Wait, was is it? An update? YES! So, I took like, forever to update. My bad. Actually, I got this done a long time ago, like, 2 months maybe, but I didn't like the result, and I was waiting for my friend to review. BUT, in the end I didn't change a thing and she couldn't review because school sucks. And so I'm posting now, even though this isn't nearly as good as I expected, but I promise that the next one will be way cooler, and I already started writing it, so yeah. Enjoy this chapter.

Plus, thank you Dougall Dragon for reviewing!

[Mitsuko's POV]

Mephisto soon dismissed us to go pack our things and get some rest, once we were leaving in the next morning. I watched everyone leaving, Rin and Yukio going to the old dorm, Suguro and Konekomaru to the male dorm and Shiemi to her house. I think the only situation similar to this one is when we were all together in the cram school, and, sometimes, when I hadn't left with Rin to help him with the homework or to go training, I left with Izumo. After all, we were in the same dorm. In those times, we talked a bit, and I don't think she was that bad, actually, she was kinda nice. Of course, she acted like a bitch sometimes, but I don't think it's utterly because of her personality. Actually, I have this weird sensation that... Well, I may be wrong, but I can't stop thinking that she was trying to keep people away, except Paku, of course, but still... Anyway, I just can't figure out why she would have been doing that.

But now, after what just happened, this feeling is clearly stronger than before. What if she knew that something like that would be happening? I mean, all that stuff with the Illuminati and... No, that is just nonsense. Ugh, fuck it. If there's something to find out, we'll do it sooner or later, I'm sure.

But now, thinking about Shima... Well, I guess that I thought many things about him, but I never expected this to happen. A perverted? Yes, but a spy? No, that's just not like him. Actually, the way he act is quite the opposite of what a spy should. I mean, he draw too much attention and blend in with everybody. So, either he was the worst or the perfect spy. But I still prefer that he wasn't none of those.

And I stood there for a while longer before turning my back to the remaining exwires, who were already far ahead, downstairs. I still had something to do before leaving as well. And when I turned on my heels, I saw Mephisto leaning on the railing, looking at no specific point down the academy.

I take a deep breath and walk in his direction, and even though he probably saw me, he didn't turn to face me. I take a moment to analyse him, but I couldn't read his expression at all. Was he happy? Annoyed? Indifferent? I don't know. So I decide to go right to the point and finally speak.

"So, about what happened to the students...", I trail of for a moment remembering the scene that happened not one hour ago: Sumiko standing over the edge, at the same time looking like a rock and a leaf, with no sign of move, but that could fly away to her death at any second. I shiver with the thought, and try my best to send that memory away, telling myself that she's safe now. I look up, meeting my gaze with Miphisto's, who at some point turned to look at me. And so I continue: "I just can't stop thinking of who did it, and something is telling me that you know". He smirks.

"My dear little sister, you thought right", my eyes lit up, and as soon as he noticed this, he continued. "But, I don't think I need to tell you. Actually, I'm quite sure that you met her already...". I should have expected something like that, he wouldn't simply answer my question with 'It was this person', even though he surely could do it. This wouldn't be 'fun'.

So I had to guess. I quickly pass in my mind everything that I could remember from his conversation with Lucifer. Thinking about it, they really talked about someone, and whoever she was, Mephisto wasn't expecting for her coming.

Her...

Wait. I did meet someone earlier, didn't I?

I shiver as I remember the cloaked person. Unfortunately, she totally creeped me out. I sigh.

7:40 am, that's what I see when I check the time in my phone, after passing through the ticket gate. It usually would be quite a thing for me to wake up early in a holiday, but today I didn't really bothered. Actually, that's not the word, bothered, it was more like being on automatic, I just woke up, got dressed, took my things, wrote a note to Sumiko saying that I was visiting my family and followed to the train station along with the rest of the exwires. Today Belbel was under my bed, as if knowing that I'd be leaving and being sure that wouldn't be left behind.

"I can't do anything but..."

And now, before heading to the train, we stood silent while Paku-san was saying her goodbyes. She and Izumo were really close friends, so this might be being really hard for her.

"Everyone... Be careful", the concern was clear in her features. Well, I can say that she was worried not only with Izumo, but also with all of us. She was aware that this was a dangerous mission.

