**Revision v.1 Completed 03 July 17**

Disclaimer:

The characters and setting of Omamori Himari are properties of Fujimi Shobo and Milan Matra. Please support the author and publisher by buying the volumes in your country or region. I'm a fan of the series and all, but hey, it's not mine. And never will be. I only write for fun, not for profits. That's what a fanfic should be all about.

Also, all other characters referenced in the story, including OCs, belong to their respective owners.

Legend:

"Normal (Japanese) speech"

{"English speech"}

"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"

Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective

Note: The first scene features full English dialogue unless specified. All subsequent scenes will follow the legend above.

Ayakashi.

That is the name of monsters recorded in Japanese myth.

Although some coexisted alongside humans, there were those that have caused many casualties and catastrophes over the years of Japan's long history.

It was then that the demon slayers emerged.

During the Heian Period, these twelve families, each armed with their own unique powers and abilities, fought and slain numerous ayakashi, creating a devastating warpath of blood in their wake.

Of those families were the Benigawa, a family with the ability to channel and use Touki. Known as the Toushi no Chakra, or Fighter's Chakra, it is a mystic energy worn around their bodies that grants them superhuman abilities. This ability was feared by many ayakashi who dared challenged them and lived to tell the tale.

As the number of ayakashi dwindled down due to the demon slayer's actions, so were the demon slayers themselves at one point. During the events of World War I, many demon slayer clans perished on the front lines of combat, and less than half of the clans remain following the tragic war. Some even sealed their powers and disappeared into obscurity, living amongst the common populace.

Fortunately, the Benigawas survived the war and lived well into the modern era. However, the death of the last Benigawa demon slayer marked the end of the family lineage. This was a major victory for the ayakashi, especially those whose descendants have faced them.

Enter Gordon Evans, a fifteen-year-old teenage youth born and raised in the streets of Brooklyn. He has lived a pretty normal life, practicing boxing at the gym, skateboarding and hanging out with his friends after school, and helping out at his father's barber shop, the Golden Groomers.

One day, he earns an opportunity to go to school in Japan for a whole year as part of an international program. At first he expressed shock given his circumstances, but with encouragement from his close friends and co-workers, he finally decides to go. Given he shares a hint of Japanese blood thanks to his grandfather, he couldn't miss on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about the Land of the Rising Sun.

Little does Gordon know, his life will take a complete turn the day of his sixteenth birthday, where he will come in contact with a mysterious girl on his way to his new school in Takamiya City.

And a clan once thought to be lost...will be resurrected.

First Round – New Country, New School, New Problems

Cover page: Gordon, wearing a Vans shirt, jeans and sneakers sitting on a subway bench, listening to his music while resting his foot on his skateboard. Himari is in the background, her back turned and observing Gordon with a smile.

"Twenty-two... Twenty-three... Twenty-four... Twenty-five! Whew!"

It was nearly seven in the morning for Gordon Evans as he conducted his morning workout, consisting of two sets of thirty crunches (for a total of sixty), two sets of twenty-five tricep dips (totaling fifty), and two sets of fifty push-ups (totaling a hundred). While he may be away from his local Y, that didn't mean he should stop working out. After all, boxing is a sport that requires endless discipline and commitment.

That and the fact New York can get a bit hectic sometimes. You just don't know what will happen when it comes to living in the Big Apple.

Today was Gordon's first day going to Touryou High, his new school in Japan for the international transfer student program since receiving the offer more than a month ago and coming to Japan a week earlier. It was quite surprising how he - a high school sophomore with above-average grades - could even get an opportunity like this. He would have to be a Harvard-bound genius with a near-perfect GPA to get something like this, so this was a huge shock to him.

However, this left Gordon with a tough decision. Sure, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit his estranged grandfather's country and learn its culture, but that would mean not seeing the Big Apple for a whole year.

He also faced a bit of pressure from his friends and some of his co-workers at his father's shop, especially from Rika, his childhood friend and next-door neighbor. Rika always wanted to see Japan for herself aside from her parents' old pictures and books. And since Gordon learned Japanese from her parents at a young age he might as well put it to good use. He does owe them for that. "Use it or lose it," as the saying goes.

Gordon's first day at Touryou also marks his sixteenth birthday. Nothing special about it, just another year older and another year wiser in his opinion. There are some benefits of turning sixteen, though. For one, being able to drive. But why bother if Gordon already has his trusty skateboard on hand, not to mention public transit?

Unfortunately, his birthday was also the same day his mother, Laura Evans, was shot and killed by a mugger on her way back from a night shift at the hospital. It was the most painful day of Gordon's life, and he had just turned nine at the time, with today marking the seventh anniversary of that fateful night. Gordon had seen death before in the form of his grandmother slowly passing away on a hospital bed when he was six, but never in the form of a person taking another's life.

Following a quick shower and a bit of touching up, Gordon approached his closet and took a look at his new school uniform which consists of a white, long-sleeved dress shirt and a pair of black trousers. Gordon wasn't very comfortable with the idea of wearing a school uniform, but since they were mandatory he had no choice but to play by their rules. Only a red t-shirt with a faded Autobot logo made it stand out a little, if not a lot.

Then again, Gordon himself already stands out as he is, what with him being one of the very few blacks living in a homogeneous, majority-Asian country like Japan.

After putting the uniform on and rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt, Gordon approached his desk, where a plain red slip tied to a necklace-length cord lay next to his laptop.

It was an omamori, a Japanese good luck charm. The item bears great importance to Gordon, as it was a gift sent from his grandfather when he was three. In fact, it was the only thing Gordon ever got from him. His grandmother told him to always have it on, though there are exceptions like taking a shower.

However, Gordon noticed something strange about his omamori upon picking it up.

"Hmm... Doesn't zeem to have that strange feeling like all those other times I wore it. Wonder what's up with that?"

Nonetheless, Gordon put the old charm around his neck, tucking it inside his shirt.

