's reactions to the situation. He suddenly stopped pacing, forcing Kiria to do the same. Looking down, it seemed as if they had paused in front of a staircase.

Enoch inclined his head respectfully before looking upwards. "Apologies for the tardiness, but the lad insisted we sit and discuss some minor issues beforehand. I hope you do not mind."

"Not at all..." a smooth voice rang out from in front of them.

Kiria recognized the tone as that of a female, though he was quickly jarred from these thoughts as several giant balls of green fire materialized out of nowhere, each positioned between the room's many pillars. While the light unmasked the room's true dimensions, the glow they gave off was feeble at best, making the empty temple seem even spookier than before. Looking up, he noticed the stairs led up to an elaborate stone dais whereupon sat a single throne. Sitting atop it was a feminine figure swaddled in white clothing, though the fires stopped short of her station, making it difficult to discern her features.

"So this is the boy whom you spoke of?" she sat back, looking very much like a dignified queen. "The one who openly pledged his legions to our service?"

"Indeed, I brought him as you requested." Enoch stood aside, revealing the much smaller man to the shadowy woman.

The young chimera instinctively bowed. "My good lady... To whom do I owe the pleasure of acquaintance?"

"One who has seen much more than your mortal mind could possibly fathom." She replied, her answer slightly frustrating the boy.

Kiria hid his grimace quickly, though the mysterious female had already seen through him, and strangely she was quite amused by it. It had been quite some time since she had interacted with someone of lower stature who was ignorant enough not to show her the proper fear or respect. Drawing herself up to her full height, the woman stepped slowly into the dim glow, revealing a curvaceous figure and long hair held in place by a golden band marked with ancient runes. With flawless porcelain-like skin and dark arched eyebrows, she was stunning beautiful. The form-fitting gown accentuated her wholesome body, beautifully complimenting her midnight blue locks and piercing green eyes.

"You may stand." she ordered, prompting him to wordlessly comply. "Oh where are my manners?" she smiled like a feral cat. "People know me as the Mother of Chaos and Discord... I am the catalyst of disharmony that brings ruin to mortal and deities alike... ... ... Born of the Greek Pantheon, I am Eris!"

Fairy Tail's leader remained unusually silent, though he was unable to deny the evil smirk that threatened to emerge. "The pleasure is mine, your excellency."

He bowed with genuine respect, which was something he rarely did. His loyalty to anyone else was merely a facade, and yet looking into the eyes of this stranger, he felt like this was someone who could truly empathize with his desires. He had heard only rumors of the infamous Goddess of Chaos, but reading about her great and terrible deeds was nothing compared to the feeling of standing in front of an actual deity. The energy she exuded was nothing like that of a monster or even an angel, but something much more unfathomable.

The woman stared at him for a moment before reciprocating his expression, though she addressed the Fallen Angel instead. "An interesting proposition, my old friend." She descended upon the still kneeling boy, her gaze boring into his own. "Yes, I sense it... His eyes tell the story of a man who desires a world where people are no longer bound by artificial boundaries of the morals of Gods!"

"More than anything, that is my greatest wish." Kiria replied with a gentlemanly grin.

"Lowly creatures as they are..." Enoch ignored the look he received from the boy. "I have discovered that many Youkai share the same dream as we. Upon meeting this child, I realized that he may be the key to uniting monster society under the flag of the Khaos Brigade."

"You tell me this man was one of the children responsible for that spectacle in Japan that nearly exposed the existence of the supernatural realms."

"Indeed, he is a representative of the syndicate known as Fairy Tale."

"Ah, so you are one of Alucard's people?" she crooned with amusement, earning a look of surprise from the Youkai. "Admittedly, your people's attempts to release calamity onto the human world has entertained me somewhat in these boringly peaceful times. Tell me, what went wrong?"

Enoch shook his head as if admonishing her playfulness. "If you recall, it was the intervention of the Christianity's Three Factions that erased the memories of the humans."

"Yes, I remember! The meddling of Catholicism in mortal affairs has always prevented the world, and by extension humanity, from evolving as it should." the Goddess replied, looking as if she had just tasted something foul. "Certainly your faction understands this most of all... No doubt that peace treaty must have caused some conflict within the ranks of the Fallen Angels."

