A/N: The end of 2018 is upon us folks. It's been a hell of a year, but the next one will be just as eventful for many. And with this being the eve of the new year, I figured that a series of updates were well in order since the holidays kept me indisposed for a while.

And with the passing of the legendary Stan Lee, most of my fics involving Marvel are the at the head of the line!

X

It had been a couple weeks since Kurumu had joined their little group, and in that time things had become rather tense.

Eddie never took Moka to be the possessive or jealous type, but ever since the blue-haired Succubus started hanging out with them the vampiress seemed to be clinging to him a lot more than usual. Which in turn caused Kurumu to cling to him as well, both girls doing their best to stake their claim over him.

Most guys would be living the dream having two beautiful girls fighting over them, and Eddie would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it on a small level. But after a while it becomes more than a little taxing.

And it didn't help that Venom took every possible moment to bring up said situation whenever it was convenient. Thankfully, at the moment, both symbiote and host had other things going on.

X

"So, tell me again why we're here?" Venom questioned as Eddie moved about the school's library, gathering books and setting himself up at a table in the corner.

"After what we've been through so far, it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of research for when we get into another fight." replied the host as he sat down and started thumbing through the texts that he had gathered.

"And here I thought with all those tests we were forced to study for you'd be all done with books." replied the symbiote, already starting to feel bored.

"Knowing is half the battle, and with how quickly people around here seem to want a piece of us, it's best to know how to take them down and fast." said Eddie as he kept reading. There was a surprising amount of information about many monster species, from classifications to biology. The bit he had found on vampires was especially eye-opening.

Things like crosses, sunlight, garlic and hallowed ground were just old urban legends. Water however was another story, from what he had read, the purifying properties of water were harmful to vampires and had to be diluted in some way so that they could be used for everyday purposes.

Eddie remembered one of the many times he studied in Moka's dorm she seemed to have a large stockpile of herbs in many forms. Now it all made sense.

This continued for several hours before the host leaned back and stretched, cracking a couple of his back muscles as he finished another book. "Too much to learn in a single day." Eddie muttered to himself.

"Zzzzzz..." the sound of his other snoring, whether it was from exaggeration or the Klyntar had fallen asleep Eddie didn't bother to find out as he got up and started putting the books away.

Slipping the texts back in their rightful places, he turned down one of the isles to head back to the front when he saw a little girl attempting to reach up to a higher shelf.

She looked to be pushing 12, 13 at the most and was dressed in a modified school uniform with a long cape around her shoulders and a large witch's hat on her head that covered short-cropped brunette hair.

Leaning up on the tips of her toes trying to reach her goal, but her height, even with the addition of the stool under her feet, made it difficult for her.

"Need a hand?" he asked, coming up beside the girl, getting a yelp of surprise out of her as he reached up and got the book she had been looking to get and handing it to her.

Hugging the book to her chest, the girl looked up at him with wide rose colored eyes and a pale blush on her face. "Thank you." she said softly.

Eddie smiled at her, "No problem." he said before continuing his walk to the front of the library where the elderly man wearing a white dress shirt and a brown sweater vest that ran it was busy checking in a stack of new arrivals. "How's it goin' today, Mr. Lee?"

The man looked up, his silver hair marred with black streaks on either side of his head, a bushy mustashe and a pair of wide, dark-tinted glasses. "Ah, Eddie, good to see you. And things are more of the same I'm afraid."

"Same here." replied the host, looking back over his shoulder at the little girl he had helped who had moved herself to a table and was busy reading. "What can you tell me about that girl over there? She seems a bit young to be in this academy."

Mr. Lee followed his gaze and smiled, "That's little Yukari Sendo, she was accepted into Yokai several years ahead given her intelligence. She's quite the genius if the rumors I've heard from the faculty are anything to go by."

The host hummed, "A child prodigy." he said as he watched the girl continue to read. "Must be tough, being in a school this big where everyone's older than you."

"She's in here a lot of the time, pretty much read every book I have." replied the librarian, "Some of the upper-classmen give her a rough time because of her age and intelligence, but also because she's a witch."

Eddie looked at Mr. Lee with a raised eyebrow, "How is that a reason?" he asked, already not liking the idea of the kid getting rough treatment.

"Witches are closely related to humans, halflings some prefer. Because of this they get treated almost as badly. And with their abilities over magic, it also makes them an outcast from humans as well." Mr. Lee answered with a sad shake of his head, "It's disgraceful. So many generations lost because of avarice from both sides."

Nodding in agreement, Eddie turned to regard Yukari again while his other did the same in curiosity.

X

A couple days later midterm exams for the school were done and the results were posted for the students to see in the main courtyard.

Eddie looked through the long lists of names until he saw his toward the middle. "Brock, Edward...61. Not bad." he thought grinning. "Guess all that last minute studying paid off in the end."