After eating breakfast, grabbing his backpack and putting on a pair of red Vans shoes, Gordon was all set to go. He then made his way outside while getting his skateboard, making sure to lock the door and gate behind him. He then put on his headphones - a pair of grey SOL Republics - and selected a song from his iPod.

[Music: "Black" by Trivium]

Gordon performed a quick running start and hopped on his skateboard, kicking his right foot against the asphalt to get ahead. The skater's dress shirt was flapping against the wind like a cape as he continued to move forward, all while swerving around and zooming past a couple pedestrians.

In the midst of his ride, Gordon saw two people ahead of him: a boy with short brown hair and a girl with hair in a lighter shade of brown with red ribbons tied at the sides. However he soon realized the path he was riding on was a bit narrow for him to go on either side without hitting one of the trash cans.

Which means Gordon had two options: either attempt to jump one of the trash cans or plow straight through the two strangers and hope they get his warning beforehand.

As he was coming in quite hot, Gordon chose the second option.

"Hey you two! Get out the way! Move, dammit!"

The boy ahead of Gordon turned his head and quickly pulled the girl beside him out of harm's way, just in time for the skater to fly by them without incident. Gordon thought he heard someone yell at him but quickly brushed it off as he continued riding.

He then realized in the brief time he passed them that the boy was wearing the same uniform he had on.

"So they go to Touryou too, huh? Guess I'll be seeing them again when I get there."

Gordon continued his skate trip into the city, where he, as expected, got a few looks from some people as he went by. It started to bother him at first but he quickly remembered what Rika's mother told him back home.

"Remember that not many Japanese natives see black people very often, so you can expect a couple stares and some mixed signals when you get there. Don't worry; I'm sure you'll do fine if you hang in there long enough."

Who can't blame them if they haven't seen a single black dude in their life? Though if there's one thing Gordon can never get used to, it's some of the schoolgirls taking pictures of him with their cell phones.

"Come on, I'm not that much to look at, you know," he thought bitterly, shaking his head.

After a few minutes of riding, Gordon caught eye of a three-story building up ahead.

"That must be the place," he assumed, picking up his board after slowing down to a stop. Removing his headphones, the New Yorker looked on towards the presumed Touryou High School building, anticipating the start of a new school life. Of course, it was going to be way different from the school he went to back home, but Gordon had a hunch it wouldn't be as bad given the new environment.

Gordon reached into his shirt and took out his omamori, giving one last look at the old charm.

"Wish me luck, guys," he encouraged, slipping it back underneath his shirt before continuing his trek towards the school.

"You are Gordon Evans, I presume?" a voice called out to the skater who was in the midst of putting his headphones back on.

[Music stops]

Gordon turned his head towards the source and to his surprise noticed a girl standing atop a nearby fence. Her amethyst eyes gazed down imposingly at the Brooklyn youth, while her hair - a long, bluish-black mane that was tied into a ponytail by a pink ribbon - swayed in the cool spring breeze. She was also wearing a school uniform Gordon was not familiar with, consisting of a red blazer over a white dress shirt with a large yellow ribbon tied around its collar in a bow, a black pleated skirt, and a pair of brown loafers over black socks that approached her thighs.

Though Gordon was drawn to the girl's beauty, what he really wanted to know was, how on earth did she get his name? And furthermore, was she looking to take him on with whatever she has hiding underneath that cloth she was holding in her hand? Gordon sure hoped it wasn't the third, since he doesn't like fighting girls outside of casual spars.

But since this girl asked for his name, it's only fair for Gordon to respond with that, and perhaps get some answers in return.

"Yeah, I'm Gordon," he said, switching to Japanese. "And who might..."

The mysterious schoolgirl suddenly vanished from Gordon's view before he could finish, confusing the boy until he felt something lean against his left shoulder. Turning around, Gordon was shocked to see the red-clad beauty stand right beside him, a sly smirk strewn across her lips.

"Wait, what!? How the hell did she...?"

"You have grown to be quite the handsome man," the girl complemented, wrapping her arms around Gordon's neck and tipping her toes high to reach his ear. "But have you grown to be a man on the inside, too? Hmm?"

She gently blew into Gordon's ear, causing the skater to flinch at the sensation before tearing himself away from her and getting some breathing room.

"Haah... Haah... Alright, lady, I don't know who the hell you are or how you know my name, but you got another thing coming if you're trying to score me over."

Gordon quickly took off on his board, zipping past the schoolgirl without even bothering to look back at her.

"Dammit," he cursed. "Now I'm gonna run late 'cause of her!"

Meanwhile, the girl watched Gordon fade from view. She let out an amused giggle while turning around and taking a few steps before disappearing once more, leaving behind a small gust of wind.

Earlier...

"AA-CHOO! AA-CHOO!"

It was a rather rough morning for one Yuuto Amakawa, the young man wiping his runny nose down with a tissue he pulled from his pants' pocket. He was subjected to a rather rude awakening earlier courtesy of his neighbor's cat.

The boy's eyes slowly glance over to a girl with golden brown hair that reached her chin and a cross expression on her face. Her outfit consists of a yellow-orange vest with red accents over a white dress shirt with a purple ribbon on the collar, a pleated green skirt with white accents near the hem, and a pair of pink hi-top sneakers worn over black, thigh-high socks. A red ribbon adorned both sides of the girl's hair, and clutched in her right hand was a brown schoolbag.

"Geez, that was really mean of you, Rinko. Why would you drop a cat on me knowing I'm allergic to them? Are you crazy?"

"Hmph! That's what you get for breaking an innocent girl's heart," the girl known as Rinko shot back. "I got a five-centimeter crack from what you said about me being too heavy, you know!"

"Hmm," Yuuto let off a shrug. "That doesn't sound too bad."

"Jeez, come on, Yuuto!" Rinko cried out, stomping her foot on the concrete with her fist clenched. "You're sixteen years old, for crying out loud! Can't you least admit when you're wrong sometimes!?"