"There are many who disagree with the Governor General's ruling, but he has the majority support among the cadre. Those who disagree have remained quiet, and the only one of us foolish enough to directly challenge the verdict is now frozen in the lowest levels of Cocytus."

Eris considered the situation silently as she paced up the stairs, seating herself seductively on the throne. "Is any chance you can twist the others to our way of thinking?" She leaned forward, resting her cheek on her hand.

"I fear it may be risky due to recent events. Due to the carelessness of a certain exorcist, Azazel has become highly suspicious of our activities around Youkai Academy."

The chaos deity sat up. "Surely he doesn't expect you are involved?"

"Since the alliance was formed, he's been little more than an errand boy for the despicable Devil King. Shemhazai has been tending to the political affairs of our faction, while our so-called leader spends most days playing babysitter to a peerage of devil brats."

"Pardon me Master Enoch, but due to the irregular circumstances, I failed to inform you of something important." Fairy Tale's boss spoke up, immediate grabbing the attention of the others. "According to my sources, a mysterious student enrolled at the school shortly after Freed Selzen failed to bring us the vampire's head."

Eris glanced over at the hybrid monster. "And how does this information pertain to our plans?"

"The student in question is an S-Class monster, and my informant made some rather interesting discoveries while prying through the school records." Kiria held a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. "According to intelligence, this student transferred from a human school somewhere in Japan... To be more precise, the very same school where the Governor General of the Fallen Angels was supposedly stationed."

WHAT!?" Enoch thundered, suddenly advancing on the young monster.

"How very interesting..."the Chaos Deity added with a grimace, her eyes narrowing as they settled on the Grigori Cadre. "You assured me this plot of yours would not attract the attention of the other factions, and yet it would seem there was a leak in your plan."

"Do not blame me for this oversight. It was not my idea to send the rogue priest into the field." he replied nonchalantly. "This unruly boy is to blame."

Feeling the deity's gaze, Kiria quickly apologized. "The alliance between different mythological factions was bound to cause complications at some point." he rationalized calmly. "Of course, this may be the perfect opportunity for us to take advantage of our enemies' lack of knowledge."

The Fallen Angel raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Tell me, Master Enoch... What if there were to be some kind of misunderstanding between that transfer student and our resident Shinso?"

"Azazel may be negligent in his duties, but he is not unintelligent. I doubt a man who once matched wits with God would be fooled by such an obvious ruse."

"Ah yes, it would seem you've long forgotten what it is like to fall victim to the failings of youth. The minds of the young can be easily clouded by irrationality, making them prone to hasty decisions and misjudgment."

"And if this plan fails, we will have taken unnecessary risks for nothing." Enoch responded sternly.

"Do not begrudge the boy, Enoch." The Goddess rose gracefully, causing both men to fall silent. "If direct conflict has yet to achieve the desired results, then perhaps it would be best to try a different approach. Cunning can be the greatest weapon, if executed properly."

Rather than protest, he nodded in agreement. "As you wish, Lady Eris."

"Several underlings of mine have already infiltrated the academy and are ready to act. I only ask you to trust in me to coordinate the effort."

The Chaos deity considered him carefully before returning his smug expression with one of her own. "Wiping that school and its staff off the face of the Earth will leave the majority of Japan's monster population without anyone else to turn to."

"And that is when Fairy Tale will offer them the leadership they so desperately desire." Kiria added with a flourish.

"Your assume too much, child." the Fallen Engel turned his back to the others, though upon facing them once more he appeared in higher spirits. "Nevertheless you amuse me! The confidence you possess is admirable, though I question if you have accounted for any and all unforeseen variables."

"Please be assured that everything will turn out as we have envisioned." the chimera turned towards their divine benefactor. "When this is over, we will be one step closer to uniting the world of monsters under the rule of the Khaos Brigade."

Eris drummed her fingers against the arms of her chair. "Hmmm, your plan seems quite simple on the surface, yet I cannot help but be intrigued by the prospect."

"So you are willing to approve of this?" Enoch questioned her, earning the tiniest of nods.