"Leave it to us!", Rin said while waving. And then we turned and headed to the platform. I heard Paku calling Shiemi, who stayed behind, but I just looked to the floor and kept walking. Different from Rin, I wasn't so secure, and I didn't have to ask rest to know that they had a similar feeling to mine.

I heard a sound coming from ahead and looked up, seeing the train arriving. "Shiemi-san! the train is coming, hurry!", Yukio said, and a second later Shiemi ran to join us, coming as fast as her kimono let her.

We waited until the train had completely stopped and we entered, ten minutes later it was leaving. "What's our destination?", Yukio asked. Now that I stopped to think about, it's kinda ridiculous to take a train without even knowing where you're heading.

"Shimane prefecture, near Inari Shrine", the puppet said.

"I see... We're heading towards Haneda airport. From there, we'll go by plane"

"A plane?!". I almost jumped, startled with Rin's yell, in response of what Yukio had said. "I've never been in one!"

"Me neither...", Shiemi quietly said.

"I can finally fly, but... I... I'm scared. Can't we go with a key?", Rin asked while making quite a funny face.

"I've never heard of a key that allows this many people through. It was the same when we went to Kyoto, right?"

"I wonder what we will do with a cat and a dog demon in a plane", I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"Do you know why it's Shimane prefecture?", Koneko asked Katara, changing the subject.

"I let Izumo have the plush that I summoned. And I can locate the position of the things that I summon. You can see it as a transmitter"

"By the way...", Yukio started, a little distracted. I can say by his face that he was wondering about something else. But than this moment passed and he was fully focused. "Shimane prefecture is Kamike-san and Paku-san's hometown"

"Is that so?", Rin said, barely paying attention, once he was looking through the window.

"That means... Her hometown and the place where she's captive are the same. What connection could there be?", Shiemi wondered out loud. Nobody said much after that, even though what Shiemi said was something to think about. I guess nobody knew how to answer that.

10:12 am, the time when I turned off my phone in request of the stewardess. We arrived the airport almost one hour before the flight, and now we were in the plane, about to take off. I was sitting in the middle line, beside me was Rin, Yukio and Shiemi, in the other point. In the very moment the plane left the ground, Rin gripped Yukio's arm and started yelling.

"S-Scary! We're flying! Hey! Yukio, we're flying!"

"Nii-san, calm down. Mitsuko-san didn't bother at all, and Shiemi-san is calm, since the flight got steady". And as if to show what Yukio said, Shiemi, even though bit shyly, offered one bentou to everyone while smiling.

She then handed one sandwich to each one, and while she did so, Yukio said "Let's talk about the current situation". I took mine sandwich and looked at Yukio, who continued. "Last night the true cross knight's headquarters and all of the branch offices received a self-destruct attack for the Illuminati's Seraphim"

"Since last night, we haven't been able to contact people from Myoda. However...", Koneno trailed off and Yukio replied.

"That's probably because the Kyoto branch is also under the confusion of the attack", and then he continued with what he was saying. "The amount of damage is still unknown... But we have information that the Gregory also sustained serious injuries". My eyes widen slightly. Even them...? "With the repairs of the broken barriers and the extermination of the demons... The japanese branch will be chased by the mass media for answers"

"We can see it on the web news, 'The unknown cause of the explosion. Could it be a terrorist attack...?!'", Bon read.

"Well, in a way, they're not wrong", Koneko say.

"'The Illuminati', they say... What the hell are they?! I know about that name, but... I've never really thought that the organization actually existed", Bon continue.

"The Illuminati is the famed secret society that was established two hundred years ago", Yukio explained, "But, in the present day, it has been confirmed, without hesitation, that this organization collapsed. Although, there can be any number of organizations who call themselves the Illuminati. Knights are keeping watch on demonic organizations and other societies around the world. However, in the last decade, we hear the name 'Illuminati' in both small and big incidents linked to demons. To think there was a terrorist group this huge... Even the knights are under investigation. This is all the information I have"

Rin, who was partly sleeping, 'woke up' when Yukio finished. "Terrorist group...", Koneko wondered. "Shima-san... He went to that kind of thing". Suguro remained silent for most of the time eating Shiemi's sandwich, he must be thinking the same as Konekomaru, but different from him, couldn't really verbalize. Both have different ways to suffer the betrayal. "What kind of leader... I didn't understand anything about Shima -san. And I was the one who was looking the most. I'm ashamed of myself"

"Konekomaru...", Rin started. I guess he was trying to comfort him but couldn't think of something to say.