"Sixteen... Oh yeah, that's right!"

"Yup!" Rinko turned and faced Yuuto with a bright smile on her face. "Happy Birthday, Yuuto!"

Today was Yuuto's sixteenth birthday, though for him it also marks the anniversary of when he was made an orphan after losing his parents in a fatal car crash several years ago. Rinko Kuzaki, his friend and neighbor since childhood, was fortunate enough to look after him along with her parents, so he hasn't been completely lonely.

The brown-haired teen fished through his one of his pant pockets and took out a decorative pink slip with a necklace-length cord tied to it.

"Hey, that's the omamori your grandmother gave you, right?" Rinko asked.

"Yeah, it is," Yuuto answered with a nod. As a child, he lived with his grandparents out in the countryside until his parents moved him out to start school. The omamori was a parting gift from them, and would be their final gift to him before they passed away a year after he left.

"I wonder...if they're watching over me still, along with my parents."

"How long have you had that thing, anyway?"

Rinko's question brought Yuuto out of his sentiment. "Oh, uh...I don't know, really. It's been a long time since I've had this. I kinda lost count."

"Hmm..." Rinko was left humming in thought before bringing up another subject. "Oh right! You heard from Sae-chan yesterday, right? Today our class will be getting a new student from that international program! I wonder who will it be? Someone from South America? Europe maybe? Or Russia?"

"You must be excited, huh, Rinko?" Yuuto noted with a light chuckle.

"Duh, of course I am!" the ribbon girl responded energetically, waving her arms. "I mean, when's the last time our school got a foreign student, huh?"

{"Hey, you two!"} a voice called out. {"Get out the way! Move, dammit!"}

"Eh? English?"

Yuuto turned his head and spotted a dark-skinned young man riding a skateboard. It took a few seconds for him to notice how fast the skater was approaching them, and that they were going to get run over unless they move.

"Rinko, watch out!"

"Huh? Wah!"

Yuuto quickly pulled Rinko out of the skateboarder's path, allowing him to zip by without incident.

Rinko, however, was quite pissed as she stomped to the direction the skater passed. "Grr! Hey, are you trying to kill us, you skateboarding punk!? I hope a truck runs you over and you die!"

"C-Calm down, Rinko," Yuuto placated. "You can cut him some slack, you know? He did try to warn us."

Rinko had no choice but to agree with him. Had it not been for Yuuto pulling her out of the skateboarder's path, she would have gotten hurt.

"Yeah. I guess you're right," she admitted before her features darkened. "But if that punk shows up next time, I'll be sure to give him a nice, bone-splitting punch in the gut! He won't know what hit him!" she added with her fist in front, causing beads of sweat to run through Yuuto's forehead.

As the pair continued their walk to school, Yuuto soon realized something about the skater's attire, as they were almost identical to what he had on apart from the shoes and shirt. "Hey, Rinko?"

"What?"

"That skater... I think I saw him wearing our school's uniform."

"Eh?" Rinko's eyes widened at the realization, as indeed during the brief time she saw the skater zoom by, she noticed that he was wearing their school's uniform.

"N-No freaking way! Are you telling me that skateboarding punk is the new foreign student Sae-chan was talking about?! Grrr...! Come on, Yuuto! We're catching up with him! I'm gonna show that guy what happens when he crosses paths with the great Rinko Kuzaki!"

As the brunette stomped away to give chase, Yuuto felt conflicted on whether he should warn the skater about Rinko's impeding punishment before running to catch up with her.

At Touryou High School, the classroom was filled with chatter concerning the new student who will be attending their class. There were questions ranging from who the new student may look like to where he or she may come from to small guesses about the student's interests.

"Isn't this awesome, Yuuto?! Today's the day we'll be getting that international student! Man, I sure hope it's a hot girl! Maybe a blond, too! What do you think, huh!?"

Taizou Masaki is Yuuto's classmate and best friend, a young man with short, reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. He had on the standard Touryou boys' uniform, but with a black T-shirt underneath.

"You're really excited about this new student, huh, Taizou?" Yuuto asked, pretending to not know about the skateboarder that passed by him and Rinko on the way.

"Hell yeah I am!" the redhead replied with excitement. "It's frickin' awesome, I tell ya! Everyone's in school's talking about it!"

"Yeah, and I bet aaaall the boys must be figuring out ways to win her heart right now," a Rinko frowned with her head tilted to the side, still bitter about the skateboarder that almost ran her over being the new student.

"Jeez, what's with her?" Taizou asked Yuuto, pointing his thumb towards the ribbon-wearing girl. "I've never seen her this grumpy before."

"Uh... Jeez, Taizou, I don't know," Yuuto started to joke, still not wanting to explain to his redheaded friend what happened on the way. "Maybe it's that time again?"

"Oh, you mean she's having her..."

BAM!

Taizou was promptly punched in the face by Rinko who had a tick mark on her head. "Don't even think about going there, Masaki," she warned angrily.

"R...Right," Taizou groaned, his words muffled by the brunette's fist. "Sorry."

Yuuto was lucky he wasn't on the receiving end this time around, though he shouldn't press his luck too much, lest he have a repeat of what happened this morning with Rinko's cat, Ranmaru.

"Hey guys!" a male student called. "Teacher's coming!"

The entire class scrambled to their seats while the door slid open to reveal their teacher: a tall woman with green hair and matching eyes behind a pair of spectacles wearing a dark green skirt suit. She stopped at her desk and placed her papers down.

One of the students, a girl with short violet hair with an X-shaped hairclip and blue eyes behind a pair of glasses, quickly stood up, but the green-haired teacher held her hand in front, as if telling her to stop.

"No need for the usual today, Shimamura. I think you know why."

"Oh," Yuu Shimamura, the bespectacled violette, said, almost ashamedly. "Right, sorry."

As Yuu sat back down, Sae Kisaragi adjusted her glasses a bit and started speaking.