"Way to raise the bar, Eddie." said Venom, causing his host to frown.

"Considering all you did was sleep while I was studying, and snoring LOUDLY I might add, I could have done worse."

"I got 13!" Exclaimed Moka skipping over with a bright smile at her achievement.

"That's great Moka. I got 61 myself." said Eddie. "Where's Kurumu? I thought she would-

"288?! Awwww man!" Kurumu groaned as she joined them with slouched shoulders.

The vampire and host sweat-dropped at her exclamation, "Well, if you focused more on your studying than trying to get Eddie in your bed you wouldn't do so badly." said the pinkette with a deadpan expression.

"Better in my bed then your pantry!" Kurumu shot back, the never ending argument starting up again between the two.

Eddie sighed while his other chuckled, "Shit...here we go again."

"Having two females fighting over you shouldn't be all that bad." said the Klyntar.

"So says the 'backseat driver'." the host muttered in response.

X

While this was happening, Yukari Sendo approached the mid-term results board and found her own name. Once again at the number one spot. Seeing her usual results, she beamed with pride at her achievement.

"Well, well, well." said a voice from behind her. "Looks like you got top scores again. Looks like you did deserve to skip grades." The little girl turned and saw another student with the badge for class representative with two others behind him.

"Don't get a swelled head." hissed the class rep. "To me, you're just a little brat who is still stuck to mommy and daddy."

The rep's hand lashed out and swatted Yukari's hat off her head, making her flinch, "And what is with your uniform? I hate people who stand out!" Unknown to him, Yukari held a long wand with a crystal star inside a heart at the top behind her back that flashed a brief moment.

A second later, three large brass basins fell from the sky and slammed down on the tops of the older students' heads and knocking them to the ground.

"Ha! Serves you right!" Yukari said with her tongue sticking out at them. Her victory short lived when they all got up and were glaring murderously at her.

"You little bitch! You'll pay for that!" the class rep lunged for the little witch, his fingers extending into sharp claws as she stood frozen in place...

When a hand suddenly another closed around his forearm. "Touch her, and your mommy and daddy will never find your body."

The class rep looked into the cold eyes of Eddie who looked about as grim as he had spoken. "Back off Brock! This doesn't concern-ACK!" the host's other hand came up and gripped the punk's throat, cutting off his air supply.

"Wrong! My concern is to those being picked on by fuck-heads like you! What's the matter shit-bag, your scores so low you deem it right to pick on those smarter than you?" the host interrogated.

Moka and Kurumu walked up on either side of Yukari seeing what was happening and ready and waiting just incase. A crowd having started to gather as well.

"Don't you know what she is?" said one of the rep's thugs. "She's a witch!"

"So what if she's a witch? You're a bunch of worthless punks picking on little girls." Eddie said dragging the rep closer, "If I catch you picking on her again. It'll be the last thing you and your little cronies ever do in this lifetime." The host's eyes became covered in Venom's pseudo ones and his teeth turned into miniature versions of his other's fangs.

"You get me?" he hissed demonically before throwing the class rep into his thugs, sending all three crashing through a bench.

Rolling his shoulders, face shifting back to normal, Eddie picked up the hat on the ground and dusted it off before handing it back to the girl. "You okay?" he asked with concern.

"Is it true?" she asked looking up at him.

"What?" asked the host.

"That you don't care I'm a witch?" Yukari asked with hopeful eyes.

Eddie smiled, "Of course not. What you are should never matter, it's who you are that counts." Yukari smiled widely before hugging him as tightly as she could.

"Thank you. I'm Yukari Sendou, it's nice to meet you."

The host smiled again, "Eddie Brock." He motioned to the girls, "These are my friends Moka and Kurumu."

"I've heard of all of you." said Yukari. "Two of the prettiest girls in school and a mysterious monster who is already feared by many. I can't believe I got to meet you." she said excitedly.

"Well we are pretty popular huh?" said Kurumu.

"I meant Eddie and Moka." said Yukari making the Succubus facefault.

Eddie shook his head, "Lets take this somewhere else." he said as they headed to the cafeteria with the girls following.

X

"Wow, your the smartest girl in the whole school?" asked Moka shocked as they all sat with the little witch.

"Sure am!" Yukari boasted with pride. "I wasn't challenged enough at my old school, and as bumped ahead several grades."

"Must be lonely without kids your own age around." said Kurumu, wondering how hard the much younger girl had it at the moment.

Yukari shook her head and frowned, "It is, especially if you're a witch."

"It's because you're more human than anything correct?" asked Eddie, getting a sad nod in response.

"You probably wouldn't understand." said Yukari while playing with the hem of her cape.

Eddie looked at his hand and clenched his fist a moment, sensing his other offering a small form of comfort at the same time. "Trust me, we'd probably understand better than you would think." Yukari looked at him and noticed the far off look in his eyes, almost like he was looking into the past.