"When I was watching Shima-san's smiling face while he was going away, that's what I thought. But... I... Since we were kids, I've been watching. I trust Shima-san. I trust my own eyes. With this little self-esteem, I'm still aiming to become a leader..."

"That's... That's right", for everyone's surprise, the next one to speak was Shiemi, and she looked pretty determined, even though she had her usual shyness. "I-I.. I think what Miwa-kun just said is on the mark! That's why, it will surely...!"

"Moriyama-san... Thank you...", a small, but true, smile appeared in Koneko's features.

"So... We should try these bentou that Shiemi made for us! Hmm? Kuro, You don't want some?", Kuro, who was on Rin's lap, just nodded negatively.

"Hmm. I don't think the taste is that good, but it is good for your health, so please eat!"

"Shiemi, don't be so harsh on yourself..."

And then everyone said a collective "Itadakimasu!". I bit the sandwich, and I chewed, and I tasted. And then I had the sudden urge to spit that thing from my mouth immediately, but after concluding that it wasn't possible, I forced myself to swallow. Rin didn't reach to the same conclusion.

"It tastes good...", Yukio struggled to say while trying to eat the grass sandwich. Koneko also was having similar problems; Katara was eating without any trouble, but he 's strange enough to make this understandable; but the most astonishing was that Suguro also wasn't having any problem with the sandwich. I knew that he was far from ok with all that thing with Shima, but I didn't imagined that he was THAT bad to don't even bother the taste of it...

"By the way, Suguro is eating it just fine?!", someone put my thoughts out loud.

"His taste buds are probably dead or something"

"I... I'm sorry", Shiemi said with her voice shaking.

But sandwiches forgotten and half an hour later, while everyone was talking about some random things, Belbel showed up and, for some unknown reason, started running after Kuro.

"Oh shit", I said. I could have called out for them, but no one despite us was seeing the two demons, so I would look like crazy or something.

"What the hell are they doing?", Rin asked while following them with the eyes.

"Hum... I guess they're just playing...?", Koneko said.

"I think you might be right, Kuro isn't making much sense at all"

"What do ya mean?", I asked Rin.

"I'm not getting what he's saying"

"What he's sayin- Oh, you can listen to what demons say, like telepathy, right?"

"Yes"

" I keep forgetting that". By now, we both kinda forgot about the two running through the plane's corridors, so we got startled with the sudden noise: unfortunately, the stewardess was passing with the cart in this exactly moment, so while running, Kuro leapt on the cart, knocking some plastic cups and even a bottle of tomato juice.

Belbel couldn't pass through the cart, so after that they stopped. At the sight of a startled stewardess and some confused passengers trying to figure out what happened, while collecting the fallen objects, we pretended that nothing had happened, soon getting back to what we were talking.

"So, Rin, once we're talking about things that I keep forgetting... why exactly you and Yukio are living in the old dorm?", I asked.

"I think Mephisto put me there because I might be dangerous and all that stuff, and bla, bla, bla. Yukio was there to 'watch me'", he said while rolling his eyes, and then leaned closer to me and said in tone of secret (in a moron way), he even partially covered his mouth with one hand and looked askance both sides, "But the real question is: why aren't you there?"

"Well, if that's your reason (for living there), I guess I'm in the girls dorm 'cause Mephisto didn't know about me by the time I entered, otherwise I think I could have been put there with you...", I answered in the same low tone, also a little playfully.

"Hum, I guess you're right"

I didn't say anything else, so the next time that we talked again was just when we arrived at Inari.

"Wah! It's beautiful, it's like a sea of rice", Shiemi says, amazed with the rice fields in both sides of the earth road.

"Awesome! There are rice fields as far as the eyes can see. It's so vast", Rin says.

"Did we really chose to walk...". Koneko asks rhetorically. I sigh, as if agreeing with him.

"Can you wait for a while? I'll go and ask for the way", Yukio announce, and in the same moment I sit on the fence in the right side of the road, which surrounds a property.

"All right", I listen Rin saying. I close my eyes. Damn, I hate walking. And sun. And... "Here I come, SUGURO!". I shot my eyes open in time to see Rin kicking Suguro's back, which caused him to fall, and roll on the ground, and also get angry.