"All right, class. I know I already mentioned this, but starting today we'll be having a student from overseas attend our class and he'll be staying with us for a year. I hope you guys'll welcome him with open arms."

"Wait, him!? Aw man!" Taizo groaned while planting his face on his desk, disappointed the new student wasn't a babe.

Sae directed her attention to the door. "Alright, you can come in now."

The door slid open and a dark-skinned young man with black hair done in a buzzcut stepped into the classroom. His height nearly approached Ms. Kisaragi's, and he had on the same uniform as do the rest of the boys apart from the rolled-up sleeves. Underneath his open dress shirt was a red T-shirt displaying a faded Autobot logo in black, and in his right hand was a grey camouflage backpack that he placed right next to Ms. Kisaragi's desk.

"Whoa. A black dude," a male student muttered.

"First time I've seen one outside of the movies an' stuff." another male student muttered.

"Hey hey, don't you think he's kinda cute?" a female student whispered.

"I know, right?" another female student agreed. "And that calm and serious air he has...I think I died and gone to heaven just looking at him!"

"You think he may be into basketball?" a third student asked. "He sorta looks the part with the height and all."

Meanwhile, Rinko wasn't at all impressed with this new student, still wanting to get back at him for nearly causing an accident with that skateboard of his. Good thing he was easy to find.

Nearby, Yuuto felt sweat rolling down his back at his ribbon-wearing friend's malicious intent on whatever she was about to do to the new student.

A satisfied smirk appeared on Ms. Kisaragi's lips before directing her attention towards the dark-skinned student. "Well, go on," she urged him. "Introduce yourself to the class."

The new student gave a silent nod before turning his attention to the class. "Hello, everyone. My name is Gordon Evans and I came here from New York. Brooklyn, to be precise. I may not know much about you guys, and some of you might have...varying opinions about me, but regardless, I wish that throughout the year I get to know you guys better. It's a real pleasure to meet all of you," he introduced, giving a slight bow to his classmates.

Ms. Kisaragi's face bore a calm smile. "That was a well-put introduction, Evans," she said before she searched for an open seat. "For now, why don't you sit next to Shimamura?" she suggested, gesturing her papers towards the bespectacled violette. "She's our class representative, so she'll show you how things are done here."

Gordon nodded before seating himself next to Shimamura, placing his bag near his desk.

"Okay," Ms. Kisaragi continued, holding on a sheet of paper, "with that out of the way, let's start roll. Aisaka!"

"Here!"

"Akisawa!"

"Here!"

As Ms. Kisaragi began taking roll, Gordon directed his eyes towards Shimamura. At first, he was a bit puzzled about the class rep's purple hair but quickly shook it off. He's seen people with all kinds of crazy hair colors before in New York, so who is he to judge?

Just when Gordon was about to reach for his notebook, he felt a few taps on his shoulder that immediately caused him to shift his attention back towards Shimamura who was holding a sheet of paper in her hand.

"Here. It's a schedule on who does what after school."

"Hmm. Class duties, huh?" Gordon murmured, taking the sheet from her and going through it. "I'll take a look at this later. Thanks."

"No problem, Evans-san," Shimamura replied with a smile. "Glad I can help."

Gordon smiled back at the class representative before taking his notebook out from his backpack and scribbling down some notes.

Following a long lesson and lecture from Ms. Kisaragi, it was finally time for lunch, to Gordon's relief. But before the skater got a chance to leave the classroom, he was swarmed by students looking to ask him questions. A few of them were a bit surprised to learn he preferred metal over hip-hop and skateboarding over basketball, both of which caused Gordon to cringe inwardly at their generalizations. Though to be fair, it was their first time interacting with a black dude, so he can't blame them. Japan is a homogeneous country for the most part, although he admits it's better than having to deal with Malcolm and his ilk back at his Brooklyn school. An annoying bunch, those guys were, always acting like big shots and looking down on anyone who dared break the mold.

Not wanting the same kind of attention as before, Gordon situated himself on the school's rooftop where he ate lunch by himself. It was quite spacious compared to the rooftop of his house back home, though it was a bit quiet for his tastes. He didn't mind, though, just so long as he felt at ease.

Speaking of home, he wondered how his friends and folks were doing over in Brooklyn. Given he was now in a completely different time zone, he probably assumed they were all sleeping. Still, Gordon can't help but remember the days he would go skateboarding with his friends after school. The laid-back and show-offy Dante, the down-to-earth Ronnie, the ever-energetic Ishani, and the tomboyish, yet compassionate Rika. Together, the five of them made the Fenimore Street Crew - or simply The Crew, and Rika's pet cats, Shirone and Kuroka, often joined in for the ride.

Boy, being homesick really sucks sometimes.

Taking another bite of his burrito, Gordon's mind flashed back to his encounter with the mysterious schoolgirl. Aside from that odd dialect she spoke in, no doubt she was beautiful. Her uniform was different from the one the girls wear here at Touryou, though. Maybe she goes to another school across town?

But that still didn't explain how the girl knew his name, though. He couldn't have been friends with her in the past since it was his first time ever meeting the girl. Being penpals with her was also out of the question.

"You have grown to be quite the handsome man. But have you grown to be a man on the inside, too? Hmm?"

Gordon reflexively slapped the ear the girl blew on. Upon finding out, he took a very long sip of his drink with a deep grimace. For the sake of his sanity, he sure hopes he doesn't run into her again.

"I think I saw him go to the rooftop."

"Hm?"

Gordon turned his head towards the rooftop exit, where he heard the sounds of footsteps gradually growing. The voice he heard must belong to a girl judging by the pitch.

"Are you sure we should be going after him, Rinko?" another voice, this time a boy's, asked with concern. "He could be getting some air, for all we know. Just leave him alone for now; it's his first day here!"

"No way, Yuuto! Not until I deck that skate punk for almost running me over!" Rinko, the female voice, replied.