The Goddess considered the prospect briefly before holding out her hand, summoning forth a single glass bottle engraved with Greek symbols. The object floated towards Kiria before landing in his outstretched hands, a look of elation gracing his handsome face as he recognized the foreign script. Working or Fairy Tale had given him knowledge of many ancient magics, though he could scarcely believe that something so rare had been given to him.

"It would appear from your mannerisms that you are fully aware of what it is." Eris bore down on her guests. "Consider this a gift to you from on high to use as you see fit. It is rare that a mortal would be given something of such value... I trust you will not disappoint me, child."

The chimera smiled. "I would not presume to do so, your eminence."

She grinned wickedly. "Know that if you do, I may consider Fairy Tale and its resources of no further use to me. Surely you understand what that would mean for you?"

Kiria placed a hand on his chest in a gesture of respect. "This lowly man only wishes to serve in the hopes that his dream become a reality. My life matters very little in comparison."

"Very well, I shall give you this chance to prove your worth." She gestured to the Fallen Angel, who immediately summoned a magic circle. The Goddess nodded down at her younger guest. "Now leave us..."

"As you wish." Kiria bowed his head one last time before stepping into the runes, the spell teleporting him back from whence he first arrived.

Several minutes passed in silence once he had departed, both religious figures taking the moment to consider the usefulness of the upstart ayashi. Enoch saw him as an interesting experiment, though his own partner saw more. Being a lesser Goddess of the Greek Pantheon, she had been both worshipped by mortals and looked down upon by the Twelve Olympians, something that had left her with a sadistic wit and vengeful personality. For this reason alone, she saw the Fairy Tale leader as a fascinating tool, though hardly worthy of preferential treatment.

She waved her hand, causing several lights to extinguish, simultaneously lighting several closer to her dais. "You have found an interesting commodity, Enoch."

"That, and little more..." Enoch ascended the stairs so that he was standing before the Goddess' throne, gently extending a hand.

Eris accepted the gesture, allowing him to help her stand. "Ever the gentleman, I see." she mused, gently playing with the opening in the front of her gown to reveal her breasts. When her attempt to elicit a reaction failed, she laughed.

"Do you believe that young man has the intelligence, nay the skill, to execute such convoluted plan?"

"In fact, I do." she declared with a note of confidence, earning a puzzled expression from him. "Do not look at me like that. You tendency view mortal beings as vermin for your experiments has blinded you to their possible worth."

"You believe a mongrel Youkai who feeds on the blood of others can ascend his limitations. Only few monsters have ever done so, and those who have were of pure blood and noble stock."

"I never presumed such a thing, though you fail to recognize the creativity of a warped mind that can exist regardless of a person's nature." She turned away from him, hiding a devilish smile. "Throughout the ages, I have seen a handful of beings like him... Those with a true loathing of this frivolous order imposed by the Gods... ... Those willing to do whatever it takes to shatter those limitations and plunge the entire world into everlasting chaos!"

Enoch let out a low, dry chortle. "So that is why you appear so intrigued by Mr. Yoshii's madness. Perhaps you see him as a kindred spirit?"

She appeared suddenly euphoric. "I admit, it makes me feel more alive than I have in centuries." the Goddess replied seductively, gently swaying as she approached him. She ran a finger down his chest, only to be rebuked.

He seized her wrist. "While I would love to dissect you, we have other matters to attend to."

"Oh yes, I forgot how your kind prefers the touch of human women. Was that not why the Biblical God cast you from Heaven?"

"Indeed it was, though His death in the Great War has long sated my desire for vengeance." he paused with a frown. "Though that is neither here nor there..."

The Goddess leaned forward with an eager curiosity. "So, what is so important that you would not extinguish my hunger for nubile flesh."

"Several issues have arisen concerning the other factions of the Khaos Brigade. I think you may find some to be rather intriguing at the very least."

"I am well aware of the Old Satan Faction's recent fall, and the subsequent slaughter of their military forces. No doubt it was the blundering of Creuserey Asmodeus and Shalba Beelzebub that resulted in their annihilation." Eris stretched her body like a predatory smile. "Surely you didn't believe me ignorant of the situation in Hell?"