"This girl is going to be trouble." Kurumu whispered to Moka.

"What makes you say that?" asked the vampire.

"She has a crush on Eddie. Just watch, it's a matter of time." replied the Succubus, motioning to the little girl who hadn't taken her eyes off the host and had pale-pink tinting her cheeks.

"So, Eddie? Do you have a girlfriend?" Yukari asked suddenly.

Eddie looked at her oddly and shook his head, "No. I have friends who are girls and that's about it."

The little witch beamed brightly, "Then I'll be your girlfriend!"

"WHAT!" Eddie, Moka and Kurumu shouted at the same time.

"We're perfect for each other! I've fallen in love with you Eddie!" the young witch confessed as she latched onto his arm and hugged it tightly.

"Our magnetism for females seems to attract all ages as well..." Venom commented.

"NOT HELPING!" Eddie shouted back before looking down at Yukari who had made her self at home on his arm. "Uh, sorry Yukari, but you're a little young for me." he said out loud, feeling very uncomfortable with the sudden turn of events.

"I'll be twelve soon. Come on, Eddie! We're perfect for each other!" said the little witch.

Kurumu stood up and glared at the younger girl, "Nuh-uh! No way! I already have enough competition with the pink-blood sucker over here!" she exclaimed, pointing at Moka who glared back at her, "I don't need some jailbait mage trying to take my destined One as well!"

"How do think Eddie's the one for you? You two just met today." the pinkette vampire asked Yukari, trying a different approach despite the fact that she too didn't like the idea of more competition for the host's attention.

Yukari blushed and bit her lip, "Ummm, well, I...I gotta go!" she quickly vanished in a puff of black smoke, causing the older teens to waved at the air.

"Can I have just one day where shit isn't so weird?" Eddie asked out loud.

"I do not see that happening in our foreseeable future. You'd think you'd be ready for it by now."said his other.

Sadly it wasn't the last the group saw of the little witch that day. Everywhere they went Yukari would suddenly appear, clinging onto Eddie and either asking a barrage of questions or professing her undying love for him.

Moka did her best to try and diffuse the growing tension among their little group. Between Kurumu's growing anger at the little witch's advances on Eddie, to the host's unease about all the oddly mature attention the 11 year old was giving him, everything quickly began to build to a head.

"Why can't you tell me?" Yukari all but begged from her spot on Eddie's back as her little frame hung off his broader one like a living cape. She wanted to know what kind of monster he was. Everything she researched came up empty when compared to the powers that some people have claimed to have seen him use.

"It's against the rules." Eddie said, not breaking stride as he walked down the hallway without

"But I told you I was a witch! You can tell me. Please?" pleaded the witch.

"It's personal, and not something I feel up for talking about now." replied the host, trying to avoid the conversation. Even Venom was starting to get irritated with the spawnling's repetitive questioning.

"But-"

"He doesn't wanna talk about it! So leave us alone!" shouted Kurumu, having had enough of the witch following them around.

"You can't make me!" Yukari shouted, sticking her tongue out at the Succubus. Kurumu stomped toward the witch only for the little girl to jump off Eddie's back and wave her wand.

A large basin to slam on the Succubus' head dropping her to the floor a moment later. "Kurumu!" Eddie shouted helping her to her feet while Yukari laughed behind him.

"Ow...damn brat." the bluenette muttered, rubbing her head.

Eddie spun around to the cheering witch who stopped on the spot seeing the anger on his face. "Why the hell did you do that?" he asked heatedly.

"She's trying to take you away from me! I had to protect you!" Yukari exclaimed.

"The last thing...the very last thing I need is to be protected." said Eddie. "Kurumu and Moka are my friends, and I hate it when someone tries to hurt them. It doesn't matter how smart you are or how young you are. Now apologize!"

Yukari looked to the floor, "I thought you were different." She glared up at him with tears in her eyes, "I HATE YOU!" she shouted as several pails and other cleaning utensils appeared above and fell toward the host's head as she ran off down the hall.

Several black tendrils shot out of his back and batted away the projectiles as he looked at where she had run off. "Poor kid." he mumbled.

"She attacked you, there's nothing to sympathize about." said Kurumu.

"That's were you're wrong. From what I've read and learned, witches are always looked down upon by both monsters and humans. They're outcasts in the worse possible ways. And if anyone can understand her it would be me." said Eddie.

"It must be hard...poor Yukari." said Moka.

"It's not an easy life. And she's too young to go through it all alone." said Eddie heading in the direction Yukari went.

"She attacked us." said Venom, not at all pleased at having cleaning implements summoned at them.

"She's a child. Didn't give her a right to do what she did to Kurumu or us, but she's alone, scared, acting out." Eddie thought back. "And right now she needs people in her corner."