And then they started yelling at each other. Rin (and also Bon) said some nonsense things blended with something really meaningful that didn't pay much attention, and in the end Suguro wasn't with that desolated face anymore, but back in his determined self... And a bit pissed off with Rin.

"Are you guys alright? I figured out the way, let's go forth", I turn my head and see Yukio, who had just arrived and was already going forward once again, this time being followed by the exwires. I jump out of the fence and go to join them.

We turn right, passing through a small bridge. Some meters ahead there is a sign with the drawing of a fox in a cloud and in which was saying that Inari was 4 km ahead. And we walk...

• • •

[Yukio's POV]

"Hello? Mephisto speaking~", I heard Pheles' voice as he answered the phone.

"We arrived our destination just now..."

"What kind of place is it?"

"How should I say, it's a complete...", I pause in the middle of the sentence, thinking about how to reply. I look ahead in the street, where a woman using a costume and a mascot were announcing the Inari Shrine and the foxes'e alley. "Tourist destination", I finally finish what I was saying, as we entered a crowded street, which was full of signs and shops in both sides.

A giggle could be heard in the other side of the line, "Investigate the area completely, and then please report again. If you are stuck, you can ask Takara-kun for help. So then, work hard, captain Okumura!", with that, the line got mute.

I put the cellphone in my pocket and turn to the exwires. "Sir Pheles' orders are to investigate the area completely and... Hum?! Where's Takara-kun?". I look frantically around us, searching for Takara, who was supposed to be our guide, but there are too many people in here, there's no way I'll find him.

"Once again, he disappeared without us noticing. (That bastard)", Ryuji said, clearly annoyed.

"It can't be helped... We'll ask around on our way", I say, defeated, and I could listen to nii-san complaining, but something else caught my attention, two people, more precisely.

There were a man and a woman, both in an advanced age, talking about their visit to the shrine, and they seemed to be really excited about it. A little too excited. There's probably something in here, I should talk to them: "Ah, excuse me. Is this place really that fun? It's our first time here, so..."

"Ah! So it's your first time? Here! You can go and give your respect to Toyouke-omikami and the other gods of food and harvest. It would be good if you and your friends could pay a visit to the shrine too! Your life will become prosperous". I got stunned with the woman's response, and the men joined her, completing what she was saying:

"But before that, you have to go to the foxes' alley. The food here is made with ingredients from Shimane, and it's very delicious! Especially the Inari soba. You absolutely have to try it. I recommend it!"

Uncertain of what to say, and still a bit surprised, I simple reply "O... Okey. Understood"

"Maybe we should take a look at those places?", Mitsuko suggested.

"That's a good idea". And so, we headed to the foxes' alley.

It was only a five minutes walk, but there were significantly more people in here than in the main street. "Earlier, it was peaceful... But here, it's very crowded".

"The shops almost only sell food", Mitsuko pointed.

"It seems that this alley leads to the Inari shrine. I got a pamphlet", well, without Takara, Konekomaru's pamphlet might help us.

The shopkeepers were announcing their dishes, and saliva started to drip from Rin's mouth. "It smells like dashi! It looks good. Let's have something to eat. We've only had Shiemi's grass sandwiches since morning. I'm hungry... And I want something edible"

"You have a point...", I agree, but soon regret it as soon as I see Shiemi's disappointment, most likely with herself. But we still had to eat something, and I don't think anyone will want more sandwiches... "We'll take a break from the investigation to eat"

"For real?!", Rin asked, but before I could say anything, he ran to the nearest shop, and we followed him.

The food was definitely good, and after we finished, Rin stood up quickly and ran with Kuro, yelling "All right! I'll go and do an investigation on the food!". Ryuji, Shiemi and Mitsuko tried to stop him, but in vain. I should probably do some serious research for now... "I'll go and look at the shrine"

"Should we go with you?", konekomaru asked.

"No. Take care of my brother"

And so I headed to the shrine. There was a broad paved path and several trees around. It's quiet here, compared to the alley.

Some people were walking, and two men were talking. And, like in the main street , something about what they were saying sounded weird.

"Eh? You're going to move in?"

"Yeah! I was selected! It almost seems like a dream!"