Enoch remained unfazed. "There is also the matter of the others, some of which may possess goals that prove counterproductive." He noticed a look of recognition flash across her face, before continuing. "Have you yet forgotten the fate of the European monster factions who pledged support to our cause?"

"Wiped out by those savages from the Hero Faction." she finished with an unpleasant flourish, her calm demeanor fading into a demonic scowl.

"Uh oh! It's been a long time since I've seen that look." The Fallen Angel tried and failed to conceal a smirk of amusement.

Eris bore daggers into her companion, the sheer force of her will sending him crashing down the stairs of her throne and onto the stone floor of her temple. Struggling to regain his bearings, Enoch attempted to stand only to be levitated into the air by an unseen force so that he were floating at eye level with the vengeful Goddess.

Recovering from the shock, he let out a chuckle. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"More than that, I'm afraid." she contemplated her uncivilized behavior and released him, allowing her captive to land gracefully on his feet. "Long ago I developed a certain hatred of the Demigods; bastard children of divine and mortal origin. To think that even now their descendents continue to stand in my way!"

"At least their actions are somewhat predictable in comparison to certain others within our ranks."

"Are you suggesting that he may be involved as well?"

"Azazel believes it may come to that eventually, though I personally do not understand why. The Governor General knows him better than anyone else, so I would assume this assumption of his may be grounded in some form of information unbeknownst to us."

The Chaos deity turned her back to him, her eyes narrowing. "It will be a nuisance if the White Dragon Emperor were to involve himself in our affairs." She paused before turning back to her collaborator. "Shall we accelerate our plans, then?"

"That boy is not the type to cause unnecessary trouble when the situation does not directly further his goals, though I promise to keep an eye on things until we have more information on his intentions." the angel wore a questioning look while considering her proposal. "I still wonder what you have in mind, should we chose to intervene?"

Eris gave her wrist a flick, conjuring a doorway into the unknown. Enoch stared intently into the swirling shadows for several seconds, his eyes widening in shock at what he saw what rested within, Viscous growls could be heard beyond the window-like portal, followed by the gnashing of teeth and screams of horror. He remained relatively unfazed by the ensuing carnage, though an ordinary person would undoubtedly have passed out or emptied their stomach on sight.

"Should Kiria Yoshii fail, it will be easy to clean up the mess. If it comes to this, I will be happy to introduce those irksome children to my precious pets..."

"You make your point quite vividly." he answered with disgust, curiously watching the shadowy beings beyond the gate. She took in his look of surprise with great joy before sealing the magical window, the floating lights around them soon fading to darkness.

Later that day...

The school day had just ended at Youkai Academy and most students were wandering about the campus having fun with friends. That is all save for one girl, whose social life had been a living nightmare for the last three years, a third-year student named Deshiko Deshi, formerly a member of the corrupt Public Safety Commission under Kuyou. Almost three years ago, the entire organization had lost its authority due to abuse of power and were subsequently disbanded. Most of the others had been expelled, though since she had not been directly involved in the attacks on other clubs, Deshiko had been allowed to remain in school.

It had been two years since their disbandment, and while most of the others had dropped out of school or graduated, Deshiko remained the only one left. Yet even now rumors about her sordid past had never ceased, though for some reason she remained very much the same. Her long dark red hair previously worn in a single ponytail was now styled into a hime cut, and she still spent her days wandering about with the same ever-cheerful smile.

Left without any protection the remnants of Public Safety Commission became scapegoats for their former leader's actions, and had suffered extensive abuse from the rest of the student body. Those who had been bullied now struck back in force through hazing and beatings, usually involving particularly large groups. Ironically the staff saw fit to ignore any and all complaints issued by the victims, mostly because teachers had also been among those threatened by Kuyou's private police force in the past.

Her mind wandering, she accidentally bumped into someone. "Oops, my apologies."

"Shove off, bitch!" a larger man shoved her out of the way with barely a glance.

The redhead seethed angrily, but did not retort, quickly hiding the anger behind her unwavering grin. The nearby presence of several Jiang shi made her reluctant to do anything in public, though ironically she was also a Chinese zombie, herself. Ignoring the other students, she crossed the courtyard and headed back to the girl's dormitory, shutting the door behind with satisfied indifference. She lived in a standard dorm, though it was a decent-sized room complete with closet, dresser, and twin bed.