"Geez, Rinko, let's just go back already!" the male voice known as Yuuto tried deterring. "Besides, I already promised Taizou I'd meet him at the cafeteria before you dragged me out!"

Gordon let out an annoyed sigh. Lunch would have to wait after he sorts this problem out first. Already he can tell it wasn't going to end well.

The door then flung open to reveal the same boy and girl the skater ran into on his way to school, the latter of whom - Rinko, Gordon assumed her name was - stomped towards him with an angry frown on her face. Her toes were also tipped, showing their vast difference in height.

"Rinko, stop! You're taking this too far!" Yuuto, the boy behind her pleaded.

"Stay out of this, Yuuto!" she shot back.

Yuuto rubbed his head, letting off a tired sigh.

Gordon stuffed his hands inside his pockets in his attempt to defuse the situation. "Your friend's got a point, you know," he told Rinko. "He did pull you outta the way the moment he saw me coming in hot. You and I both would've suffered some nasty bruises if it weren't for him."

The ribbon girl narrowed her eyes at the dark-skinned transfer student, her fists tightening.

"Plus I really don't like picking fights with girls unless it's a friendly spar at the gym," he continued. "So why don't you head back down with your friend and pretend we didn't see each other the rest of the day, okay?"

In the background, Yuuto nodded with a slight smile on his lips.

Rinko, on the other hand, gave a stubborn glare. "I don't think so."

Gordon rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "Jeez, your head that thick or something? Your friend saved your freakin' hide, for crying out loud! There's no need for you to get all in my face about it!"

"Of course there's a reason, you skateboarding punk!" Rinko shouted, stomping her foot. "You almost ran me over!"

"And again, your friend saved you!" Gordon argued back. "Look, just go back already; I really don't have time for this!"

"Not until you get what you deserve!"

Just as tensions were about to fly, the door suddenly flung open to reveal Taizou standing in the doorway, surprising all three students.

"T-Taizou?" Yuuto asked the redhead. "I thought you were heading to the cafeteria. What happened?"

However he soon realized something odd about his classmate's movements when he began approaching them. His head was hunched and his feet dragged with every step he took, and his arms were limp and lifeless, almost like he was a zombie.

"Kuku... Kukukuku…" the red-haired student chuckled evilly, his voice distorted and his eyes obscured as he directed his attention towards Gordon. "At last, I've found you… Descendant."

The strange assumption caused the New Yorker to raise an eyebrow. "Descendant? What's he going on about?"

"Masaki-kun?" Rinko asked, worried. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" She then glared at Yuuto. "What did you do this time, Yuuto?" she demanded.

"I haven't done anything!" he answered quickly.

"Benigawa…" Taizou groaned as he lifted his right arm up, purple lightning crackling from his hand as he lifted his head up, a wicked grin spread across his face while the dark cavities in his eyes glowed yellow. The lightning continued to gather until a small black sphere appeared on his palm. "You will die!"

Taizou threw the dark sphere, passing through Yuuto and Rinko and nearly scaring the two while Gordon rolled to the side out of reflex. The dark-skinned student then looked to see a big gaping hole in the fence!

"Holy shit, that was close!" he exclaimed in his head, eyes widened at the damage. He would have been a goner if he got hit by that!

Gordon then directed his attention to Yuuto and Rinko, both of whom were shaken after what they had just witnessed. "Hey! You two all right?!"

"Y-Yeah," Rinko answered slowly. "We're okay."

Gordon nodded before turning to a sneering Taizou. "Jeez, what the hell, Masaki?!" he called out. "You almost killed us back there!"

"Kukuku…" he chuckled evilly, his hands held up and out to his shoulders. "Here I find a descendant of the Benigawas, and it's just some brat who hasn't even learned to master his powers. How disappointing!"

Gordon kept a serious face but at the same time was confused at what Taizou was saying. Benigawa? Descendant? Powers? The hell did it all mean? And what did he ever do to Taizou that got him shooting deadly energy spheres from his hands? He may have seen some strange fellows back in Manhattan, but the energy spheres from this fellow trumps all of them.

And not only that, he almost went and killed two of his own classmates!

Refusing to let it slide any longer, Gordon reached into his back pocket and slipped on a pair of black fingerless gloves with a hint of padding on the knuckles, the sight of which caught Rinko's attention.

"Hey wait, hold on! You're not gonna fight him, are you?"

"Like I have a choice. Besides, you two saw what he did back there."

"Yeah, but he's our friend!" Yuuto protested.

"Would your friend try and kill us with that strange sphere he threw?" Gordon asked rhetorically, flexing his fingers.

Yuuto only looked at him with concern.

Gordon breathed a quick sigh. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, okay? I don't like this either, but either he goes down or we can all kiss our asses goodbye." He put his fists up spread his legs out a bit. "Don't worry; I won't hurt your friend too badly. At least believe that."

With those words, the New Yorker rushed Taizou and threw a set of hooks before the redhead can attack again, sending him stumbling back as Gordon followed it up with a left-fisted uppercut to his face.

Rinko averted her eyes from the sight while Yuuto bit his upper lip, knowing it would be pointless to stop this fight but still kept faith in the foreigner's words.

{"Hrrah!"}

WHUD! WHUD!

Gordon continued his assault with a swift jab to Taizou's chest and another at his stomach, causing the redheaded student to stagger before regaining his footing.

"Uguh!" he groaned, holding his stomach. "You little… You'll pay for… Bwah-hah! Geh!"

Gordon interrupted Taizou's rant with a left hook and cross, the latter of which sent the redhead staggering towards the wall behind him.

"Grrr… Bastard…!" the furious redhead fumed, removing himself from the wall. "Don't underestimate me, you little shit! I'll tear you apart and devour your entrails right now! BENIGAWAAAAAA!-!"

Gordon watched Taizou's skin turn blue, then flinched when six green spider legs with red claws sprouted from his back!