"I heard that there are twenty times more people who are moving in. I'm jealous. I, too, was hoping to move in, but I didn't have a chance at all".

After that I didn't find anything else, so I went to meet with the rest.

We are now in a square, which had a view to the shrine and the surrounds, and, near one of the railings, there were some toy foxes to ride. And nii-san was sitting in one of those, while still eating something. There isn't anyone here besides us.

"Then... We didn't come here just to eat the foxes' alley's meals"

"THAT WOULD ONLY BE YOU!", Suguro say, in response to what Rin said, before continuing. "No matter how many time we ask the tourists, I have the impression that they're all repeating the same thing"

"They seem to all talk about the shrine and the food", Shiemi say.

"As expect, the crowd at the shrine was acting normal", and remembering the talk of the two men, I continued. "There's a building called 'you me town Inari', which was supposed to be a shopping mall chain, although I've heard stories about apartment buildings"

"I've heard about it too. It's that building next to the shrine, isn't it?", Konekomaru said, while pointing ahead the railings.

And so we went closer to the railings to have a better view... which was unnecessary, once the building was incredibly massive.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?", and, differently from Ryuji, Rin was only staring, once he was still chewing, and Shiemi and Mitsuko were sitting in the bench, but also staring in awe at the building.

"A lot of people seemed to want to move in there"

"They'll go this far just to live near Inari?! Who would do that?", Suguro said in response.

"By the way...", Konekomaru snapped us out as he continued, "The publisher of the tourist map that I got earlier at the information desk is... 'Inari's bright future organization'! Doesn't the name 'bright future' [which is written with the same kanji as 'light'] tell you something?"

"Don't tell me...", I was about to continue when I was interrupted by someone...

"What I don't understand... We should probably ask someone from this area". And this voice...

"TAKARA-KUN! Where were you all this time?"

"I found a considerably nice puppet", in his hand, the one that wasn't holding the pink rabbit, was a fox, which was wearing festive clothes. "This guy cost 1.2 million yen [ USD]. For a knight, this is a reasonable expense"

REASONABLE? "What did you say?!". And the pink puppet even held the recipe with it's mouth to prove it.

And then he started chanting, and as he did so, a breeze appeared spinning around him. "'I ask the grace of Inari, the god of harvest, to fulfil my prayers. One who has a relation with Kamiki Izumo and this land, come forth'". But something was wrong about this summoning, he wasn't using a circle. So it can only means that...

"He's invoking it through the puppet!", I said out loud. "So he has the ability of a second class tamer"

In the next moment, the expensive puppet gained life, with the summoned god's voice reverberating as he spoke: "Undoubtedly, I am the messenger of the goddess, Ukanomitama. I am Mike, the fox god, eight in rank!"

This time, the one to speak was the other puppet, with its characteristic rudeness, ignoring the fact that it was talking with a god: "You bastard, you're Kamiki Izumo's familiar, right? Tell us everything about this land and Kamiki Izumo!"

"You said that I was the servant familiar of that inexperienced little girl?! There is a limit to ho many insults I can take! And most importantly, what relation do you hold?", he now was angered - even though he ignored that he was called a bastard -, but this seemed to be forgotten and replaced by bit of surprise when Shiemi spoke.

"We're Izumo-chan's friends"

"Our enemy is somewhere in this land. What is Kamiki Izumo's relation to this land? Will you tell us, or will you not tell us?", the pink puppet spoke once again. "If you don't want to cooperate, we will look elsewhere"

The fox puppet sighed and took his decision. "Very well... I'll tell you about the girl and this land. This story go back some time, the events started five years ago. Until that time, this Inari was a pure land!", he paused, but soon continued. "The eleven years old daughter of the Kamiki family, Izumo, and this land... I'll tell you the story of what happened to them"

So, about what I'm going to do with the story: well, I will finish it around chapter 15 (this one was 11), maybe a bit more, but anyway. The thing is, I may write a part two, and the ideas that I have for it are pretty awesome, in my opinion, but wether I'm gonna do it or not depends on how people are interested in it, so, if you want a second part, let me know.

One last thing, in the notes of the last chapter I mentioned that I wanted to do something for the name of the chapters, right? Well, I started doing it, and maybe I put an explaination for why I chose each name after finishing it.

Well, that's it, bye ;)