Deshiko retrieved her bo staff and began practicing her fighting motions, absentmindedly striking the air while remembering the good old days. In the beginning of her first year there hadn't been a single person on campus who would defy her, and now it seemed like everyone hated her or simply avoided being around her. Taking a few more swings with her staff, she found herself suddenly distracted by the nagging ring of her cell phone.

She switched it on with an absent-minded tap. "Hello, I'm here. Who is this?"

"It's been some time, hasn't it Ms. Deshiko?" a familiar voice greeted from the other side.

"Master Kuyou..." She blushed slightly before looking suddenly upset. "Please forgive me for not reporting back to you earlier, but my attempts to gather information about Tsukune Aono's activities have not been so easy."

"Oh really, you act as if this surprises me." the fox demon responded. His voice betrayed obvious signs of annoyance, sending a shiver down her spine, though rather than threaten anger, his subsequent tone became much more businesslike. "It doesn't matter... That bastard Kiria has asked me to relay some reassignment orders."

"Does that mean I can return to base soon?" she asked hopefully.

"Quite the opposite, in fact. You have an important assignment to attend to this evening, and you must be on the academy grounds in order to do it."

Deshiko held the phone closer to her ear, listening to the details carefully as he laid out the plans, though her eyes continued to widen with each passing moment. Once he had finished explaining, the Jiang shi's expression dropped, her grip loosening as her hands started shaking. She had long admired Kuyou for his overwhelming power and strong authoritarian presence, even felt an attraction to the fox demon, but the feeling in her stomach was quickly wearing away at her sense of loyalty.

"With all due respect, I don't think this is the most efficient way of carrying out the mission." She took some time to collect herself before commenting, while knowing her pleas would likely be ignored. "I remained here as an informant per your orders, but what will become of that if I were to..."

"Are you disrespecting me, Deshiko?" he questioned in a venomous tone, causing the girl to quiver even without seeing his face.

"You know I would never." she answered a little too quickly, a drop of sweat running down her cheek.

Kuyou wore a satisfied smirk that remained unseen by his subordinate. During his days at Youkai Academy, he had trained members of the Public Safety Commission to obey him without question, the process requiring intense cruelty and questionable methods that defied morality. Of course, he never cared much for such trivial matters, valuing efficiency and discipline over petty emotional restraints. Needless to say the results had been most successful, and even after all these years it seemed as though his mental hold over the former student police remained. Most had joined him as members of Fairy Tail after their expulsion, and he gladly welcomed them into the fold.

"Forgive my impertinence... I will do as you ask." she answered, looking thoroughly defeated as the connection tapped out from the other end.

The Jiang shi hung up her phone, hopping in surprise as a loud tapping noise interrupted her thoughts. Cautiously making her way across the room slid the blind open, revealing a crow perched atop her windowsill. She opened the window and retrieved the envelope it held in one talon before it flew off into the afternoon skies. Reading the attached note, she discreetly looked over her shoulder before sliding the sealed object into her pocket. The job given to her would have to be carried out in two phases; the first of which would be simple, while the second much riskier.

Later that night...

The remnants of the Newspaper Club had been practicing for several hours, having forcibly taken over the school's gymnasium from the resident Karate Team. While their reputation as the strongest in the school kept most people from picking fights, there were always some lowlifes who refused to back down, and they were always happy to humor the local thugs. The girls had let Fang-Fang handle the entire gang single-handedly, though had still yet to decide whether the display had been amusing or just plain sad to watch. He had inherited his mother's natural talent for kung fu, so much that even the average vampire would be hard-pressed to pose a challenge.

Kurumu and Mizore had been sparring continuously for some time now, their battles having filled the room with column of ice. The walls and floor were covered in deep claw marks, and several windows were cracked or broken in the aftermath of their battle. Yukari had spent her time pouring over magical texts borrowed from Ruby, many of which she had inherited from their deceased Headmaster. Due to the nature of her training, she had practiced alone and was now resting atop a pile of exercise mats in the corner.