"Fuckin' hell-!?"

"T-Taizou..." Yuuto said, shocked at his friend's frightening transformation.

"Masaki-kun," Rinko added, her voice in a state of fear.

"A-hahahahahaha! I'll show you our kind's hatred, demon slayer…" The transformed Taizou prepared another energy sphere, this one being larger than the first. "ALL OF IT!-!"

{"Grr...!"} Gordon brought his fists up once more in preparation for round two. He has to end this fight now before anyone else gets hurt!

But then...

"I cannot allow such a thing."

Upon hearing that familiar-sounding voice, Gordon turned his head around to see a feminine silhouette several feet above his head, eclipsing the bright sun. The silhouette then made her descent down and landed beside the speechless boxer, back facing him.

"You gotta be joking..."

From Yuuto and Rinko's perspective, it was a girl their age wearing a red blazer with a yellow ribbon tied around the collar, a black skirt, and brown loafers over a pair of thigh-high socks. Her long, bluish-black hair was tied into a ponytail by a pink ribbon, and her purple eyes had a serious and determined look that contrasted with her beautiful features. The two were also quick to notice the girl holding a long object hidden underneath a decorative-looking cloth.

"That man...is mine!" the woman boasted with a smile.

"Hold on, I never agreed to that!" a miffed Gordon shot back. "And how'd you find out where I go to school, anyway!?"

"Evans-san, do you know this girl?" Yuuto asked, confused.

Gordon heaved out a weary sigh. "Sadly, yes. She tried to seduce me on my way here this morning."

Rinko's face paled at the New Yorker's explanation. "Wait, that chick tried to seduce you!? Don't tell me you're some kind of pimp or something?"

"Hell no I ain't!" Where on earth did she get that idea from?

"...Who the hell are you?" the transformed Taizou demanded, unamused at the new development.

The red-clad girl narrowed her eyes. "I do not give out my name to third-rate ayakashi such as yourself," she answered, unraveling the cloth to reveal a katana underneath which she then drew and pointed its gleaming silver blade towards her would-be adversary.

"My target is none but ayakashi, and I shall slay none but ayakashi!" she declared in an authoritative tone.

"Eh!? Wait, hold on just a minute!" a scared Rinko started to ask, pointing to the swordswoman's katana. "You're not thinking about k-killing Masaki-kun with that thing, are you!?"

"Please, you can't do that!" pleaded Yuuto. "He's our friend!"

The anonymous swordswoman took a sideways glance at the worried pair, then darted her eyes back to her opponent.

"I must apologize to you both," she began explaining, readying her blade. "I have hailed from the countryside, so I have not yet grown accustomed to the air around here. In fact, I myself am too fatigued to hold back."

She then took a quick glance at Gordon from behind, her eyes focused on the red omamori around his neck.

"Do not bother participating in this battle any longer," she advised him. "There is nothing you can do at this point."

Although Gordon dared not to say a word, he, too, has his concerns. He couldn't let Miss Samurai (his nickname for the girl since he has yet to know her real name) go and kill Taizou. How else was he going to explain this to the teachers if word ever broke out?

"Interesting," the possessed Taizou sneered. "If you think you can beat me, then go ahead and try!"

"As you wish," Miss Samurai obliged as she engaged her opponent. Or at least she would have if it weren't for a dark-skinned hand gripping her left shoulder.

"I have already said you cannot partake in this fight," she told Gordon in a firm tone, not even bothering to look back. "Now will you kindly let go?"

"Can't do that, Miss Samurai. Not unless I join in, too. 'Sides, how do I know you're not just gonna kill him, huh?"

"I appreciate your concern, but this is a situation that has gone far beyond your control."

"Beyond my control? Did you even see how I was doing against this guy before he transformed? I was on a roll!"

"And that is more than enough reason why..."

"ENOUGH ALREADY!-!"

The pair turned to the transformed Taizou, who had another dark sphere prepared just for them.

"It matters not if there are two of you! Both of you will feel my wrath! I'll kill and eat both of your entrails!"

Gordon clicked his tongue in irritation while slipping back into his boxing stance. "Hey, Miss Samurai?"

The anonymous swordswoman let off an exasperated sigh. "It appears we will have to work together to drive the ayakashi out of the boy," she said, readying her katana.

"Fine by me, I guess. Last thing I want is to get expelled over something like this."

"GRRAAAAAAHHHH! TAKE THIS!" the transformed Taizou roared, throwing the sphere at them.

The two combatants quickly split, letting the deadly sphere pass by as they regrouped for their assault. Miss Samurai used her blade to block Taizou's spider legs when he attempted to attack her. Gordon seized that opportunity to give his possessed foe a few swift punches to the gut before following it up with several jabs the chest. The boxer then finished with a strong set of alternating hooks, sending the spider-legged redhead reeling with each blow.

"Tch!" Taizou fussed, wiping some blood from his mouth. "Why you little…BWOOH!"

Gordon threw a straight haymaker at the ayakashi-possessed redhead, knocking his breath out and sending him hurtling towards the pavement, only stopping near the fence.

Yuuto and Rinko visibly winced at the impact, averting their eyes.

Gordon flicked his wrist and prepared to approach his unconscious classmate but was forced to step back the moment a black fog leapt from Taizou's body. Although the redheaded student reverted back to normal, he and Miss Samurai had a new threat on their hands.

Right above their heads was a giant, green-and-blue spider creature with a grey, humanoid face. The arachnid proceeded to spew a web-like fluid from its mouth. However it was bisected by Miss Samurai's katana mere seconds before it reached Gordon.

"I shall take over from here," she said.

"I'll leave ya to it, then," he replied as Miss Samurai engaged the spider ayakashi.

CLANG! CLANG CLANG!

Stroke by stroke, the black-haired swordswoman deftly blocked the giant spider's strikes with her katana while at the same time evading and bisecting its web shots.