The symbiote hummed, even though it was frustrated by the little witch's actions and constant talking, spawnlings were supposed to be protected and nurtured as they came of age, even among his kind.

And right now there was one out there that needed them both.

X

Yukari's back hit the tree behind her, her broken wand in her hand as the class representative and his cronies transformed into large lizards. She shook in fear realizing that no one would be coming to help her this time as the creatures closed in.

"Hey boss, let's eat her." said one of the lizard men, licking his long lips with an equally long tongue.

"Good idea, I'll bite her head off. Bet her brains alone will be filling." said the class rep sadistically. "Face it kid, nobody cares about you! No one can save you!"

The silence around them was shattered by a bellowing roar. A large, black form fell from the sky and slamming into the ground between Yukari and the lizard men sending the lizard men flying back.

"Yukari!" Moka shouted as she and Kurumu ran over to the little girl's side.

"Moka? Kurumu?" Yukari gasped, "W-Where's Eddie?"

When the dust settled, the host stood up in his full Venom form as he glared at the lizard monsters. "Get out of our way!" the class rep shouted, even with a great deal of hesitation coming from both he and his thugs.

"We don't think so." rumbled Venom, claws extending as he advanced on them. "You could have just walked away. Instead you target Yukari again. Now...now, we're going to skin you alive."

The three lizardmen growled and spread out, "You can't do anything against three of us!" the class rep bellowed as they all went on the attack. The symbiote grinned, grabbing the first of the green-skinned thugs by the throat and throwing him into a tree with enough force to break the trunk in half.

The second lizardman swiped his claws at the bigger creature, but Venom ducked under them and instead grabbed his attacker by his leg. Swinging him around and slamming him into the ground, repeating the action several times until he was unrecognizable.

Having stopped in his advance when he saw the fate of his cronies, the student rep slowly started to back away. Venom's head snapped around and leered at him, dropping the broken body in his hand before snapping it toward the bully and grabbing him with a tendril that snapped him forward into the awaiting set of claws.

"Going somewhere?" the Klyntar rumbled, drool dribbling down from his fangs.

"W-Wait! Can't we talk about this?!" the lizardman.

"Talk is cheap." Venom opened his maw, his long tongue slithering out and harshly licking the side of the rep's head. "Besides, actions speak louder than words."

Moka quickly turned Yukari's head into her shoulder to keep her from seeing what was about to happen, Kurumu wasn't as lucky as she watched her destined One opened his shark-like mouth a second time before clamping over the lizardman's head with a sickening crunch.

Chewing a couple of times on the reptilian skull in his mouth, Venom swallowed loudly before tossing the headless corpse aside. Turning around and looking toward the girls who were looking more than a little green at his display.

Approaching them slowly, the black flesh covering his form receded back into his body until Eddie was himself again. "Sorry you had to see that. I'm afraid that it comes with what I am." he admitted.

"What are you exactly? I've never seen any monster do that before." asked Kurumu.

"That'll take a while to explain, and I will later." said Eddie as he crouched down in front of Yukari who looked back at him with tears in her eyes.

"Why? Why did you save me?" she asked.

The host smiled, "Because I know what it's like to be an outcast. To be different than everyone else." He smiled. A black tendril slipped out of his shoulder and gently wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "But that's what makes us unique. And us outcasts need to stick together."

"We're still your friends. No matter what." Eddie continued. Yukari looked gobsmacked before breaking into a wide smile and hugging him tightly. Moka and Kurumu smiled with them as the host picked up the little witch and they walked back to the academy together.

X

"So Yukari is getting along with her class now?" asked Eddie curiously as he and Moka headed to class the next day.

"Yes," Moka nodded happily. "She apologized for pulling so many pranks on her classmates and she's been doing better."

"That's good," Eddie nodded. "At least she won't be bullied anymore. Venom and I probably took care of that."

"Eddie!" a young voice called in a sing-song tone.

"Huh?" Both vampire and host turned to see Yukari was skipping towards them before she pressed herself between them. "Hi!" the tiny witch smiled. "How is my future lover?"

Eddie sighed at the proclamation, even though the pre-teen was doing better, she still held onto the idea of them being together. "Still not giving up, Kari?" he asked, using the short nickname he'd come up with which had her blushing a bit.

"No way! The fact you defended me so strongly only makes me want you that much more. I know we'll be together, It's fate! You'll see!" Yukari beamed as she hugged Eddie's arm that much tighter.

Moka sighed, realizing that another girl would be fighting over the host's affections. But a small part of her was happy that things had turned out with everything that happened to the little witch that had now become a part of their little group.

It seemed like just another day at Yokai Academy.

X

A/N: And the group has just gained another member, a few small changes made to canon for the sake of originality, and a much needed Cameo appearance that will be off an on throughout the series.

New update coming soon, so don't go too far.