"You like that, huh snow-girl!?" the succubus cried, her claws blurring in a deadly frenzy.

"It must be difficult to concentrate with those two mounds of fat swaying around." Her nemesis retorted, summoning wall after wall of ice.

Flight was one advantage that the busty girl had over her, and it wasn't something to be taken lightly. While elemental attacks granted the Yuki-onna considerable versatility, the speed of her rival easily leveled the playing field. Due to the sheer number of monster species that existed, it was often hard to declare one race superior to the other, or to measure them using the same yardstick. You never knew how two abilities would match up to each other.

Mizore gasped as she sensed a familiar presence coming from behind her, realizing just now that her opponent had used her superior speed to switch places with an illusion. "What a dirty trick." she commented, quickly surrounding herself with another wall of ice.

"Looks like I win!" Kurumu shattered the barricade only to cleave an ice duplicate of her friend in half. She appeared stupefied for a fraction of a second before turning around. "Huh!?"

"Checkmate..." the cold elemental stood on a pillar of snow behind her, an ice claw pointed directly at the other girl's face.

The two girls remained still for several seconds, identical glares locking for several seconds. Exhaling deeply, the succubus raised her hands in the air. "Phew, looks like you got me this time." she submitted with grudging acceptance.

Kurumu retracted her wings and claws while Mizore dispelled her tower of ice so that it evaporated into nothingness, both friends landing gracefully on their feet as they returned to the floor. Dispensing with the previous hostility, they walked past each with a high-five.

"I gotta admit, that was really awesome of you!" the succubus replied with excitement. "With killer moves like that, you shouldn't have any trouble the next time some freakazoid thinks about messing with our school."

The icy woman's stoic facade melted away for just a second. "Thanks... You weren't bad yourself. You might even be faster than that perve-bag, Gin."

"It depends on the phase of the Moon, but my base speed is definitely better than his. Sorta makes me want to fight that douche so we can pay him back for all those botched training sessions last year."

"Tell me about it. He's reliable in a pinch, but when that jerk gets grabby it makes me wanna shove a icicle up his ass."

"Last we heard werewolf boy was living in the human world with Sun and Marin. Hopefully she's put a leash on that dog by now."

"They say she was one of the strongest student that ever came to school here." Mizore replied in her signature monotone, casually shifting the lollipop in her mouth from one side to the other. "Still, I wouldn't mind a chance to spar with him again."

Kurumu shrugged, a loud crashing noise behind them catching their attention. "Speaking of fights, it looks like Fang-Fang's having a Hell of one right now."

Yukari seemed to pop up between them, slightly startling the others. "Wow, you'd have to be a real idiot to get in between those two."

Fang-Fang sat on the floor in a crumpled heap, having been smashed back-first into the wall. While the two girls had seemed evenly matched, the Huang heir had been fighting un uphill match against his older sister, whose mastery of Youjutsu and unfeeling body gave her a small advantage. He was certainly the better martial artist, but she felt no pain and used magic to outmaneuver and confuse him.

Lunging forward, he tucked into a roll and returned to a standing position. "You always were the strongest, big sis."

"That's not true, and you know it." Ling-Ling replied. "The only reason you thought so was because you were too focused on honing magical skills to focus much on martial arts training."

"That doesn't mean I've surpassed you, yet!" he retorted, earning a slightly flattered look.

Fang-Fang advanced on her again, shifting his stance from side-to-side while delivering quick jabbing motions with his hands. His elder sister avoided each strike by using mysticism to augment her own movements, seeming teleporting back and forth while hoping backwards in a frenzied sort of dance. Due to the lack of muscle limitations after dying, Jiang-shi were known for their speed and strength, though she was admittedly weaker than her brother in both without applying Youjutsu.

Ceasing her retreat, Ling-Ling thrust both arms forward with her palms open, creating a barrier to halt his advance. His fists collided harmlessly with the invisible wall. "I believe that's quite enough practice for tonight."

The Huang Family heir lowered his hands with a concerned look. "Why, are you getting tired?"

"I don't get tired... I'm dead... ... However, something tells me the same does not apply to you." She responded with a good-natured smile.