"Hmm, not bad, Miss Samurai," Gordon complemented from afar, with Yuuto and Rinko making sure Taizou was okay.

Back at the fight, Miss Samurai swung her katana in a sweeping motion towards the giant spider, hoping to cut off its legs and render it immobile, but the spider jumped and spewed a string of web at her. The swordswoman quickly sidestepped and jumped to meet her foe as she hacked and slashed at the blue-and-green arachnid. She then rammed the blade at her foe's abdomen and slammed it towards a nearby water tower, where the defeated arachnid screeched and howled in pain before disintegrated into nothingness. Some of the water that burst from the tower got on Miss Samurai's uniform as she gazed down at the trio. Her violet eyes met Gordon's before turning back, sheathing her katana and departing from the scene, jumping off numerous rooftops until she was no longer in view.

With the threat having passed, Gordon went over to Yuuto and Rinko who were checking up on Taizou.

"Is Masaki gonna be all right?"

"Nnnh... More melon bread, please..."

Rinko let off an affectionate giggle at Taizou's sleep-talking. "Yeah, he'll make it. He's just sleeping."

Gordon gave a relieved nod in response. "Good. I was worried I might've left him out cold. Let's take him over to the GYOOH?!"

The skater suddenly found himself expelling a mouthful of air as he keeled over to the ground. Holding his pained gut, he glanced up at Rinko who had a victorious, yet smug grin on her face.

"Heh-heh! How'd you like my 'thank you' gift, Skate Punk?"

"Ugh... Lucky...shot!" Gordon winced, resisting every urge to puke out his lunch after feeling the juices in his stomach churn. Though that wouldn't last very long.

"Bleeeugh!"

"Ah! E-Evans-san, are you all right!?"

In his defense, Gordon should be thankful it wasn't a kidney shot, otherwise he'd have been rushed to the hospital. There was a good reason why it's been banned in boxing to begin with.

Nighttime had fallen over at Gordon's new residence as the skater was busy reminiscing over what happened at school. That Masaki guy going berserk as a result of that spider-creature possessing him, the weird samurai girl who seduced him this morning coming to lay waste to it (with his help at the beginning)...

Being stuck in the infirmary the rest of the school day after Rinko made him lose his lunch...

There were also a few things the spider said that Gordon wanted to know. Who were the Benigawas, and how on earth was he related to them? And what powers could that crazy arachnid be referring to? Those questions and more were lingering deep within his mind since that incident occurred.

Gordon turned his head towards the digital alarm clock beside him. It read 23:30, or 11:30 P.M, making the New Yorker frown upon realizing his birthday was still going on. He really wants it to be over and done with. Seriously, can't time move any quicker?

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Gordon grabbed his bedsheet and tried going to sleep, but to no avail.

"Shit... Can't even get to sleep tonight. Must be gettin' jet lag again. Huh?"

The New Yorker found some rustling going on beneath his sheets the moment he looked down.

{"The heck...?"}

Curious, Gordon lifted them up, only for his eyes to become dinner plates after seeing who it was.

As it turns out, it was none other than Miss Samurai on his bed, adorning a pale blue yukata with a red obi sash in place of the red school uniform she had on earlier. It was quite loose from the top, giving Gordon a tempting view of her well-endowed chest. The girl's bluish-black hair was also let down, allowing it to flow freely with some of it hanging from her sides.

"Are you looking to retire early?"

{"GAAAAHH!"}

Her sudden appearance alone caused Gordon to scurry back towards the head of his bed, his face showing surprise and shock before it was replaced by an unamused look. While it may be every adolescent boy's wet dream come true to have a beautiful and mysterious girl pop out from under the sheets at night, there were other factors to consider as well. Namely, breaking into a person's home.

"Alright, Miss Samurai, you got five seconds to explain how you got in my house," Gordon demanded with a suspicious frown.

The black-haired beauty gave an offended pout in return. "Is that the first thing you ask a lovely girl such as myself after coming all this way to meet you at night? You can at least show some appreciation."

"Not when they pop out from under my sheets," was Gordon's rebuttal, his suspicion kept high as Miss Samurai crawled over to him.

"Putting that aside," she continued, tilting her head just a little bit, "were you happening to recall the events that transpired this afternoon?"

Gordon's cheeks gained a light flush of red at the swordswoman being close but nonetheless kept his cool. "Yeah, why wouldn't I? And if it's about me not letting you take on that spider-freak by yourself, then I'm sorry, alright? I just couldn't have you go all-out on one of my classmates if you were dead set on killing him."

A soft smile spread from Miss Samurai's lips. "So you were concerned about me?"

Gordon scratched his cheek, averting the young woman's gaze. "Don't...get the wrong idea. And besides, you didn't even answer my..."

The New Yorker stopped mid-sentence when Miss Samurai pressed her body against his, the soft sensation of her breasts nearly catching him off guard as she looked at him with a gentle smile that sent his heart throbbing.

"H-Hey..."

The mysterious beauty lets out a mirthful giggle as she proceeded to squirm down towards Gordon's neck. She then stuck her tongue out and licked it slowly, leaving a trail of wet saliva in its wake.

"Yee! H-Hey, Miss Samurai, what gives!?"

Gordon's protests went unanswered as Miss Samurai continued licking and sucking his neck, sending several chills up and down the young man's spine with each ministration. If Dante was in his position right now, he would almost certainly enjoy what this woman was doing with her tongue.

"Fufufu... Does it feel good? I can reward you with a lot more, you know," she suggested, running her fingers down Gordon's chest with a sultry smile.

Having just about had enough of her lascivious advances, Gordon forcefully grabbed Miss Samurai's shoulders and pushed the woman away towards the foot of his bed.

{"Jesus Christ, the hell's your damn problem!?"}

The glare from his angry outburst quickly turned to a pitiful expression upon seeing the confused and hurt expression on Miss Samurai's face. Both her hands were on her chest, and the blackette's violet orbs were downturned with a mildly disappointed look to them, all while averting the Brooklyn youth's gaze. She nearly resembled a stray kitten that was kicked to the curb by a rude bystander.

A pang of guilt welled up in Gordon's subconscious, which caused the New Yorker to put his hand on the girl's delicate shoulder that caused her to look up, albeit slowly.

"Hey. Look, I... I was off my game a bit, okay? I shouldn't have lashed at you like that. Forgive me?"

Miss Samurai's expression softened up a little, which Gordon took as her accepting his apology.

"Alright. Now that we've made up, I just wanna know what you're doing in my house. That's all I'm asking for."

A smile emerged from Miss Samurai's lips as she crawled over to Gordon's nightstand to pick up the omamori lying near his charging phone, letting off a soft "Hmm" while eyeing it in deep thought.

"H-Hey, be careful with that. It means a lot to me, y'know."

"...I see. So the spell has ceased to function after all."

Gordon raised an eyebrow at Miss Samurai's assertion. "Pardon?"

"Please allow me to explain. You may not be aware of this, but this omamori once harbored a protective spirit inside. Unfortunately, it can only hold on until you became a certain age. In other words, when you become sixteen."

"So you're talkin' bout my birthday, right?" Gordon tried to clarify, earning a short nod from Miss Samurai who put the charm back on the nightstand.

"Precisely." Her gentle expression soon turned serious after facing the New Yorker. "Now listen carefully. From this day forward you will encounter more ayakashi like the one you and I had just fought. Such is the fate your family's blood has bestowed upon you."

"Blood?" Gordon blinked, confused. "Wait, I don't get what you're..."

His question was cut off by Miss Samurai pressing her finger against his lips.

"Please do not worry. Your omamori may have completed its duty, but there is no need to worry." She cradled Gordon's head and gently stroked his hair. "As I had pledged..." She shook her head. "No, even if I had not so pledged it, I would still protect you. I shall never leave your side, Young Lord."

Gordon was at a near loss for words. Did Miss Samurai just call him her...master somewhere along those lines? And when she meant protecting him, did she mean from ayakashi like that spider that took over Taizou? But who in their right mind would even send a pretty girl like her to take on such a (potentially) dangerous task? That's what he really wants answered.

"Did...someone put you up to this?"

Miss Samurai took her hand off Gordon's head. "I was requested by your grandfather to take on this duty."

The swordswoman's explanation brought the Brooklyn teen into a palpable shock. He just couldn't believe it. His own grandfather, whom he had never met nor heard from his entire life, sent her?

"But even if it had not been requested by him, I would still..."

Miss Samurai's words fell short when she suddenly fell forward and landed on Gordon, her ample bust once again pressing on the young skater's chest.

"For cryin' out loud..." he lamented before his attention shifted to Miss Samurai. "H-Hey, are you..."

The swordswoman slowly raised her head with a soft moan, revealing a restless look to Gordon judging from the few bags underneath her eyes. Though that didn't stop Miss Samurai from cracking a dry smile.

"Fufu... It appears fatigue finally took hold of me. Not only have I undergone a long journey, but there was that fight as well. My apologies, but will you allow me to rest for the night?"

Gordon cracked a wry smile of his own. "Yeah, you pretty much deserve it. Oh right, I still haven't gotten your name." Until now, he only called the sword-wielding girl by the nickname he gave her. If Miss Samurai already knew his name, then it was only fair for Gordon to know hers.

"Himari. I am also an ayakashi as well. An adorable kitty cat."

A set of white cat ears appeared on the young woman's head, the New Yorker's eyes widening at the sudden sight.

"What...the...? Hm?"

Gordon looked down at Miss Samurai - or rather, Himari - who was already sound asleep on his chest. Soft breathing can be heard from the cat ayakashi's slightly ajar lips, and the dark-skinned skater was once again given a gratuitous view of Himari's cleavage.

Pulling his sheets over after lying down on his bed, Gordon directed his focus at the cat ears on Himari's head, which got the skater wondering if she really is what she claims to be.

With curiosity taking hold on his conscience, he reached the sleeping catgirl's ears and gave them a few strokes. Surprisingly enough, Gordon found them to be just as smooth as the ones on Rika's cats, bringing a satisfied smile to his face as he then proceeded to use his thumb and forefinger to rub one of them, getting a feel of its soft fur.

"Mnn... Nfufu..."

Gordon can feel Himari's sleeping body snuggle ever so close, the softness of her breasts pressing further against the New Yorker's arm as the young catwoman let off a quiet and throaty purr. Gordon also took notice of her legs being entangled with his, judging by their smoothness.

{"Guess that proves it, then,"} he muttered to himself, taking one last look at Himari's sleeping face before going off to sleep.

It was a very strange first day, indeed.

And that ends the initial chapter of TBDS, everyone! So in this section, I will include explanations of some plot points you guys may have a few questions about.

First order of business is the Benigawas' Touki ability. While it does share the same name with the ability in High School DxD that Sairaorg Bael possesses, the power itself will share influence from a character in Magna Carta 2 named Juto.

As for their ranking with the other demon slayers along with their current status, it goes as follows:

1 – Tsuchimikado (Active)

2 – Kamizakura (Deceased)

3 – Kagamimori (Active)

4 – Benigawa (Unknown)

5 – Kogetsukyou (Deceased)

6 – Houjou (Deceased)

7 – Karasu (Deceased)

8 – Jibashiri (Deceased)

9 – Homura (Deceased)

10 – Hiiragi (Deceased)

11 – Yakouin (Unknown, presumed active)

12 – Jinguuji (Active)

If you guys can already tell, I omitted the Amakawas from the list since Yuuto won't be a demon slayer in this story. He'll still be part of the main cast alongside Rinko, though. I'm sure as hell not gonna throw him under the bus.

Next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer: "Second Round - Demon Slayers, Pledges, and Transfer Students"

This is KID2NR, signing off for now. See ya round!