The corpse woman quietly observed her brother, taking note of his heavily bruised body and shallow breathing. It was clear he was trying to hide it, but it didn't take more than a glance for her to know he had reached his limits. While her own clothing was ruffled and messy, she bore little sign of wear on her body, aside from a spot where he had knocked her arm out of place. Noticing these minor details, the Jiang-shi cracked her joints back into place and dusted off her jacket. Realizing she had not been fooled by his posturing, Fang-Fang fell to the ground, landing on his back with a loud thud.

"Phew, maybe I should sit down... ..." he murmured, causing the others to gather around him. He shut his eyes momentarily, nearly jumping in surprise upon seeing a certain witch bent over him, her dark eyes boring into his own. "Yukari!"

"So you're just playing dead, huh? To think you had me worried for even a second." She stood back up, placing her hands on her hips.

Kurumu frowned before chiming in with her usual bluntness. "Sheesh kid, you sure do look like crap! You trying to kill yourself, or what!?"

Fang-Fang's breathing soften as he regained his breath. He tried to push himself into a sitting position only to fell a stinging in his right arm. "Damn, that hurts!"

While the other two began talking amongst each other, Yukari joined the elder Huang sibling in helping out her brother. Pulling him to his feet, the girls sat him up on a pile of exercise mats. The witchling ran a finger down his arm to check for injuries, looking over his bruises with a motherly touch that belied her apparent age. The Yasha felt a heat spread from his cheeks to his ears, though his blush went unnoticed by the young girl.

"Looks like you broke a bone or two... Right... about... ... here!" to prove her point she jabbed him in the arm, eliciting a subdued squeal. Yukari's frowned, though she looked more annoyed than upset. "You idiot... Training is one thing, but working yourself into the ground isn't gonna help anyone!"

To her surprise, Fang-Fang's usually docile manner seemed to vanish. "I have to get stronger, so that what happened with that priest doesn't happen again!" he hissed. "You guys might not think much or me, but I'm still a man. A man should protect his friends!"

The witch blinked absent-mindedly in response to this comment while Ling-Ling found herself feeling strangely proud of her brother. He had always been so wishy-washy in the past, that she had begun to see his newfound confidence as a nice change. The Jiang-shi silently wondered if this was how a parent should feel; A strange thought considering they were literally siblings, but being so much older than him, they always had a unique bond.

Kurumu took in the notion before spitting it back out. "That's pretty old fashioned thinking, y'know. We're a team, so don't you go getting all high and mighty about protecting everyone."

"C'mon, you gotta admit it's pretty flattering." Yukari argued back. "I mean we more or less hated this guy a year ago, and now he wants to protect us just like Tsukune."

"Really!? If you like him so much, why don't you date Fang-Fang and leave Tsukune to the rest of us?"

"I welcome less competition..." Mizore added, her gaze wandering off seconds later.

The young witch coughed violently, looking as if she had just swallowed a bug. "No way I'm leaving him to you big-boobed bimbos. I won't give up my dream! Not until I have an incredible night of passion with Tsukune and Moka at the same time!"

Fang-Fang looked as if someone had just punched him in the stomach, though he quickly hid it beneath his usual veneer. "Hey, maybe we should save this argument for some other..."

"WHO ASKED YOU!" all three girls screamed in unison, effectively silencing him.

Kurumu turned her attention back to the youngest member of the group. "Will you give up on that harem thing, already! Moka said she would kill us before agreeing to polygamy, and I'm pretty sure she'd do it."

The snow woman raised her ice claw with a comically dark expression. "Not if we off her first..."

"Will you stop that!? It's creepy!" the succubus shouted, smacking her on the head with a balled fist.

As the familiar argument continued, the Huang siblings quietly excused themselves from the room, slipping unseen through the door and into the cool night air. The academy grounds were quite beautiful at night, or at least they were to a monster. Due to the Great Barrier, the skies were usually clear, allowing the Moon to bathe the campus in its beautiful glow. He exhaled deeply before turning towards the sky, quietly enjoying the stars until a familiar voice brought him back to the present.

Ling-Ling placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. "Don't give up..." she began, earning a puzzled look from her brother. "Allow yourself the right to happiness, and those feelings may yet lead you to the desired path."

As they continued walking, he felt a familiar warmth creeping up the side of his neck. "What do you mean?" he pretended to look at the stars to hide his nerves.

In spite of this, his sister was not fooled. "At the risk of sounding like a Fortune Cookie; I think you will know when the time is right."

Leaving him with these parting words, she bid him goodnight one final time, the two parting ways at the fork leading from Gymnasium to the Staff Lodgings. Deciding to get treated right away, Fang-Fang nursed his injured arm and headed off to the infirmary. He had an odd feeling doing otherwise would result in a nasty scolding from Yukari, though at the same time he didn't mind the idea so much. She had more or less become his closest friend during the time they trained to attack the Floating Garden, and made a pretty good team in battle. Busying himself with these thoughts, he did not notice his sister watching with a knowing expression.

"That brother of mine. He's grown into a fine young man." Ling-Ling mused tenderly. Walking in the opposite direction, she heard a light rustling in the trees, causing her to pause, though upon sensing nothing out of the ordinary she continued onwards. "Odd, it must've been my imagination..."

Back in the main academy building, Ruby had just finished her work for the night and was preparing to turn in for the night. She had briefly joined her friends for training earlier that evening, but was forced to excuse herself to attend to the administration, a trend that was quickly becoming more common then she would have liked. Exhaling slowly to relieve the built-up frustration, the older witch removed her glasses and set them down on the headmaster's desk, deciding to rest a bit before returning to her own chambers to sleep. While starting to nod off, she felt a strange vibrating sensation coming from the draw, her eyes shooting open in panic.

Sliding open the desk, she pulled out a familiar Rosario, once belonging to Mikogami. "The Great Barrier..." she murmured to herself, pensively gazing at the sky outside for signs of destabilization. "Odd, there doesn't appear to be any inconsistencies."

Standing up, the deputy headmistress retrieved her scepter and chanted, jumping through the resulting magical circle she had opened to access the school's shrine more quickly. Looking around at the dark stone halls, she noticed nothing different, though deemed it wiser to look more closely at the situation. A second wave of her wand ignited the torches and chandeliers, allowing her easy access to the towering stone altar where the Great Barrier's power source was located. It took her only seconds to reach the pedestal, though she found nothing wrong with the system.

"Phew... False alarm... ..." Ruby sighed before turning to leave, only to be grabbed from behind by a pair of hands and forced to her knees. "Who are you!?"

"No one special." a female voice answered, followed by a blow to the back of a noggin.

Ruby tried to cast a spell, but her wand had been knocked from her hands by a simple wooden bo-staff. She gasped as the lights around her went out, leaving her unable to see her captor, who stabbed her in the side with an unseen weapon. The witch raised a hand to call back her wand, but found herself unable to muster the power to do so, as if something was somehow draining away all of her physical and magical capabilities. Alone in the empty shrine, Ruby slumped forward helplessly, the shadowed surroundings fading completely as true darkness overtook her senses.

The mysterious attacker stepped into the small beam of light streaming in from the stone ceiling, revealing the face of Deshiko Deshi. "Looks like this went a little easier than I thought." The former Public Safety officer sighed warily, bringing her weapon to rest on her shoulder.

Glancing up as she heard several pairs for footsteps around her, she realized they were surrounded by five other jiang shi, all wearing the quest of the Huang Family over their familiar black uniforms. "Or maybe not..." the Fairy Tale agent stammered, her usual grin replaced by a frown.

NOTE TO READERS: Not gonna make an excuse about not updating sooner. It was simple laziness and lack of motivation that prevented me from even coming back to this, though it seems the major hurtle is getting to it. In my experience, it goes pretty smoothly when you just decide to get up and do it, though.

I edit my chapters before, though there are bound to be some typos still present. Please leave a review if you can. The longer stuff really helps motivate me to continue faster, but even a quickie is great. What I really like is to know what reader liked about the chapter, or predications as to what will happen. (Since I like to hear ideas from readers that could be used in my writing). Characters to include, plotlines, scenarios, story elements, wanted scenes etc... Also if you'd like to see more of a particular character or relationship, I'm open to all suggestions.